French AI music video 'Étoile Filante' booed at Annecy Festival
What's the story
The Annecy Animation Festival in France began with an unexpected audience reaction.
The music video for Chien Méchant's Étoile Filante, which was produced using generative artificial intelligence (AI) software, was met with boos.
According to 3DVF, a French VFX, animation, and gaming website that was present at the event, all other titles received applause.
However, Étoile Filante ended in silence and booing.
This screening was part of the Commission Films in Competition Lineup.
Copyright concerns
Critics questioned the legality of AI-generated images
As the credits rolled on the Étoile Filante video—helmed by Kelzang Ravach—a few individuals offered applause, but the majority of the audience stayed eerily quiet.
Critics raised concerns that image-generating software has been trained using copyrighted materials illegally.
They argued that showcasing titles that used these programs in development or production is akin to "celebrating theft."
It remains uncertain whether the Annecy audience agrees with this viewpoint, but the reaction to Étoile Filante suggests a potential divide in opinion.
AI defense
Annecy Festival's artistic director defended AI inclusion
Marcel Jean, Annecy's artistic director, defended the decision to include films made with AI in this year's lineup, which was unveiled in late April.
Jean stated, "It is important to be attentive to the evolution of things and to react with the discernment, sensitivity, and artistic sense that justify our presence within the selection committees."
The lineup included Ryo Nakajima's Who Said Death is Beautiful?, a 68-minute Japanese feature that was developed using Stable Diffusion AI software.
AI surge
'We are receiving a greater number of works using AI...'
Meanwhile, Jean also acknowledged the increased use of AI in this year's submissions.
He stated, "This year - and this is no surprise - we are receiving a greater number of works using AI."
He noted that while most of these works lack vision and thought, a minority seek to embark on a fertile path.
According to Jean, these works provoke questioning that must be shared with the public, the industry, and the juries.
Statement
Jean cited reasons why artists 'seem to turn to technology'
Observing the landscape of music videos, Jean further added, "We also notice that music videos, due to the speed of their production and the often modest budgets allocated to their production, are the ideal breeding ground for AI."
He added, "Artists seem to turn to technology because they are constantly asked to propose new imagery, to do it quickly and at a lower cost. In the end, this often results in imagery that is very dated, exposing its limit."