Alone on a dying red planet, among the ruins of human civilization, the last AI android desperately guards the remnants of life.

Set on a dying red planet strewn with the remnants of human civilization, Red Gaia is a hauntingly beautiful animated sci-fi meditation on life, death, and rebirth. Directed by Udesh Chetty, the film follows a lone AI android—perhaps the last sentient being—tasked with guarding the fading traces of organic life. As she navigates this barren, post-human landscape, she begins to question her own purpose, uncovering an existential crisis that blurs the lines between machine and soul.

Inspired by spiritual and philosophical texts like the Bhagavad Gita, Dante’s Purgatorio, and the Tibetan Book of the Dead, Red Gaia merges speculative futurism with timeless introspection. With its experimental form and poetic tone, the film invites viewers into a visually arresting world where consciousness transcends circuitry, and even artificial life is drawn to meaning, legacy, and transformation.

Red Gaia is deeply philosophical, blending sci-fi with spiritual themes. What inspired you to explore these ideas through animation?

“Red Gaia” was inspired by my fascination with the interplay between existential questions and the potential of technology. The blend of spirituality with sci-fi offers a canvas to explore these deep themes in a visually engaging manner. The choice to use animation stemmed from it being the most accessible medium during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. With many people, including myself, staying home, animation allowed me to fully delve into storytelling from my home desktop computer. This period provided the unique opportunity to develop the character, craft the narrative, and create the world of ‘Red Gaia’ in a deeply personal and immersive way.

The film draws from sources like the Bhagavad Gita, Dante’s Purgatorio, and Asimov’s work. How did these influences shape the narrative and visual storytelling?

These texts provided foundational themes of life’s cyclical nature and the moral complexities of existence. The Bhagavad Gita introduced the struggle with duty and ethics, which is mirrored in the AI android’s journey. Dante’s exploration of purgatory influenced the depiction of Mars as a place between life and death. Asimov’s insights into the ethical design of AI shaped the moral fabric of our protagonist, grounding its quest in a universe where every action and decision carries weight.

Your protagonist, an AI android, grapples with existential questions. How did you approach conveying emotion and introspection in an artificial being?

Creating an AI character with emotional depth involved blending subtle facial animations, nuanced voice acting, and a script that reflects introspective solitude. I used the android’s interactions with its environment and the remnants of human culture as a mirror to its soul, reflecting its growth from a programmed entity to one capable of complex emotional and ethical considerations.

The film’s setting—a dying red planet filled with ruins—feels both desolate and poetic. Can you discuss the visual design and symbolism behind this world?

The visual design of Mars as a desolate yet poetic landscape serves as a reflection of both the end and a possible new beginning. The ruins symbolize the remnants of human ambition and failure, while the stark, beautiful expanses underscore themes of isolation and the search for meaning. This setting acts as a character itself, influencing the android’s development and mirroring its loneliness and hope.

The story revolves around the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth. How do these themes resonate in today’s world, particularly with advancements in AI?

These themes are particularly poignant in an era where technology blurs the lines between the organic and synthetic. As we advance in AI, questions about what it means to live, the ethical considerations of creating life, and how we handle the legacy we leave behind become increasingly relevant. “Red Gaia” explores these questions, offering a narrative that parallels our own technological and ethical dilemmas.

What were some of the biggest technical challenges in animating Red Gaia, and how did you overcome them?

One of the biggest technical challenges in animating ‘Red Gaia’ was managing the sheer scale of the world and the project in general. Although I spearheaded the film largely as a solo endeavor, the complexity required for certain scenes was daunting. Fortunately, I had a colleague, who is a professional

Red Gaia bridges the gap between artificial and organic life. Do you see AI as something that can one day develop a soul or consciousness?

While “Red Gaia” explores this possibility as a philosophical question, it reflects broader debates in AI ethics and cognitive science. Whether AI can develop something akin to a soul depends on our definitions of consciousness and the soul itself. The film posits that if an AI can learn from and interact with its environment deeply enough, it might develop a form of consciousness that we recognize as soul-like.

The film leans into abstraction and emotion rather than traditional storytelling. What kind of experience do you hope audiences take away from it?

I hope audiences leave with a sense of introspection about the nature of life and our role in shaping the future of consciousness—both organic and synthetic. The film’s abstract storytelling and emotional depth are designed to invite viewers to reflect on their own beliefs about life, technology, and the legacy of humanity in an evolving universe.

What are the books, podcasts or even YouTube Channel that you recommend young filmmakers to get their hands on?

I highly recommend ‘In the Blink of an Eye‘ by Walter Murch for its profound insights into film editing, and ‘Techniques of the Selling Writer‘ by Dwight V. Swain for practical advice on crafting compelling narratives. Additionally, I regularly listen to audiobooks such as Joseph Campbell’s ‘The Hero with a Thousand Faces,’ which explores the universal patterns in storytelling, and modern takes that expand on these concepts. Audiobooks are invaluable for learning on the go, allowing you to absorb storytelling techniques during workouts or commutes, turning idle moments into productive learning sessions.

Can you share with us some of your favorite short films you’ve seen lately?

I’ve been particularly captivated by some standout animated series recently. ‘Love, Death & Robots’ on Netflix has consistently impressed with its intriguing and visually stunning stories. A standout episode from this series is ‘Jibaro’ (directed by Alberto Mielgo) from Season 2, which I rank among the best short films I’ve ever seen due to its exceptional narrative depth and visual execution. Additionally, ‘Secret Level‘ on Amazon Prime, a more recent release in 2025, has pushed the boundaries of mature animated content. These series exemplify the incredible potential of animation to explore complex themes in an engaging and innovative manner.