The film is almost intentionally enervating, clocking at three hours, with a plethora of AI images, including those that depict Count Dracula and the Romanian Warlord Vlad Tepes, who inspired the vampire. Jude’s controversial use of generative AI has caused controversy in an industry where many see it as a affront both to the medium, and also their career. AI images that are sarcastic, funny, or obscene can still be AI images.
One skeptic was surprised when he appeared on Zoom after a recent New York Film Festival screening, with a backdrop created by AI. snarked Jude was himself officially “on fraud watch.”
Jude is caught in the same kind of tight knot that his films tend to create. In the past, his films used mock executions to examine the suppression of historical memories, pornography as a way to reveal the hypocrisy of the culture around adult sexuality and misogynist postures to combat the appeal of these positions. The underlying message of the film is that women are not to be viewed as objects. DraculaHe weaponizes AI to damn AI? Or—as some purists believe—is stooping to use the technology at all a betrayal of cinema and the human creative spirit itself?
WIRED called Jude who was in France, via Zoom. Behind him, an AI generated image of Donald Trump holding an AR-15 and riding a cartoon kitten, was displayed.
This interview has undergone editing to ensure clarity.
The WIRED team: What is that person behind you doing? What’s the deal with President Trump?
Radu Jude: The image I chose was for a European film festival. I had been asked to do an online presentation. After being invited to talk about my film with a few American friends, I wanted to give them something that they would appreciate. Trump used this picture when he campaigned as the protector of cats and dog.
