Photography by Cansu Kuscu.
In Cannes, BMW explores how AI is reshaping the future of cinema.
“At its core, Cannes has always been about human creativity, and that is something worth protecting,” said Iris Knobloch, President of the Festival, during the opening weekend. Artificial intelligence has taken center stage in the discussions surrounding the 79th Cannes Film Festival on the French Riviera. Shining a spotlight on the very best of global filmmaking, this year’s edition felt like a symbolic crossroads between legacy and future, centered around a fundamental question: what does it mean to create in an AI-driven world?
On the occasion of launching the new BMW 7 Series, Paris-Tokyo-based multidisciplinary director Victor Boccard was commissioned to explore filmmaking between the physical and digital. Included alongside him were BMW brand voices Alton Mason, William Abadie and Palina Rojinski. “I started creating the first part of the short film with a few sketches of the BMW i7 and brought it to life while travelling around the world using nothing but my laptop and AI. How would you do that in a traditional creative way? Impossible. It’s such a revolution.” Still, the director is confident that AI won’t eclipse human talent. “I don’t see it as an independent force,” he says, “but as a tool that can extend and enhance our skills while requiring direction.” The final scenes of the project were shot in Cannes during sunset and sunrise on Boulevard de la Croisette. “Merging digitally generated imagery and analog film feels contemporary, yet unexpected,” Boccard explains.
On La Croisette, Cannes’ most glamorous street, everything seems to revolve around Hôtel Martinez, the grandest of all the grand hotels and a celebrity magnet where fans and paparazzi crowded outside. Inside the art deco hotel – now officially announced as the prime location for the fourth season of The White Lotus – many guests posed for photographs on the iconic staircase, among them were the BMW brand voices.
To explore how emerging technologies are reshaping image production, BMW hosted a private panel and immersive cocktail installation at Plage des Palmes overlooking the Mediterranean. The event also tapped into BMW’s decades-long relationship with cinema, from iconic appearances in films such as James Bond to short film productions with directors that expanded the possibilities of visual storytelling. Titled The Human Lens: Cinema in the Age of Technological Revolution, the conversation pointed directly toward how technology can elevate craftsmanship without replacing it. The panel brought together Hollywood actress Diane Kruger, director and producer Mehret Mandefro, Iris Knobloch and BMW’s Global Head of Cultural Engagement and host, Thomas Girst. Rather than positioning AI as a replacement for artists, the discussion approached it as an instrument capable of extending creative possibilities. “From a performer’s point of view, I think it’s still a bit murky. But AI is here to stay, and we should focus on how to use it to our advantage in ways that are positive rather than destructive”, voiced Diane Kruger.
What emerged throughout the discussion is the idea that AI does not generate something meaningful out of nothing. The more context you give it, the more powerful it becomes. In a world where generative systems make almost any visuals possible, perspective and authorship seem even more valuable than ever. Toward the end of the talk,
Knobloch remained optimistic: “What AI is missing is instinct and emotion. That’s why I am not worried about a strong future for filmmaking.” The conversation also suggested that without vision, AI is likely to take you on a journey to nowhere. The panel returned to the idea that AI is ultimately a multiplier, rather than a substitute. If used
intentionally it can help artists extend their voice and accelerate ideas.
In many ways the discussion echoed BMW’s own philosophy of “Tech Magic” – the idea that technology should not dominate the experience, but quietly elevate it. Much like the new BMW 7 Series, where technology becomes increasingly seamless and almost invisible, filmmaking appears to be undergoing a similar transformation. Artificial intelligence is not replacing human experience, but amplifying and expanding it.
“Progress is necessary,” added Thomas Girst, reflecting on the relationship between artistic innovation and technological change throughout history. Ultimately, it comes down to the creativity of the person feeding instructions into the machine, which shape the output in ways that feel innovative and inspiring. Without human intention, AI is missing the heartbeat.
