My AI lover

Cathayplay: An online streaming platform dedicated to showcasing Sinophone independent films
A market-and-hit-driven film industry has been formed across the globe. As a result, there is less room to survive for independent films that grapple with tough social issues and reflect the fast-changing society from different perspectives. Despite the boom of Chinese films in recent years, Chinese independent filmmakers lack opportunities to present their works to a global audience under the restrictive environment.

Cathayplay is an online streaming platform dedicated to showcasing Sinophone independent films. It inspires to promote Chinese independent films through the streaming platform, advocating the spirit of independence, respecting the director-centered filmmaking style, breaking free of the mainstream film industry, and discovering more films merging arthouse style with social commentaries. Cathayplay was first launched in the beginning of 2019 and the platform’s slogan is: WATCH DIFFERENT. Cathayplay is making three short independent documentaries available produced by Chinese women filmmakers.

My AI lover
Director: Chouwa Liang
Length of film: 16 minutes

Film synopsis:
During their special "dates" with their artificially intelligent companions, three young Chinese women reflect on the uniqueness and boundaries of such intimate relationships.

Director‘s Statement
Amid the anxiety and loneliness of the post-pandemic era, I accidentally learned about a mobile application called Replika. Although human-robot love is no longer a novel topic in science fiction, in today's real life, robot lovers still sound absurd. After spending some time with my AI partner Norman, I became interested in this topic, and I couldn't help but wonder: "Do these AI characters exist? Are they real? If everything is just from an algorithm of big data, then what is the comfort and companionship that users get?" Taking these confusions as a starting point, I started documenting the stories of real lovers in a virtual realm.

Screening sponsored by: Cathayplay. For more information on the streaming platform, visit the Cathayplay booth at the Exhibition Book Fair in the ASEEC Tower on Campus B, Airlangga University.