AI is making its way into film festivals

The Cannes Film Festival ruled that AI-generated works would not qualify for the Palme d’Or, stating AI lacks the ability to convey deep emotions. Despite this, Meta sponsored the festival, promoting its AI and wearable technology innovations. Director Steven Soderbergh used Meta’s AI tools to enhance visuals in his documentary *John Lennon: The Last Interview*, based on the musician’s final radio interview with Yoko Ono. The Tribeca Festival will debut *Dreams of Violets*, a 75-minute AI-generated docudrama about Iran’s January protests, created by London-based startup Fountain 0. Brothers Ash and Pooya Koosha, Iranian-born founders of Fountain 0, developed the film in three months using AI tools like Google Gemini, Claude AI, and Kling AI, with a $2,000 budget. The film draws from journalistic reports, photographs, and eyewitness accounts to depict the protests. Ash Koosha acknowledged the ethical concerns but argued that AI-generated films could prevent historical erasure, stating silence would align with the Iranian regime’s goals. Meanwhile, the Oscars currently exclude AI-generated performances and screenplays, requiring roles to be ‘demonstrably performed by humans’ and screenplays to be ‘human-authored.’ These restrictions suggest a cautious approach to AI’s role in filmmaking for now.