First of all, it is an honor for us to hold this interview with director Jason Gottlieb. Tell us more about yourself, your background in the cinematic world, and what inspired you to connect your life with film.

My name is Jason Gottlieb. I’m a designer and artist based in Baltimore, Maryland. I’m actually quite new to the cinematic world; my background is in graphic design and fine art, specifically painting. I currently teach in the graphic design department at MICA (Maryland Institute College of Art), where I cover various subjects, including motion graphics. I’ve always loved film, and motion graphics served as a natural segue. When I discovered AI, I saw it as a unique opportunity to tell a story—and that’s where the journey began.

Thank you. Tell us more about the first film you created.

My first film is part of a larger project titled Love with Pain. It’s a "drag operetta" against fascism. Given the rise of authoritarian forces globally, I wanted to find ways to counteract that darkness. While I’ve long been a fan of drag and gender-play, I had never performed in drag myself. Through AI, I explored a drag persona, which proved surprisingly liberating.The specific music video I submitted is called Shame, a parody of the popular indie game Stardew Valley. I was fascinated by the irony of people using man-made technology to simulate a yearning for nature and agricultural life.

The symbolism you use—specifically the sunflower—is very powerful in Ukraine.
 It’s interesting how history reveals itself. I recently took a DNA test and discovered I am half Ukrainian Ashkenazi Jew. My family didn't speak much about our heritage, so discovering the significance of the sunflower in Ukraine felt like a subconscious pull. In Stardew Valley, you can cultivate fields of sunflowers, and I learned how vital they are to Ukrainian history and ecology.The parody also touches on societal "coding". In the game, marriage is a standard dynamic, but as a gay man, I appreciated the inclusion of gay marriage. However, I wondered about those still excluded, like the polyamorous community. The film uses this game narrative to explore those frontiers of liberation.

What was the most challenging part of this project?

Learning to "negotiate" with a computer. AI is a black box—chaotic and unpredictable. Something as simple as a character drinking water can be incredibly difficult to render. It is a collaboration with a non-human entity. Many think AI art is effortless, but it was actually a grueling process to get every shot exactly right.

What do you hope the audience takes away from this film?

I hope they find humor and lightness. We live in dark times, and laughter is rejuvenating. But I also hope they feel the seriousness of the message. To fight authoritarianism, we must stay true to the parts of our identity that don’t fit the "mold"—the queer, the strange, and the gritty. We need to keep the spirit of creativity and "strangeness" alive.