BEIJING, Nov. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- iQIYI, China's leading online entertainment platform, is pioneering a new path in AI-powered film restoration through NadouPro, the company's AI platform built for professional film and television production. NadouPro has enabled the creative restoration of "Visiting Shanghai after Sixty Years", a short film lost for nearly 90 years. This shows how AI can restore films with almost no surviving original footage, bringing them back to life.
Completed by an eight-person team at the iQIYI-XMU Joint Laboratory of Film Restoration in just two months, the project has recently been shortlisted for the "2026 Future Images AI Unit" at the 39th Golden Rooster Awards. The Golden Rooster Awards are among China's most prestigious film honors, underscoring the project's industry recognition.
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iQIYI Revives 90-Year-Old Lost Film with NadouPro, Shortlisted for the AI Unit at the Golden Rooster Awards
iQIYI Revives 90-Year-Old Lost Film with NadouPro, Shortlisted for the AI Unit at the Golden Rooster Awards
iQIYI Revives 90-Year-Old Lost Film with NadouPro, Shortlisted for the AI Unit at the Golden Rooster Awards
iQIYI Revives 90-Year-Old Lost Film with NadouPro, Shortlisted for the AI Unit at the Golden Rooster Awards
The Challenge: Building a Movie Without Footage
Traditional film restoration typically relies on surviving film materials, using digital technologies to repair damage and enhance image quality. However, with the original 1938 release of "Visiting Shanghai after Sixty Years" – one of China's earliest science-fiction works, which used comedy to imagine life sixty years into the future – there was almost nothing left to repair. All physical prints, reels, and scripts had been lost over the decades. Instead, the team had to generate the film from scratch using only production still-photos, posters, and newspaper clippings as conceptual guides.
"NadouPro allowed us to step outside the conventional restoration mindset," said Zidong JIANG, Member of iQIYI-XMU Joint Laboratory and iQIYI's Director of AI Restoration Technology. "With no surviving film prints to restore, we used AI to undertake a creative reconstruction of the film based on available historical materials."
Building a film from the ground up highlighted two major complexities in generative video: maintaining character consistency across scenes and achieving precise camera control. The team utilized NadouPro to address both.
Maintaining Continuity Through Digital Assets
The film spans two distinct historical eras – 1938 and 1998 – and features multiple characters. In generative video, ensuring characters retain the same appearance across different shots is historically difficult.
NadouPro solved this by acting as a centralized production hub. Rather than generating characters anew for every scene, the team used the platform to lock in permanent digital assets for each character's facial features, proportions, and costumes upfront. Subsequent shots drew from these foundational files, keeping character appearances perfectly consistent throughout the film.
Enabling Directorial Control with 3D Director Studio
Recreating acting performances from still photos required high precision. Rather than relying on trial-and-error AI generation, the team used NadouPro's 3D Director Studio to precisely control character positioning, composition, and movement, supported by tools for exploring different scenes, visual styles, and camera angles.
This control ensured filmmakers led the creative direction. The 1938 sequences drew inspiration from early black-and-white cinema with stable cameras and vintage lighting, while the 1998 scenes adopted a documentary style with natural light and handheld camera movement.
"NadouPro helped us move from relatively random image generation toward shots with clear directorial intent," said Enji YANG, the Director of the new film. "In the early stage, we still followed traditional methods: script analysis, character design, scene design, and storyboard planning. We always believe the audiovisual design of a film must come first, before considering how AI can realize it."
Aigong ZHANG, Chief Planner of the new film and Director of the iQIYI-XMU Joint Laboratory, noted that the project demonstrates how AI can integrate into a professional workflow. "NadouPro shares something in common with the production of this short film: the organic integration of traditional filmmaking craftsmanship with AI."
Building on Years of AI Restoration Work
As one of the earliest long-form video platforms to invest in AI film restoration, iQIYI has been exploring the related technology since 2017. Its proprietary ZoomAI uses algorithms for scratch repair, super-resolution, noise reduction, and intelligent frame interpolation, helping shift restoration from manual frame-by-frame work toward automated processes.
Through its joint laboratory with Xiamen University, iQIYI has already brought a number of 4K classics back to screens. Building on this experience, iQIYI is now exploring new possibilities beyond traditional film restoration, using AI to creatively reconstruct and reimagine lost films based on surviving historical materials, bringing classic works back to audiences in new forms.
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iQIYI Revives 90-Year-Old Lost Film with NadouPro, Shortlisted for the AI Unit at the Golden Rooster Awards
iQIYI Revives 90-Year-Old Lost Film with NadouPro, Shortlisted for the AI Unit at the Golden Rooster Awards
iQIYI Revives 90-Year-Old Lost Film with NadouPro, Shortlisted for the AI Unit at the Golden Rooster Awards
iQIYI Revives 90-Year-Old Lost Film with NadouPro, Shortlisted for the AI Unit at the Golden Rooster Awards
MELBOURNE, Australia, Nov. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Sungrow, a globally leading PV inverter and energy storage system provider, reinforced its commitment to Australia's renewable energy market through a series of partnership signings at All-Energy Australia 2026. Among the agreements signed were three major distribution agreements with longstanding partners Solar Juice, Raystech Group, and Supply Partners.
Together, these three agreements cover 1.5 GW of photovoltaic (PV) volume and 4 GWh of battery energy storage systems (BESS). The signings reflect Sungrow's continued efforts to strengthen its local distribution network, combining technological innovation, trusted partnerships, and local expertise to support Australia's evolving clean energy needs.
Highlighting Three Major Distribution Partnerships
Solar Juice — Building on Long-Term Trust and Customer Success
Building on a shared commitment to product quality, innovation, and customer success, Sungrow and Solar Juice further strengthened its long-standing partnership through an agreement covering 500 MW of PV and 2.5 GWh of BESS, including 2 GWh for residential and 500 MWh for C&I applications. Given Solar Juice's extensive industry experience, established distribution network, and local technical support capabilities, Sungrow will continue to combine its advanced solar and energy storage technologies with Solar Juice's market expertise to enhance access to reliable energy solutions and better support the evolving needs of Australian installers and customers.
Supply Partners — Strengthening Customer-Focused Solutions Through Technical Expertise
Recognising Supply Partners' customer-focused approach, technical expertise, and commitment to installer education, Sungrow further expanded the cooperation through an agreement covering 500 MW of PV and 1 GWh of BESS, including 500 MWh for residential and 500 MWh for C&I applications. By combining Sungrow's solar and energy storage technologies with Supply Partners' established distribution network and system design capabilities, the partnership aims to expand access to reliable energy solutions and better support local installers in meeting the evolving needs of Australia's residential and commercial renewable energy markets.
Raystech Group — Expanding Industry Collaboration and Installer Engagement
Building on a previous successful partnership, Sungrow and Raystech Group renewed their strategic distribution agreement covering 500 MW of PV and 500 MWh of residential BESS. Sungrow has worked with Raystech Group on initiatives extending beyond product distribution, including joint marketing, technical training, and installer engagement. Drawing on Raystech Group's established presence across Australia and New Zealand, Sungrow aims to continue supporting local installation partners through product innovation, industry education, and collaborative market development. The agreement reflects Sungrow's commitment to building a more connected renewable energy ecosystem.
"Australia's renewable energy market continues to create opportunities for growth and collaboration. Our longstanding relationships with Solar Juice, Raystech Group, and Supply Partners reflect the importance of mutual trust, shared values, and local expertise. Together with our wider network of partners, we look forward to deepening cooperation, supporting our customers, and contributing to Australia's evolving solar and energy storage market."
— Steven Zhu, Vice President, Sungrow APAC
Looking ahead, Sungrow will continue to combine technological innovation with local service and industry collaboration, working closely with distributors, installers, and other partners to support the wider adoption of solar and energy storage solutions. Guided by its commitment to "Clean Power for All", Sungrow aims to contribute to a more sustainable energy future for Australian households and businesses.
About Solar Juice
Solar Juice is an Australian wholesale distributor of solar and energy storage solutions. Drawing on extensive industry experience, the company supplies solar panels, inverters, batteries, and related technologies to installation partners. With a focus on product quality, innovation, and customer success, Solar Juice combines product distribution with local technical expertise to support renewable energy adoption.
About Supply Partners
Supply Partners is an Australian solar and energy storage distributor providing products, technical assistance, system design support, and training to installation partners. With a customer-focused approach, the company works to help installers navigate technical and market challenges while supporting the broader adoption of renewable energy solutions.
About Raystech Group
Raystech Group is a renewable energy wholesale distributor with operations across Australia and New Zealand. The company provides solar PV systems, energy storage solutions, and related services, including customer support, logistics, and technical assistance. Through a customer-focused approach and collaboration with industry partners, Raystech aims to support the growth of renewable energy and progress towards a lower-carbon future.
About Sungrow
Sungrow, a global leader in renewable energy technology, has pioneered sustainable power solutions for over 29 years. As of June 2026, Sungrow has installed over 1100 GW of power electronic converters worldwide. The company is recognized as the world's most bankable PV inverter and energy storage company (BloombergNEF). Its innovations power clean energy projects across the globe, supported by a network of 520 service outlets guaranteeing excellent customer experiences. At Sungrow, we're committed to bridging to a sustainable future through cutting-edge technology and unparalleled service.
For more information, visit www.sungrowpower.com.
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Sungrow Joins Forces with Three Strategic Partners to Accelerate Australia's Clean Energy Transition at All-Energy Australia 2026
