Ukrainian short film “The Translator” (2025) reached the top five finalists of the Google’s global film competition, The 1 Billion AI Film Award — one of the world’s largest film prizes dedicated to projects created with the use of AI. It was the only Ukrainian film nominated for the award.
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Conceived and directed by Ukrainian Phil Lee, “The Translator” adds to Lee’s portfolio of acclaimed video works featuring Ukrainian and international stars such as Alicia Keys, DJ Khaled, and Mike Towers. The film was produced by Natella Krapivina.
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Selected from more than 16,000 submissions worldwide, “The Translator” tells the story of a young woman living in a world following major ecological collapse. Her passion for plants unexpectedly becomes the key to humanity’s survival: through her ability to “hear” the Earth, she discovers hidden sources of water.
When corporations attempt to monopolize this discovery and deprive the world of access to vital resources, she faces a choice between personal safety and responsibility for a shared future. The film explores the fragile boundary between humanity and nature, raising questions about the cost of technological progress and the consequences of human greed.
Kyiv Post talks to Lee about the film and what it means for his career.
Kyiv Post (KP): Why did you choose the theme of survival in a world following an environmental catastrophe?
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Phil Lee (PL): I was less interested in the catastrophe itself than in the cause behind it. People are used to seeing themselves as the only intelligent life form on the planet. In the film, the ecological collapse is a direct result of this mindset. “The Translator” is about the idea that survival may depend not on power or technology, but on the ability to listen to nature.
KP: For you, what is the difference between AI as a tool and AI as co-author with respect to “The Translator”?
PL: For me, AI remains a tool. It helps find visual solutions, but it does not make creative decisions. All the key elements of the film – the story, meaning, and emotion – were shaped by humans. The boundary is where the assistance of a tool ends and the responsibility of the author begins.
KP: Is “The Translator” an experiment, or the beginning of a new stage for you as a director?
PL: I see this film as the beginning of a new stage. It shows that AI can expand a director’s language without replacing it. For me, it matters not only how a film is made, but from what position and with what meaning.
KP: You have carved out a successful career in the West. Why is it important for you to position yourself as a Ukrainian director?
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PL: Because identity does not disappear with borders. My worldview was shaped by the Ukrainian context, and it’s present in everything I do. Even while working abroad, I remain a Ukrainian director, and I consider it important to emphasize this.
The award jury included leading figures in artificial intelligence and innovation, among them Dan Germain, creative director at Google; Christian Haas, creative director at YouTube; and Piotr Dąbkowski, co-founder and chief technology officer of ElevenLabs.
The final lineup featured works by directors from Canada, Egypt, Germany, Jordan, the Philippines, South Korea, Spain and the UK.
Winners were announced on the night of January 9–10 in Dubai. The inaugural AI film award, with a $1 million prize fund established in collaboration with Google’s Gemini, was won by Tunisian filmmaker Zoubeir Jlassi for his short film “Lily.”