From a small toy in his daughter’s hand, a big idea was born. This is how Tunisian director Zoubeir Jlassi drew inspiration for his AI-generated short film “Lily”. A toy that lives inside the home, observes the details of everyday life, keeps secrets and laughter, and sees its owners as they truly are, without masks or filters. A simple idea on the surface, yet it became the spark Jlassi transformed into a complete work. He wrote its story, designed its world, and brought his vision to life, ultimately reaping the reward of one million dollars, the grand prize of the fourth edition of the One Billion Summit, a major global platform for innovation and content creation, held in Dubai. A city that has become a cross-border intellectual hub, unleashing the dreams of Arab creators with no ceiling on ambition.

The achievement did not stop at the award itself. Jlassi was also personally honored by Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, in recognition of his contribution to enriching the cultural and creative scene.

This recognition was no coincidence. Jlassi has a professional career spanning more than twenty years in graphic design, before the emergence of artificial intelligence in the creative world marked a decisive turning point in his artistic journey. In this technology, he found a new tool for visual storytelling and a way to break the boundaries of the impossible. “Lily” was not his first experience. It was preceded by the film A Breath Apart, which won ten international awards in several countries, including the United States, Nigeria, Brazil, Algeria, and Turkey.

Film poster

But this time, “Lily” carried a different emotional weight. Jlassi tells Annahar: “At first, I thought I was making a film about artificial intelligence and memory. Then, as the scenes unfolded, I realized that the Archivist character was not just fiction, but a mirror of my deep paternal fears.”

He adds: “The moment when the Archivist tries to protect ‘Lily’ from fading and oblivion felt like my own moment. Those scenes were an expression of my inner desire to leave a trace for my daughters, and to protect them from the cruelty of time.” At that point, as he describes it, the film shifted from a technological story into a message of love and resistance against annihilation.

This human reading deepens when we return to 2020, the year in which Jlassi faced one of the most difficult chapters of his life after being diagnosed with cancer. From his hospital bed, and between treatment sessions, he continued to work, defying pain and exhaustion. Reflecting on that period, he says: “Illness is a harsh teacher, but an honest one. It reorders priorities with absolute clarity.”

He continues: “Time was no longer just hours passing by, but a precious material that cannot be wasted. I began searching for meaning before image. I was no longer drawn to stories that aim only to dazzle visually, but to narratives that touch the soul and raise existential questions about humanity and survival.”

Behind the scenes of the film “Lily” (Instagram).

Amid this harsh experience, working on “Lily” turned into a source of strength to keep going. Jlassi tells Annahar: “Art was my medicine. In moments of physical exhaustion or frustration, immersing myself in the world of ‘Lily’ was both escape and healing.”

He continues: “There was an urgent desire to turn pain into hope, and ugliness into beauty. What drove me was an inner challenge: to prove first to myself that nothing can obstruct creativity, and that we are capable of bending even the coldest technologies, like artificial intelligence, to weave the warmest and most human stories.”

On the competitive level, “Lily” competed against twelve works shortlisted from around 3,500 films submitted by content creators and directors from 116 countries, in a competition organized in collaboration with Google Gemini.

Behind the scenes of the film “Lily” (Instagram).

Speaking about the moment of victory, Jlassi says: “For a film to emerge from Tunisia with self-funded resources and an honest vision, to compete and be crowned at a major global event in Dubai, is a victory for every Tunisian and Arab creator.”

He adds: “For me, the award is not merely material recognition, but an acknowledgment that our voice is heard and that our vision is fit for the future. I received the news with tears of joy, feeling that all the fatigue, sleepless nights, and the challenges of illness were crowned by a moment of divine justice.”

When asked for a single word that sums up the human journey of “Lily”, his answer was brief, yet laden with all the pain and hope that preceded it: “Rebirth.