"If it's short and it's good, twice it's good"
3 REFLEXIONES SOBRE EL CINE GENERADO CON IA
3 REFLECTIONS ON AI-GENERATED CINEMA
ABRIL 2026 / APRIL 2026
A REFLECTION ON THE PRESENT MOMENT
By Alfredo Izquierdo, Director of the KURSAAL-AI Film Festival San Sebastián
As a result of the shared experience of this first AI film festival held in Spain, we wanted to compile some conclusions based on the experience and networking of the festival participants and the jury.
At KFFSS, we do not intend to take any position with this report, nor do we intend to predict the future. We simply want to use the present as a reference point to compare with what may happen in a year's time.
As of March 2026, audiovisual AI has already saturated the social media and advertising sectors, but it is now expanding into the film industry, generating uncertainty and resistance among those who are not familiar with the subject in depth.
What was the starting point for KFFSS?
At KFFSS, we have been superficially monitoring advances in AI for two years. In the summer of 2025, we began to see competitions promoted by the AI platforms themselves, with prize money of up to one million dollars, undoubtedly with the ulterior motive of training their own AI. We saw that the results were starting to be interesting, though not definitive.
At this point, the KFFSS decided to delve into AI-powered film production in the field of hyperrealism, as it is the most complex, to understand the current situation before launching the first AI film festival in Spain, called KURSAAL-AI, but completely separate in terms of dates and prizes from the traditional KURSAAL-ART film festival.
What do we believe are the four most common misconceptions about AI?
1.- AI makes the movie for you effortlessly.
2.- I've tried several free AI demos and they're useless.
3.- I've attended some AI talks or watched some online video tutorials; I think I have enough knowledge to understand what generative video AI is.
4.- I can make an entire movie with just one AI tool.
There are increasingly more AI tools in the film industry that are helpful, but movies don't make themselves.
To achieve even a minimally decent film production with AI:
a) Any prior knowledge of film production is a fundamental advantage that will be noticeable in the final result.
b) A significant effort to immerse oneself in the subject is required, investing time and money.
c) A special methodology, different from traditional filmmaking, must be applied.
d) It may be necessary to integrate more than twenty different AI tools, in addition to other tools used in traditional film postproduction.
e) Human creative talent remains essential for telling good stories.
f) An immersive experience is necessary to understand what AI can offer and how to communicate with it to achieve the desired result.
Why does each film genre have its own challenges with AI?
On the one hand, we have fiction and documentary, which face the filter of truthfulness that the human subconscious is capable of perceiving in the audiovisual technical result, especially regarding acting.
On the other hand, we have the world of animation, where it is no longer possible to perceive the difference in the audiovisual technical result. Here, film institutions have considered establishing a protectionist filter for traditional animation in terms of access to subsidies, given the very different production costs of the two methodologies. They have reserved the term "Animation" for traditional methods and categorized AI-based methodologies as "AI-style Animation."
Why have we at KFFSS separated film festivals into AI and ART?
This question has been extensively analyzed within KFFSS. Both methodologies are capable of producing cinematic content, but the methodology, costs, and effort involved are completely different. THEY ARE NOT COMPARABLE.
We believe that holding a festival that mixes AI and ART, even with some percentages applied, makes little sense because it will be very difficult to draw the line between the two methods of film production.
What is our perception at KFFSS?
We are seeing communities of AI-pioneering filmmakers collaborating to learn new methods as quickly as advancements occur. Every month, new tools for film production are presented. Generative AI for filmmaking is improving very rapidly.
We value the experience of producing films with AI as fascinating, but artistic production with human teams remains a much more rewarding and personally challenging experience.
What might be the strength of AI-powered filmmaking?
When technology makes everything possible and production costs are significantly reduced, the creativity of screenwriters becomes a top contender to be the main element. This is very accessible for independent creators.
What happens when production costs are drastically reduced?
Many production companies will emerge, and the number of films will multiply, leading to market saturation.
We will have traditional production companies with high overhead costs competing with small production companies with very low costs, which will cause another shift in the world of exhibition and distribution. Although the percentage margins may be similar, with reduced marketing prices, the resulting net margin will be much smaller, and this will affect the entire production and distribution chain.
How will audiences accept this new way of making films?
The outcome remains to be seen, but if audiences are already accepting CGI, it doesn't seem difficult to predict that they will also accept AI-powered cinematography when it is more mature.
We are living through a unique and fascinating moment of transition, accessible to anyone who wants to experience it. A moment that will pass and never return.
REFLECTIONS ON THE PRESENT AND THE INEVITABLE FUTURE
By Íñigo Echávarri, Producer and Filmmaker
The "can of worms" of artificial intelligence in audiovisual production is no longer something we can postpone. Opening it up isn't an option; it's a necessity if we want to be aware of the magnitude of the change already underway. Undoubtedly, generative AI presents us with profound challenges, but it also offers extraordinary opportunities if we know how to understand it and harness it for our benefit.
As an audiovisual producer, it's impossible not to be fascinated. History has shown us that every great technological advance has first generated wonder and then transformation: photography in the 19th century, recorded sound, radio, film, television, and the internet. At the time, they all seemed almost magical. Today, they are a natural part of our lives.
The same thing has always happened: whatever drives progress ends up becoming integrated. Fire, the wheel, the printing press, and electricity weren't just technical advances; they were paradigm shifts. And artificial intelligence is clearly poised to be one of them.
However, its inevitability doesn't mean it won't generate uncertainty. AI alters workflows, redefines work structures, and challenges established models. It's frightening because it forces us to rethink many things. But, as in any industry, one variable ultimately prevails: the balance between cost and result.
It's worth asking ourselves an uncomfortable but honest question: why do we make films? Beyond the vocation, which exists and is real, audiovisual production is also an industry. For a work to be sustainable, it must connect with an audience and generate a return, whether in the form of entertainment, emotion, reflection, or commercial value.
If a technology allows us to produce content with a very significant cost reduction—let's say 70% or 80%—it's legitimate to suggest that this change will affect the economic model. History has already given us very clear examples: before the printing press, books were copied by hand for days by scribes. The printing press democratized access and radically reduced costs. Today, we can't even imagine the previous model.
The debate about the value of art is nothing new. Photography was questioned in comparison to painting. Digitization transformed music, film, and media. Consumption habits changed, and yet the industry didn't cease to exist: it evolved. And that's what will foreseeably happen with AI.
In a very short time, the use of generative AI tools will be widespread.
But that doesn't mean everyone will achieve the same results. On the contrary: those with greater creative vision, narrative experience, and adaptability will stand out. In short, those who understand how to continue doing the same thing, using new tools.
Regarding the value of audiovisual media, we must distinguish between two levels. Economic value is determined by the market. Artistic value, on the other hand, has always been subjective. Festivals have been grappling with this question for decades: What has more merit when it comes to being selected or awarded: a big-budget production or a small, auteur-driven work? Traditional animation, a 3D film, or a stop-motion film? All these formats have been competing in the same categories for some time.
In the field of animation, everything points to AI becoming a natural part of the process. The relationship between quality, cost, and efficiency is too important to ignore.
However, in the realm of hyperrealism, there is still room for evolution, especially in what is known as the "uncanny valley." Although it is becoming less noticeable, it still somewhat influences audience acceptance in 2026.
This doesn't mean that live-action films will disappear. There will continue to be actors we dream about and want to see on screen. Live-action films will need to strengthen their connection with the audience, likely evolving towards experiences more closely tied to the event, to live performance, and especially to the digital environment and social media, where the star system is constantly being built and activated. Something similar has happened in music: consumption formats have changed, but concerts continue to fill venues.
AI will open the door to personalized experiences, tailor-made stories, interactive narratives, even the possibility of seeing ourselves inside a movie, but that doesn't replace the essence of cinema. Viewers will still want to sit back and be swept away by a story told by someone else. Storytelling remains at its core.
Regarding the concept of art, the very definition speaks of human creative expression. AI, in and of itself, has no intention or purpose. It is a tool. Art will continue to reside in the creator's perspective, in how they use this technological tool to express ideas, emotions, or worldviews.
As with a camera, AI will have multiple uses: from everyday content to advertising productions, music videos, series, films, and art installations. It is not an end, it is a means.
One of the most significant effects will be democratization. Reduced costs will allow many creators to access audiovisual production without traditional barriers. We have already seen this with digital video, computers, and the internet. Furthermore, new market niches will open up. Smaller projects, aimed at specific audiences, will become viable. Local, hyper-segmented stories with alternative funding models will have more space. This has also happened before with the arrival of social media. In short, AI presents challenges, but it also vastly expands the playing field.
It is particularly interesting to recall today the words of Francis Ford Coppola in the epilogue of the documentary "Hearts of Darkness" (1991), where he reflected on the impact of home video cameras:
"My great hope now is that with these new 8mm video cameras, people who wouldn't normally make a film will be in a position to do so... and then, a little girl from Ohio will be the new Mozart."
That reflection, applied to the current context, takes on a new dimension. Artificial intelligence is the new tool that allows new voices, previously invisible, to find their place. It is not so much about predicting the future as it is about understanding the present. And the present tells us that we are living through a unique, fascinating, and profoundly transformative moment of transition.
A moment that is undoubtedly shaping the future of audiovisual media.
REFLECTIONS
By Jeremy Angeliers, Producer and Filmmaker, Founder of SHAIKE
Thanks Alfredo for sharing this, really interesting read.
I agree with a lot of what you’re pointing out, especially around the misconceptions and the reality of the craft behind AI filmmaking. There’s still a huge gap between what people think it is and what it actually takes to make something good.
From my side with SHAIKE, we’re seeing the same thing, the tools are evolving fast, but the real differentiation is already shifting toward taste, direction, and storytelling. Not the tech itself.
Where I slightly challenge the reflection is on the separation between AI and traditional filmmaking. I understand the logic today, but I’m not convinced this line will hold for long. At some point, it just becomes filmmaking again, with different tools.
And regarding the audience, I personally think the adoption will happen faster than expected. If people have already embraced CGI without questioning it, I don’t see a world where they reject AI once the quality reaches a certain level.
In any case, it’s a fascinating moment for all of us.