Special Academy Award goes to Damien Hauser
Innovative use of new technologies in “Memory of Princess Mumbi”.
The Special Academy Award in 2026 is awarded to Damien Hauser in recognition of his boldness in exploring new artistic avenues. In “Memory of Princess Mumbi”, he creates a visually spectacular link between the past and the future, bringing a strikingly original perspective to the current debate on the creative use of artificial intelligence.
Damien Hauser’s extraordinary and compelling approach was inspired by a desire to create a universe as unrealistic and otherworldly as it is poetic and plausible, drawing on both documentary and fictional elements. The approach allows Hauser to successfully craft an innovative visual design, blending live action shots with digital images generated by the latest artificial intelligence (AI) tools.
The artificiality of the visual effects never overshadows the narrative elements. On the contrary, the way the story is depicted reflects a rich interplay between different types of images. This successful combination demonstrates a mastery of the narrative space in which nothing is left to chance, from the foreground to the elements arranged in the depth of field.
The jury commends the coherence of this innovative creative approach, which is more the product of pioneering craftsmanship than an established audiovisual industry. The faces and bodies, but also the landscapes give this princess fairytale an intentional visual playfulness and depth nestled within the scenes whose design is never merely illustrative or anecdotal. We are both disorientated in this strange and perfectly artificial world, but also struck by its surprising familiarity.
The visual design is not strictly of the science fiction genre. Damien Hauser displays an enthusiastic delight in creation, which goes beyond the capabilities of AI, generously sharing an impressive visual exuberance with the audience.