<2026 Busan International AI Film Festival Rules & Regulations>
1. Objectives
The Busan International AI Film Festival (hereinafter "BIAIF" or "the Festival") pursues the following objectives, so that the advancement of AI technology may contribute to the development of creative cinematic art: to encourage the creation of innovative film art using AI, to promote the development of AI technologies for filmmaking, to foster the shared growth of AI-based film and related industries, and to provide a platform for constructive discussion on the use of AI technology.
2.Festival Dates
The Festival will be held over three days, from December 3 to 5, 2026, at the Busan Cinema Center. The dates are subject to change depending on the circumstances of the Festival.
3. Program (International Non-Competition)
In principle, the Festival operates on a non-competitive basis, with no rankings. A separate vote for an Audience Award may also be held, with details to be announced at a later date. In the International Non-Competition section, a jury of film and AI experts selects the films to be screened from among the submitted entries, and each of the 15 selected films receives a grant and various benefits. Programs other than the International Non-Competition section may also be established in accordance with the Festival's operating policy.
4. Submission
1) Eligibility
- Any individual or group may submit a work, regardless of nationality, subject, genre, or format, provided that the work makes use of AI technology.
- For a group submission, a team representative must be designated, and all award-related rights — including receipt of award certificates and grants — are vested in that representative; the Festival does not intervene in, and bears no responsibility for, any disputes over rights among team members.
- If a minor submits a work, the consent of a legal guardian must be obtained, and the relevant consent form must be submitted upon the Festival's request.
2) Submission Requirements
① Production Period: Submitted films must have been produced after September 2025.
② Number of Submissions: In principle, one work per person.
③ Use of AI Technology: A work must use AI technology, in whole or in part. The entrant must select one of the two options below (AI Pure or AI Hybrid) and provide a description of how AI was used.
[Scope of AI Use]
• AI Pure (fully AI-generated): Works produced entirely with AI technology, without any live-action footage.
• AI Hybrid: Works that combine live-action footage with AI technology.
④ Other
- There is no limit on running time.
- Every submitted work must include an on-screen notice indicating that AI technology was used. (e.g., "This work was produced using AI technology.")
- The screener used for evaluation must be identical to the final screening copy. If the work is edited after selection, the entrant must notify the Festival Secretariat in advance.
3) Submission Specifications
① Screening Copy
- Must be identical to the screener submitted for evaluation.
[Screening Copy Requirements]
• Submit a screeing copy with English subtitles for all non-English dialogue, including Korean dialogue.
• Format : MOV, MP4
• Resolution : 1920X1080, 1998X1080, 2048X858, or other resolutions of HD quality or higher
② Subtitles
- Films with dialogue in a language other than English (including Korean) must submit a screening copy with English subtitles.
• Korean : Korean and English subtitle files (SRT, SMI), or a screening copy with English subtitles
• English : Korean and English subtitle files (SRT, SMI), or a screening copy with Korean subtitles
• Other Languages : Submit English subtitles files (SRT, SMI) and a full script (Optional) Submit original-language subtitle files (SRT, SMI)
(* For selected films whose dialogue is not in Korean, the Festival will produce its own Korean subtitles for screening. In this case, the copyright in the subtitles so produced belongs to the Festival.)
4) Submission Period and Method
① Submission Period : The submission period is from July 1 to September 11, 2026, 23:59:59 (KST)
② Submission Method
- Complete the entry form on the Festival's official submission website and submit it together with the online screener link.
- Films for judging must be uploaded as unlisted or private to an online video service (e.g., YouTube, Vimeo). Entrants must submit the URL and password for access.
- The screener for judging must remain accessible from the time of submission until December 31, 2026.
5) Completion of Submission
Once all information has been entered and submitted, an email confirming receipt will be sent to the entrant.
6) Entry Fee
There is no entry fee for submission to the Festival.
7) Other
- The entrant bears responsibility for any disadvantage resulting from omissions or errors in the submission materials or information.
- Any submission that does not comply with the submission rules, is incomplete, or is received after the deadline will be deemed invalid.
- If misconduct such as creating a false identity or registering duplicate entries is confirmed, the entrant concerned will be disqualified and may be barred from entering in the future.
- Once a work has been selected for screening, it may not be unilaterally withdrawn for reasons attributable to the entrant.
5. Copyright and Portrait Rights
① The entrant must be the copyright holder of the submitted work or a party to whom the copyright has been officially delegated. In the case of joint copyright, the consent of all copyright holders to the submission must be obtained.
② Before submitting, the entrant must have secured all copyrights and portrait rights related to the work, including those for the footage, music, and individuals appearing in it; where copyright-protected elements are used, proper permission must be obtained in advance. The entrant warrants that the work may be distributed in accordance with these rules.
③ All legal liability relating to infringement of copyright or portrait rights rests with the entrant, and the Festival bears no legal liability whatsoever in this regard. If a third party claims damages against the Festival as a result of copyright infringement, the entrant must indemnify the Festival for all damages, including legal costs.
④ If a third party raises an objection on the grounds of copyright infringement, the Festival may immediately halt the screening, and the entrant shall not contest this.
⑤ If any copyright or portrait-rights issue is identified, the Festival may cancel the selection of the work — whether before the Festival opens or after it has ended — and may reclaim any grant already paid.
6. Selection of Works
1) Selection Process and Schedule
The selected films will be announced in early October 2026 on the Festival's official website and social media, and the results will be sent by individual email only to entrants whose works are selected.
2) Evaluation Rules
① The films to be screened are selected based on the results of evaluation by the professional jury.
② Final selection is made through a comprehensive assessment of factors such as the overall quality of the work and the degree to which AI technology is used.
③ In principle, the evaluation results are not disclosed.
④ If it is determined that no works in a given section meet the selection criteria, the Festival may decline to select some or all of the films for screening in that section.
3) Post-Selection Matters
- By accepting the grant, the entrant grants the Festival the right to screen and use the work in accordance with these official rules.
- An additional cash prize is awarded to the work selected for the Audience Award, and images and footage from that work may be used in the official poster, videos, and other materials of the next edition of the Festival.
- The grant includes the screening fee and is paid in US dollars (USD), converted at the exchange rate as of the date the selection is confirmed. Stay-related expenses are provided separately, according to separate criteria.
4) Withdrawal and Cancellation of Selection
The Festival may, at its discretion, reject the submission or cancel the selection, under the following circumstances:
① Incomplete or false information provided in the submission.
② Legal issues concerning plagiarism, copyright, portrait rights, rental rights, or other rights.
③ An entrant submits more than one film.
④ Actions that damage the Festival's reputation or cause social controversy. (Such conduct includes acts contrary to public order
or public decency, as well as sexual harassment, violence, defamation, discrimination, and hate speech.)
⑤ Failure to respond to the Festival's request or notification via email within 48 hours or failure to respond after two contact attempts.
⑥ Being uncooperative with the operation of the Festival, or engaging in threatening speech or behavior.
⑦ Where the payment of the grant, participation in the Festival, or the conduct of the screening is deemed legally or practically impossible due to force majeure — such as a natural disaster, war, international sanctions, or a diplomatic dispute.
7. Scope of Use of Selected Films (※ For Selected Films Only)
- Selected films and related information maybe used in the Festival's promotional materials (print, website, social media, newspapers, broadcasts, articles, etc.).
- Selected films will be released and screened on the online platform operated by the Festival and at screening venues, according to the schedule arranged by the Festival.
- Even after the Festival has ended, edited excerpts or clips from selected films may be edited and uploaded to YouTube, social media, and similar channels for promotional purposes.
- If additional screenings are required after the Festival has ended,
they will proceed following prior consultation with the director.
8-1. Submission and Use of Materials for Selected Films (※ For Selected Films Only)
The entrant must submit the submission consent form and the materials listed below by the date designated by the Festival.
① Entrant Information
- Copy of the entrant’s ID and bank account information (for the deposit of the grant)
- Director’s photo
- Director’s filmography (including an English version)
② Film Information
- Three still images from the film
- Film trailer (within 30 seconds)
- Film synopsis (including an English version)
- Film Poster
- Credit information
8-2. Delivery of the Screening Copy (※ For Selected Films Only)
As a rule, the screening copy is to be delivered by uploading the file
to the designated online site.
9. General Regulations
- The Festival assumes that the entrant has completed all necessary procedures with the distributor, agency, and producer of the submitted film and is considered to have understood and agreed to all the above regulations.
- These regulations take effect from the moment the entrant signs and submits the entry form, without the need for any separate seal.
- The Festival has the authority to decide on matters not expressly provided for in these regulations.
- Entrants whose works are selected for screening must diligently comply with requests to submit materials necessary for the operation of the Festival, as well as with any additional guidance from the Festival.
- In the event of force majeure, such as a natural disaster or social crisis, the schedule and method of screening may be changed through mutual consultation. In such cases, the Festival will notify the entrant of any changes.
