Dreamina AI & Bladerunner Culture presents
New Opportunities for Sci-Fi Films in the AI Era
in Association with Winston Baker
Palais ~ Main Stage, Cannes
Monday, May 19th | 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Discover how AI is reshaping the Future of Sci-Fi in Film. This program explores emerging talent, international collaboration, and the creative potential of AI-generated content - giving new and exciting insights into storytelling, innovation, and the evolving landscape of Sci-Fi.
2025 Agenda (subject to change)
4:00pm – 4:15pm
Welcoming Address & Keynote Speech: Achievements in Chinese Sci-Fi Cinema and Film Industry
Chen Qiufan (Stanley Chan) - Award-Winning Chinese Fiction Author, Berggruen Institute Fellow, and Research Scholar for MacMillan Center of Yale University.
4:15pm – 5:00pm
Panel: How AI is Reshaping the Future of Sci-Fi in Film and Television.
Explore how artificial intelligence is transforming Sci-Fi films and television in this dynamic panel. Our expert panelists will discuss the innovative potential of AI-generated content, from scriptwriting to visual effects, and its impact on storytelling. Attendees will gain insights into how filmmakers can leverage AI to push creative boundaries and redefine the genre. Join us to discover the exciting opportunities that the AI era brings to the future of sci-fi!
MODERATOR:
Neerja Narayanan – Multi-Hyphenate Producer, Studio Executive, Writer
PANELISTS:
Alex Barder – Co-Founder and Co-Managing Partner, Beast Media Group
Peggy Chiao Hsiung-Ping - Film Juror, Critic, Author, Educator, and Producer.
Josef Brandmaier – Film Producer
Cole Clifford - Co-Founder, Pickford AI
5:00pm - 5:30pm
AIGC Sci-Fi Shorts Screening
1) Tango
2) The Shadow Watcher
3) Mosquito
4) The Passenger
5) Planet 1001: AI-Reconstructed Terrestrial Archives
6) E-Spark
5:30pm – 6:00pm
Post-Screening Discussion
Free Trade Zone Promotion Video & Dr. Zhang Aigonog Presentation
Valensole 1965 trailer - Prospect for Future Sci-Fi Films
30N Film Festival Trailer & Moses Ma: Promotion and Introduction of 30N Film Festival
FORUM CONCLUDES
Speaking Faculty
Chen Qiufan - Award-Winning Chinese Fiction Author, Berggruen Institute Fellow, and Research Scholar for MacMillan Center of Yale University.
Chen Qiufan (a.k.a. Stanley Chan) is an award-winning Chinese speculative fiction author, and a translator, curator, Berggruen Institute Fellow, and Research Scholar for MacMillan Center of Yale University. He focuses on issues of climate change and the environment, artificial intelligence and cybernetic society, and reflecting on how to incorporate ancient Chinese philosophies into the narrative framework for constructing a future technological society.
His works include the debut novel Waste Tide and AI 2041: Ten Visions for Our Future (co-authored with Dr. Kai-Fu Lee).
He has garnered numerous literary awards, including Taiwan’s Dragon Fantasy Award and China’s Galaxy and Xingyun (Nebula) Awards, etc.
Peggy Chiao Hsiung-Ping - Film Juror, Critic, Author, Educator, and Producer.
Peggy Chiao Hsiung-Ping is a film juror, critic, author, educator, and producer. She has served as juror for many international film festivals including San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver, Berlin, Brisbane, Sydney, Rome, Venice, San Sebastián, Sao Paolo, Buenos Aires, Mannheim-Heidelberg, Oberhausen, Tokyo, Fukuoka, Jeonju, Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok, New Delhi, and many Chinese film festivals.
As an educator, she was the director of the Graduate School of Filmmaking at the Taipei National University of the Arts and was a professor there since 1985.
In 1997, she established Arc Light Films, a production company with pan-Chinese ambitions which has produced films with directors like Ann Hui, Stanley Kwan, Wang Xiaoshuai, Olivia Assayas, Yi Chih-yen, Kenny Bi, etc. As chair of the prestigious Golden Horse Film Festival in 2007, she reformed the jury system, brought in FIPRESCI and NETPAC and established co-production meetings.
Her producing credits include award-winning films such as Wang Xiaoshuai's Beijing Bicycle (Berlin, Silver Bear), Lin Chen-sheng's Betelnut Beauty (Berlin, Silver Bear), Yee Chih-yen's Blue Gate Crossing (Cannes, Directors Fortnight), Tsai Ming-liang's The Hole (Cannes, FIPRESCI Award), Wang Xiaoshuai's Drifters (Best Actor, Cinefan, New Delhi), Liu Fen Dou's Green Hat (Best Narrative Feature, Tribeca), Christine Yao's Empire of Silver (Best Film, Hawaii), Cheng Fen Fen's film titled Hear Me (Best Actress, Taipei Film Award).
She has also receive lifetime achievement awards in Taipei, New Delhi and from Hong Kong University of Technology.
Alex Barder - Co-Founder and Co-Managing Partner, Beast Media Group
Alex Barder is an innovative media executive, storyteller and content strategist shaping the next generation of entertainment at the intersection of AI, film, gaming, and immersive media. As Co-Founder and Co-Managing Partner of Beast Media Group, he leads a global media, gaming and technology company pioneering storytelling through the fusion of cinematic narrative, interactive gameplay, and emerging platforms. With over 20 years of experience, Alex has produced, financed, and/or distributed more than 100 feature films across 120+ international territories. He has forged partnerships across the media landscape—from major studios including Warner Bros., Paramount, Sony, Lionsgate, New Line Cinema, Viacom and Starz to top gaming and technology leaders including PlayStation, Epic Games, Meta, Google, NVIDIA, IMAX, AMD, Intel, HTC, and Valve/Steam. These collaborations integrate AI, video game engines, spatial computing and XR, to power next-generation entertainment experiences. His expertise spans global distribution, content monetization, franchise management, and complex deal structuring. Alex has been at the forefront of interactive and immersive media, developing and distributing groundbreaking video games based on blockbuster IPs including the Paranormal Activity and Mission: Impossible franchises, and produced Jesus VR—the world’s first 360-degree feature-length film—which premiered at the Venice Film Festival, launching its official Immersive section.
Prior to Beast, Alex founded and sold Strategic Film Partners, a global distribution company. He also held strategic roles at MTV Networks, UBS, Merrill Lynch, and Lobell/Bergman Productions (Universal Pictures). A frequent speaker at GDC, VRX, MIPCOM, Cannes, Sundance, and Cyberport DELF, Alex is a graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and Stern School of Business. He speaks fluent Russian and is learning Mandarin.
Neerja Narayanan – Multi-Hyphenate Producer, Studio Executive, Writer
Multi-hyphenate producer / studio executive / writer with track record for major studios in development, production, acquisition, having been based in London, Mumbai, New York, LA, having built & managed local content pipelines for vertically integrated studio divisions for commercially and critically successful multi-language content, including Fox International Productions (21st Century Fox), (now) Disney UTV Studios South Asia, Sony Pictures International Productions, producing cross border successes across formats with artists who are household names regionally and internationally, nominated for and won internationally recognised awards including BAFTA awards, Asia Pacific Awards, Indian National Awards, with festival premieres at Toronto, Busan, London, Shanghai, Tokyo among others. Also worked in production, development, international sales, programming, for Channel Four UK, the UK Film Council, Capitol Films UK, Edinburgh International Film Festival, Forest Whitaker's Spirit Dance Entertainment, and branded content for broadcast TV. Works with artist organizations like Gotham Film & Media Institute, Doha Film Institute, Sundance Film Institute, Portland Art Museum, Creative Hawaii, Hollywood Radio & TV Society, developing programs and mentoring talent for films/TV, and has been jury member and drama selection committee and panelist for the Sarajevo Film Festival CineLink and MIA Rome (Mercata Internazionale Audiovisivo.) She has been a speaker at the Toronto International Film Festival, a keynote speaker for Channel Four, a speaker for the European Producers Club, TiE NYC, Columbia University, Athena Film Festival, Gotham Film Week + written editorials for Filmmaker Magazine among others. Based in LA, is currently producing series / films with Sony TV, Sony Intl Prods, NordiskFilm, Netflix India + building cross-continental slates + creative funds across Asia, Europe, America, Australia, MENA/Africa.
Josef Brandmaier – Film Producer
A member of the European Film Academy, with over 25 years credit in representing film financing banks, and a founding member of the BBF (Bayerischer Bankenfonds – Bavarian Banking Funds); for more than 20 years, as an industrial advisor and ICO of the Media Group of ‘Unicredit’. Josef has organised structured finance for over 800 international fim and TV projects, including blockbusters such as ‘Mission Impossible 2 & 3’, ‘Terminator 3’, ‘Tomb Raider’, and ‘Eagle Eye’, as well as award winning projects such as ‘Whale Rider’, ‘LA Crash’, ‘Downfall’ and ‘Nowhere in Africa’. In 2015, he founded Unifrance Media Gmbh and Toruk Media, offering tailored financial services as an Executive Producer, as well as product placement, merchandising and distribution for feature films. In 2018, Josef became a producing partner of Penned Pictures.
Moses Ma - Producer & Founder, Bladerunner Culture
Producer and curator with over a decade of experience in the film industry, specializing in sci-fi film festival curation and film production. Moses pioneered China‘s earliest sci-fi film festival initiatives. He founded Bladerunner Cultrual Company in 2012, Launched China’s first sci-fi film festival in 2015, Co-founded and curated the Blue Planet Sci-Fi Film Week from 2019 to 2024, Served as curator for the “Sci-Fi Film Week” and “Golden Goblet Sci-Fi Forum” at the 24th-26th Shanghai International Film Festival. Appointed as one of the Secretaries-General of the Sci-Fi Film Committee under China Film Association in 2023,currently curating and operating the 30° N Sci-Fi Film Festival and Sci-Fi Film Creation Camp since 2024. He is also known as the producer of the film”In the Belly of Tiger”(nominated for the Berlin International Film Festival),and the science fiction short film “Starry Night - The Way Back” directed by veteran director LU Chuan (Kekexili, Nanjing! Nanjing!) . , executive producer of the Beijing International Film Festival Samsung cell phone short film series.
Cole Clifford - Co-Founder, Pickford AI
Cole Clifford is co-founder of Pickford AI, a technology company that believes AI will make the future of storytelling interactive and immersive, creating a new medium defined by real-time collaboration. Before Pickford AI, Clifford was the founding engineer at Dessa, an Al company that became widely known for creating a deepfake of Joe Rogan in 2019, one of the first high-profile demonstrations of Al's capabilities, which brought Al into public consciousness. In early 2020 Dessa was later acquired by Jack Dorsey at Block Inc. (formerly Square), the NASDAQ-listed, $50 billion payments & technology company.
Cole has spent a decade putting neural networks into production. From finance to astronomy to entertainment, he has a knack for building complex systems with measurable impact. Running meetups, guest lecturing, advising SETI; he has a passion for teaching and believes in community drives innovation.
Li Zhu - Film Producer & Co-Founder, SyncReality China
International film producer, curator, and cross-cultural strategist with 12+ years of experience bridging global cinema markets. Co-founder of SyncReality China, an immersive tech innovator with patented spatial scanning and adaptive 3D tools that bridge virtual content with the real world, transforming entertainment, e-commerce, gaming, and education. Spearheaded award-winning co-productions like Cannes-winning 'AYKA' and curated China's first sci-fi themed film festival. Expert in international film financing, emerging technologies (AI/VR), and discovering new talent, with proven success in U.S.-China-EU collaborations. Bilingual cultural connector and frequent speaker at major festivals (Cannes, Venice, Golden Rooster).
Amy Baker – CEO and Co-Founder, Winston Baker
As CEO of WINSTON | BAKER, Amy Baker oversees the company’s global strategic planning, business development and vendor relationships. Amy Co-Founded the FILM FINANCE FORUM® in 2008, which provides the leading series of events dedicated to bringing seasoned finance and entertainment executives together from around the globe. Winston Baker is a renowned leader in the entertainment industry, known for curating content and organizing Forums worldwide. Amy has successfully organized sold out conferences, film festival programming and private events across the United States, Europe, Saudi Arabia, China, Pacific Asia and Latin America, along with a lineup of exciting virtual programs.
Prior to establishing Winston/Baker, she was at SRI which was acquired by ALM. At ALM, as Vice President of Business Development, Amy provided finance executives and marketers with targeted channels for reaching decision-makers within the legal, entertainment, healthcare, sports and tech sectors. In her previous position, Director of Business Development at RPMC, she worked with entertainment, music, and sports companies, creating event marketing programs, travel incentive services, sweepstakes, and media promotions.
Amy lived for many years in Europe, while working as a professional Model before receiving a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with Honors from New York University. Amy proudly sits on the National Board of Advisors for the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida since 2018. She has recently started producing and developing projects for Film and Television.
Thank you to our Partners
We are always supporting the fight against cancer through amazing organizations such as Moffitt Cancer Center whose mission is to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer. Learn more by visiting their webiste: www.moffitt.org