Jia Zhangke Debuts Italy Short, Backs Cautious AI Adoption
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- Jia Zhangke finished shooting a short film in Italy, commissioned and produced by Carlo Chatrian, director of the National Museum of Cinema in Turin, calling it his first experience shooting in the country.
- Jia Zhangke said he has produced two to three AI short films and is working on another, with dialogues generated by AI using his own voice, likening the transition to the early-2000s shift from film to digital cinematography.
- Jia Zhangke cautioned against rushing to judge AI in filmmaking, arguing there are "a lot of pros and cons" and that problems "can be solved by many methods, for example, by legislation," and urged audiences to "get more understanding before we come to any conclusion."
- Jia Zhangke traced his career-long collaboration with Hong Kong DP Yu Lik-wai back to their post-graduation days in Beijing, recalling how Yu moved from Hong Kong during Chinese New Year and together they produced his debut film "Xiao Wu" in Shanxi Province.
- Jia Zhangke revealed a daily routine of a 6 a.m. morning run followed by scriptwriting until 11 a.m., describing the early hours as "the golden period" for writing even when "you may not be able to come up with even one word."
- Jia Zhangke cited a Beijing Film Academy professor, Professor Lin, who ran every morning to maintain his physique for filmmaking, as a lasting influence on how he approaches the physical demands of directing.
- The masterclass was organized by the Asian Film Awards Academy and held at a packed Grand Theatre in Hong Kong on March 15.
Why it matters: Jia, one of China's leading Sixth-Generation directors, framed AI as a tool to be tested rather than rejected, having already produced two to three AI shorts and calling for legislation to address concerns. His Italy commission, produced with Turin museum director Carlo Chatrian, also extends a pattern of international collaboration beyond his Chinese subjects.
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