AI BACKLOT Overview

In 2026, the Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) will launch a new unit – "AI Backlot", which aims to be the first creative production experimental field with the object of AI image collaboration study, and exploring new possibilities for an industry undergoing transformation.

The program focuses not only on the final audiovisual works, but more importantly, on what happens behind the scenes — when film creators and AI creators come together, how will their creative methodologies, collaboration workflows, and industry logic collide and reconfigure?

The core section, the " Hyperimage Peaking Chanllenge ", pioneers a collaborative model that brings together "Film Creators + AI Super Creators". These creators will jointly complete an entire AI image creation process—from initial collaboration to final production.

The creative process will also embody the spirit of open source—comprehensively sharing prompts, workflows, process materials, collaboration insights and lessons learned, as well as creative journeys. This initiative thoroughly analyzes what is possible and impossible in AI film production. Every step is directed toward a single goal: to provide the film industry, which is undergoing profound transformation, with a genuine and reference-worthy sample of integrated creation.

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