Artefact and mk2 launch the Artefact AI Film Festival

The inaugural edition of the Artefact AI Film Festival, chaired by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, award-winning French filmmaker and President of the Artefact AI Film Festival jury, kicks off with an international short film competition open to all. Its goal: to showcase talents exploring new creative processes using AI tools to assist in writing, producing or directing.

“In ‘Delicatessen,’ we were the first to use “video” effects. We were
among the first to digitally mix ‘The City of Lost Children”. I was the first to color grade “’Amélie Poulain”, also digitally. I shot “TS Spivet” in real 3D, and we created a robot using facial recognition for “Bigbug”… So, as a technology and innovation enthusiast, artificial intelligence naturally intrigues, fascinates, astonishes, and also challenges me… I will be delighted to discover a sampling of what is possible today.”

Jean-Pierre Jeunet, President of the Artefact AI Film Festival jury

The Artefact AI Film Festival stands out as a space for expression dedicated to creativity leveraging new technologies. This festival, open to all – filmmakers or novices – emphasizes the rise of artificial intelligence in the production and creative process. The theme of this first edition, titled “Reality(s)”, will explore the transformative changes we encounter in the era of technological advances, and the experiences that seeds and prompts offer us. The short films will be tasked with examining how the perception and acceptance of our surroundings are disrupted by the emergence of artificial intelligence in our daily lives.

All participants will be required to submit a short film of a maximum of 314 seconds, in reference to the number Pi (3.14), and to use multiple artificial intelligence tools in their creative process. The awards ceremony will take place in November 2024 in Paris, and each winner will receive one of 4 prizes ranging from €1,000 to €10,000, as well as support for the development and production of their next film, distribution on the mk2 Curiosity platform, and screening before shows in mk2 cinemas.

The Artefact AI Film Festival will be presided over by a prestigious jury of experts in artificial intelligence and cinema, chaired by one of France’s masters of cinematic innovation and special effects: director and screenwriter Jean-Pierre Jeunet.

The general public will also be invited to vote for their favorite works at a later stage.

“I am convinced that AIs, like all previous technologies, will be a factor in the emancipation and liberation of artistic thought. We have a decidedly optimistic view of their impact on simplifying certain tasks to allow more time for creation. Through this festival, we aim to encourage empowering uses and positive appropriation of AIs. We are aware of the important debates within the cultural community and we believe that experimentation is probably the best way to convince,”

Vincent Luciani, co-founder and CEO of Artefact

Artefact, a leading player in artificial intelligence in France and internationally, sends a strong message by collaborating with mk2. This joint initiative reflects a strong desire to push the boundaries of innovation.

“ At mk2, we support creation that allows cinema to be what it is today. The fate of cinema is intimately linked to technological innovation, and artificial intelligence is a new revolutionary tool. We are very excited to discover these future creations using artificial intelligence.”

Elisha Karmitz, CEO of the mk2 group

The festival will take place in November at mk2 Bibliothèque in Paris. The opening of submissions and the jury will be officially unveiled in full on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, at Station F during the Adopt AI event organized by Artefact. Until then, we invite you to subscribe to the newsletter to receive all information related to the festival.

The steps to participate in the competition will be as follows:

For more information about the Artefact AI Film Festival and how to participate in the competition, visit the official festival website:  

Jean-Pierre Jeunet is renowned for his distinctive visual style and boundless imagination. He is famous for his iconic films such as “Amélie” and “The City of Lost Children,” which merge magical realism, surreal aesthetics, and poetic narration. His skillful use of color, light, and sets creates unique cinematic worlds. He is also known for his eccentric characters and keen sense of humor, bringing to life stories as original as they are captivating. In his latest film, “BigBug,” released on Netflix in 2022, Jean-Pierre Jeunet explores the impact of technology on our lives with his usual finesse, blending magical realism and social critique to deliver a movie that is as captivating as it is perplexing.

Artefact is a leading global consulting company dedicated to accelerating the adoption of data and AI to positively impact people and organizations. Artefact specializes in data transformation and data marketing to drive tangible business results across the enterprise value chain. To celebrate its tenth anniversary, Artefact is hosting an international summit, ADOPT AI, to promote the democratization of data and AI. This unique one-day event at Station F – Paris will bring together high-level stakeholders from the AI ecosystem, including key business leaders, technological partners from GenAI, distinguished university professors, and researchers from the Artefact Research Center, to share inspiration and actionable ideas on data and AI.

mk2 represents a different concept of cinema, a different vision of the world. Designed as living spaces, mk2 cinemas integrate meeting and creative discovery spaces while blending arthouse cinema, mainstream films, and cultural events. This commitment is driven by three core values: selection, otherness, and dissemination. With 24 cinemas in Paris and Spain, mk2 is the premier arthouse cinema circuit in France, and Cine/Sur is the leading network in Andalusia. mk2 cinemas welcome 9 million spectators annually. In France, this translates to 12 cinemas, 70 screens, over 4 million spectators per year, a 20% market share in Paris, 550 events per year, and 6 restaurants/cafés.