The Ten Finalists of the Reply AI Film Festival Announced
The Reply AI Film Festival is back with its second edition, continuing to merge cinema with artificial intelligence. This year’s theme, Generation of Emotions, challenges filmmakers to create authentic, emotionally engaging stories using AI tools. After receiving over 2,500 submissions from 67 countries, the festival has announced its ten finalists.
The winners will be revealed on Thursday, 4th September during the 82nd Venice International Film Festival at the Mastercard Priceless Lounge, Hotel Excelsior, Lido of Venice. This event highlights how technology can expand storytelling techniques and creative production.
The Jury and Awards
The jury, chaired by filmmaker Gabriele Muccino, includes notable creatives such as Rob Minkoff, Caleb & Shelby Ward, Denise Negri, Dave Clark, and others. The panel will award three main prizes based on originality, production quality, and conscious use of AI throughout the filmmaking process—from scriptwriting to post-production.
This edition introduces two new awards:
- Lexus Visionary Award: Recognizes productions that best blend technology, design, and foresight.
- AI for Good Award: Supported by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), this award honors films addressing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“AI is a catalyst for innovation, enabling filmmakers to explore new styles and narratives that were once unimaginable,” says Gabriele Muccino. “It’s exciting to see new talents pushing boundaries and shaping the future of cinema.”
Finalists Spotlight
The finalists come from diverse backgrounds, including AI artists, filmmakers, animators, and writers from countries like Italy, the UK, Germany, France, the US, and Brazil. According to Filippo Rizzante, CTO of Reply, this year’s entries show a notable leap in quality and creativity, proving AI can serve as a mature creative tool.
- A Million Trillion Pathway (ROHKI, US/Japan): A story of a swordsman and cosmic beings across timelines, blending action and mythology.
- Carousel (Andes Aloi, Argentina): A visual poem set in a subway, mixing memory and fantasy to explore a collapsing romance.
- Clown (Shanshan Jiang, Great Britain): A surreal mix of live-action and AI that follows a clown losing her sense of self while chasing audience approval.
- Corrupt Data Clan (Eric Kervern, France): A documentary celebrating a visionary 1993 Brooklyn hip-hop collective ahead of its time.
- Instinct (Marcello Costa Jr., Portugal): A reflection on primal survival instincts confronting modern life’s demands.
- Love at First Sight (Jacopo Reale, Italy): Entirely created with AI, this film captures an unspoken connection between a shepherd and a shy observer.
- Meme, Myself and AI (Private Island, Great Britain): A mixed-media film exploring AI’s personification and its role as a human-made tool.
- Not Chosen (Javier Marro, Chile): An animated story about a rejected stuffed toy seeking belonging in an indifferent world.
- The Cinema That Never Was (Mark Wachholz, Germany): Imagines unmade films using AI-generated visuals and sounds, reflecting classic cinema aesthetics.
- UN RÊVE LIQUIDE (Andrea Lommatzsch, Italy): A visually striking film where AI was key in transforming concept into narrative and animation.
For writers and creatives interested in how AI tools are shaping new forms of storytelling, this festival offers valuable insights. Exploring AI’s role in scriptwriting, visual effects, and post-production can open fresh possibilities for narrative innovation.
To enhance your skills in AI-assisted creativity, consider exploring courses on Complete AI Training, where you can find tailored resources for writers and filmmakers.
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