Pune-based Creator Akshay Kakade Wins Global Recognition For Groundbreaking AI Film ‘Woven’
Pune-based Creator Akshay Kakade Wins Global Recognition For Groundbreaking AI Film ‘Woven’
Pune, November 13, 2025: Pune-based creative Lead and New-media Artist Akshay Kakade wins Best Short Film & Award for his visually intense AI-animated film, Woven.
The film was screened on 7th November at the ADOS event hosted at the legendary Mack Sennett Studios in Hollywood, Los Angeles which was a highly competitive one-week creative sprint challenging artists to push the limits of open-source AI models.
The Arca Gidan Prize showcases extraordinary work made with open models to inspire others to advocate accessibility of powerful AI tools by everyone. By honoring innovators, the prize aims to foster a new renaissance of human creativity and beauty.
Woven is a 3-minute, emotionally resonant science-fiction that tells the story of an astronaut who discovers life on a planet. Drawing aesthetic inspiration from the 90s retro-futuristic anime, the film explores the profound German concept of Fern;—a deep longing for a place one has never known—and presents a moving tale of connection and sacrifice. What sets Woven apart is its pioneering production workflow. The entire film uses a suite of open-source and generative AI tools, demonstrating a new paradigm in filmmaking. This innovative approach highlights the power of modern technology to enable
solo creators to produce world-class animation once exclusive to large studios.
This win is a victory for the entire open-source community. My goal was to prove that AI can be more than a spectacle; it can be a paintbrush for crafting intimate, soulful narratives. This is a new frontier for Indian storytellers.
Following its award-winning debut, Woven is scheduled for a European premiere in Paris at a major spring event in March/April 2026.
Founder of Bliip, a vibrant, multi-purpose creative studio based in Pune, Akshay specializes in blending AI, XR, and visual storytelling to enhance human experiences.
