AI didn’t ruin these films. It made them possible.
AI-generated films inspire plenty of skepticism. But what happens when the technology gives more artists a chance to create?
Last month, I attended an AI film festival in Tokyo with skepticism, expecting low-quality content. However, I left the event pleasantly surprised by the depth of humanity conveyed through the screens. My favorite short film, spanning 11 minutes, was narrated from the perspective of a child using a camcorder during a summer spent with his grandparents.
The boy documents ordinary moments like his cereal, encounters with mermaids, and sun-drenched memories of youth. The winner of the festival was an animated story about a man in Paris hiding behind masks due to a facial disfigurement. Despite his appearance, he dreams of finding a dance partner. The crowd favorite, "The Postman," depicted a future where a trash-sorting robot yearned for the human connection it once experienced while delivering handwritten letters as a postal worker.
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
