Qld AI Festival celebrates local, Australian & Global AI talent! A physical festival to engage the general public as well as to bring the local & global industry together to collaborate and educate.

Before Qld AI Festival 2026 even begins we'll be showcasing selected submissions leading up to the event.

Qld AI Festival 2026 will open in Brisbane, Australia, on 28 May 2026, with an awards event taking place on the evening of 29 May. Selected content will form the foundation of the festival program and featured presentations.

Events will be held across multiple venues on 28–29 May, with the primary venue on 29 May being Capri by Fraser, Brisbane. The day events for the 28th May will be at Ovolo Brisbane.

We will be using public screens as well as private venues to showcase your work!

As always we welcome local, Australian and international entries.

Awards & Prizes

Winners will be announced 29th May 2026 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia and they will receive a beautiful crystal trophy!
If you're unable to accept your trophy in-person we will send it to you.
The content submitted for the awards will become the basis of the content for the Qld AI Festival.

Award Categories:
Best in AI Animation
Best in AI Art
Best AI Campaign/Commercial
Best AI Influencer
Best in AI Music / Music Videos
Best AI Social Media Content
Best use of AI in Gaming
Best in AI Short Films

Special awards:
Best in Australia - Best Australian produced project (across all categories)
Best in the World - International produced projects (across all categories)
Rising Star - The best emerging talent (across all categories)

Special awards will be judged from the submissions in the regular award categories, so your entry may qualify for one or more special awards entries.

Rules & Terms

If the festival is postponed or canceled your submission will be considered for the next edition of the festival. Some of the events are weather dependent. Event details including venues, dates and times are subject to change.
By submitting your work you are granting us permission to use your work on platforms associated with the Qld AI Festival (e.g. Qld AI Festival website, Mobile App, VR app, AR experiences, platforms, applications, social media etc.) as well as Qld AI Festival events. The festival has the right to use the publicity material (press, books, posters, stills etc.) from selected submissions to promote the festival as well edit your work for a variety of reasons (type of audience, reduce run time etc.).
Qld AI Festival is open to content of under 3 hours (although Games can last longer) and all genres and warmly welcomes all accepted creatives to attend. Except for content entered out of competition all content must not have screened before January 2020.
We strongly encourage electronic submission via FilmFreeway however if there is a physical element please email us at hello@QldAIFestival.com to discuss.
Judging
Judging of your submission can take place at any time after your submission has been made, so make sure your submission is ready as we may judge it straight away.
Information for creator:
Selected content creators will receive 2 tickets to their content screening. Further tickets for content creators will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis.
Except those out of the competition, all content selected for Qld AI Festival is in the running to be selected as nominees for awards in their appropriate categories as well as others such as Best Australian or Internationally produced AI.
Nominations will be announced before the festival opens 28th May 2026
More information is available at www.QldAIFestival.com if you have any specific queries about entry or terms and conditions, please email us at hello@QldAIFestival.com

3 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Michael Ferrara

    I want to sincerely thank QLD AI Festival for recognizing THE BELL as a finalist.

    This is not an easy or comfortable story. THE BELL is a harsh WWII psychological horror film about moral injury, fear, racism, guilt, and the violence men carry with them before the monster ever appears. It is not meant to be a technology demo or a soft showcase of AI visuals. It is a story-first horror project using AI-assisted tools to reach an emotional and cinematic place I could not have reached alone as an independent filmmaker.

    That is why this recognition means a lot. QLD AI Festival took a chance on a difficult piece of work and highlighted it at a time when many AI film spaces seem more focused on visual novelty than story, tone, or emotional weight.

    I’m grateful that the festival saw the intention behind the film and gave THE BELL a place among its finalists. For a project this dark, personal, and morally uncomfortable, that kind of recognition matters.

    June 2026
    Helpful
  • daqian wu

    I'm delighted to have won this award; the organizers were excellent.

    June 2026
    Helpful
  • philippe verichoux

    A wonderful festival dedicated to the future of filmmaking and AI creativity. The team was professional, responsive, and supportive throughout the entire process. Communication was excellent, and filmmakers are treated with genuine respect and enthusiasm.

    It was an honor to have my work screened at this festival. I highly recommend the Queensland AI Film Festival to any filmmaker exploring AI, innovation, and artistic storytelling.

    Thank you for creating such a positive and inspiring platform for independent creators.

    Philippe Verichoux – Phil-Stories

    June 2026
    Helpful