AI-Generated Erotic Films "Sh(AI)ved" Premiere at Cannes

A new collection of AI-generated erotic short films, "Sh(AI)ved," premiered on the sidelines of the Cannes Film Festival on May 19, 2026, sparking debate over the ethical implications of using artificial intelligence to animate vintage adult magazine photographs.

AI-Powered Revival of Vintage Erotica

The "Sh(AI)ved" collection, developed by Thomas Meier of the Norwegian company Multiformat, transforms erotic magazine photo spreads from 1976 into full-motion video. The project debuted on the sidelines of the Cannes Film Festival on May 19, 2026, and is currently streaming on Cultpix, a B-movie streaming service.

Meier utilized generative AI tools to convert still images from 1976 magazine photo spreads into animated video. This process added color, synchronized sound, dialogue, and voice-over to archival stills that were never filmed, fabricating movement and cinematic continuity. The first volume of "Sh(AI)ved" made its debut on May 19, 2026.

Cultpix, which launched in April 2021, has marketed itself as the largest cult and genre streaming website globally, focusing on movies from drive-ins and grindhouses, including martial arts, sci-fi, horror, spaghetti westerns, and vintage erotica. The platform maintains a curated strand of vintage erotica, including collaborations with specialist rights holders such as Something Weird Video.

A physical release of the collection on BluRay and VHS is planned through Klubb Super 8, including a limited VHS release designed to lean into retro aesthetics.

The erotic magazine photo spreads from 1976, which inspired the "Sh(AI)ved" project, were considered "shocking 'adult' material" at the time. These images, which once carried the weight of public outrage and censorship campaigns, now appear "remarkably innocent by today’s standards." For example, one short in the collection, the titular "Sh(AI)ved," begins with a montage of naked women pleasuring themselves, set to a soundtrack known as "wah-wah music," "porn funk," "sexploitation music," or "bow-chicka-wow-wow," characterized by strutting, bass-heavy funk grooves and electric guitar riffs. The film itself begins with a tight close-up of the shaved pudenda of a young woman.

Cultpix co-founder and CEO Rickard Gramfors stated that the goal of the project is to stimulate a discussion about attitudes to images that are now half a century old. Gramfors noted that "what was once considered shocking 'adult' material now seems remarkably innocent by today’s standards." He added that by bringing these static images to life through AI, the project aims to create a conversation between past risqué aesthetics and new technology. The project is presented as a cultural conversation dressed up in retro aesthetics and the latest technology, rather than solely a content play.

Creators have indicated that the project is not about preservation, but reinterpretation. The project raises questions about nostalgia, censorship, and how quickly cultural taboos collapse.

Technical Details and Production

Thomas Meier of Multiformat developed the technical solutions for the films. He utilized generative AI tools to add color, synchronized sound, dialogue, and voice-over to the archival stills. The project addresses a recurring technical challenge in the industry: maintaining temporal coherence across frames when generating movement and cinematic continuity from static photographs.

The first short in the collection, "Sh(AI)ved," features a young woman named Hannah pleasuring herself in an erotic magazine photo spread from 50 years ago. The AI-generated film depicts her doing so again, this time with a voiceover. Other cast members listed for "Sh(AI)ved vol. 1" include Kristina, Vicky, Karin, Hans, Inge, John, and Christa.

Controversy and Ethical Concerns

The "Sh(AI)ved" project has sparked controversy regarding the ethical implications of using AI technology to transform images of real people. Critics have raised concerns about consent, particularly given that the original erotic magazine photo spreads were published 50 years ago. Uproar erupted on social media, with commentators blasting the use of the technology and the ethical violations it raised around consent.

One commentator on Bluesky stated that "statistically at least a few of these models have passed on by now which basically means they’re using AI to reanimate the bodies/images of dead women to make nonconsensual porn of them." Another wrote on X, "Personally, I think using AI to simulate porn of people who didn’t consent to you is a vile, horrific crime!"

The critique is particularly salient because the project directly transforms the likenesses of real people shown in sexual poses without their permission. The filmmakers' focus on stimulating discussion about outdated attitudes towards adult material has not mitigated the concerns raised about the potential nonconsensual reanimation of models' likenesses. Cultpix responded that the models agreed to their photos decades ago. CEO Rickard Gramfors said the project aimed to spark conversation about how views on adult content are changing, but it has also reignited bigger concerns about using AI for explicit material without clear permission.

Key Facts

• The "Sh(AI)ved" collection consists of AI-generated short films derived from erotic magazine photo spreads published 50 years ago.
• Thomas Meier of Norwegian company Multiformat developed the project, using generative AI tools to create full-motion video from still images.
• The films include color, synchronized sound, dialogue, and voice-over, transforming 1976 magazine photo spreads.
• The collection debuted on the sidelines of the Cannes Film Festival on May 19, 2026, and is currently streaming on Cultpix.
• Cultpix co-founder and CEO Rickard Gramfors stated the project aims to stimulate discussion about attitudes towards half-century-old images.
• Physical releases on BluRay and VHS are planned through Klubb Super 8.