On October 14th, in a notable achievement for Chinese animation, the short film “Dear Self” secured first place at the inaugural Venice AI-Generated Short Film International Festival. The film also won the Best Short Film award in the newly established AIGC (AI Generated Content) category at the 14th Beijing International Film Festival.

“Dear Self,” a collaboration between the Communication University of China’s School of Animation and Digital Art and Ainimate Lab, was directed by the young Chinese filmmaker Tong Hua.

During the production of “Dear Self,” the AI technology team utilized industry-standard tools. The style was developed using AI-generated training materials that drew on various artistic styles, blending oil painting and pointillism to establish the film’s visual aesthetic. After careful adjustments, the final product aligns well with the narrative, maintaining the nuanced performances captured in live-action footage.

Tong Hua emphasized that while AI technology has indeed lowered the barriers to creation—allowing even those without artistic backgrounds to produce animated videos—the true artistic value lies in the content and meaning of the work. She remarked, “During the adaptation process, we experimented with numerous versions, many of which were visually appealing and interesting. At that point, being able to select the right style became crucial. We needed to consider the overall audiovisual experience and converge the styles so that AI could genuinely serve the story and emotional depth.”

The Communication University of China’s School of Animation and Digital Art, established in 2001, is among the first institutions in China dedicated to animation, digital media arts, game design, and multimedia teaching and research. Ainimate Lab focuses on the intersection of creativity and technology, comprised of leading content creators and AIGC technology application experts, aimed at exploring a complete production process and business model for animated shorts through AI.

Tong Hua is a graduate of the digital media arts program at the Communication University of China and furthered her studies at the University of Southern California in Film and Television Production. Her earlier work, “Spring Flower,” won multiple awards at international film festivals back in 2018. In addition to her directing role, Tong Hua serves as a faculty member at her alma mater and is one of the early filmmakers in China who embraces and explores AI technology.