Edith Piaf Biopic On The Way - But It's Fully AI-Generated

On November 14, a brand new French production company called Seriously Happy announced in a press release that it's developing an animated biopic about iconic French singer Édith Piaf titled "EDITH." Seriously Happy is working alongside Warner Music Entertainment — which owns the rights to her hit songs "La Vie En Rose" and "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien" — and Piaf's estate to bring her story to life in animation.

Rather than casting an actor to voice its subject, Seriously Happy has created a simulacrum of her voice utilizing AI technology. Doing so meant feeding an AI hundreds of both voice clips and images of the influential French performer. "It's been a special and touching experience to be able to hear Edith's voice once again," said executors of Edith Piaf's estate, Catherine Glavas and Christie Laume, in a shared statement. "The technology has made it feel like we were back in the room with her."

AI voices, of course, are already becoming increasingly commonplace in Hollywood. In one particularly notable instance, AI replaced James Earl Jones after his retirement from the role of Darth Vader. Meanwhile, during the 2023 dual WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes — both of which arose in part from concerns over AI — Disney, Netflix, and other Hollywood studios began hiring AI experts. So, while AI's role in filmmaking may still be contentious, filmgoers can expect to see plenty more projects like "EDITH" in the near future.

According to a brief summary of the film accompanying its announcement, "EDITH" will be 90 minutes long and cover Édith Piaf's career starting in the 1920s and continuing up until her death in the early '60s.

While Seriously Happy describes the project as an animated movie, it will likewise incorporate various primary sources like footage of the real-life singer performing onstage as well as TV interviews broadcast during the height of her popularity. Additionally, its soundtrack will feature original recordings of songs like "La Vie En Rose" rather than updated versions for the film.

Though the project's approach to its subject's life may be unconventional, Warner Music France CEO Alain Veille stressed the importance of doing Piaf's career justice. "Edith is one of France's greatest ever artists and she is still a source of so much pride to the French people," he said. "It is such a delicate balancing act when combining new technology with heritage artists, and it was imperative to us that we worked closely with Edith's estate and handled this project with the utmost respect. Her story is one that deserves to be told, and through this film we'll be able to connect with a whole new audience and inspire a new generation of fans."