Filipino creativity has claimed a powerful place on the global stage as Portrait No. 72, an AI-assisted short film by local creators Rodson Verr Suarez and Darryll Rapacon, was named one of only five finalists in the inaugural AI Film Award held in Dubai.
Selected from more than 3,500 entries worldwide, Portrait No. 72 emerged as a standout in a competition that redefined what filmmaking can look like in the age of artificial intelligence. The ten-minute film explores grief, memory, and human emotion through the lens of emerging technology, offering a deeply personal narrative that resonated far beyond its experimental roots.
While the competition required the use of AI throughout the creative process, Suarez and Rapacon are clear about one thing: technology never replaced human vision. Instead, AI served as a collaborator, enabling them to translate a complex, cinematic idea into reality without the traditional constraints of budget, manpower, or production scale.
Both creators balance full-time professional careers alongside their passion for storytelling. By using AI tools to handle the more labor-intensive aspects of production, they were able to focus on narrative, emotion, and artistic direction — the elements they believe remain distinctly human.
“When we were writing the film, we had a question we wanted to answer: can an AI film make you feel emotions?” Rapacon said. “With Portrait No. 72, we believe we proved that it can. People felt something. It isn’t like much of the AI content you see online — it has a story, and it has heart.”
That emotional core was shaped by real-life loss. During the writing process, Suarez was grieving the death of his grandmother, while Rapacon had just lost his mother. The film became not just a creative experiment, but a quiet act of mourning, reflection, and connection.
“Our mindset was simple,” Suarez shared. “This isn’t an AI film. This is a film made with AI. That distinction matters, especially to creatives. We are still the ones directing the story. AI is just a new tool for storytelling, and we should be open to it.”
Their work has drawn praise from industry leaders, including Google Philippines, which collaborated with the filmmakers through its AI tools. Mervin Wenke, Head of Communications for Google Philippines, described the recognition as a reflection of both Filipino talent and adaptability.
“Rodson and Darryll’s achievement shows what happens when powerful tools are placed in the hands of imaginative storytellers,” Wenke said. “Filipino creativity has always captured global attention, but when paired with technological agility, it reaches new heights. Filipinos don’t just adopt new tools — they experiment, master, and push boundaries with them.”
Portrait No. 72 was developed using a range of Google AI models that supported different stages of production. Veo, Google’s advanced video generation model, helped establish the film’s cinematic tone and visual consistency. Flow enabled precise control over character movement and emotional nuance, while Gemini supported early-stage storyboarding and visual development, shaping the film’s overall aesthetic.
Beyond the competition, the filmmakers see their journey as part of a broader shift in creative access. They believe AI has the potential to democratize filmmaking, allowing students, independent artists, and professionals alike to test ideas, tell stories, and reach global audiences without the traditional barriers of cost and scale.
Transparency remains central to that vision. For Suarez and Rapacon, responsible use of AI is not about replacement, but augmentation — enhancing human creativity while preserving authorship and intent. Their success has placed the Philippines at the center of a growing international conversation on ethical, expressive, and innovative AI-assisted filmmaking.
As AI-generated content continues to expand online, platforms like YouTube are also reinforcing safeguards to protect both creators and audiences. This includes clear labeling of AI-assisted content, mandatory disclosure of synthetic or altered media, strict enforcement of community guidelines, and expanded tools that allow creators to manage how their likeness is used in AI-generated works.
In reaching the finals of the AI Film Award, Portrait No. 72 has done more than earn global recognition. It has shown that even in a rapidly evolving technological landscape, Filipino storytelling — grounded in emotion, experience, and imagination — remains unmistakably human.