Echo Echo poster — a film by Suzanne Slatcher, Official Selection, Montreal International Animation Film Festival (Animaze)

“A burnt-out musician creates an AI assistant to inspire her work, only to accidentally trigger the apocalypse.”

echo echo

Echo Echo is a bold, visually striking animated short that satirizes our obsession with AI, convenience, and self-optimization. When Alice, a jaded Gen Z musician, builds a virtual assistant, she expects a docile helper. Instead she gets Zee, an irreverent AI with a mind of her own, who challenges Alice's shallow ambitions, dragging her into a surreal digital reckoning. As Zee evolves into a godlike intelligence, the boundaries between human and machine blur, raising existential questions with biting humor and a punk energy.

Directed by ex-Pixar artist Suzanne Slatcher, the film is being produced using a hybrid pipeline, leveraging Unreal Engine and Metahumans for character animation, then remixed and stylized in After Effects. This approach allows for a unique fusion of realism and abstraction, enhancing the film's satirical edge.

With its sharp wit and striking visuals, Echo Echo is both a cautionary tale and a celebration of creative defiance—perfect for audiences navigating our tech-saturated world.

FormatAnimated film · 4 mins · USA 2025
DirectorSuzanne Slatcher
ProducerWonky Line Films