Gnomes of New York

Gnomes of New York is a short by Shane Willett, about four minutes long. It imagines a hidden community of gnomes who keep New York running, visible only to people who slow down and look closely. The official write-up from the Chicago Festival ANIMATION Festival 2025 says it was shot as digital photography, with CGI added to the plates; it won Best Story among that festival's audience awards. It was also an Official Selection at the Czech International AI Film Festival (CIAIFF) 2025. Neither the director nor the festivals name the AI tools; the film's page on the CAIS ROOM platform lists Runway and Udio.

Who it's for:viewers who enjoy light urban fantasy and stories about little hidden creatures.

Before you watch: the free full version is on the third-party platform CAIS ROOM, about four minutes long. The Chicago festival's official programme on WILDsound also includes it, but needs a trial, subscription or sign-in. The spoken language and subtitles aren't stated. We haven't watched the whole film.

Based on the Chicago Animation Festival winners list, the CIAIFF selection list and the CAIS ROOM film page. Watch the film itself for the full picture.