Railbound

About this film

Railbound is a poetic short film built from the work of Mike Brodie — the prolific American photographer who, in his early twenties, train-hopped across the country documenting a subculture of young drifters moving by freight rail. His images captured a raw, intimate portrait of youth on the edge: freedom, restlessness, and the families we find along the way. The film blurs the line between documentary and fiction, imagining the emotional stories inside those photographs — stories of movement, belonging, and letting go. 🏆 Winner: Best Film (Documentary), Google Cloud Award, Community Choice Award — Chroma Awards 🏆 Winner: Best Film, Best AI Animation, Best Use of AI, Best Cinematography — AI International Film Festival 🏆 Winner: Best AI Short Film — Chandler International Film Festival 🏆 Winner: Best AI — Los Angeles Film Awards 🏆 Winner: Best AI Film — Festigious Los Angeles 🏆 Winner: Best Film Editing — Portugal Indie Film Festival 🏆 Winner: Best Original Score — Berlin Indie Film Festival 🏆 Winner: Best AI Film — Beyond Border International Film Festival 🏆 Winner: Best AI Film — Glow International Film Festival 🏆 Winner: Best AI-generated Film — Bracciano Film and Arts Festival 🏆 Winner: Best AI Short Film — UUCP Film Fest 🏆 Winner: Best AI Film (Bangkok Society Film Critics Award) — Bangkok Movie Awards 🏆 Winner: AI Movie Director — Seoul International AI Film Festival 🏆 Winner: Audience Choice Award — Bali International AI Film Festival Written & Directed by: Jonathan Perry Original Photography: Mike Brodie Visual Director & AI Artist: @AlexNaghavi AI Artist: Jonathan Perry Produced by: Jonathan Perry & Alex Naghavi Edited by: Jake Bann Original Score: Dan Michaelson Sound Design: Jeffrey Reed Starring as Garrett: Jeffrey Reed Starring as Willow: Violet Geissler Colorist: Dave Dixon Sound Mixer: Matt Wymer Casting: Jake Lyon VFX Digital Artists: M. Shahrukh, Noman Davis, & Ali Khan Title Design & Graphics: Alex Naghavi Animation: Kris Cave Production Assistant: Kemetrea Spearman