Zhang Yimou addresses AI concerns as film festival reps discuss industry challenges

China's prominent filmmaker Zhang Yimou warned that the rapid rise of AI-generated video is putting unprecedented pressure on the film industry. He joined international festival leaders at the 2026 Golden Rooster International Film Festival Forum in Xiamen, Fujian province, on Nov. 7 to discuss the future of cinema.

Zhang Yimou speaks at the 2026 Golden Rooster International Film Festival Forum in Xiamen, Fujian province, on Nov. 7, 2026. [Photo courtesy of the 2026 China Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival Organizing Committee]

Speaking at the forum, Zhang said the 130-year-old film industry is essentially a "virtual imagery industry." While AI has had limited impact on in-person performances, like concerts and stage plays, it is reshaping the creation thresholds, audience markets and industry rules of the film sector.

Zhang noted that AI is a good tool but puts the industry under great pressure, with the visible competition for audiences. He mentioned AI-generated short videos on mobile phones do not cost viewers any money, and sometimes offer rewards. He questioned whether a large number of people would still go to the cinema.

He said he did not know what would happen in five or ten years when AI is able to surpass human production capabilities, and whether film festivals and theaters would accept AI-generated feature films in the future.

While the industry often says human emotion is irreplaceable, Zhang predicted that within three to five years, AI-generated images will become indistinguishable from reality. This means technology will bring about creative equality, making film no longer an elite art, he said. Ordinary people can all be directors and screenwriters, and in a short time they can create their own images.

He advised young directors to keep learning, stay positive and focus on stories. He said they should tell the story they understand best, because no matter how the tools change, a story full of true emotion is always the core of creation.

Zhang also revealed that a dedicated team has been set up for his upcoming film adaptation of "The Three-Body Problem" to discuss and apply new technologies including AI. But as a director, his focus remains on scriptwriting and crafting good stories.

Zhang Yimou also noted that international film festivals play an important role in bringing Chinese cinema to the world and greatly promote global exchange. They serve as bridges connecting different cultures; their significance lies in enabling people to find empathy through cinema.

Zhang Yimou and international film festival representatives join a panel to discuss industry challenges during the 2026 Golden Rooster International Film Festival Forum in Xiamen, Fujian province, on Nov. 7, 2026. [Photo courtesy of the 2026 China Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival Organizing Committee]

Other speakers also addressed the AI concerns. For example, Gao Shiming, vice president of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, said that filmmakers worldwide face a common crisis, as streaming and AI are reshaping how audiences experience and watch cinema.

He stressed that he does not oppose technology itself and believes digital tools empowering ordinary people is historic progress, but also warned against big companies monopolizing technology, tech logic overshadowing cultural values, data and algorithms being privatized, and public culture being eroded by commercial interests.

Elena Pollacchi, a member of the Venice International Film Festival selection committee, said she still believes that beyond all AI and digital expansions, the basis of people's connection to cinema is that humans like connecting to other people through shared stories and storytelling.

Under the theme "Stories That Travel: China, Asia and World Cinema," the forum brought together Zhang and heads of international film festivals from Busan, Toronto, Venice, Hong Kong and Singapore to discuss the role of cultural exchange through film festivals, the value of the film market, the development of young filmmakers and how to help films carry local warmth across regions and languages to reach more audiences.