AI’s Fashion Industry Impact Explored in ‘The Zebras,’ IFFM-Bound Indian Indie Film Secures U.S. Distribution (EXCLUSIVE)

“The Zebras: Dark Start” an Indian indie film examining the profound effects of artificial intelligence (AI) on the fashion industry, has secured U.S. distribution through Double Exposure.

Directed by Aneek Chaudhuri (“White”), “The Zebras” intertwines the stories of a veteran photographer (Sharib Hashmi, “The Family Man”), a documentarian (Usha Banerjee, “Jharokh”) and a supermodel (Priyanka Sarkar, “Robin’s Kitchen”) in a near-future world where AI has become ubiquitous in daily life.

Chaudhuri told Variety that the film draws inspiration from real-life events in India‘s fashion industry where models who were replaced by AI took their own lives. “Writing and directing ‘The Zebras’ was an effort to be more humane; this was an effort to address the dreadful situations that had begun to govern our own existence.” Chaudhuri said. “I realized that we have reached a position of an epidemic much dreadful as COVID or Spanish flu. The much anticipated concept of artificial intelligence is no longer an appendix to our lives. I could see invisible nooses around people’s necks and people have even surrendered themselves to AI.”

Producers Akhil Murali and Ashik Murali of Yulin Productions envision the film as a conversation starter. “We want to create a movement that encourages people to think critically about technology’s role in our lives and how we can harness it for the greater good without losing our humanity,” said Akhil Murali.

The film will have its world premiere at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) later this month and is set for a limited U.S. theatrical release beginning Sept. 13 in Laemmle theatres, serving as its Oscar-qualifying run.

Gregory Gardner, CEO of Double Exposure, said: “Double Exposure Distribution loves to work with independent, international films, like ‘The Zebras,’ to secure eligibility for the annual Academy Awards. These are quality films, and it is our mission to bring awareness to them through theatrical distribution, which we believe is the best way to promote a film in a crowded streaming market. We also know that screening a movie in a theater is still the best experience for the film and its audience.”

The producers plan to release the film in India following its U.S. debut, aiming to engage audiences in discussions about AI’s ethical implications and foster collaboration with educational institutions, tech companies and policymakers.