Entry rules: latest deadline
The rules of 23 of the 25 festivals cover the latest deadline. The reading met most often is “Closed on the reading day”, for 15. The table sets every festival's reading beside the words of its rules. As of 2026-09-25.
| Festival | Reading | In the rules |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Billion AI Film Award | Closed on the reading day | Submissions closed December 5, 2025 |
| Academy Awards | Closed on the reading day | First submission deadline for the short film categories August 13, 2026 |
| African AI Film Festival | Open on the reading day | Regular deadline September 30, 2026; late deadline October 20, 2026 |
| AI Cinema Festival NYC | Open on the reading day | Submission deadline June 20, 2027 |
| AI Film Festival Japan | None in the rules read | None in the rules read (2026-09-25) |
| AI for Good Film Festival | Open on the reading day | Submission deadline May 1, 2027 |
| AI International Film Festival | Monthly deadlines | Monthly editions; the next regular deadline was September 22 |
| AI Shortest Film Competition | Closed on the reading day | Submissions closed July 5, 2026 |
| Artefact AI Film Festival | Open on the reading day | Submissions open September 2 to December 2, 2026 |
| Astana AI Film Festival | Closed on the reading day | Submissions closed September 7, 2026, with 8,067 films entered |
| Bochnia International AI Film Festival | Closed on the reading day | The extended deadline, August 27, 2026, had passed |
| Chroma Awards | Closed on the reading day | Season 2 submissions ran September 1 to November 19, 2025 |
| Cinema Shift Festival | None in the rules read | None in the rules read (2026-09-25) |
| Higgsfield Global Film Festival | Closed on the reading day | Final submission deadline September 16, 2026 |
| Human vs. AI Film Festival | Closed on the reading day | The 2027 submission portal is not yet open |
| K-Culture AI International Film Festival | Opening after the reading day | Entries for the 2027 edition open October 1, 2026, with a final deadline of April 10, 2027 |
| LifeArt AI Film Festival | Closed on the reading day | Regular deadline August 1, late deadline September 1, 2026 |
| Project Odyssey | Closed on the reading day | Season 2 deadline January 19, 2025; Season 3 announced as coming soon |
| Reply AI Film Festival | Closed on the reading day | Submissions closed June 2, 2026, after an extension |
| Runway AI Festival | Closed on the reading day | Entries closed April 27, 2026 |
| Runway Gen:48 | Closed on the reading day | The 48-hour window ran August 23 to 25, 2025 |
| Sundance Film Festival | Closed on the reading day | Late deadline for short films August 31, 2026 |
| Turkey International AI Film Festival | Open on the reading day | Applications June 25 to November 1, 2026, through FilmFreeway |
| World AI Film Festival | Closed on the reading day | Submissions closed for the 2026 edition |
| World AI Film Festival USA | Open on the reading day | Regular deadline November 30, 2026; late deadline January 20, 2027 |
Inclusion rule. All 25 festivals on the register. Order. Alphabetical by festival name.
1About this rule
This rule records the latest deadline in the rules read and whether it had passed on the reading day. 6 were open, 15 closed, and 1 run monthly deadlines.
A closed deadline is still useful: annual festivals tend to repeat their timetable, and last year's dates are a fair first guess for the next edition. The calendar lists every date in order.
2Readings and their festivals
- Open on the reading day: African AI Film Festival, AI Cinema Festival NYC, AI for Good Film Festival, Artefact AI Film Festival, Turkey International AI Film Festival and World AI Film Festival USA
- Closed on the reading day: 1 Billion AI Film Award, Academy Awards, AI Shortest Film Competition, Astana AI Film Festival, Bochnia International AI Film Festival, Chroma Awards, Higgsfield Global Film Festival, Human vs. AI Film Festival, LifeArt AI Film Festival, Project Odyssey, Reply AI Film Festival, Runway AI Festival, Runway Gen:48, Sundance Film Festival and World AI Film Festival
- Monthly deadlines: AI International Film Festival
- Opening after the reading day: K-Culture AI International Film Festival
- None in the rules read: AI Film Festival Japan and Cinema Shift Festival
3Festivals with a detailed reading
- Academy Awards — First submission deadline for the short film categories August 13, 2026
- African AI Film Festival — Regular deadline September 30, 2026; late deadline October 20, 2026
- Chroma Awards — Season 2 submissions ran September 1 to November 19, 2025
- LifeArt AI Film Festival — Regular deadline August 1, late deadline September 1, 2026
- Project Odyssey — Season 2 deadline January 19, 2025; Season 3 announced as coming soon
- Reply AI Film Festival — Submissions closed June 2, 2026, after an extension
- Runway AI Festival — Entries closed April 27, 2026
- Runway Gen:48 — The 48-hour window ran August 23 to 25, 2025
- Sundance Film Festival — Late deadline for short films August 31, 2026
- Turkey International AI Film Festival — Applications June 25 to November 1, 2026, through FilmFreeway
4The other rules
What the rules ask of AI · Saying which tools were used · Running time allowed · Cost of entry · Where winners are shown · What the entrant keeps or grants · Prizes
5The making side of an entry
For an entrant reading “Deadline”, 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)
The longest an episode may run: 240 seconds for Short Drama, 300 for TV Series, none for Film.
SceneMixer, Short Drama, TV Series or Film — “What is the episode cap?” (read 2026-10-13)