Chinese filmmaker Jia Zhangke, one of the most recognized figures in contemporary auteur cinema, delivered an extensive masterclass at the Venice Film Festival, where he shared his vision of the industry’s future, the challenges posed by new technologies, and his own path as a director, curator, and cultural promoter. Winner of the Golden Lion in 2006 with Still Life, Jia returned to the Biennale to look back on more than two decades of career and reflect on how cinema can reinvent itself in the face of today’s social and technological changes.

One of the central themes of his talk was the rise of artificial intelligence in audiovisual production. The director revealed that earlier this year he created a five-minute short film using AI as an experiment. “Filming with artificial intelligence is like playing chess at home in front of the computer,” he explained, while shooting with a traditional camera seemed to him “an outdoor activity, like climbing a mountain or going out to observe people.” In his view, every creator must choose the right tools for their story without needing to be an enthusiast of every new technological trend. “What matters is how you want to tell the story,” he stressed.

Jia also spoke about his role as a driving force behind projects beyond his filmography. The most established example is the Pingyao International Film Festival, which he founded and which this year will celebrate its ninth edition from September 24 to 30. The initiative, he explained, was born with a dual purpose: to give international visibility to young Chinese filmmakers and, at the same time, to make it easier for foreign films to secure distribution in China. “Last year, almost half of the international titles we programmed were acquired by Chinese distributors. That is a huge satisfaction,” he said.

Audience building also holds an important place in his interests. At Pingyao, he has promoted silent film cycles, including classics by Charles Chaplin, to give younger generations a chance to discover a foundational period in film history. He also recalled an earlier project in which he showcased more than 80 short films over six years before shutting it down. Although he described it as one of his “failures,” he emphasized that he considers the experience part of his learning process. “You must not be afraid of making mistakes; the important thing is to give your best each time,” he told the audience.

Asked about the rise of miniseries and web series, Jia dismissed the notion that they pose a threat to cinema. On the contrary, he argued that these formats are necessary and have lessons to offer. He recalled that even a filmmaker of Jean-Luc Godard’s stature found inspiration in television during a stage of his career. “Cinema must feed on new forms and open itself to different opportunities,” he said.

Beyond technological shifts, Jia conveyed a message of confidence in cinema’s endurance as an art form. “Cinema is irreplaceable,” he declared with conviction, describing its essence as a “constant search for new forms.” Between anecdotes and reflections, the filmmaker also spoke about his personal life: he apologized for wearing sunglasses throughout the talk, explaining that after years in front of screens, his eyes have become extremely sensitive to light.

The director closed his masterclass with a piece of advice for the next generation of filmmakers: to stay curious, not fear failure, and seize every chance to create. “Sometimes I feel I do too many things—distribution, festivals, platforms—but they are all related to film. When you see a possibility, you shouldn’t wait for someone else to act on it. You have to do it yourself,” he concluded.