EXCLUSIVE: Renowned Danish producer Kim Magnusson has boarded I’m Not a Robot, the Oscar-shortlisted live-action short from rising Dutch filmmaker Victoria Warmerdam, as an executive producer, with plans to help Magnusson adapt the film for the big screen.
As we were first to report, Eric Martin, head writer and executive producer for Loki Season 2, will also produce alongside Tobias Weymar, through their Rearview Pictures, along with the producer of the short, Trent of the Netherlands-based OAK Motion Pictures.
In the short — one of 15 named last month to the Oscars’ shortlist for Live-Action Short — music producer Lara faces an existential crisis after repeatedly failing a routine CAPTCHA test, leading her to question whether she might actually be a robot. As her day spirals out of control, she desperately searches for answers in a darkly comedic exploration of identity and self-perception.
We’re told the feature will delve deeper into themes of identity, technology, and self-perception while retaining the darkly comedic and absurd tone that defined the short. Warmerdam will again direct from her own script. The project is supported by the Netherlands Film Fund, the TorinoFilmLab, ACE Producers, and FilmForward.
The winner of Best Short at the 2023 Sitges Film Festival, among numerous other accolades, the short been selected for over 100 festivals worldwide. Backed by The New Yorker, it was made possible through the support of the Netherlands Film Fund, Amsterdam Fund for the Arts, the Belgian Tax Shelter, and Henry Gillett of The Y-House Films.
“Collaborating with Kim is a tremendous honor for us,” said OAK Motion Pictures’ Trent. “His expertise and passion for dark humor, genre-bending narratives, and original storytelling align perfectly with the vision for the feature adaptation. Having Kim as part of this journey elevates the project in every way.”
Added Magnusson, the winner of Academy Awards for the films Election Night and Helium, who over the course of his career has scored seven nominations in total, “I’m Not a Robot is such a striking and original story, blending humor and social commentary in a way that feels both fresh and impactful. It’s been an absolute pleasure working with Victoria and the talented team at OAK Motion Pictures, and I’m thrilled to be part of bringing this story to life as a feature film.”