Todd Rohal’s provocative and boundary-pushing film “Fuck My Son!” debuted on September 10 at the Toronto International Film Festival’s Midnight Madness section. The premiere stirred a mix of laughter and discomfort among the audience with its darkly comedic plot of a mother pressuring a kidnapped woman to sleep with her disfigured son.
Following the initial screening, a number of reviews on Letterboxd and comments across social media surfaced, critiquing the film’s use of AI. This aspect quickly became a topic of debate among fans of the genre. To address the complexities surrounding AI in his film, Rohal provided an extensive explanation in the film’s press notes and later detailed his intentions in an interview with The Bangin Beats to ensure audiences understood the rationale behind the technology’s use in the film prior to viewing it.
Read the full letter below.
Popular on The Bangin Beats
236M views in 10 weeks: how KPop Demon Hunters dethroned Red Notice
Materialists Raises Eyebrows: Sharp Satire or Elitist Attack on Modern Love?
Park Chan‑wook’s 2025 Venice Comeback: 6‑Minute Ovation and a 20‑Year Return
Julia Roberts’ 6‑minute ovation at Venice 2025 — the quote already igniting awards talk
Exploring the Use of VFX and AI in “Fuck My Son!”
Understanding the application of Generative AI in films can be challenging, so here’s an explanation of the AI-generated elements versus the traditional VFX used in our film.
I personally handled many of the post-production visual effects and animations using various tools and software. For more complex VFX requirements like blood, fluids, vomit, smoke, steam, explosions, and wire removal, I enlisted professional VFX studios such as Suplex FX in Atlanta, Teaspoon FX in L.A./Seattle, Lightbuddy Studios in Seattle, as well as independent artists and friends across Austin, L.A., and Georgia. These professionals were allocated the entirety of the post-production budget to assist with over 200 VFX shots that needed completion.
As the sole editor and post-production department, I used Avid Media Composer, Adobe Photoshop, After Effects, Blender, Davinci Resolve, and assets from ActionVFX on my desktop Mac in our home’s spare bedroom.
AI was integrated in the following parts of the film:
AMC-STYLE “CINEMA RULES”
The initial concept was to mimic the Regal Cinema’s roller coaster animation shown before films, which has seen several versions over the years featuring less-than-stellar CGI. Instead, I created a shortened version inspired by AMC’s “Movie Lovers” rules using AI to depict various classic film styles like film noir, sci-fi, Ben-Hur, and vaudeville. This usage of AI seemed fitting, as it reflects the digital evolution of cinema, with digital projectors and digital images attempting to capture a bygone analog era.
PERV-O-VISION AUDIENCE SHOTS
The pre-show guide features AI-generated images of an audience using the “Perv-O-Vision” and “Nude Blok” technologies, presented as if by a Christian tech company. Due to limitations with AI platforms regarding sensitive content, I had to manually add the “Pervo” text onto each image.
THE MEATIE MATES
The initial Meatie Mates animation on Bernice’s iPad was traditionally animated by Cable Hardin. For the scenes where the characters come to life, I aimed for a modern look akin to children’s YouTube shows. After experimenting with various software and AI tools, I ultimately combined several AI models to create and animate these characters, based on original drawings and photos from a local butcher shop.
My hope was that by the completion of “Fuck My Son!” these AI tools would enable fully animated shows similar to what was created. However, as of fall 2025, this has not yet been fully realized.
Other uses of AI in the film include sequences that reference or are derived from the aforementioned components. The opening titles hint at the Meatie Mate world, and elements of AI are woven throughout various scenes, combining with archived footage and digital art to enrich the film’s narrative and visual style.
AI also assisted in administrative tasks like completing K1 forms for our 35 investors and managing LLC tax filings, areas outside of my expertise.
I hope this provides some clarity on the use of software in the post-production of “Fuck My Son!” Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or wish to discuss further.
Thanks!
With a knack for uncovering hidden gems, Blake dives deep into the world of indie films and underground cinema.