The AI International Film Festival started as the world’s first AI film festival back in 2021 — before the hype. Independent of Ads or big-name Sponsors, the festival focuses on storytelling that matters, original ideas, and powerful voices.
"Like the Academy Awards for AI Films" -Gerardo Escudero Samara
These are Tomorrow's Filmmakers.
This is the home of the incredible creative community of cutting-edge AI Filmmakers as well as Filmmakers concerned about our collective Future with AI.
The original independent AI Film Festival is now held in Hollywood, California — and explores AI's revolutionary effects, promises, and dangers, in respect to both Cinema and Society. See aifilmfest.org.
Now celebrated monthly due to the rapid pace of AI advancement, this truly independent, non-profit 501(c)(3) festival now receives about 100 submissions each month.
The festival uniquely showcases AI Films, Hybrid AI Films, Live-Action, Documentary, and Animated Films which either:
A. Use AI Tools to Point the Way to the Future of Storytelling and Filmmaking
OR
B. Explore the Impact AI will have on Society - positive or negative
Your film will be evaluated according to all the typical criteria of normal cinema - similarly to the academy awards. Most submitters choose between 2 and 4 categories, see Awards & Prizes as well as Categories & Fees sections below.
The festival also stands out for its interactive format, where the winning filmmakers watch and discuss each-others films together with the audience as each film screens.
Get tickets for the next festival in Hollywood June 22 2025 at bit.ly/aifilmfestshorts. The festival includes screenings, award show, filmmaker discussions, audience choice awards, AI Expert Panel, and After-Party
Winning filmmakers form lasting network relationships through membership in the Winners Circle program, which includes access to free software, chat forums, networking events, and free festival tickets in addition to supporting our mission.
See the most recent selections at aifilmfest.org/selected-films.
See all the winners listed at aifilmfest.org/winners.
Also go to aifilmfest.org/ai-expert-panels for key takeaways from the AI Expert Panel discussions, which include cutting-edge international filmmakers, AI experts, professors, actors, screenwriters, and industry insiders . Topics include tips on AI video software, as well as in-depth discussions about AI, the film industry, and AI's influence on society.
"The format is super engaging, it allows for discussions between the filmmakers and the audience after each film is screened,” remarks Arthur Machado, Brazilian director of the Italian-language film Modello Linguistico Divino from New Zealand, "I got huge value out of it by connecting with extremely talented and creative filmmakers from all around the world, and getting real-time feedback from the artists and the audience."
“We had cutting-edge AI filmmakers from all over the world on Zoom discussing the tools they used and their motivations,” says attendee Ron Maggi, “The interaction between these filmmakers alone was worth the price of admission, but even the films themselves are really amazing."
Our festival strongly supports the rights and fair treatment of content creators and talent regarding compensation and intellectual property, everywhere in the process of acting, screenwriting, animation, directing, production, and all other activities involved in film making.
We encourage open discussion regarding the utilization of AI tools and how that affects people in the industry. We honor independent and student filmmakers from very diverse communities worldwide.
The festival seeks narrative, animated, or documentary films which focus on both risks and benefits of AI as well as films making extensive use of AI tools. How will AI affect our lives now and in the future? How will AI affect filmmaking, industry employment, and talent? Are there unintended consequences? What are the benefits of AI? Might AI become super-intelligent and take over? We welcome films treating AI robots/humanoids, AI surveillance, biotechnology, AI warfare, deep fakes, privacy concerns, job market shifts, social media issues, AI singularity, etc.
In association with The AI Project, AI International Film Festival seeks to educate the public and increase awareness about how AI might change the world - both benefits and drawbacks.
Our team, consisting of experts and educators in film, behavioral sciences and AI, strongly supports education and participation of creatives and students in defining and exploring our AI future.
We look forward to viewing your submissions. Good Luck!!
MONTHLY COMPETITION (50 Categories)
BI-ANNUAL LIVE SCREENING EVENTS selected from previous months of submissions
Best Picture (feature film or short film, any genre)
Best AI Film (feature film or short film, any genre)
Best AI Feature Film
Best AI Short Film
Best Music Video
Best Web/TV Series (also pilot)
Best Live-Action/Hybrid AI Short Film (Live Action, Hybrid AI - Academy Award recognized Category)
Best Documentary Short Film (Live Action, Hybrid AI, or AI - Academy Award recognized Category)
Best Animated Short Film (Academy Award recognized Category)
Best Film showing AI Universal Surveillance (feature film or short film, any genre)
Best Film showing AI Warfare (feature film or short film, any genre)
Best Film showing AI Singularity or AI Superintelligence (feature film or short film, any genre)
Best Hybrid AI Film (feature film or short film, any genre)
Best Hybrid AI Feature
Best Hybrid AI Short
Best Narrative Feature (Live Action, Hybrid AI, or AI)
Best Documentary Feature (Live Action, Hybrid AI, or AI)
Best Narrative Short (Live Action, Hybrid AI, or AI)
Best Student Narrative Film (Live Action, Hybrid AI, or AI)
Best Student Documentary Film (Live Action, Hybrid AI, or AI)
Best Short Director
Best Feature Director
Best Student Director
Best Animated Feature
Best Student Animated Film
Best Game Video
Best Horror
Best Comedy
Best Art Direction
Best Experimental
Best Production
Best Cinematography
Best Editing
Best International Feature
Best International Short
Best Original Song
Best Sound
Best Costume Design
Best Story
Best Student Story
Best Thriller
Best Original Musical
Best Comical Short
Best Actress
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Original Score
Honorable Mentions
TROPHY and CERTIFICATE
All winners receive a free certificate (pdf/jpg files) and Laurels (png).
Winners may order the official AI International FIlm Festival trophy for themselves and their team at a cost of $100 plus shipping.