Adam Kulick, Caleb & Shelby Ward, Denise Negri, Filippo Rizzante, Flavio Natalia, Julien Vallée and Eve Duhamel, Monica Riccioni, Paul Trillo, and Rob Minkoff are the producers, artists, and filmmakers who will evaluate the competing short films based on creativity, production quality, and use of artificial intelligence.

Reply, an international group specialised in creating new business models enabled by AI and Digital Media, introduces the jury that will be tasked with evaluating and selecting the best short films for the Reply AI Film Festival, an international competition open to all creatives eager to engage in creating a short film using AI tools.

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Reply presents the inaugural Reply AI Film Festival, an international competition where Artificial Intelligence (AI) serves not only as a catalyst for innovation in the realm of creative storytelling but also as a tool for fostering inclusivity among younger generations in video and film production. (Photo: Reply)

Judging the works submitted in the four competition categories - Narratives, Pilots, Documentaries, and Experimental - will be: Adam Kulick, producer of successful films such as Twilight, Wuthering Heights, and The Iron Lady, as well as a Sloan Fellow at Stanford University specialising in Generative AI; Caleb & Shelby Ward, co-founders of Curious Refuge, the first online community dedicated to directors using AI in their creations; Denise Negri, a journalist from SkyTg24 and Sky Arte, known for covering prestigious film events like the Academy Awards, Cannes Film Festival, and Venice Film Festival. Also participating are Filippo Rizzante, Chief Technology Officer at Reply; Flavio Natalia, director of Ciak and ciakmagazine.it, and an author and journalist for Ansa, Rai, and Sky; as well as the Canadian duo Vallée Duhamel, comprised of Julien Vallée and Eve Duhamel, who create unique short films for international brands using captivating images and videos that blend playful approaches with experimentation in new technologies such as artificial intelligence. Monica Riccioni, Chief Executive Officer of Think Cattleya, an advertising agency that has collaborated with numerous international directors and created campaigns for renowned global brands; Paul Trillo, a director and video artist known for his conceptual and visually inventive films, integrating new tools like AI with traditional techniques; and Rob Minkoff, co-director of The Lion King (1994) and animator and director of numerous films including Stuart Little, The Haunted Mansion, and Mr. Peabody & Sherman.

The jury will select the short films submitted to the competition via the platform aiff.reply.com by July 1, 2024, interpreting the theme of this first edition of the festival: Synthetic Stories, Human Hearts, a title that celebrates the convergence of human talent and artificial intelligence. In doing so, they will follow three main criteria: creativity, which refers to the innovative scope of cinematic language; craftsmanship, meaning the overall quality and value of the short film's production; and the impact of artificial intelligence, assessing how AI tools have contributed to one or more aspects of its creation.

Adam Kulick commented, "GenAI's integration into filmmaking processes opens up a new era of creativity and justifiable concerns. I'm hopeful that the fusion of human ingenuity and these rapidly evolving technologies produces groundbreaking work and new opportunities for the filmmaking community."

"We believe AI is going to act as a creative assistant in every part of the filmmaking pipeline. It’s going to allow for new stories to be told, it’s going to democratise the filmmaking industry and support filmmakers all around the world in telling their stories." said Caleb & Shelby Ward.

"AI is an increasingly valuable ally of creativity. We are truly delighted that such high-calibre figures in the film world have joined our initiative: a space to test AI as an ally of human creativity, but also an opportunity for young talents to immerse themselves in new technologies, acquire advanced skills, and bring new narratives to life," said Filippo Rizzante.

"I have always supported the potential of AI and believe that the combination of human and technological talent is not only possible but also enriches our work. This added value is something we at Think Cattleya greatly value and I am certain I will witness it during the screening of the short films in this competition," said Monica Riccioni.

"Specifically, AI's role should always be to assist the creatives, producers and crew working in film and not to replace them. It should not be used as a crutch or a shortcut for the creatively bankrupt. This is an opportunity for independent filmmakers to think out of the box and for smaller productions to create better, bolder and stranger films." confirmed Paul Trillo.

The ten best short films will be presented at a special premiere event organised by Reply, together with Mastercard, which has always been close to the world of cinema, connecting fans, performers and advocates to their passion. The event will take place during the days of the 81st Venice International Film Festival where the three overall winners will be announced.

To learn more about the Reply AI Film Festival, visit aiff.reply.com.

Reply

Reply [EXM, STAR: REY] specialises in the design and implementation of solutions based on new communication channels and digital media. Reply is a network of highly specialised companies supporting key European industrial groups operating in the telecom and media, industry and services, banking, insurance and public administration sectors in the definition and development of business models enabled for the new paradigms of big data, cloud computing, digital media and the Internet of Things. Reply services include: Consulting, System Integration and Digital Services. www.reply.com

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