The 28th Shanghai International Film Festival opened on June 12 with the launch of a new Technology Creation and Fabrication Unit and a parallel press conference for the Shanghai High-Tech Films and Televisions City, held in the city’s Songjiang district.
The event drew senior officials and industry figures to mark what organizers billed as a new phase in Shanghai’s drive to merge film production with advanced technology.
Fang Shizhong, executive vice minister of the Publicity Department of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee and director of the Shanghai Film Bureau, framed the initiative around three priorities: building a stronger industrial ecosystem using AI and ultra-high-definition tools; nurturing new forms of cinematic aesthetics through technology; and applying AI responsibly rather than letting it override artistic and creative judgment. Wang Huajie, secretary of the CPC Songjiang District Committee, cited the G60 Science and Technology Innovation Corridor and Songjiang University Town as key drivers of the district’s growing AI-driven ecosystem for film production.
Cao Jun, member of the Party Leadership Group and deputy secretary-general of the China Film Association, speaking on behalf of Deng Guanghui, secretary of the Party Committee of China Film Association, pointed to the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan period as a critical window for China’s film industry to assert itself in technology development. He called on practitioners to use new tools to upgrade creative workflows, expand the industrial ecosystem through a “film plus” model, and strengthen copyright protection.
