Astana AI Film Festival Launches $1M Competition for AI-Generated Shorts

The first-ever Astana AI Film Festival has launched its international competition, inviting filmmakers to submit AI-generated short films. Organisers are offering a prize fund of $1 million, with submissions open to anyone, regardless of age or experience.

The festival aims to showcase creativity powered by artificial intelligence, requiring all entries to use 'full AI' as their main production tool. Applications opened this week for the inaugural event, which features two competition sections. The first, The Future Worth Living In, focuses on forward-looking themes, while the second remains open to any topic. Each film must run no longer than 10 minutes and include a written project description.

A panel of festival organisers and international experts will review all entries and shortlist 25 projects. An international jury will then select the final winners. The submission deadline is August 15, with screenings and the awards ceremony taking place from September 28 to October 1 in Astana.

Beyond the competition, the festival will host an AI content conference, panel discussions, and pitching sessions. Participation remains free for individuals and teams alike, encouraging broad involvement from both newcomers and seasoned creators. The festival will announce its winners during the awards ceremony in early October. Shortlisted filmmakers will have their work screened in Astana, with the top projects sharing the $1 million prize fund. The event highlights the growing role of AI in filmmaking while offering a platform for innovative storytelling.