Italian
Artificial Intelligence Enters the Film World: New Technologies to Craft and Customize Film Introductions.
Porto San Giorgio (Fermo) – Most of us have likely experienced attending a film forum—whether thematic or not—where a brief introduction precedes the screening, typically offering just enough context to avoid spoiling the plot, followed by a discussion afterward.
What’s never been seen before, however, is the expert engaging directly with the film’s characters—something even more surreal when the film in question is Metropolis by Fritz Lang, originally released in 1927.
This unique experience was made possible thanks to the foresight of Dr. Marco Rotunno, Director of M.I.T.I. in Fermo. His thematic introductions provide context, interpretative frameworks, and intriguing facts. After the screening, he converses with the film’s main characters through the use of artificial intelligence, supported by the technical expertise of Marco Rotili from the AMSWEB team.
Special effects surprise and fascinate the audience—especially during the first screening, where the characters initially spoke in German, then switched to Italian to be understood by the audience, and finally commented on the audience’s modern attire, so different from their own time.
Even the screening of Metropolis itself anticipated the upcoming centenary—set to take place in two years—but was presented in a restored and digitized version provided by the Cineteca di Bologna.
Film enthusiasts in Fermo and the surrounding area can look forward to three more screenings, each held on a Sunday at 5 p.m. at the Porto San Giorgio Theatre. The lineup includes: 2001: A Space Odyssey on October 12, Blade Runner on October 19, and Interstellar on October 26.
If Metropolis explored themes of social division and automation—a dystopia still relevant today—2001: A Space Odyssey prompts reflection on evolution, alien civilizations, and artificial intelligence.
Blade Runner will dive into ethics and identity in the age of synthetic life forms, while Interstellar will explore space-time paradoxes and the search for humanity’s survival.
These are all highly relevant topics in a time of rapid transformation.
This film series, titled “Visions of the Future,” is promoted and supported by the Mayor of Porto San Giorgio, Valerio Vesprini, the Councillor for Culture Carlotta Lanciotti, and Katia Angelini, Private Banker at Mediolanum. It offers auteur cinema with iconic titles that foresaw technological advancement and the moral dilemmas of our modern world. It also invites viewers to engage critically with these themes through insightful thematic introductions that spark discussion and analysis.
Audience members have also enjoyed—and will continue to enjoy—an immersive experience, as each screening concludes with a convivial aperitif-tasting, featuring wines generously provided by four local wineries: Vigneti di Santa Liberata, Bastianelli, Villa Manù, and Lumavite.
It’s a unique opportunity to come together in a way that is both intelligent and enjoyable.
