Connection can’t be coded.

But it can be simulated.

At an elegant Los Angeles dinner party, the margaritas are flowing, the banter is sharp, and the couples look almost too perfect … until a blackout drops several “guests’” connectivity.

In a world where AI companions can be custom-built for romance, tAInted love follows the humans left behind as they navigate embarrassment, desire, grief, and the uncomfortable possibility of real connection. A darkly funny near-future relationship short, the film explores what happens when love becomes programmable, but loneliness remains stubbornly human.

“WOW. What a fascinating and eerie premise — and a gorgeously shot film. It’s deeply cinematic, and the turn at the end is incredibly satisfying. tAInted love asks such compelling questions about what makes someone human, what connection really means, and what makes life worth living.”

Writer/Director/EP statement

tAInted love began with a question I couldn’t shake: If we could experience connection without the risk of rejection, would we still choose real intimacy?

As a storyteller, I’ve always been drawn to modern relationships and the quiet ways we protect ourselves from vulnerability. We want to be known, but not exposed. We crave connection, but fear the risk that comes with being fully seen.

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly woven into daily life, frictionless companionship feels less like science fiction and more like an extension of where we already are. I’m not interested in condemning technology. But I am curious about the emotional bargain we make when comfort starts to replace courage.

At its heart, tAInted love is not about machines. It is about loneliness, longing, grief, and the fragile, terrifying choice to reach for something real.

This near-future relationship drama asks us all to confront the question What happens when technology can soothe our loneliness, but only real connection can transform it?"

- Lisa Steadman, Writer/Director/Executive Producer