Radu Jude’s New Film: Porn, AI, & Dante’s Comedy

Romanian filmmaker Radu Jude, known for his provocative and often experimental approach to cinema, is embarking on a new short film project that promises to be both conceptually audacious and technologically current. This latest endeavor will intertwine vintage pornographic reels sourced from the esteemed archives of Italy’s National Film Museum with an AI-generated voice reciting excerpts from Dante Alighieri’s epic poem, “The Divine Comedy.” The short film, titled “Trailer for Dante’s Paradise,” is part of a series of celebratory initiatives commemorating the 25th anniversary of the museum’s relocation to Turin’s iconic Mole Antonelliana tower.

A Provocative Cinematic Blend

Radu Jude’s project stands out as a unique exploration of juxtaposition, blending disparate elements to create new meaning. The core of the short film involves the exhibition of archival X-rated movies from the National Film Museum. Specifically, Jude chose to work with trailers from 1980s pornographic titles, which often featured added voices or titles by exhibitors that bore little relation to the actual film content. This manipulation of language and context in the original archival material forms a foundational layer for Jude’s artistic intervention.

This visual component will be accompanied by an AI-generated recitation of passages from “The Divine Comedy.” The choice of an ancient, revered text delivered by a modern artificial intelligence voice creates a fascinating dichotomy, contrasting human literary heritage with contemporary technological advancement. This blend highlights themes of censorship, interpretation, and the evolving nature of narrative presentation.

Context: Turin Encounters and the Mole Antonelliana

“Trailer for Dante’s Paradise” is a significant contribution to the “Turin Encounters” series, a collection of shorts by prominent arthouse directors commissioned to mark the National Film Museum’s quarter-century in the Mole Antonelliana. The museum, housed within Turin’s main landmark, is celebrated as a repository of cinematic history, from early magic lanterns to personal artifacts of figures like Federico Fellini.

The “Turin Encounters” series has also seen contributions from other acclaimed international filmmakers, including Germany’s Heinz Emigholz and China’s Jia Zhangke. Emigholz’s experimental work “Ecce Mole,” which focuses on 20th-century architects, premiered at the New York Film Festival and has secured North American distribution. Jia Zhangke is also set to film an as-yet-untitled short in Turin and China, starring his frequent collaborator, Zhao Tao. Jude’s short fits within this curated collection as a daring piece that pushes boundaries and recontextualizes archival treasures.

Radu Jude’s Signature Approach

Radu Jude has established a reputation as a provocateur within contemporary cinema, often challenging conventions and exploring uncomfortable truths. His Palme d’Or-winning film, “Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn,” for instance, delved into themes of societal hypocrisy and the complexities of online pornography. His selection of vintage porn reels from the museum’s archives for this new project is consistent with his ongoing interest in examining the intersection of personal and public life, cultural taboos, and the role of media in shaping perception.

Museum director Carlo Chatrian, a former head of the Locarno and Berlin Film Festivals, has noted Jude’s focus on the “work on linguistic manipulation” evident in the historical porn trailers. By mixing this with AI-generated readings of Dante, Jude continues to explore how narratives are constructed, deconstructed, and reinterpreted through various mediums and historical lenses.

The Role of AI and Archival Material

The incorporation of an AI-generated voice is a salient feature of this project, reflecting the growing influence of artificial intelligence in artistic creation. Rather than simply using a human voice, the AI element introduces a layer of detachment and technological mediation to Dante’s profound verses. This choice can prompt viewers to consider the nature of authorship, the performance of literature, and how technology can both preserve and transform cultural heritage. The archival porn reels, on the other hand, highlight the museum’s role as a preserver of even the most unconventional aspects of film history, inviting a re-evaluation of material often relegated to the periphery of mainstream cinematic discourse.

Conclusion

Radu Jude’s “Trailer for Dante’s Paradise” is poised to be a thought-provoking short film that exemplifies his distinctive artistic vision. By bringing together disparate elements—vintage pornography, classical literature, and artificial intelligence—Jude not only celebrates the rich archives of Italy’s National Film Museum but also engages in a contemporary dialogue about art, technology, and the reinterpretation of history. This experimental short film serves as a testament to the enduring power of cinema to provoke thought and challenge perceptions in unexpected ways.