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In 2010, she was named as Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by French Ministry of Culture. She has also worked in Hollywood, with roles in Memoirs of a Geisha (2005), Miami Vice (2006) and Hannibal Rising (2007).
In 2025, she was nominated for the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actress for Peter Chan’s movie Win the Championship.
A long-time FAO Goodwill Ambassador (since 2000) and UNESCO Artist for Peace, Gong Li embodies China’s cultural influence on the global stage.
Renowned for her charisma, commitment and ability to inhabit powerful roles, Gong Li perfectly embodies WAiFF’s vision: a dialogue between tradition and modernity, emotion and innovation.
The World AI Film Festival: a bold vision of cinema
The World AI Film Festival (WAiFF) made a powerful debut on April 11–12, 2025, in Nice, drawing over 2,000 participants to explore filmmaking in the age of Artificial Intelligence.
With 1,500 film submissions from 85 countries, 40 projects in official competition, and 11 awards presented** (totaling €36,000 in prizes), this first edition laid the foundations for a new kind of cinema : hybrid, ethical, and innovative, where AI becomes a tool serving the creative imagination.
Organized by the Alpes-Maritimes Department, the Maison de l’Intelligence Artificielle, and the EuropIA Institute, in partnership with leading industry players such as Genario, techcannes, and Studio Laffitte, the World A.I Film Festival brought together creators, fast forward thinkers, and audiovisual and digital professionals to share a global vision on the role of AI in the Film Industry.
The success of the first edition is a clear sign that the future of cinema will be shaped by AI—within a framework that upholds human and creative values.
WAiFF is announcing its second edition, to be held in Cannes on April 21–22, 2026, with even greater ambitions: more diversity, greater international reach, and new partnerships in Asia, Latin America, and Europe.
WAiFF, organized by Institut EuropIA, is supported by the Alpes-Maritimes Department and the City of Cannes.
« The resounding success of the inaugural Edition of the World AI Film Festival confirms what we already know: the Alpes-Maritimes is a melting pot where technological innovation and artistic creation come together to reinvent the cinema of tomorrow.
With 2,000 attendees and 1,500 films from 85 countries, this Festival has proven that AI is not a replacement for human creativity—it is a catalyst for imagination.
As President of the Alpes-Maritimes Department and the Maison de l'Intelligence Artificielle, I am proud to have supported this groundbreaking adventure alongside Marco Landi, President of the EuropIA Institute. Our mission is clear: to make the Alpes-Maritimes a living laboratory for AI. The WAIFF perfectly embodies this ambition, bringing together culture and technology, innovation and ethics. The World A.I Film Festival sets essential milestones for filmmaking, where AI enhances the human without erasing it.
It is so satisfying to see WAIFF take root in Cannes on April 21 and 22, 2026, the city that moves to the rhythm of cinema and audiovisual creation, as a new step in its international expansion."
— Charles Ange GINÉSY, President of the Alpes-Maritimes Department
Next Edition: April 21–22, 2026, in Cannes
« I’m delighted that Cannes will host WAiFF on April 21–22, 2026, an initiative led by Marco Landi, organized by the EuropIA Institute and the Alpes-Maritimes Department at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, France’s leading convention center in terms of revenue. In 2026, the Festival will be presided over by Chinese actress Gong Li. WAiFF celebrates the new wave of AI-assisted audiovisual creation, honors its creators, and provides a platform for reflection on the stakes of this technology in the cultural and creative industries. This event scheduled just a few weeks after the fifth edition of the World AI Cannes Festival (WAICF)—the world’s largest AI expo—fits perfectly into the “ Cannes on Air “ municipal program, which aims to make Cannes and the Alpes-Maritimes a European hub for screenwriting and audiovisual creation. It also reinforces Cannes’s role as a global meeting point for innovation »
— David LISNARD, Mayor of Cannes
« The EuropIA Institute is proud to welcome the actress Gong Li, who succeeds the great filmmaker Claude Lelouch, now honorary president for the 2026 edition. This festival was a bold bet... and an incredible success. We’ve seen that AI doesn’t destroy creativity—it amplifies it. Imagination remains human. AI is a tool, an extension of our knowledge. Only one woman received an award: that’s not acceptable. We must build a more inclusive digital art world. WAiFF is born—and it has a bright future »
— Marco LANDI, President of the Institut EuropA
Submit your films for the 2026 edition before February 27, 2026.
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