Techniques are described for processing video data, such as by performing learned bidirectional coding using a unidirectional coding system and an interpolated reference frame. For example, a process can include obtaining a first reference frame and a second reference frame. The process can include generating a third reference frame at least in part by performing interpolation between the first reference frame and the second reference frame. The process can include performing unidirectional inter-prediction on an input frame based on the third reference frame, such as by estimating motion between an input frame and the third reference frame, and generating a warped frame at least in part by warping one or more pixels of the third reference frame based on the estimated motion. The process can include generating, based on the warped frame and a predicted residual, a reconstructed frame representing the input frame, the reconstructed frame including a bidirectionally-predicted frame.