Astana AI Film Festival
A space for new authorship in cinema.
An international festival dedicated to films created with AI, held in Astana.
A combined fund of one million US dollars across the Thematic and Open competitions — the largest prize pool ever dedicated to AI-native cinema.
01 / Festival Process / Timeline
AAIFF 2026 takes place from 25.05.2026 to 15.08.2026. All submissions undergo a curated selection process by an independent international jury.
Open call goes live. Filmmakers, artists, and studios are invited to register their work.
Final deadline. All entries undergo technical review and eligibility check.
An international commission reviews entries and determines the Official Selection.
Selected films are announced publicly. Press and industry access begins.
Opening night in Astana. Screenings, discussions, and the festival programme begin.
Festival awards are presented to selected films.
02 / Competition
Films may be submitted to both competitions.
The Open Competition accepts films of any theme, including previously completed works and films that have already participated in other festivals or competitions.
The Thematic Competition is reserved for films created within the festival eligibility period and developed in response to the annual theme:
“The Future Worth Living In”
Each submission must be registered separately.
$1,000,000
Films created in response to the annual theme: The Future Worth Living In.
Awarded to the strongest film in the main competition.
Awarded for outstanding artistic achievement.
Awarded for originality and cinematic voice.
Open to films of any theme or approach. Works that have been shown or submitted elsewhere may also be considered.
Awarded for the creation of a memorable and compelling character, regardless of form or origin.
Awarded for outstanding cinematic direction, pacing, and control of the film as a whole.
Awarded for a distinctive and cohesive visual language, atmosphere, and style.
Awarded for strong storytelling, narrative structure, and emotional impact.
Awarded for an original, thought-provoking, or visionary idea.
Both competitions accept films with a duration of 3 minutes or longer.
Works submitted to the Thematic Competition must be created within the festival eligibility period and developed in response to the annual theme: The Future Worth Living In.
02.5 / Rules
All submissions must meet the following requirements.
Films uploaded to YouTube must include the hashtag #SpecialForAAIFF in the video description — entries without it will not be considered.
Films may be submitted in any language. English subtitles must be included directly in the video.
Works must be applied and registered between 25.05.26 and 15.08.26.
Generative AI must be integral to creation — not only VFX or upscaling.
All contributors credited; model(s) and pipeline disclosed on submission.
03 / Submission
Submissions are open. Three steps from finished film to AAIFF 2026 Official Selection — no packets, no back-channels. One link (YouTube or Google Drive) and the work.
Either YouTube (public or unlisted) or a Google Drive file with view-access for anyone with the link. Upload in at least 1080p and keep the original title and credits with the file. YouTube uploads must include the hashtag #SpecialForAAIFF in the description — entries without it will not be considered.
Choose the source — YouTube or Google Drive — and drop the link in. We'll record which one you used.
Two sections — Main (thematic) and Open. Choose the one that best fits; curators may re-route entries across sections at their discretion.
04 / Jury
Our jury — directors, curators, technologists and critics — will be revealed closer to the festival.
Jury announcement
The full jury lineup will be published before submissions close. Follow the festival to be notified when names are announced.
05 / Events & Mission
AAIFF is a festival, a community, and a distribution channel for AI-native cinema — built around the people making the films, not only the films themselves.
Curated competition, real jury, and a public stage for the year's strongest AI-native cinema.
A space where filmmakers share work-in-progress, find collaborators, and stay in contact between editions.
We bring the strongest entries in front of producers, platforms and investors — so the right films get noticed and funded after the festival ends.
05.1 / Programme
An evening built around the people behind the films. Authors of the strongest entries are invited in person, the jury sits in the room, and the nominations are read out live — not announced after the fact, but felt together.
Industry guests, mentors and selected filmmakers share the same space. Open conversations, screenings, and informal meetings — the festival as a meeting point for everyone making AI cinema, not a one-night ceremony.
06 / FAQ
Quick answers about submitting, eligibility, and the festival timeline. For anything else — drop us a line at desk@aaiff.ai.
There is no cap — you can submit as many films as you like. Every entry has to be registered separately through the submission form.
Films may be submitted to both sections of the festival. The Open Competition accepts films of any theme, including previously completed works and films that have already participated in other festivals or competitions. The Thematic Competition is reserved for films created within the festival eligibility period and developed in response to the annual theme: The Future Worth Living In. Each entry must be submitted separately during registration.
Submissions will be open from 25.05.2026 through 15.08.2026. The form will be available on this site for the entire window.
Either YouTube (public or unlisted) or Google Drive (with view-access for anyone with the link). The submission form lets you choose which one, then paste the link.
No. Submissions to AAIFF 2026 are free for everyone.
Both. The festival is open to individuals, studios, and collaborative teams — just credit every contributor and disclose the AI pipeline you used.