Red Gaia — Mars android consults Asimov's Laws on the cylinder
Now playing
Red Gaia · Udesh Chetty
South Africa · 2021
Since 2021 · now monthly · Hollywood

The Original Independent AI Film Festival.

“Like an Academy Awards for AI films — now monthly.”

— Ron Maggi, actor

Submit by August 31 for the early bird discount·screens October 10
Since 202125 events3,000+ filmmakers70+ countriesnonprofit foundation
A family of festivals

One organization, six initiatives. Film leads the family.

A 501(c)(3) producing AI film, music video, micro-drama & advertising festivals, plus the Winners & Creator Guilds

Next Festival
Two minutes from the last one

This is what the night looks like.

Winners, reactions and the room, from the August 15 festival in Hollywood.

Every film screened one at a time. Every filmmaker at the microphone afterwards, in the room or live on screen from anywhere in the world.

Jury awards and audience awards, decided the same afternoon.

● Previous festivals have sold out — booking early is advised
August 15 Winners

Five films. One afternoon in Hollywood.

The films awarded at the August 15 festival, chosen from a blind judging round. Press Review on any poster for the full jury review.

Swipe for more films
Brother poster
Makoto Aminaka
Makoto Aminaka
Director · Japan
Brother
Best Story
Brother
Dir. Makoto Aminaka · Japan · 2026 · 12 min · World Premiere
Jury: Best Story

What can a young boy and a gorilla tell us?

Brother tells a heartfelt story about friendship, compassion, and environmental responsibility through the bond between a young boy and a gorilla. The film has genuine warmth and sincerity, making its emotional core resonate. Its simple storytelling and hopeful message leave a lasting impression, giving the film a quiet charm that rises above its imperfections.

Even poster
Chansoo Park
Chansoo Park
Director · South Korea
Even
Best Thriller
Even
Dir. Chansoo Park · South Korea · 2026 · 6 min
Jury: Best Thriller
Audience: Best Film · Most Surprising

What might happen if you accidentally scratch the car next to you?

EVEN is a clever, wordless thriller that transforms a minor everyday incident into an entertaining exercise in suspense and dark comedy. The film builds tension with confidence, using its confined setting and escalating car chase to keep the audience engaged while maintaining a sharp sense of humor throughout.

Its simple premise is executed with precision, proving that an effective story does not require dialogue to captivate an audience. Well-paced, inventive, and genuinely fun, EVEN is an accomplished short that delivers both suspense and entertainment.

Lessons In Life poster
Pete Veijalainen
Pete Veijalainen
Director · Finland
Lessons In Life
Best Message
Lessons In Life
Dir. Pete Veijalainen · Finland · 2026 · 9 min · World Premiere
Jury: Best Message
Audience: Best Message

What lessons await us through everyday human experience?

Lessons In Life successfully combines reflective narration with visual storytelling to explore the challenges, disappointments, and unexpected lessons that emerge through everyday human experience. While the film occasionally approaches familiar self-help territory, it avoids becoming overly didactic through its strong execution and grounded perspective.

Manas poster
Yihang Yang, Peize Wang
Yihang Yang, Peize Wang
Director · China
Manas
Best AI Short
Manas
Dir. Yihang Yang, Peize Wang · China · 2026 · 15 min
Jury: Best AI Short · Best Documentary
Audience: Best Use of AI

What can we learn from the Kyrgyz culture in southwestern China?

Manas is a beautifully crafted short that seamlessly blends myth, tradition, and adventure into a compelling cinematic experience. Rooted in Kyrgyz culture, the film captures the powerful relationship between humans, nature, and the enduring bond between generations. The cinematography is outstanding, making full use of its landscapes and action sequences, while the direction and performances bring authenticity and emotional weight to the story. The balance between folklore and reality feels natural, allowing the mythology to enrich rather than overwhelm the narrative. Every visual choice serves the storytelling, creating a film that is both culturally distinctive and universally engaging.

An accomplished work that is highly entertaining and demonstrates confident filmmaking across every department.

77 Hours poster
Vahid Mahdavi
Vahid Mahdavi
Director · United Kingdom
77 Hours
Best Hybrid AI Film
77 Hours
Dir. Vahid Mahdavi · United Kingdom · 2026 · 70 min
Jury: Best Hybrid AI Film · Best Narrative Feature

77 Hours is an exceptional hybrid feature that demonstrates remarkable confidence in every aspect of filmmaking. The direction is assured, the performances are compelling and emotionally authentic, and the cinematography sustains an atmosphere of tension and uncertainty throughout. Rather than relying solely on the historical tragedy that inspired it, the film succeeds because it remains deeply focused on its protagonist's psychological and emotional journey, creating an experience that is both intimate and profoundly affecting.

The seamless integration of AI-assisted techniques with traditional filmmaking never overshadows the story but instead strengthens its visual language. Every creative choice serves the narrative, resulting in a film that is immersive, emotionally resonant, and technically accomplished. 77 Hours stands out as a powerful example of how AI can support meaningful cinematic storytelling without compromising its humanity. An outstanding achievement.

Every winner since 2021
Browse and watch the full catalogue on demand
Submit your film

Judged blind. Every single time.

“We do not look at the name of the filmmakers, we do not look at the country they are from, we do not look at any synopsis. We watch only the film. And what keeps happening is we keep having these repeat winners who keep submitting the best films.”
— Bert Holland · Founder & Executive Director

No festival circuit connections. No agent. No festival in your country. None of it matters here, because none of it reaches the jury.

Submit by August 31 for the early bird discount·screens October 10

Every winner receives

  • Official laurels in black and white, for your poster, trailer and channel art
  • A signed certificate naming the award, the film and the director
  • Your poster and film on aifilmfest.org, with the jury’s notes on the work
  • Worldwide streaming on our on-demand channel
  • Your film on stage in Hollywood, with your own live Q&A
  • The Winners Guild — our community of awarded filmmakers
Filmmaker Voices

What the filmmakers say.

Eighty-five percent of the room is filmmakers and industry. This is built for the people making the work.

Swipe for more voices

“The format is super engaging. I got huge value connecting with extremely talented and creative filmmakers from all around the world, and getting real-time feedback from the artists and the audience.”

Arthur MachadoDirector, Modello Linguistico Divino · Brazil/New Zealand

“It usually takes a year, hundreds of crew, and a medium budget to make a short film professionally. My film Railbound took us six weeks, around thirteen talented crew, and a quarter of the budget.”

Jonathan PerryAI filmmaker

“Artificial intelligence is not a threat, but an essential creative accelerator.”

Anina NetActress & fashion technologist

“It's leveling out the gatekeepers and opening it up for a lot more people to have exposure and opportunities in creative media.”

Jodie HeenanAI director & artist · Australia
From the Room · August 15, 2026

Filmmakers on stage. Every single time.

Every film is screened one at a time, and the filmmaker takes the microphone afterwards — in the room or live on screen from anywhere in the world.

Swipe for more from the night
Tarek Fahmy at the AI International Film Festival, Hollywood
Tarek FahmyNADHIR — Episode 1 · live Q&A
Scott Newman at the AI International Film Festival, Hollywood
Scott NewmanREBEL LION — Sauce That · award presented
Daniel Vasko at the AI International Film Festival, Hollywood
Daniel VaskoRoasted Ducks Project · Slovakia
Emil Kraus at the AI International Film Festival, Hollywood
Emil KrausComposer, Roasted Ducks Project
Nate Mayes at the AI International Film Festival, Hollywood
Nate MayesActor, producer, director · special guest
Rosaline Oketola at the AI International Film Festival, Hollywood
Rosaline OketolaEarly Wisdom Foundation
From the audience at the AI International Film Festival, Hollywood
From the audienceUnscripted Q&A after every screening
The Format

No PR filters.
No scripted panels.
The room is the conversation.

Every film is screened one at a time, followed by live discussion with the filmmaker — international creators joining live on screen alongside the in-person directors in the room.

Audience awards. Jury awards. Unscripted Q&A. A red carpet. An afterparty. What separates us from every other AI festival: the conversation is real, the filmmakers are real, and the room is full of the people who actually make this work.

85%
of the room is filmmakers and industry. We are here for the artists, the creators, the people building this medium.
From the Expert Panels

Working filmmakers, lawyers, and technologists — on the record.

Our festivals have hosted unscripted expert panels since the beginning. Below: some of the most substantive things they have said, organised by what they are really wrestling with.

Swipe for more voices
Copyright & Law Scott Mortman

“When you use somebody's data, images, or voice to build your model and don't compensate them for it, I don't know what else you call it other than stealing.

Scott MortmanAI Law & Ethics Professor · Purdue Global · SAG-AFTRA negotiations
The Tool Boris Eldagsen

“AI is like the tool I always have been waiting for, because the only limit now is imagination.”

Boris EldagsenPromptographer, lecturer, writer & director · “TECH-BRO VOMIT IN HD”
The Vision Zoubeir JLASSI

“AI is just a tool. It's powerful, yes, but it cannot replace your creativity, your sensitivity, your perspective. Don't wait for the producer to open the door for you.”

Zoubeir JLASSIGraphic designer & filmmaker · Director, “A Breath Apart” · Tunisia
Democratization Michael Cole

“I feel like AI is just moving in a direction where it's open to everybody. It's sort of trying to democratize what anybody can create.”

Michael ColeMotion designer & AI filmmaker · Director, “We Will We Will Prompt You”
Economics Stephen Gibler

“AI gives us open opportunity for filmmakers to spend $500,000 to make something that looks like $30 million. Kind of a District 9 type level quality.

Stephen GiblerProducer & Co-Head of AI, Sawhorse Productions
Craft Andy O.

“Making a movie still takes a lot of work. But maybe it doesn't take millions of dollars?

Andy O.OpenAI forum leader, AI product manager & designer
Regulation Rachel Greenhoe

There will be regulation. It's going to be written in blood. AI is a problem that is not going to be solved without enormous amounts of fraught regulation.”

Rachel GreenhoeScreenwriter & Actress
The Future Simone Bocchino

Hollywood and other major players are watching us. What's happening now is a very interesting rise in new generations of storytellers: people working with essentially no budget, creating amazing movies using AI.”

Simone BocchinoAward-winning AI artist & music producer · Director, “King Kong”
No gatekeepers, no bias, no barriers. Your story matters, regardless of where you're from.”
— Trending LA · Joy Breitman
Press

What the press has said.

Swipe for more press
Now streaming winners worldwide · watch.eventive.org/aifilmfest · Winning Film blocks · any device · Now streaming winners worldwide · watch.eventive.org/aifilmfest · Winning Film blocks · any device ·
About

A 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit for the conversation AI is forcing.

Since 2021 we've hosted 25 monthly events, curated work from 3,000+ contributing filmmakers in 70+ countries so far, and built an in-person home in Hollywood for filmmakers, technologists, and the culturally curious.

We are dedicated to public conversation about AI's role in storytelling, media, and society — not as an abstract debate, but as a room full of the actual people making the work.

Get the festival drop.

First access to early-bird tickets. Lineup announcements. The room as it forms. A few times a month, never more.

Submit · Aug 31 Tickets · Sep 12