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Film
Christian Thornell and The Awarehouse Studio bring Swedish folklore to life in an AI-assisted horror short that won second place in Curious Refuge's 2026 competition.
Nix takes an old folklore bargain and turns it into an atmospheric short film. A young man follows the sound of a violin into the forest and encounters a water spirit who can teach him extraordinary music—for a price.
A village sits beneath the mist in old Sweden. Somewhere beyond its houses, a violin is playing.
A young man follows the music into the forest and discovers Nix, a supernatural figure who offers a dangerous gift: the power to play music that captivates anyone who hears it.
He returns home changed. When he plays, the village dances.
Directed by Christian Thornell of Stockholm-based The Awarehouse Studio, Nix uses AI-assisted filmmaking to realize its supernatural setting and ominous atmosphere.
The studio combines conventional filmmaking practices with AI production, emphasizing storytelling and creative direction rather than generated imagery alone.
The film screened as part of Big Screen Hack's IMAX London event before receiving second place in Curious Refuge's 2026 AI Horror Film Competition, announced October 29.
The precise generation models, voice-production process and other tools used specifically for Nix have not yet been publicly established.
Folklore gives filmmakers something that visual technology alone cannot provide: a story that already contains temptation, mystery and consequences.
Nix is built around a simple, effective question. What happens when someone accepts a gift without understanding its cost?
That premise allows the film's music, landscape and supernatural imagery to work together toward a clear dramatic idea.
A young musician encounters a mysterious water spirit.
Swedish folklore, mist, forests and a village under an enchantment.
AI-assisted filmmaking from The Awarehouse Studio.
Second place in Curious Refuge's 2026 AI Horror Film Competition.
The studio's official synopsis describes a musician returning to his village with a gift that sets everyone dancing.
Source excerpt
The strongest AI shorts are memorable for the stories they tell, not merely for the tools they use.
Nix gives viewers a sinister melody and a bargain they know will end badly.
AI-assisted short film; precise image/video model, voices and human performance stack not confirmed.
