Entry rules: what the rules ask of AI

The rules of 24 of the 25 festivals cover what the rules ask of AI use. The reading met most often is “Any AI use counts”, for 6. The table sets every festival's reading beside the words of its rules. As of 2026-09-25.

Inclusion rule. All 25 festivals on the register. Order. Alphabetical by festival name.

1About this rule

This rule records what a festival asks of AI in a film. The readings run from 6 that ask only that AI be part of the process, through 3 that want it used in a significant way and 4 with a set minimum, to 4 that want the film made on a single platform, 1 asking for generative video, 1 with a wholly AI-made track, 3 built on human authorship and 1 with no limit at all.

This is the rule that decides eligibility first. A film finished with conventional footage and a few generated shots fits a festival that asks for any AI use, but not one that asks for AI in every phase of production or for a film made on one platform.

2Readings and their festivals

• Generative video required: Runway AI Festival
• Any AI use counts: African AI Film Festival, AI Film Festival Japan, AI for Good Film Festival, K-Culture AI International Film Festival, LifeArt AI Film Festival and Reply AI Film Festival
• AI used in a significant way: AI Cinema Festival NYC, Chroma Awards and Project Odyssey
• A set minimum of AI use: Artefact AI Film Festival, Astana AI Film Festival, Bochnia International AI Film Festival and World AI Film Festival
• Made on one platform: 1 Billion AI Film Award, AI Shortest Film Competition, Higgsfield Global Film Festival and Runway Gen:48
• A wholly AI-made track: Human vs. AI Film Festival
• Human authorship rules: Academy Awards, Cinema Shift Festival and World AI Film Festival USA
• AI allowed without limits: Sundance Film Festival
• AI used through the whole production: Turkey International AI Film Festival
• None in the rules read: AI International Film Festival

3Festivals with a detailed reading

• Academy Awards — Screenplays must be human-authored; acting roles must be performed by humans with consent
• AI Film Festival Japan — A festival for works made with generative AI, in narrative, experimental, animation and music-score categories
• AI Shortest Film Competition — The clip must be created with LTX; editing allowed via XML export
• Artefact AI Film Festival — At least one generative AI tool in each of pre-production, production and post-production
• Astana AI Film Festival — Generative AI must be integral, not only effects or upscaling
• Bochnia International AI Film Festival — At least half the picture or sound made or reworked with AI, using at least two AI tools
• Cinema Shift Festival — AI as a creative tool, with storytelling and authorship led by people
• Higgsfield Global Film Festival — Films made entirely within the Higgsfield ecosystem
• K-Culture AI International Film Festival — Narrative, documentary, animation, experimental, music video and commercial works made with AI
• LifeArt AI Film Festival — AI-generated films, animation, advertising and post-production
• Project Odyssey — At least one generative AI tool used in a significant way
• Reply AI Film Festival — AI must be part of the creative process, not necessarily generative AI
• Runway AI Festival — The film must include generative video
• Runway Gen:48 — At least 75% of the film generated with Runway's video tools
• Sundance Film Festival — No restrictions on the use of AI
• Turkey International AI Film Festival — Generative AI used throughout the production
• World AI Film Festival — At least three generative AI tools, one of them for images; hybrid live action welcome
• World AI Film Festival USA — A named director takes authorial responsibility; AI is treated as a tool

4The other rules

Saying which tools were used · Running time allowed · Cost of entry · Latest deadline · Where winners are shown · What the entrant keeps or grants · Prizes

5Producing the entry with AI

For an entrant reading “AI use”, this is what SceneMixer publishes about the film its pipeline hands over:

An AI short drama is a serialized show of 60–120 second vertical episodes whose cast, sets and footage are generated by AI. Making one takes six steps: analyze the script into episodes, lock a consistent cast with reference art, localize for your market, write and edit storyboards, generate each 4–15 second shot, then composite and publish.

SceneMixer, How to Make an AI Short Drama, Step by Step (read 2026-10-13)

You own the output — download finished episodes and publish to TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, or short-drama platforms.

SceneMixer, The AI Micro Drama Production Pipeline — “Where can I publish the episodes?” (read 2026-10-13)