XXVII Euromediterranean Conference on Cinema: “East Meets West: Regenerating the Mediterranean Matrix by AI”

By Alice Casiraghi

September 11th, 2026, Venice Lido — Within the framework of the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, the International Council for Film, Television and Audiovisual Communication (CICT ICFT), Official Partner at UNESCO, convened the XXVII Euromediterranean Conference on Cinema, addressing the theme: “East Meets West: Regenerating the Mediterranean Matrix by AI" at La Villa.

At the heart of this XXVII edition was the intersection of Artificial Intelligence, cinema, and Mediterranean cultural identity, with particular attention to how emerging technologies can contribute to renewing artistic expression, strengthening cultural dialogue, and opening new avenues for cooperation between East and West.

The conference brought together eminent personalities, academics, filmmakers, cultural institutions, and experts in an international forum dedicated to experiences, testimonies, and debate at the highest cultural and institutional levels. Against the backdrop of a rapidly transforming audiovisual landscape, participants explored how AI is reshaping the processes through which stories are conceived, produced, distributed, and experienced, while also examining the broader social and cultural implications of these transformations.

The theme “East Meets West: Regenerating the Mediterranean Matrix by AI” placed particular emphasis on the Mediterranean as a historical crossroads of civilizations, cultures, languages, and artistic traditions. From this perspective, Artificial Intelligence was considered not simply as a technological tool, but as a potential instrument for cultural regeneration, dialogue, and new forms of collaboration across the Mediterranean.

The discussions addressed the transformative potential of AI in the audiovisual sector, including its capacity to generate new forms of storytelling and artistic expression, facilitate cultural exchange, and enable filmmakers and creative communities to experiment with innovative languages and production models. At the same time, the conference provided an opportunity to reflect on the challenges emerging from these developments, including the preservation of cultural diversity, the role of human creativity, ethical responsibility, and the relationship between technological innovation and cultural heritage.

Particular attention was devoted to the possibility of developing a new Mediterranean cultural matrix capable of connecting different creative ecosystems while preserving their distinctive identities. Within this framework, cinema emerged as a privileged space for dialogue between societies and generations, while AI offered new tools through which cultural narratives could be shared, translated, disseminated, and experienced across geographical and linguistic boundaries.

The conference therefore encouraged a broader reflection on how technological innovation can support the regeneration of cultural ecosystems, creating opportunities for cooperation between institutions, universities, filmmakers, production companies, creative industries, and civil society. The exchange of experiences and perspectives contributed to identifying new pathways through which cinema and audiovisual communication can respond to the profound transformations brought about by AI.

Within this broader framework, CICT-ICFT hosted the celebration of the 38th CICT UNESCO “Enrico Fulchignoni” Collateral Award, dedicated to the memory of Enrico Fulchignoni, together with the conferral of the UNESCO Fellini Medal.

The 38th CICT UNESCO “Enrico Fulchignoni” Collateral Award jury - composed of Pierpaolo Saporito, President a.i. of CICT-ICFT, official partner of UNESCO; Giacomo Mazzone, Secretary General of EUROVISIONI; and Jasmina Bojic, Founder and President of UNAFF Travelling Film Festivals, Palo Alto/Stanford University, USA - has announced the winner of this year's edition, awarding the film: "Dear Ajayi", directed by Damilola Orimogunje. The jury highlighted the film’s deeply human portrayal of the tragedy of emigration and its depiction of a Nigerian society undergoing profound change, as well as the compelling performances of its two leading actresses and the director’s ability to convey both setting and emotion.

The UNESCO Fellini Medal was conferred to producers Ajah Enene-Orimogunje, co-producer Zorana Musikic, and Adesegun Adetoro. The recognition complemented the broader key takeaways of the conference, linking contemporary cinema and reflecting UNESCO's mission to foster peace and tolerance.

The XXVII Euromediterranean Conference on Cinema provided an international platform for dialogue on the evolving intersection of cinema, Artificial Intelligence, and Mediterranean cultural identity, merging institutions, experts, academics, and creative communities. By fostering cultural exchange between East and West and addressing the interplay of tradition and innovation, the conference has underlined the role of cinema and audiovisual communication in promoting international cooperation, strengthening intercultural dialogue, and supporting new forms of creative exchange across the Mediterranean and beyond.

Discover more at: https://www.cict-icft.org/xxvii-euromediterranean-conference