Gyeonggi Content Agency Hosts Inaugural Korea International AI Film Festival

Gyeonggi Content Agency announced the successful hosting of the 1st Korea International AI Film Festival (K-AIFF), marking Korea's first and largest international film festival dedicated exclusively to films created using generative AI technology. Dong-yeon Kim, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, emphasized in his opening speech that the combination of cinematic imagination and AI technology represents a proactive approach to rapid technological advancements, despite existing concerns. He noted that with the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival and the DMZ International Documentary Film Festival, Gyeonggi now boasts a well-rounded trio of film festivals.

The festival received 2,067 entries across four categories—narrative, documentary, art and culture, and free format—with approximately 80% (1,636 submissions) originating from international creators. This global participation underscored the festival's unique focus on films exclusively utilizing generative AI technology, distinguishing it from other AI film festivals. The grand prize was awarded to "Mateo" by Korea's Mateo AI Studio (Shinwoo Moon, Eekjun Yang, Juwon Jung), while Brazil's Vanessa Rosa received the Global South Prize for "Little Martians: Dear Human, My Muse." Both awards were presented by Governor Dong-yeon Kim.

Category awards, presented by Sang-jin Kim, Director of Gyeonggi Content Agency, included Jin Ho Lee (Republic of Korea) for Narrative with "Story," Kenneth Russo (Spain) for Documentary with "The Myth of the Cave, A Love Affair," Team Shadowed Memori (Yun Park, SungYup Lee, Republic of Korea) for Art & Culture with "The Shadowed Memoir," and Reza Delavar (Iran) for Free Format with "When Autumn Comes." The winning film "Mateo" explores themes of ambition and morality through its story of a man engaging in illegal activities in the avocado market, ultimately seeking true values in life.

Shinwoo Moon of Mateo AI Studio expressed appreciation for the festival, describing it as a much-needed opportunity for creators to connect with creative minds worldwide. Festival jury chair Dae-sik Kim praised the high quality of submissions, noting they surpassed those at other AI film festivals and expressing eagerness for future K-AIFF events. Accompanying events included a conference on AI in content creation featuring speakers such as Dae-sik Kim (Professor at the School of Electrical Engineering, KAIST) on AI Technology, Fred Grinstein (Director, Co-Founder, and CEO of Terremoto Content Inc) on AI in Media, and Min-Jae Kim (Head of the AI Tech Center, NCSOFT) on AI Content. Screenings of winning films and discussions with directors provided insights into the challenges and joys of AI filmmaking, further enriching the festival experience.