4,100 submissions from 125 countries, a new AI Studio section, a “movie buff passport” and walking tours based on film franchises.

As reported by CCTV+, the 28th Shanghai International Film Festival will run from June 12 to 21. Organizers announced this at a press conference in Beijing.

This year, the festival received about 4,100 submissions from 125 countries and regions. The main news — the festival has introduced an innovative “AI Studio” section, exploring new paths and possibilities for filmmaking in the era of artificial intelligence.

Fang Shizhong, Deputy Chairman and Secretary-General of the festival’s organizing committee, explained: “This section integrates AI-assisted filmmaking into real production processes. We are actively responding to the profound changes that AI technology is bringing to film and television production in terms of workflows and workforce structure.”

In February, the China Film Administration and other institutions jointly launched a national program to develop the film economy. The goal is to expand film consumption by integrating the cinema industry with various other sectors.

As part of this initiative, the Shanghai Film Festival this year will actively promote the integration of culture, commerce, tourism, sports and exhibitions. This should expand consumption scenarios and turn the popularity of the big screen into tangible growth for the real economy.

Fang added: “We will also use the integration of culture, commerce, tourism, sports and exhibitions to achieve synergy between different business formats and create a multi-sensory urban experience for visitors. We will install many photogenic installations, launch city walking routes based on film franchises, and for the first time introduce a ‘movie buff passport’, turning movie watching, registration, stamp collecting and interactive events into a lifestyle during the festival.”

The Shanghai International Film Festival is organized under the leadership of the China Film Academy and co-hosted by China Media Group and the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government.

Founded in 1993, the festival is a prestigious global event driven by Shanghai’s ambition to become an international cultural hub. Thanks to China’s thriving film market, the festival is attracting increasing international attention.

Cinema and artificial intelligence are no longer enemies. In Shanghai, they are becoming partners. “AI Studio” is not a toy. It is an attempt to let algorithms into the holy of holies: the script, the frame, the editing. 4,100 submissions from 125 countries — the world is watching Shanghai. But the main spectacle is behind the scenes. The festival turns the city into a set, the viewer into a traveler, and a movie screening into a quest with stamps and photo zones. China has stopped just showing films. It is creating a ritual. And the movie buff passport is a ticket to the future. The only question is who is filming whom — are we filming cinema, or is cinema filming us?