Artificial Intelligence Takes Spotlight at Bucheon Fantasy Film Festival With Conference, Dedicated AI Competition

variety.com:

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Leading Korean actor Son Ye-jin received a huge roar of applause as she greeted fans and rounded off the Thursday red-carpet ceremony at the opening of Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BiFan).

The star of “A Moment to Remember” and “April Snow,” Son is the subject of the festival’s retrospective section. But even as the festival takes a well-deserved, if conventional, look back at Son’s 23-year career, the event’s larger focus this year is the direction that artificial intelligence (AI) is taking the film industry. “The main issue of this year’s BIFAN is BIFAN+ AI.

Generative AI can be used as an innovative and revolutionary tool to meet the world with one’s talent through minimal expenses.

I believe that with the help of generative AI an era of equal competition will come, in which imagination, not the size of budget, is the most important factor,” said festival director Shin Chul. “BiFan aims to take the lead in creating a breeding ground where our creators can take their visions to the world without being held back by budget limitations.” The 15-titles in its AI competition are partially drawn from specialty AI festivals and include four films from home country South Korea: Hansl Von Kwon’s “One More Pumpkin,” which won the Grand Prize and Audience Award at the Dubai AI Film Festival, Park Sungwon’s “Under the Sign of the Moon,” Bae Junwon’s “Snowfall,” and Cha Sehwan’s “Final Scene.” All four showcase the image and sound perfection that modern AI technology can implement today, and stand out through brilliant imagination, fresh screenplays, and character realization,” the festival said.