Famed Chinese film director Zhang Yimou has encouraged filmmakers to remain true to and carry forward their original aspiration in the age of artificial intelligence (AI) which has brought significant impact on the film industry.

Since the birth of Chinese cinema 120 years ago, the film industry has evolved tremendously, but the power of this visual and audio art that can bring to people has remained unchanged, Zhang said in a recent interview with China Central Television (CCTV) on the sidelines of an awarding ceremony in Xiamen, east China's Fujian Province.

“You can see how much China has changed over the past 120 years, and also how much the country has changed in the recent few decades. Notably, the current era of AI has actually brought a considerable impact on the film industry. The landscape of films has undergone significant changes, with new patterns and shifts taking place in aesthetic concepts and many other aspects. The more changes we have experienced, the more we need to stick to the original aspiration of the film sector,” Zhang said.

“In reality, for the profound emotion people felt watching their very first movie -- it is the essence of the original aspiration. The mission of our filmmakers is to firmly uphold this sense of original aspiration, never to forget it, and to pass it on to the next generation, to the young people,” he said.

Zhang served as the head of the jury for the 38th Golden Rooster Awards. The awarding ceremony was held in Xiamen on Saturday night.

Launched in 1981, the Golden Rooster Awards is sponsored by the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the China Film Association.