A WILD FRIENDSHIP | Maïm Garnier Animated Short Film (4K)

"A Wild Friendship" is a poetic short music film exploring the quiet, unspoken bond that forms between a young man and a wild feline in the heart of nature.

A film by Maïm Garnier, produced under the Nimentrix Studio banner.
Nimentrix Studio is a creative house founded by artists Maïm Garnier and Nimentrix, exploring the frontiers of AI filmmaking through two distinct artistic visions.

► Explore Maïm's world of poetic cinema:    • AWAKENING | Maïm Garnier Love Story Animat...  
► Explore Nimentrix's world of AI music videos:    • Плейлист  

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▼ A LOOK BEHIND THE SCENES ▼
This film is a Maïm Garnier official submission to the Chroma Awards 2025.

🎬 INSPIRATION & AESTHETIC
Rooted in the tradition of the Golden Age of Western animation, "A Wild Friendship" is an ode to the quiet language of the wild.
Visually, I aimed for a "Neo-Renaissance" style, blending the warmth of John Singer Sargent’s portraiture with Miyazaki’s reverence for nature. The result is a sun-drenched world of golden hills and blooming meadows, where a friendship is born not from words, but from mutual trust.

✨ WHAT IT DOES
This short film invites viewers into a world of golden hills, ancient trees, and blooming meadows.
Its warm, painterly 2D aesthetic and emotional rock ballad soundtrack create a gentle yet captivating journey about connection, wildness, and the fragile beauty found in moments of trust.


🛠️ HOW WE BUILT IT (HUMAN + AI)
This film is the result of over 100 hours of meticulous work.

Visuals: The painterly, warm aesthetic was achieved through precise art direction using Midjourney and Freepik (Seedream), with manual refinements in Photoshop.
Music: The original inspirational rock ballad was composed with ElevenLabs Music.
Animation: The still images were brought to life with flowing movements using ImagineArt's Seedance Pro.
Editing: Final assembly and pacing in Filmora.


💥 CHALLENGES
The main challenge was maintaining a cohesive classic-animation visual style across all scenes.
Ensuring the wild cat felt expressive yet natural also required meticulous attention.


🏆 ACCOMPLISHMENTS WE'RE PROUD OF
I’m especially proud of the atmosphere — a serene, breathing world that feels alive.
The bond between the two characters is portrayed entirely through visuals and music, without a single spoken line.


🚀 WHAT'S NEXT
While "A Wild Friendship" is a standalone piece, it has inspired me to continue exploring these themes of nature, connection, and human vulnerability in future poetic, character-driven short films.

Subscribe to follow our journey!


⏳ TIMELINE & STORY BEATS
0:00 The Golden Morning (Sunrise)
0:28 The Feline (Wild Cat)
0:48 The Encounter (The Help)
1:01 Befriending (First Connexion)
1:26 A Rabbit Gentle Approach (First Discovery)
1:47 Butterfly and Feline Free Exploration (Wild Life)
2:14 Wild Hearts (The Bond Felt)
2:30 Running Free (The Joy)
2:46 Sunset on the River (Reflection)
3:05 Credits


🎵 LYRICS

[Verse]
Sunrise on the ridge
Another day begins to break
The kind of morning you can't fake
Wind whispers through the trees I guess

[Prechorus]
Feel the sun on my face
But I still don't know this place

[Chorus]
Wild cat wild heart
Run free never part
Wild cat don't stray
Just be free today

[Verse 2]
Golden eyes in the grass
A shadow moves so fast
Fear not friend I mean no harm
Just passing through this old farm

[Prechorus]
Reach out slow with my hand
Maybe now you'll understand

[Chorus]
Wild cat wild heart
Run free never part
Wild cat don't stray
Just be free today


--- CREDITS
A Film by: Maïm Garnier
Written & Directed by: Maïm Garnier
Produced by: Nimentrix Studio

This short film was made possible through a Creative Partnership with ImagineArt & Freepik, as well as the Chroma Awards subscription offer.

--- FOLLOW THE STUDIO & THE ARTISTS
YouTube: Subscribe to Nimentrix Studio!
   / @nimentrixstudio  
Maïm Garnier on X: https://x.com/maybeegreen
Nimentrix on X: https://x.com/nimentrix


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