As one of the key events celebrating HKUST's 35th anniversary, the two-day Festival brought together industry leaders, filmmakers, scholars, students, and members of the public to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) is redefining cinematic creativity and production.
This year's AIFF saw an overwhelming global response, with over 1,300 submissions—almost double that of last year—from nearly 80 countries and regions. Following a rigorous evaluation by an international jury, a number of outstanding works were recognized across key award categories*. The Best Film Award was presented to The Afterlife of Aphrodite by Gabriela Cardona WALTHER, a Mexican filmmaker whose work seamlessly blends personal memory and mythology to explore themes of identity, femininity, and transformation. The Best Debut AI Film Award went to NeoNature by Javier Gracia ALCAINE, a Spanish AI content creator who captures the beauty of natural world through cinematic, ultra-realistic wildlife documentaries with immersive storytelling.
In addition to these remarkable overseas works, local talent also shone at this year's Festival. Hong Kong-based AI filmmaker KA TAM earned the Best Technical Innovation Award for Project J, a sci-fi action piece that demonstrates the pioneering use of AI in crafting a dystopian narrative set in a technologically controlled future. The Best Human AI Collaboration Award was presented to Ash Boat by OUYANG Mengke, a postgraduate student from HKUST's Division of Arts and Machine Creativity (AMC). Her evocative short film explores the complexities of human grief, memory, and emotion through the story of a teenage girl assigned an AI guardian in a near-future society.
The Festival was graced by distinguished guests, including Ms. Edith SHIH, Vice Chairperson of the HKUST Council; Mr. Kevin WANG Xikai, Station Chief of the Hong Kong Reporter Station, National Radio and Television Administration; Prof. QU Huamin, Dean of the Academy of Interdisciplinary Studies (AIS) at HKUST; Prof. FU Hongbo, Acting head of AMC at HKUST, as well as other academic and industry representatives. Acclaimed local film director Mr. Stanley TONG also delivered a keynote speech, sharing insights into how AI offers new opportunities for Chinese film development by reducing trial‑and‑error costs and accelerating visual innovation, while underscoring that storytelling, human emotion, and cultural depth remain the irreplaceable core of filmmaking.
Alongside the screenings of shortlisted films, the Festival featured three thematic panels examining key issues in AI filmmaking. The panel titled "Future · AI Film · Production Technology" featuring Prof. RAO Anyi, Assistant Professor of AMC; Mr. Feynman LI, General Manager of the AI Content Creative Department at Tencent Online Video; Ms. Eddy CHEN, Chinese AI artist; as well as other industry representatives, addressed both the opportunities and challenges in areas such as creative control, visual consistency, and production efficiency, while also discussing how AI is accelerating content creation and empowering smaller creative teams.
Building on this discussion, the panel titled "Reshaping Light and Shadow: Film Aesthetics and Authorship in the AI Era," featuring local film director and HKUST alumnus Mr. KA Sing-Fung; local film producer Ms. TO Chi-Long; Korean film director Prof. Chul HEO; and other academic representatives, explored how AI is reshaping cinematic aesthetics and authorship, highlighting the importance of integrating tools, performance, and storytelling while preserving creative originality. Another panel titled "Cultural Memories and Digital Heritage," featuring Dr. Vennes CHENG, Lecturer of AMC; Mr. HO Rui-An, Singaporean artist and writer; and other experts, examined how AI can reconstruct and reinterpret historical materials while emphasizing ethical considerations in balancing preservation, interpretation, and authenticity.
Beyond the screenings and discussions, this year's Festival introduced an exhibition gallery showcasing AI film materials and selected student projects from AMC in an immersive, installation-based format, featuring works such as interactive robotic arms and a facial-capture device. To further enhance real-world impact, AIFF also strengthened its industry engagement through strategic collaborations with leading AI enterprises, including Tencent, Kling, TapNow, and MiniMax, effectively bridging academic innovation with professional AI filmmaking practices.
As part of its commitment to nurturing future talent, HKUST further enriched its educational outreach for this year's AIFF. A series of workshops and a 36-hour AI film hackathon for secondary school students were introduced in March to deepen their understanding of AI generated content and to empower the next generation of innovators. The winning student work premiered during the Festival's opening screening, reinforcing the event's role as a platform where education, industry, and creative practice meaningfully converge.
Prof. Qu Huamin, Dean of AIS at HKUST, said, "The HKUST AIFF is more than a celebration of digital creativity; it also bridges the gap between cutting-edge research and real-world practice, driving the development of art and technology in academia and industry. This flagship initiative demonstrates AIS's ongoing commitment to fostering innovation and social impact through interdisciplinary collaboration, while nurturing versatile talent in our rapidly evolving world."
Prof. Fu Hongbo, Acting Head of AMC at HKUST, expressed his gratitude for the contributions of AMC student teams who were actively involved in planning and organizing the AIFF. "At HKUST, we see AI film as a unique meeting point where creators, researchers, industry partners, and students unite to explore new possibilities in storytelling. This year's AIFF continues to grow not only in scale but also in ambition. Through these efforts, we hope to foster a sustainable and dynamic ecosystem for AI‑driven creative practice."
Having established Hong Kong's first Division of Arts and Machine Creativity in 2024, HKUST continues to demonstrate its dedication to promoting AI integration in the creative industries and advancing art tech education and research through AIFF.
*The full list of awardees, together with their winning works, is available here.
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