Imagination is Productivity—Hailuo in Cannes

As a global partner of World AI Film Festival (WAIFF 2026) and the co-initiator of the Chinese Special Track, MiniMax Hailuo took the center stage in Cannes.

All greatness in human history begins with creation. We unveiled our 2026 brand video—brought to life by our multimodal models—dedicated to the audience in Cannes and to every soul brave enough to create, to embark, and to evolve.

Where Technology Meets Tradition: Reimagining Eastern Aesthetics in Cannes.

MiniMax Hailuo and Stellar Pictures have joined forces to create the animated music video The Fleeting Beauty, featuring a special vocal performance by singer Esther Yu.

The project achieves a mastery of intricate light and subtle expression, weaving ink-wash textures and classical Chinese symbols into a fluid cinematic language. Through the lens of AI, it transforms traditional heritage into a profound, living narrative of Eastern aesthetics.

"Watching and hearing my music in such a special stage is truly special," shared Esther Yu. "In any creative work, emotion is the heartbeat. No matter how the medium evolves, it is always the soul of the story that ultimately moves people."

"I don't view AI as a force that changes culture; rather, it is a breakthrough technology that allows fantasy." said Yixu Wang, Founder and CEO of Stellar Pictures. "We remain committed to deep-rooting AI—not just to enhance visual realism, but to give Eastern aesthetics a more vivid expression. By extending these capabilities into high-end animation, we aim to push the very boundaries of what imagination can achieve."

Technology Answers the "How," but Humans Answer "What is good."

On the stage of Cannes, we engaged with global creators on a topic: The history of creation has been a history of compromise. For too long, creators have sacrificed their vision due to the limitations of tools.

Our mission is not just to provide tools, but to build a bridge between a creator's mind and the screen. We believe the only limit to a film should be the director's taste and inspiration, not the boundaries of technical capability.

Our panel also featured the internationally renowned AI creative team, The Dor Brothers, who showcased their latest collaboration with Hailuo, Death Lane.

When watching the film, people's first instinct isn't to ask about "What model was used?" or "What was the prompt?" —it is to wonder: Where does the story go next?

The Dor Brothers are pioneers in merging wild imagination with technology. As Yonatan Dor shared on stage: "The biggest challenge in creation is performance. Technology will always scale new heights, but great content is rooted in human emotional connection. AI will never truly replace the creator. There is a world of difference between viral hits and high-quality storytelling; only the latter endures."

From ink-wash animation to avant-garde experimental videos, our video model-Hailuo carries both the expression of traditional eastern aesthetics and the diverse dreams of global creators.

Ruby Yang, Oscar-voting member and winner of the 79th Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject, has been observing the growth of AI cinema through the professional eye of a veteran filmmaker. At Palais des Festivals, Professor Yang presented the "MiniMax Hailuo× BEST AI FEATURE FILM" award to Napoleon III: Le Prix de l'Audace.

From São Paulo to Seoul, Kyoto to Beijing, and finally to Cannes—over the past few months, we have accompanied creators from across the globe through five major milestones, journeying from the very first frame to the steps of the Palais. Out of nearly 2,000 submissions from China, we brought 25 award-winning works directly to Cannes to be screened alongside the world's most elite stage, also providing creators with opportunities to engage with international distributors and producers, securing potential support for future project development.

Among the highlights, A Dollar Story by Chinese director Sheng Qiu clutched the 'BEST AI ACTION FILM' award in the main competition. Qiu shared his reflections: "The most moving moment was watching the whole film with the audience at the Théâtre Debussy. It has been a dreamlike journey, and I look forward to even more wondrous encounters with AI."

Moving forward, we will launch a dedicated WAIFF showcase on our official website and app, featuring a curated selection of global entries—bringing the magic of Cannes directly to your screen.

From a single spark of inspiration to Cannes, we have walked alongside creators as more than just a "tool" or a "model". We are here to liberate creation from the constraints of technology and let imagination take center stage.

Greatness Starts with Creation. Imagination is Productivity.

Intelligence with Everyone.