Imax is teaming with tech firm Runway to present commercial screenings of selections from the company’s AI Film Festival.
The third annual edition of the one-day fest was held last spring at New York’s Alice Tully Hall and L.A.’s Broad Theatre.
Under the partnership, the 10 films selected as finalists in the festival will be screened at 10 Imax locations across the U.S. from August 17 to 20. The Imax sites showing the program are in New York, L.A., San Francisco, Chicago, Seattle, Dallas, Boston, Atlanta, Denver and Washington, D.C.
The partnership is the latest milestone for Runway, which has set team-ups with Lionsgate, AMC Networks and other film and TV entities. Started by a group of former NYU film students as a tool for animators, the company has gone on to reach a valuation of more than $3 billion.
While plenty of anxiety remains in Hollywood about the implications of AI for the creative community, an increasing number of players are looking to develop AI projects and systems. Funding for a wide range of AI firms is continuing apace.
Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos didn’t shy away from the topic during the streaming giant’s quarterly earnings call last week, calling AI “an incredible opportunity to help creators make films and series better, not just cheaper.” He cited Argentine sci-fi series El Eternauta (The Eternaut) as an example of a production using AI for visual effects and other production elements.
The Runway festival’s jury included Gaspar Noé, Harmony Korine and Jane Rosenthal. It chose the 10 finalists, whose running times are between two and 10 minutes, from 6,000 submissions.
“The quality, variety and storytelling of these films deserves a premium viewing experience,” Runway co-founder and CEO Cristóbal Valenzuela said. “This partnership will bring AIFF to thousands of moviegoers across America, at the highest possible quality.”
Imax Chief Content Officer Jonathan Fischer said the company’s large-format venues and equipment have “typically been reserved for the world’s most accomplished and visionary filmmakers.” By linking up with Runway, the company will “open our aperture and use our platform to experiment with a new kind of creator, as storytelling and technology converge in an entirely new way. How these tools will shape filmmaking is an area for us to continue to explore while honoring the intent of our creative partners.”
As it continues to benefit from the bounce-back in mainstream theatrical moviegoing, Imax is also increasingly programming non-traditional fare like concerts, sporting events and other alternatives.
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