The Diatoms Turn the Lock
Seven diatoms must jointly turn a ring valve inside a drying water droplet before their microscopic colony is cut off from the last moist channel.
IXF-AIF-2026-SUZRFFS35Z
The story
The fully invented droplet district consists of glass cell courtyards connected only by a cobalt-blue sluice wheel. Seven night-shift diatoms grip separate spokes with their amber adhesive threads and shift the valve against a current that turns each body differently. The observational short form makes their non-human labor, mutual corrections, and the moment when the smallest organism holds an entire waterscape open visible; no real laboratory footage, institutions, or biological claims are used.
- Original title
- Die Kieselalgen drehen die Schleuse
- Country / region
- Germany
- Genres
- Documentary · Action · Drama
- Language
- German
- Year
- 2027
- Runtime
- 19:00
- Director
- Noemi Ardt
Creative process
Humans retain the final decision on screenplay, casting, acting direction, shot selection, continuity, editing, sound, color, safety review, and release.
As of 17.07.2026: completed on 01.07.2026; theatrical release planned for 08.01.2027. Human-written briefing and shot list; supervised generation with current models; manual editing; licensed audio and color finishing; legal, safety, and technical quality checks.
- AI participation (source-declared)
- 75%
- Creative method
- AI documentary
- Format
- Short film
- Resolution
- 4K
- Aspect ratio
- 1.50:1
- Frame rate
- 25
- Delivery format
- ProRes 422 HQ master + DCP 2K Flat + caption package
- Subtitles
- German · English · French · Korean · Japanese · Thai