Niède Guidon, the archaeologist who discovered hundreds of cave paintings in Brazil, dies at 92
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Niède Guidon, the Brazilian archaeologist known for discovering hundreds of prehistoric cave paintings in northeastern Brazil and for her research challenging theories of ancient human presence in the Americas, died Wednesday at 92, the Serra da Capivara National Park announced.
Guidon first documented the red ocher cave paintings in the semi-arid state of Piaui in the 1970s. These ancient artworks, made with natural pigments such as iron oxides and charcoal, depict deer and capybaras, but also scenes of everyday life including hunting, childbirth, dancing and kissing.
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Winnipeg Free Press
31 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Film Festival showcases what artificial intelligence can do on the big screen
NEW YORK (AP) — Artificial intelligence 's use in movie making is exploding. And a young film festival, now in its junior year, is showcasing what this technology can do on screen today. The annual AI Film Festival organized by Runway, a company that specializes in AI-generated video, kicked off in New York Thursday night with ten short films from around the world making their debut on the big screen. 'Three years ago, this was such a crazy idea,' Runway CEO Cristóbal Valenzuela told the crowd. 'Today, millions of people are making billions of videos using tools we only dreamed of.' The film festival itself has grown significantly since its 2023 debut. About 300 people submitted films when it first began, Valenzuela said, compared to about 6,000 submissions received this year. The one and half-hour lineup stretched across a range of creative styles and ambitious themes — with Jacob Alder's ' Total Pixel Space ' taking home the festival's top prize. The 9-minute and 28-second film questions how many possible images — real or not — exist in the digital space, and uses math to calculate a colossal number. A stunning series of images, ranging from the familiar life moments to those that completely bend reality, gives viewers a glimpse of what's out there. Meanwhile, Andrew Salter's 'Jailbird,' which snagged second place, chronicles a chicken's journey — from the bird's perspective — to a human prison in the United Kingdom to take part in a joint-rehabilitation program. And 'One,' a futuristic story by Ricardo Villavicencio and Edward Saatchi about interplanetary travel followed in third place. The 10 films shown were finalists selected from thousands submitted to Runway's AI Film Festival this year. The shorts will also be shown at screenings held in Los Angeles and Paris next week. How AI is used and executed is a factor judges evaluate when determining festival winners. But not every film entered was made entirely using AI. While submission criteria requires each movie include the use of AI-generated video, there's no set threshold, meaning some films can take a more 'mixed media' approach — such as combining live shots of actors or real-life images and sounds with AI-generated elements. 'We're trying to encourage people to explore and experiment with it,' Valenzuela said in an interview prior to Thursday's screening. Creating a coherent film using generative AI is no easy feat. It can take a long list of directions and numerous, detailed prompts to get even a short scene to make sense and look consistent. Still, the scope of what this kind of technology can do has grown significantly since Runway's first AI Film Festival in 2023 — and Valenzuela says that's reflected in today's submissions. While there are still limits, AI-generated video is becoming more and more life-like and realistic. Runway encourages the use of its own AI tools for films entered into its festival, but creators are also allowed to turn to other resources and tools as they put together the films — and across the industry, tools that use AI to create videos spanning from text, image and/or audio prompts have rapidly improved over recent years, while becoming increasingly available. 'The way (this technology) has lived within film and media culture, and pop culture, has really accelerated,' said Joshua Glick, an associate professor of film and electronic arts at Bard College. He adds that Runway's film fest, which is among a handful of showcases aimed at spotlighting AI's creative capabilities, arrives as companies in this space are searching for heightened 'legitimacy and recognition' for the tools they are creating — with aims to cement partnerships in Hollywood as a result. AI's presence in Hollywood is already far-reaching, and perhaps more expansive than many moviegoers realize. Beyond 'headline-grabbing' (and at times controversial) applications that big-budget films have done to 'de-age' actors or create eye-catching stunts, Glick notes, this technology is often incorporated in an array of post-production editing, digital touch-ups and additional behind-the-scenes work like sorting footage. Industry executives repeatedly point to how AI can improve efficiency in the movie making process — allowing creatives to perform a task that once took hours, for example, in a matter of minutes — and foster further innovation. Wednesdays Columnist Jen Zoratti looks at what's next in arts, life and pop culture. Still, AI's rapid growth and adoption has also heightened anxieties around the burgeoning technology — notably its implications for workers. The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees — which represents behind-the-scenes entertainment workers in the U.S. and Canada — has 'long embraced new technologies that enhance storytelling,' Vanessa Holtgrewe, IATSE's international vice president, said in an emailed statement. 'But we've also been clear: AI must not be used to undermine workers' rights or livelihoods.' IATSE and other unions have continued to meet with major studios and establish provisions in efforts to provide guardrails around the use of AI. The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists has also been vocal about AI protections for its members, a key sticking point in recent labor actions. For Runway's AI Film Festival, Valenzuela hopes screening films that incorporate AI-generated video can showcase what's possible — and how he says this technology can help, not hurt, creatives in the work they do today. 'It's natural to fear change … (But) it's important to understand what you can do with it,' Valenzuela said. Even filmmaking, he adds, was born 'because of scientific breakthroughs that at the time were very uncomfortable for many people.'
Toronto Star
an hour ago
- Toronto Star
D-Day veterans return to Normandy to mark 81st anniversary of landings
COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, France (AP) — Veterans gathered Friday in Normandy to mark the 81st anniversary of the D-Day landings — a pivotal moment of World War II that eventually led to the collapse of Adolf Hitler's regime. Along the coastline and near the D-Day landing beaches, tens of thousands of onlookers attended the commemorations, which included parachute jumps, flyovers, remembrance ceremonies, parades, and historical reenactments. More from The Star & partners
Winnipeg Free Press
2 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Symbolism and smiles during the stoning of the devil ritual at the Hajj
MINA, Saudi Arabia (AP) — For some, the stoning of the devil ritual at the Hajj in Saudi Arabia marks a solemn moment, a complete submission to God. For others, it represents a victory over evil. Subardi Abdulaha, from Indonesia, was one of more than 1.6 million pilgrims in Mina on Friday throwing pebbles at pillars with gusto. 'I'm doing the jamarat,' said Abdulaha, referring to the three vast concrete structures. He smiled and his eyes lit up. 'I throw the stone as a symbol against Satan!' Pilgrims had collected their pebbles overnight Thursday from Muzdalifah, an area located a few kilometers (miles) away from Arafat, a hill outside the city of Mecca with great spiritual significance. They must throw seven pebbles at each of the three pillars. Mina is where Muslims believe the Prophet Ibrahim's faith was tested when God commanded him to sacrifice his only son Ismail. The devil appeared before Ibrahim three times, trying to dissuade him from obeying God. The prophet responded each time by throwing stones at the devil, driving him away. Sundays Kevin Rollason's Sunday newsletter honouring and remembering lives well-lived in Manitoba. Ibrahim was prepared to submit to the command, but God stayed his hand and spared his son. In the Christian and Jewish versions of the story, Abraham is ordered to kill his other son, Isaac. The Eid al-Adha holiday, observed worldwide by Muslims and timed to coincide with the end of the Hajj, celebrates Ibrahim's submission to God. After the stoning ritual, men shaved their head and women trimmed their hair by a length of a fingertip. Those who could afford it sacrificed an animal. Saudi officials were stationed throughout Mina to assist pilgrims, providing them with directions and distributing water to ease the strain of the heat. Temperatures reached a high of 46 degrees Celsius (114 degrees Fahrenheit) on Friday. Many pilgrims went to Mecca afterwards to circuit the Kaaba, the black, cube-shaped structure in the holy city, and walk between the hills of Safa and Marwah, completing the core rites of the Hajj.
