If virtual influencers have become palatable alongside their fleshmeat counterparts, it’s partly because they make no secret about not being human. Sometimes, they might even expound on how they relate to their unique realities, a charming variant on the machine sentience convos we’re always having about AI.

There are surreal crossovers, where these characters flirt with the membrane dividing pixels and personhood. In 2020, the virtual influencer Imma appeared inside an enclosed IKEA apartment in Harajuku, where she was spotted enjoying banal activities like vacuuming and folding socks. It seems that one pleasure of sharing our world is sharing our chores.

This BMW ad follows that lead, and it’s philosophical in a softcore sci-fi way. Here, we have a “bubble boy” story, where Lil Miquela partakes of the tortuous pleasure of exploring our reality without being able to touch it. Her fingers slice through a dragonfly, recomposing the illusion of solidity on the other side. (She sure can clutch a steering wheel, though!)

“Amidst all the web3/metaverse/artificial intelligence push of the past two years, this crafty piece of storytelling is all about real life,” says Patrick Klebba, executive creative director at Media.Monks, which conceived the film. “Now, Lil Miquela reminds us of what we have, and how beautiful it is, and how lucky we are to have it—this is what we want people to feel.”

Directed by Stefanie Soho, the film does a nifty job of positioning the car as a spiritual mediator, or psychopomp, connecting two realities. And it makes another promise: This isn’t just a vehicle that straddles the space between. It can, when it matters, cut between them, offering genuine access to the previously untouchable.

Watch the full film here.

Marvin Leuvrey x Arc’teryx x Directors Library

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C Prinz – Jeremy Pope – God is Good – Variety

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Pantera

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Philippe Templeman Ziklo Roam Freely

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Pantera

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Henry Scholfield MICHELIN On the Road and Beyond

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Max Sherman – Apple Nice Try!

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Gordon von Steiner Calvin Klein 100% Pure Love

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Kristoffer Borgli – HBO’s The Shards

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Philippe Tempelman

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Anton Tammi

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2024

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2024

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Henry Scholfield x Coach
2024

Paul Herrmann

Paul Herrmann x Google Pixel
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BWGTBLD

Best of 2023
2024

Henry Scholfield

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2024

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2023

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2024

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British Independent Film Awards
2023

RUSH

2024 Grammy Awards
2023

Philippe Tempelman

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2023

Anton Tammi

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2023

Anton Tammi

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2023

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2023

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2023

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2023

Gordon von Steiner

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2023

Kristoffer Borgli

Dream Scenario Posters
2023

Karim Huu Do

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2023

Diana Kunst

Diana Kunst x Mercedes-Benz
2023

Anton Tammi

Anton Tammi x A$AP
2023

Giada Bossi

Young Guns 21 Winner
2023

Alex Göke

Alex Göke x Mercedes Benz
2023

Rubberband.

rubberband. x ChatFOS
2023

Stefanie Soho

Stefanie Soho x Ciclope
2023

Diana Kunst

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2023

Anton Tammi

Anton Tammi x Crack Magazine
2023

Kristoffer Borgli

Rose x A24
2023

Kristoffer Borgli

Dream Scenario 16mm Tests
2023

RUSH

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2023

Kristoffer Borgli

Dream Scenario BTS
2023

Luke Gilford

Luke Gilford x GQ
2023

Francisco Canton & Patricio Martinez

NDTE Trailer
2023

Fenn 0’Meally

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2023

Stefanie Soho

Stefanie Soho x BMW
2023

Savanah Leaf

Earth Mama Berlin Screening
2023

Jovan Todorovic

Paul Kalkbrenner x Schwer
2023

Fenn O’Meally

Fenn O’Meally x Rimowa
2023

Gordon von Steiner & rubberband.

2 Wins at the UKMVA 23
2023

Alex Göke

Alex Göke x Allianz
2023

Maceo Frost

Maceo Frost x o2
2023

Kristoffer Borgli

Dream Scenario Trailer
2023

Gordon von Steiner

RUSH BTS
2023

Caroline Koning

Caro x Nike
2023

Gordon von Steiner

GVS X du Monde
2023

New Director

Gordon von Steiner
2023

Ciclope 23
2023

Stefanie Soho

2023 DWP Awards
2023

Spencer Creigh

Sheephead x TIFF
2023

Gordon von Steiner

GVS x RUSH
2023

Rubberband.

Don't Go Tellin' Your Momma
2021

Stefanie Soho

ADC Awards 23'
2023

New Director

Luke Gilford
2023

Pantera

Cannes 23
2023

Clio Awards

Winners
2021

Luke Gilford

National Anthem x SXSW
2023

Albert Moya

Albert Moya x Rimowa
2023

Stefanie Soho // Gordon Von Steiner

Berlin Commercial Winners
2023

Paul Herrmann

Paul Herrmann x Horsegiirl
2023

Wes Walker

Wes Walker
2023

Kristoffer Borgli

Eer Pump
2021

Daniel Sannwald

Daniel x Orquídeas
2023

Borgli // Gilford // Pantera // Creigh

Toronto Film Festival 23
2023

Mau Morgó

Mau Morgó x Richie Culver
2023

BWGTBLD GmbH

Workshop Hoodie
2017

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New Director
2022

Martin de Thurah

MDT x Levis
2023

Paul Herrmann

Paul Herrmann
2020

BWGTBLD GmbH

Party
2019

BWGTBLD GmbH

Ciclope Dinner (2019)
2019

BWGTBLD GmbH

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2019

BWGTBLD GmbH

Family Brunch
2019

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Fenn O’Meally
2021

Jaron Albertin

Jaron Albertin
2021

Kristoffer Borgli

Eer
2021

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Talks
2020

BWGTBLD GmbH

Family Frost
2020

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2024

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2024

Wes Walker

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2024

Wes Walker

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2024

Albert Moya

Albert Moya x Louis Vuitton
2024

Stefanie Soho

Berlin Commercial
2023

Giada Bossi

Giada Bossi x Jaked
2023

Anton Tammi

Anton Tammi x YSL
2023

Maceo Frost & Robin Nazari

Maceo Frost x BIJI
2023

Jared Clayton

Love Notes from the Bardo
2023

CICLOPE 2021 – Invitation Merch

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2022

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Netto - The Real Santa
2022

Clio Awards 22′

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2022

Webby, The One Show & ADC Awards 22′

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2022

Søren Schaller

New Director
2022

BWGTBLD GmbH

2021
2022

Mau Morgó

New Director
2021

1.4 Awards ’21

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2021

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2021

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Tiffany & Co. - About Love
2021

Haya Waseem

Film Festival
2021

Pantera

Pez Suelto
2021

Quickening

Haya Waseem
2021

ADC Awards

Best of Disciplines
2021

Caroline Koning

Nike - New Girl
2021

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2021

The One Show

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2021

AdAge

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2021

Die Klappe

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2021

DWP Awards

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2021

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Shortlist
2021

ADC Germany

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2021

ADC Annual Awards

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2021

L’Occitane

Paul Herrmann
2021

Mercedes Me

Rich Hall
2021

Paul Herrmann

Time Will Tell
2021

Pantera

Mercedes-Benz - Valet Guys
2021

Pantera

Mercedes-Benz - Valet Guys
2021

Pantera

Mercedes-Benz - Valet Guys
2021

Pantera

Mercedes-Benz - Valet Guys
2021

rubberband.

Don't Go Tellin' Your Momma
2021

Kristoffer Borgli

Krsitoffer Borgli
2021

Rubberband

Don't Go Tellin' Your Momma
2020

This Generation

Telekom
2020

Ciclope 2020

Finalists
2020

We will hug again

Zalando
2020

Max Sherman

New Director
2020

Daniel Sannwald

New Director
2020

Pantera

Mercedes Benz - Blowfish
2020

Pantera

Mercedes-Benz - Blowfish
2020

Pantera

Loose Fish
2020

Albert Moya

New Director
2020

Diana Kunst

The Rolling Stones – Criss Cross
2020

Emmanuel Adjej

New Director
2020

Kristof Brandl

Take Me To A Nice Place
2020

Anton Tammi

Yung Lean - Outta My Head
2020

Culture BTS RIMOWA Roger Federer

2020

Paul Herrmann

Jumpman
2020

BWGTBLD GmbH

The Legend Behind The Name
2020

rubberband.

Lewis del Mar - The Ceiling
2020

Deutscher Werbefilmpreis

Best Camera
2020

Stefanie Soho

Zalando - #TogetherIamStrong
2020

Anton Tammi

The Weeknd - Afterhours
2020

BWGTBLD GmbH

Screening
2019

Pantera

Muanapoto
2018

BWGTBLD GmbH

Premiere Tour 2017
2017

BWGTBLD GmbH

Berlin Opening
2016