CGV launches Korea's first AI film contest
Competition offers 50 million won in prizes for generative AI-produced short films
CGV announced on Tuesday that it is hosting an artificial intelligence film competition, becoming the first theater chain in Korea to do so.
The contest invites filmmakers to submit original, previously unpublished short films ranging from 10 to 20 minutes in length, created using generative AI technology. Entries can explore either the theme of "heroes and villains" or tackle any subject of the creator's choosing.
Submissions will be judged on storytelling (40 percent), creativity (30 percent) and technical execution (30 percent). After initial screenings in which 15 finalists will be selected, a panel of industry experts will choose five winners through a combination of juried evaluations and online audience voting.
The panel of judges includes notable figures such as "Concrete Utopia" (2023) director Um Tae-hwa; science YouTuber Kim Jae-hyeok, known as Orbit; author Kim Jung-hyuk; and CJ ENM's AI production director Jung Chang-ik.
The competition offers approximately 50 million won ($34,550) in total prizes, with the grand prize winner receiving theatrical distribution through CGV. CJ ENM is also offering a special award to support content creators.
"We kicked off this AI film competition in response to the growing buzz around generative AI tech," said Kim Jae-in, CGV's content and marketing manager. "We're hoping filmmakers can connect with audiences through these AI creations and maybe spark some extra interest in the theater-going experience too."
The submission deadline is April 25, and the winners will be announced on May 23. Details are available through the CGV mobile app and website.
This contest adds to Korean cinema's growing wave of AI filmmaking experiments. The film "It's Me, Mun-hee," released on Christmas Eve last year, starred veteran actress Na Mun-hee without her ever appearing on set. The 17-minute short used generative AI to transform the 84-year-old actress into various characters, including Santa Claus, a CIA fugitive and an astronaut.
The short film "M Hotel," which premiered on Dec. 11, was created entirely with generative AI tools. Produced by CJ ENM, the 6.5-minute film reportedly took less than a month to complete, with four AI experts using more than 10 different AI tools. The project has earned recognition at film festivals in Venice, New York and Cannes.
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