ElevenLabs to Sponsor Yokohama International Film Festival 2026
ElevenLabs, a global leader in AI voice technology, will sponsor the Yokohama International Film Festival 2026, providing venue announcements and screening an AI-generated film by director Hiroki Yamaguchi.
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- 📰 Published: April 24, 2026 at 20:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 24, 2026 at 11:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 24, 2026 at 12:08 (36 min after Collected)
ElevenLabs Japan G.K. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Japan & Korea General Manager: Gen Tamura; hereinafter "ElevenLabs"), a global leader in AI voice technology, has announced its sponsorship of the Yokohama International Film Festival to be held from May 1st to 5th, 2026. During the festival, ElevenLabs will provide in-venue announcement voices for the event. Additionally, the AI-assisted film "Observatory Overloaded City" directed by Hiroki Yamaguchi will be screened as an "ElevenLabs Recommended Work."
This initiative demonstrates that AI voice technology can create new experiential value not only in business efficiency and customer engagement but also in cultural settings like film festivals. By utilizing ElevenLabs' technology for venue announcements, which serve as a touchpoint with visitors, the festival aims to achieve a natural and high-quality audio experience in event management while widely communicating the potential of AI voice in creative fields, including the immediacy of multilingual support.
Furthermore, the screening of the AI film by Hiroki Yamaguchi serves as a symbolic opportunity to show that ElevenLabs' technology is implementable in the field of video and cinematic expression. Based on user-shared information, this is expected to be the first year that AI films are featured at the Yokohama International Film Festival, positioning this initiative as one of the festival's new challenges.
Through these efforts, ElevenLabs believes it can help create an environment where creators are freed from technical, temporal, and cost constraints, allowing them to focus on the essential aspects of storytelling and direction—the 'highly creative domains that only humans can perform.'
ElevenLabs plans to continue promoting practical AI voice applications in the enterprise sector in the Japanese market while expanding the possibilities of voice technology in a wide range of fields, including broadcasting, media, and entertainment.
Comments:
Jack Teramura, Head of Marketing (Japan & Korea), ElevenLabs Japan:
"We are very pleased to deliver a new audio experience through ElevenLabs' technology on such an iconic stage as the Yokohama International Film Festival. This sponsorship is an opportunity to show that AI voice can provide value not just in operational efficiency but also in creative and cultural settings. We will continue to expand the possibilities of AI voice in the Japanese market from both practical and expressive perspectives."
Director Hiroki Yamaguchi:
"By utilizing ElevenLabs' technology, I was able to challenge an expressive approach using generative AI that differs from conventional live-action video production. Through this work, I hope many people will feel the new possibilities of AI and visual expression."
Project Overview:
Event Name: Yokohama International Film Festival 2026
Period: May 1 (Fri) – May 5 (Tue), 2026
Sponsorship Details: Generation and provision of in-venue announcement voices, promotional cooperation
Related Screening: 'Observatory Overloaded City' directed by Hiroki Yamaguchi to be screened as an 'ElevenLabs Recommended Work'
Note: Expected to be the first year AI films are featured within the festival
Work Information:
'Observatory Overloaded City'
Set in a near-future Tokyo that has reached the extreme of becoming a tourist destination. James, a first-time traveler to Japan, is fascinated by the staged 'Tokyo-ness' but begins to realize it is a false city. What will he encounter in Tokyo, a city built to be watched?
Profile of Hiroki Yamaguchi:
Film Director. Since his debut with 'GUSHANOBINZUME' (released in 2004 / winner at Montreal Fantasia International Film Festival), he has directed and edited live-action videos. He introduced generative AI into filmmaking after his AI film 'IMPROVEMENT CYCLE' was selected for the 2024 Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in South Korea. In 2025, he theatrically released the AI film 'Grandma Rebito' and also acts as an advisor for AI filmmaking.
About ElevenLabs:
Established in 2022, ElevenLabs is a global leader in AI voice research and technology, building cutting-edge voice AI tools for businesses, developers, creators, and artists. Currently valued at over $11 billion, the platform is used by thousands of companies, including more than 75% of Fortune 500 companies. They support the large-scale generation of high-quality voiceovers and the building of multilingual conversational AI agents. Their services allow for the fast and affordable creation of high-quality voiceovers at scale and the launch of conversational AI agents in over 30 languages.
This initiative demonstrates that AI voice technology can create new experiential value not only in business efficiency and customer engagement but also in cultural settings like film festivals. By utilizing ElevenLabs' technology for venue announcements, which serve as a touchpoint with visitors, the festival aims to achieve a natural and high-quality audio experience in event management while widely communicating the potential of AI voice in creative fields, including the immediacy of multilingual support.
Furthermore, the screening of the AI film by Hiroki Yamaguchi serves as a symbolic opportunity to show that ElevenLabs' technology is implementable in the field of video and cinematic expression. Based on user-shared information, this is expected to be the first year that AI films are featured at the Yokohama International Film Festival, positioning this initiative as one of the festival's new challenges.
Through these efforts, ElevenLabs believes it can help create an environment where creators are freed from technical, temporal, and cost constraints, allowing them to focus on the essential aspects of storytelling and direction—the 'highly creative domains that only humans can perform.'
ElevenLabs plans to continue promoting practical AI voice applications in the enterprise sector in the Japanese market while expanding the possibilities of voice technology in a wide range of fields, including broadcasting, media, and entertainment.
Comments:
Jack Teramura, Head of Marketing (Japan & Korea), ElevenLabs Japan:
"We are very pleased to deliver a new audio experience through ElevenLabs' technology on such an iconic stage as the Yokohama International Film Festival. This sponsorship is an opportunity to show that AI voice can provide value not just in operational efficiency but also in creative and cultural settings. We will continue to expand the possibilities of AI voice in the Japanese market from both practical and expressive perspectives."
Director Hiroki Yamaguchi:
"By utilizing ElevenLabs' technology, I was able to challenge an expressive approach using generative AI that differs from conventional live-action video production. Through this work, I hope many people will feel the new possibilities of AI and visual expression."
Project Overview:
Event Name: Yokohama International Film Festival 2026
Period: May 1 (Fri) – May 5 (Tue), 2026
Sponsorship Details: Generation and provision of in-venue announcement voices, promotional cooperation
Related Screening: 'Observatory Overloaded City' directed by Hiroki Yamaguchi to be screened as an 'ElevenLabs Recommended Work'
Note: Expected to be the first year AI films are featured within the festival
Work Information:
'Observatory Overloaded City'
Set in a near-future Tokyo that has reached the extreme of becoming a tourist destination. James, a first-time traveler to Japan, is fascinated by the staged 'Tokyo-ness' but begins to realize it is a false city. What will he encounter in Tokyo, a city built to be watched?
Profile of Hiroki Yamaguchi:
Film Director. Since his debut with 'GUSHANOBINZUME' (released in 2004 / winner at Montreal Fantasia International Film Festival), he has directed and edited live-action videos. He introduced generative AI into filmmaking after his AI film 'IMPROVEMENT CYCLE' was selected for the 2024 Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in South Korea. In 2025, he theatrically released the AI film 'Grandma Rebito' and also acts as an advisor for AI filmmaking.
About ElevenLabs:
Established in 2022, ElevenLabs is a global leader in AI voice research and technology, building cutting-edge voice AI tools for businesses, developers, creators, and artists. Currently valued at over $11 billion, the platform is used by thousands of companies, including more than 75% of Fortune 500 companies. They support the large-scale generation of high-quality voiceovers and the building of multilingual conversational AI agents. Their services allow for the fast and affordable creation of high-quality voiceovers at scale and the launch of conversational AI agents in over 30 languages.