FAREWELL, 11min., USA
Directed by Jiayu Liu
One day, Quintin, a funeral agent is visited by Claire in order to deal with her own funeral. During the meeting, a man, Jeffrey, breaks in. Jeffrey doesn’t allow Claire to die. Now Quintin realizes that Claire is a robot, he’s about to call the police because it seems like now Claire has her own mentality. But Jeffrey stops him. Actually, Claire should have been destroyed 20 years ago, but Jeffrey doesn’t want Claire to leave his life so he keeps changing components and updating for her. Claire says she wants to die for being a complete human, but the truth is that she wants to release Jeffrey to let him have a normal life. Meanwhile, Jeffrey finally understands that love is respect and accepts Claire’s request. In the end, Quintin goes back home. He sees his robot and doesn’t think of her as a machine.

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

AI technology is rapidly advancing, and I notice that people are focusing more on the technology itself rather than the cultural aspects. I believe that the development of any technology should not be separated from humanity. At the same time, I have a desire to express myself, and through this film, I am attempting to bid a sincere farewell to everything that is about to pass.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

2 years

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?

See you. “See” because the act of seeing is very important—seeing love, understanding love, and seeing others. “You” is crucial as well, as reflected in my film’s line, “I am no different; it’s the way you see me that makes me different.” Together, “See you” implies a farewell with the hope of meeting again.

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

The biggest obstacle I faced in completing this film was securing sufficient funding. Financial constraints impacted various aspects of the production, from securing locations and hiring crew to post-production processes. Overcoming this required creative problem-solving, resourcefulness, and sometimes compromises, but it also taught me invaluable lessons about budgeting and the importance of perseverance in filmmaking.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

My initial reactions when watching the audience talk about my film in the feedback video were a mix of excitement, gratitude, and curiosity. I was thrilled to see how my work had impacted others and felt incredibly grateful for their honest opinions. Hearing their perspectives made me curious about how I could improve and grow as a filmmaker.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?

Since my teenage years, I had the desire to tell stories to my friends and family. I loved the feelings that movies brought me, and I thought it would be incredibly wonderful if I could become a filmmaker and create a world of dreams.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?

Interstellar and The time traveler’s wife

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?

I am very grateful for the audience feedback session, as it allows me, as a filmmaker, to hear the audience’s voices and thoughts. And I was thinking it will be great if there’s an establish online forums or groups for filmmakers to stay connected and continue networking post-festival.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?

It was good, very simple and clear, easy to work on.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Hotpot

11. What is next for you? A new film?

I’m working on write a script called AI Diary. I hope it will be a short story of 10-15 minutes per episode, and there are expected to be ten episodes.