Home / Arts and Entertainment / Programmer Builds Digital Wife, Sparks Grief Tech Business
Programmer Builds Digital Wife, Sparks Grief Tech Business
10 Oct
Summary
- A programmer creates a digital replica of his late wife to cope with grief.
- This digital creation evolves into a startup selling grief-bots.
- The film explores humanity and connection in an era of advancing technology.
Alvin Lee's debut feature, "Talk to Me When You Are Dead," produced by Anthony Chen and Gina Tan, examines grief and technology. The story follows Yong Yi, a programmer who builds a digital version of his deceased wife, Kate, to manage his sorrow. This personal project transforms into a startup selling AI-driven grief companions to the bereaved.
The narrative deepens as Yong Yi is tasked with creating a replica of a terminally ill architect, Mr. Yun. While gathering Mr. Yun's memories, Yong Yi develops a paternal bond, forcing him to confront his own unresolved grief over Kate's death and choose between a lucrative job and protecting his new connection.
Inspired by a personal experience creating an AI video for a grieving relative, Lee aims to explore the comfort derived from artificial presences. He hopes the film encourages audiences to cherish their humanity and recognize the value of emotional pain for personal growth.
Currently in its third draft after years of development, the project is being presented at the Asian Project Market in Busan. Producers aim to secure co-producers and financiers, believing the film's universal themes of love, loss, and technology will resonate globally.
