Reel Sessions: The Black AI Film Festival is the evolution of the Playground Pastime AI Film Contest, reimagined, expanded, and built for this moment.

We are an ongoing festival platform dedicated exclusively to Black AI filmmakers, storytellers, and creators. Where Afrofuturism meets algorithm. Where culture leads, and technology follows. Where the stories that have been missing from the AI conversation finally take center stage.

This is a cultural institution in the making.

Our Inaugural Event — June 19, 2026 (Juneteenth)

We launch on Juneteenth, intentionally. The date is not a coincidence. It is a declaration. Our inaugural screening event will feature a curated selection of Black AI filmmakers whose work represents the frontier of AI-powered storytelling.

Starting with our September 2026 event, Reel Sessions opens for submissions quarterly via Film Freeway. Each quarter's accepted films screen at our live online festival. The strongest films from each quarterly program advance to our culminating annual showcase, where the best of the year compete for top recognition.

June 2026 — Curated Inaugural / Juneteenth
September 2026 — First open quarterly program
December 2026 — Second quarterly program, entries re-open
March 2027 — Third quarterly program, entries re-open
June 2027 - Annual Culminating Event

Every event is fully online, fully produced, and fully intentional.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR:
Reel Sessions welcomes AI-assisted, AI-generated, and AI-themed short films, micro-series, music videos, and documentary shorts that center Black stories, Black creativity, and Black futures. Every film we select must be in conversation with Black culture, Black Stories, Afrofuturism, social impact, or the intersection of technology and the Black experience.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR:
* Visionary creators who use AI as a creative tool, not a shortcut
* Films that challenge bias, expand representation, and push the boundaries of what AI storytelling can look like
* Work that is as culturally specific as it is technically innovative
* Emerging voices who have never had a stage built for them, until now

A NOTE FROM THE CURATOR:
Reel Sessions was born from a simple observation: Black creators are adopting AI at high rates, yet no major platform existed to celebrate what they were building. I started hosting AI Movie Nights in my community, and what I saw in those rooms told me everything I needed to know. The talent is here. The creativity is undeniable. The stories are ready. All that was missing was the stage.

We built the stage.
— Kimberly Offord, Founder & Curator, Reel Sessions

Awards & Prizes

OFFICIAL SELECTIONS
Every film chosen for a Reel Sessions quarterly program receives Official Selection status, a credential that belongs to you permanently, on your filmmaker profile, your press materials, and your legacy as a creator who was here at the beginning of something historic.

Official Selection laurels were awarded to all accepted films.

FESTIVAL AWARDS — QUARTERLY
Presented at each quarterly screening event by the Reel Sessions curatorial panel:

* Best Film — The strongest work of the quarter across all categories. The defining statement.
* Best Afro-Futures Film — Excellence in speculative, science fiction, or Afrofuturist storytelling.
* Best Micro-Series Pilot — The episode that makes you need to see what happens next.
* The Curator's Choice — One film per quarter selected personally by Kimberly Offord. No category. No criteria except this: it moved her.

ANNUAL SHOWCASE AWARDS — DECEMBER
Quarterly award winners and selected finalists advance to the Reel Sessions Annual Showcase, our culminating event where the best films of the year are recognized before the full Reel Sessions community.

* Film of the Year — The single best AI film made by a Black creator in 2026. Full stop.
* Visionary of the Year — Awarded to the filmmaker whose body of work across the year demonstrated the most fearless creative vision.
* Audience Choice — Voted on live by the Reel Sessions community during the December event. The people decide.

WHAT ALL SELECTED FILMMAKERS RECEIVE:
* Official Reel Sessions laurel (digital, print-ready, yours to use everywhere)
* Filmmaker spotlight feature on Reel Sessions social and digital platforms
* Screening before a live, engaged audience of Black creatives, AI innovators, and cultural tastemakers
* Inclusion in the Reel Sessions archive, a permanent record of Black AI filmmaking history
* Access to the Reel Sessions creator community
* Curatorial feedback on your film
* First access to future Reel Sessions submission cycles and special programming

Rules & Terms

1. ABOUT THE FESTIVAL Reel Sessions: The Black AI Film Festival is a quarterly online film festival dedicated to celebrating, amplifying, and archiving Black AI filmmaking. Presented by Playground Pastime & The Referral Store, LLC, Reel Sessions operates on a quarterly screening cycle, culminating in an annual showcase. The festival is open to filmmakers worldwide. Our curatorial focus centers on Black creativity, Afrofuturism, and the intersection of AI technology with Black culture and storytelling.

2. ELIGIBILITY
* Open to filmmakers and AI creators worldwide, age 18 or older at time of submission
* Films must incorporate AI in their creation as a primary tool, a co-creative element, or as a significant part of the production process
* Films must be 10 minutes or under in runtime (Micro-Series pilots: 5 minutes or under)
* Films must have been completed after January 1, 2025
* Films may have screened elsewhere; prior screening history does not disqualify your submission
* Submissions from all countries and all experience levels are welcome
* Collaborative works are eligible — list all primary creators in your submission

3. SUBMISSION CATEGORIES

* Afro-Futures - Science fiction, speculative fiction, and Afrofuturist narratives. Stories of Black people in imagined worlds, alternate timelines, and futures where we lead.

* Black Life - Documentary, social commentary, and narrative films rooted in the textures of everyday Black experience. Present tense. Real and resonant.

* Cultural Remix - Music videos, visual albums, and AI-reimagined cultural moments. Work that takes something from Black culture and transforms it into something new.

* Micro-Series Pilot - The first episode of an AI-generated episodic series. 5 minutes or under. Must function as a standalone viewing experience while establishing a larger world.

A single film may only be submitted to one category. Choose the category that best represents the primary intent of your work.

4. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Content
* Submissions must be original works created by the entrant(s)
* Content must be respectful and free from hate speech, racial slurs used harmfully, sexual exploitation, or content that demeans any community
* Films that use AI to generate imagery of real, identifiable individuals without their consent will be disqualified
* Mature themes, including violence, trauma, and social injustice, are permitted when handled with intention and craft

Technical Specifications
* Format: MP4 or MOV
* Resolution: Minimum 1080p preferred; 720p accepted
* Subtitles or captions required for any non-English dialogue
* File size: Per Film Freeway upload guidelines
* Thumbnail/still images: Minimum 2 high-resolution images representing the film (JPEG or PNG, minimum 1920x1080)

Required Submission Materials
* Completed Film Freeway submission form
* Film file meeting technical specifications
* Director's statement (up to 200 words): Describe your creative process, the AI tools used, and what this film means to you
* Minimum 2 production stills or key art images
* Short film synopsis (up to 100 words)
* Full cast and crew credits where applicable

5. JUDGING CRITERIA
Films are evaluated by the Reel Sessions curatorial panel on the following criteria:

Cultural Resonance (25%)
How meaningfully does the film engage with Black culture, experience, identity, or futures? Is the cultural content authentic, specific, and purposeful — or surface-level?

Storytelling & Narrative Impact (25%)
Does the film tell a compelling story? Does it have something to say — and does it say it effectively? We value films that provoke thought, stir emotion, or shift perspective.

Creative Vision & Originality (20%)
Is this a fresh perspective? Does the filmmaker have a distinct voice? We are looking for creative courage, not technical convention.

AI Integration & Craft (20%)
How skillfully is AI used as a creative tool? We are not judging the tools — we are judging what the filmmaker does with them. Intentional, purposeful use of AI in service of the story is what matters.

Artistic Quality (10%)
Overall aesthetic quality — visual composition, audio, pacing, and the cohesion of the final work.

6. RIGHTS & USAGE

* Filmmakers retain full copyright and ownership of their work at all times
* By submitting, filmmakers grant Reel Sessions / Playground Pastime & The Referral Store, LLC a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to screen the film during the festival event, use clips and stills for festival promotion, feature the film in editorial content, social media, and the Reel Sessions archive, and reference the film in press and partnership materials
* Reel Sessions will always credit the filmmaker by name in all uses
* Reel Sessions will not sell, license, or distribute submitted films to third parties without express written consent from the filmmaker
* Selected filmmakers may be asked to participate in filmmaker spotlights, interviews, or Q&A sessions — this is always optional and never a condition of selection

7. SELECTION PROCESS & NOTIFICATIONS

* All submissions are reviewed by the Reel Sessions curatorial panel
* Selection decisions are final and will not be individually explained or appealed
* Selected filmmakers will be notified by email through Film Freeway
* All submitters will receive notification of their selection status by the notification date above
* Selection does not guarantee a specific screening slot or award consideration; all selected films screen; award nominees are chosen from the full selected program

8. FESTIVAL CONDUCT & COMMUNITY STANDARDS
Reel Sessions is a cultural space built on respect, creativity, and community. We reserve the right to disqualify any submission, at any stage, that contains content determined to be hateful, exploitative, or harmful to any community, was submitted fraudulently, or misrepresents the filmmaker's creative contribution, or violates the rights of any third party, including music, footage, or imagery used without proper clearance.
Filmmakers are responsible for securing all necessary rights, licenses, and clearances for music, archival footage, and any third-party material included in their submission. Reel Sessions assumes no liability for rights violations by submitters.

9. CONTACT
Email: info@thereferralstore.com
Website: blackaifilmfestival.com | blackaifilmfest.ai
For submission questions, or press inquiries, please allow 2–3 business days for a response.
2 Reviews
Overall Rating
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  • Petula Pascall

    I had an amazing experience!! The screenings was done online which I appreciate and was wowed by the talent who entered the contest.

    November 2025
    Helpful
  • Kevin Rhoades

    Wonderful time! Great projects and workshops.

    September 2025
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you! We had a fantastic time viewing all the outstanding submissions!