AI Deepfake of Putin Stuns Cannes – Here’s What You Need to Know!

A Rose by Any Other Name: Putin is Deepfaked in new biopic released at Cannes Film Festival.

AI-Generated Putin Biopic Debuts at Cannes

Polish director Patryk Vega made headlines at the Cannes Film Festival with his groundbreaking film “Putin,” featuring an AI-generated deepfake of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The film, set to premiere in September, uses a deepfake of Putin’s face on a real actor’s body, a technique Vega developed due to the lack of high-resolution images for a full-body simulation. The biopic, which portrays six decades of Putin’s life, has already been sold in 50 countries, reflecting the film’s significant international interest.

Why The Deepfake?

Vega initially had Putin in person throughout most of the film narrate his experiences, making for interesting and intriguing viewing. However, many factors led to this AI deepfaking of Putin’s likeness. The conflicts in Crimea in 2014, followed by the intense fighting in 2020-present within the Donetsk and Lugansk regions of eastern Ukraine, meant that Vladimir Putin was further in demand of his presence in state matters, and became more and more unable to feature in the film. Hence Vega improvised and decided to go with the deepfake, with instantly classic results.

Balancing Creativity and Responsibility

The use of AI in film production is not entirely new; studios have used it for tasks like de-aging actors. Platforms like YouTube have also utilised AI for automated subtitles and copyright protection. Despite its potential to simplify complex tasks and make the impossible possible, the film industry is urged to use AI responsibly. Justine Ryst, head of YouTube France, emphasised the need for bold, disruptive innovation balanced with responsibility, as the industry navigates the transformative impact of AI technology.

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*An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story.