REPLY: The jury for the second edition of the Reply AI Film Festival is announced, which will celebrate the best AI-generated short films

Gabriele Muccino, together with Caleb & Shelby Ward, Caroline Ingeborn, Charlie Fink, Denise Negri, Dave Clark, Filippo Rizzante, Guillem Martinez Roura, Paolo Moroni, and Rob Minkoff, will evaluate the shortlisted films based on creativity, production quality, and the use of Artificial Intelligence.

CHICAGO, May 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Reply, an international group specialized in the development of new business models enabled by Artificial Intelligence and long committed to the exploration of emerging technologies and supporting the growth of new talent, announces the jury for the second edition of the Reply AI Film Festival. The international competition open to creatives, filmmakers, and videomakers who wish to experiment with the production of short films using the AI tools and explore the continuous evolution of the collaboration of human creativity and technology and the power that this combination brings to storytelling.

The jury will be chaired by Gabriele Muccino, an Italian director and screenwriter known for films such as The Pursuit of Happyness, and Seven Pounds. Joining him on the panel for the second edition of the Reply AI Film Festival are returning members Rob Minkoff, co-director of The Lion King and creator of numerous films including Stuart Little, The Haunted Mansion, and Mr. Peabody & Sherman; Caleb & Shelby Ward, co-founders of Curious Refuge, the first online community dedicated to filmmakers using Artificial Intelligence; and Denise Negri, journalist for SkyTg24 and Sky Arte, and correspondent for major international film events such as the Academy Awards, Cannes, and Venice Film Festivals. New to the jury this year are Dave Clark, founder and Chief Creative Officer of Promise, a production company focused on films, series, and innovative formats created in collaboration with some of the world's most talented GenAI artists and storytellers worldwide, and Charlie Fink, columnist for Forbes US and expert in Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, and AI. The jury also includes Filippo Rizzante, Chief Technology Officer at Reply; Caroline Ingeborn, Chief Operating Officer at Luma AI, a platform for creating highly realistic 3D images and videos; Paolo Moroni, Head of Lexus Italy; and Guillem Martinez Roura, AI & Robotics Lead at ITU AI for Good, the United Nations initiative focused on harnessing AI for the benefit of society.

The theme chosen for the 2025 edition is "Generation of Emotions" — an invitation to explore how Artificial Intelligence can evoke authentic and engaging emotions through cinematic language. The jury will evaluate submissions — due by June 1^st, 2025 via the platform aiff.reply.com — based on creativity, production quality, and the use of AI in the various stages of development, from script to post-production.

Gabriele Muccino commented: "The Reply AI Film Festival is a pioneering event showcasing technology and art's exciting intersection. AI is not a replacement for human creativity, but a catalyst for innovation. It will enable filmmakers to explore new styles, genres, and narratives that were previously unimaginable. As President of the Reply AIFF Jury, I'm honored to be part of this journey, discovering new talents and celebrating the bold experiments that will shape the future of cinema. The AI revolution is just beginning, and I'm thrilled to be at the forefront of this creative explosion."

"The role of AI in the future of the film industry won't be about replacing filmmakers—it'll be about expanding what's creatively possible. It will be a creative collaborator, helping filmmakers visualize ideas faster, experiment more freely, and bring ambitious stories to life with fewer limitations. From pre-production to post, AI will streamline workflows and democratize access to powerful tools, opening doors for more diverse voices and bold storytelling. But filmmaking will always be human at the core because AI can't feel joy, loss, or love. It hasn't lived the stories we're here to tell. Used with intention, AI won't diminish creativity but elevate it," said Dave Clark founder and Chief Creative Officer of Promise.

"We are delighted to launch the second edition of the AI Film Festival because we believe in the importance of creating spaces and opportunities to experiment with emerging technologies," said Filippo Rizzante, CTO of Reply. "The success of the first edition, with over 1,000 short films submitted from 59 countries, underlines the global interest — not only among the younger generations — in initiatives that challenge both technical and creative skills."

In addition to selecting the most outstanding original short films, the jury will also award two special prizes that are new to this edition: the Lexus Visionary Award, recognizing the most visionary and innovative production that successfully integrates technology, design and forward-thinking, in line with the values that have always guided Lexus' approach to creativity. And the AI for Good Award, promoted in partnership with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which recognizes the best short film that highlights the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Paolo Moroni, Head of Lexus Italy, commented: "It is an honor to be part of the jury for this festival, which invites us to explore how Artificial Intelligence can accelerate the creation of authentic and engaging emotions through the language of cinema, combining innovation, creativity and vision. Much like Lexus - with whom it shares values such as innovation, creativity and forward thinking - this competition celebrates the evolution of film and technology's ability to support the generation of deep emotions, constantly pushing the boundaries of imagination."

"I'm thrilled to join the Reply AI Film Festival as a juror and to present the 'AI for Good Award'. This festival is a unique opportunity to showcase the creative potential of generative AI technologies in storytelling. I'm looking forward to seeing how filmmakers use AI to tell compelling stories, highlighting the importance of sustainable development. AI can be a powerful tool for driving positive change, and I'm excited to see how the festival will inspire new ideas and innovations," said Guillem Martinez Roura, AI & Robotics Lead at ITU "AI for Good".

The creatives behind the shortlisted works will be invited to a premiere event, organized by Reply and Mastercard, taking place in September in Venice where the three overall winners will be officially announced.

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Reply [EXM, STAR: REY, ISIN: IT0005282865] specializes in the design and implementation of solutions based on new communication channels and digital media. Reply is a network of highly specialized companies supporting key industrial groups operating in the telecom and media, industry and services, banking, insurance and public administration sectors in the definition and development of business models enabled for the new paradigms of big data, cloud computing, digital media and the Internet of Things. Reply services include: Consulting, System Integration and Digital Services. www.reply.com 

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