AI Film Awards by KM Universe · Guide

How to win the AI Film Awards.One franchise, many cities, 100% AI.

AI Film Awards is a travelling series by KM Universe: Cannes, Venice, Dubai, Paris, Bali, Brasil, Las Vegas, India. Its next two editions, Bali and São Paulo, run together on 6 to 8 November 2026, and the films must be generated entirely with AI. Dates moved since the summer, so this guide shows the latest and the earlier ones.
Start writing for freeSee the scene
  • Bali and São Paulo, 6 to 8 November 2026
  • Films 100% AI-generated
  • Deadline listed 20 October 2026
Lost Garden · Episode 2

Independent guide. ScreenWeaver does not organise the AI Film Awards and is not affiliated with KM Universe. Rules read on 1 October 2026, in part through secondary sources: see the note under the fact sheet. AI Film Awards official site

Available today in ScreenWeaver: free screenwriting, and a storyboard generated from your screenplay with Storyboard Beta, $9.99 a month.

Rolling out: video generation of each shot, powered by Seedance, with the Filmmaker plan.

The rules on one card

What the AI Film Awards ask.

There is no single AI Film Awards rulebook. Each city has its own FilmFreeway page, and the facts below mix the official site, the Brasil press and platform listings. We flag which is which.
Organiser
KM Universe, series launched in Cannes in May 2024
Next editions
Bali and São Paulo together, 6 to 8 November 2026
Deadline
20 October 2026 on FilmFreeway listings, not read directly
AI rule
100% generated with AI (Brasil rule, Bali listing)
Bali formats
Short 0 to 5 min, long 5 to 90 min, clip 0 to 5 min, documentary under 60 min
Fee
Bali $30, or $25 for Gold members; free for Brazilians in Brasil
Brasil categories
Short, feature, animation, documentary, music video, advertising, commercial, vertical
Jury and criteria
None published

Sources: filmawards.ai (home, About us and edition pages, read on 1 October 2026), the Tela Viva and Papo de Cinema articles of July 2026 on the Brasil edition, and the FilmFreeway listings as shown in search results. FilmFreeway blocked direct reading, so its deadlines, fees and durations are not confirmed on the page itself. The July press gave Brasil a 9 September deadline and a 24 to 26 September event.

Key dates

The dates moved. Use the latest.

The Brasil edition was first announced for September. The official site now presents Bali and São Paulo as <b>two simultaneous editions in November</b>. Confirm every date on the live submission page.

  1. 21 Jul 2026

    Brasil call announced

    Tela Viva reports the first Brazilian edition, with a deadline of 9 September and the event on 24 to 26 September.

  2. Autumn 2026

    The dates change

    The official site shows the two editions together on 6 to 8 November, and the FilmFreeway listings show a later deadline.

  3. 20 Oct 2026

    Deadline on FilmFreeway

    Listed for both Bali and Brasil. We could not open the pages, so confirm it there.

  4. 21 to 24 Oct 2026

    Notifications

    Listed as 21 October for Bali and 24 October for Brasil.

  5. 6 to 8 Nov 2026

    Bali and São Paulo

    Screenings, awards, masterclasses and panels in two cities at once. The São Paulo venue is Itaú Cultural.

Who is behind it

An organiser, a team and no named jury.

The AI Film Awards publish who runs the events, not who judges them. That is worth knowing before you invest in a long film.

  • KM Universe

    An AI-driven film company is the organiser behind every edition. It says the series began in Cannes in May 2024.

  • The Brasil team

    Vitória Mantovani directs the Brazilian edition, with executive production by Carol Guimarães, Didi Paulini and Sérgio Sá Leitão, according to Papo de Cinema.

  • No jury published

    Neither filmawards.ai nor the press we read names a jury or judging criteria. Do not assume a grid: ask the organisers before you commit to a long film.

Categories

Six formats, from five minutes to ninety.

Categories vary by city. These six come from the Bali listing and the Brasil call, and each comes with the angle we would take.

  • 01

    AI Short Film

    Bali listing: 0 to 5 minutes, generated entirely with AI.

    The fast lane. Four minutes and one idea are easy to place in a crowded programme.

  • 02

    AI Long Film

    Bali listing: 5 to 90 minutes.

    Room for a story with an arc. A 20 minute episode fits well inside it.

  • 03

    AI Video Clip

    Music videos of up to 5 minutes in Bali, and a Best Video Clip award on the winners’ page.

    A song, a look and a repeating motif. The storyboard is the whole plan.

  • 04

    AI Documentary

    Under 60 minutes in the Bali listing, and a documentary category in Brasil.

    A true subject told with generated images needs a clear label. Say on screen what is reconstructed.

  • 05

    AI Advertising

    The AI Film and Ads Awards include Best Advertising, with a winner at Bali in 2025.

    A brand film of 30 seconds to two minutes. Make the product the character and keep its logo exact.

  • 06

    Vertical and mobile

    The Brasil call accepts vertical format and names mobile productions among its special recognitions.

    A short drama in 9:16 fits. Frame it for the phone from the first storyboard panel, not as a crop of a wide shot.

Track record

How the series grew.

The first edition took place in Cannes in May 2024, with more than 200 guests and six films honoured. The organisers then added Venice, Dubai and Marrakesh in 2024, and Paris, Cannes and Bali in 2025.

  1. 01

    It is a series of events, not one festival. Each city has its own FilmFreeway page, deadline and fee.

  2. 02

    The Cannes edition has no tie to the Cannes Film Festival. The organisers say the word names a place only. A winner’s credit reads “AI Film Awards, Cannes”, never “selected at Cannes”.

  3. 03

    Winners are named by category and city. The home page shows Best Video Clip Cannes 2026, Best AI Animation Cannes 2026, Special Recognition Venice 2026 and Best Advertising Bali 2025. The third Cannes edition was on 21 May 2026.

  4. 04

    Other cities are listed as coming soon. The home page marks Venice, Las Vegas, Seoul, Cannes and Mumbai as “Soon”, while Bali is open. A listing places an India edition in Mumbai on 31 May 2026.

A series scene

Lost Garden: six shots from a 21 minute episode.

Bali’s long category runs from 5 to 90 minutes, and the Brasil call welcomes animation. This is a scene from Lost Garden, episode 2, an animated fantasy made by the ScreenWeaver team: the screenplay page, then each shot as a storyboard frame and as the final image.

Logline. A newborn knight whose inner light is leaking away crosses a world that has stopped hoping, to find the one blacksmith who can seal his armor.

Screenplay · episode 2 · page 1

INT. UNDERGROUND CAVERN - LOWER PATH - CONTINUOUS

Blue mushrooms the size of houses. LANTERN, a small knight with a lantern for a helm, walks alone.

He presses a hand to his chest. Sparks of light slip between his fingers.

SERRURE

Hold on. You're losing something.

Serrure lifts the edge of the cloak. A gash in the armor. Blue light leaks out like smoke.

SERRURE

That's your energy. What keeps you standing.

He grips Lantern's shoulder. Two knights alone among the crystals.

SERRURE

A suit that leaks goes out. Eventually.

Under the giant mushrooms, the road climbs into the dark.

SERRURE

So. We follow the road.

Serrure points the way. Lantern follows.

CUT TO:

  1. A small knight with a lantern helm stands by a giant glowing blue mushroom in a crystal cavern
    Storyboard frame of the same wide shot, in grey
    01

    Wide · the world

    Wide shot, Lantern alone by a giant glowing blue mushroom, crystal cavern, roots, drifting spores, cold blue light

  2. Close-up of an armored chest under a cream cloak, a gloved hand, a spark of light
    Storyboard frame of the chest close-up, in grey
    02

    Close-up · the chest

    Close-up on Lantern's chest, his gloved hand pressed to the cloak, a spark of light escaping between the fingers

  3. A torn gash in an armor plate leaking bright blue light, a finger pointing at it
    Storyboard frame of the wound insert, in grey
    03

    Insert · the wound

    Extreme close-up, Serrure's finger near a torn gash in the back plate, blue light leaking out like luminous smoke

  4. Two armored knights side by side, one with a hand on the other's shoulder, in a crystal cavern
    Storyboard frame of the two-shot, in grey
    04

    Two-shot · the bond

    Medium two-shot among crystals and roots, Serrure's hand on Lantern's shoulder, faceless armors, emotion through posture only

  5. Two small knights walk beneath two giant glowing blue mushrooms
    Storyboard frame of the wide shot, in grey
    05

    Wide · the scale

    Wide low angle, the two knights tiny beneath two giant glowing mushrooms, blue crystals in the foreground, mist

  6. Seen from behind, a tall dark knight points ahead while the small lantern knight looks on
    Storyboard frame of the over-the-shoulder shot, in grey
    06

    Over the shoulder · the road

    Over-the-shoulder from behind, Serrure points ahead into the cavern, Lantern beside him, roots framing the path

Lost Garden, episode 2 runs 21 minutes, well inside the 5 to 90 minute long category listed for Bali. Its first episode reached the finals of the AI London Festival. Whatever you submit, check the 100% generated rule against every shot and every sound. The player starts on this scene when you press play.

The script

A 4 minute AI short in four movements.

Bali’s short category runs from 0 to 5 minutes, in a programme of many films. Aim for a film that reads in its first ten seconds: 4 minutes, 4 screenplay pages and 40 to 50 shots of 4 to 6 seconds.

  1. 0:00 to 0:10

    A frame the thumbnail can carry

    Screens and social posts both start from one frame. Make it a frame worth a click.

  2. 0:10 to 1:00

    Who, where, what they want

    One character, one place, one desire. Cut every other name.

  3. 1:00 to 3:30

    Three attempts

    The hero tries three times, and each attempt fails differently. Generated shots reward variations on one idea.

  4. 3:30 to 4:00

    The punchline

    A last image that changes the meaning of the first, then out.

The Brasil call accepts vertical productions in any format and duration. Frame a vertical film for 9:16 from the first storyboard panel.

Day by day

From now to 20 October.

The listed deadline is 20 October, nineteen days away, and the events are on 6 to 8 November. This plan aims at that deadline with a short. If it passes, the same film can go to the next edition.
  1. 01

    1 to 3 October

    Confirm the dates

    Open the FilmFreeway page for Bali or Brasil and read the live deadline, fee and rules. The official site and the July press disagree on dates.

  2. 02

    4 to 8 October

    Screenplay

    Four pages in the free ScreenWeaver editor. One character, one place, three attempts.

  3. 03

    9 to 11 October

    Storyboard

    Storyboard forty shots with framing and movement set for each, and fix the character reference.

  4. 04

    12 to 17 October

    Footage

    ScreenWeaver video generation is rolling out, so footage for this deadline may come from another generator, with your screenplay and storyboard unchanged. The film must be 100% AI-generated, so keep a log.

  5. 05

    18 to 19 October

    Edit and sound

    Cut, add music and effects, and export a clean file.

  6. 06

    20 October

    Submit

    Submit on FilmFreeway and keep the confirmation. Do not leave it to the last hour.

Ways to lose the entry

Seven things to verify first.

A franchise with many pages creates confusion. Check each point on the live page of the edition you mean.

  • Mixing up the editions

    Bali, Brasil, Cannes, Las Vegas and India have separate FilmFreeway pages, deadlines and fees. Submit to the one you mean.

  • Trusting the July dates

    Press in July gave Brasil a 9 September deadline and a 24 to 26 September event. The official site now shows 6 to 8 November. Use the live page.

  • Claiming a Cannes selection

    The organisers state the event is independent of the Cannes Film Festival and the Marché du Film. Write “AI Film Awards in Cannes”, never “selected at Cannes”.

  • A film that is not 100% AI

    The Brasil rule and the Bali listing ask for films generated entirely with AI. Ask the organisers whether a recorded voice, live footage or licensed music counts against you.

  • The wrong length category

    Bali’s listing splits films at 5 minutes, and documentaries sit under 60. A 6 minute film belongs in the long category, not the short one.

  • Joining a membership to submit

    The AI Film Pro membership promises unlimited free submissions and discounts on gala tickets. It is optional. Check the price before you join, and compare it with a $30 entry.

  • Gala tickets and travel

    Gala dinners and VIP access are ticketed, with a 30 percent member discount. We found no mention of travel support, so budget the trip yourself.

Why ScreenWeaver

A 100% AI rule needs a project that can show its work.

The AI Film Awards ask for films generated entirely with AI. ScreenWeaver keeps the whole chain, from the first page to each shot, in one connected project.

  • Proof of what was generated

    Each shot sits beside its prompt and its references, so you can show how the film was made if an organiser asks.

  • Formats from 9:16 to wide

    ScreenWeaver handles films, series, short dramas in 9:16, commercials and music videos, which matches the categories the Brasil call lists.

  • Characters that last

    Characters and locations carry from shot to shot. That matters in a five minute short and in a ninety minute film alike.

  • Free to start

    Write on the free Screenwriter plan, which never expires. Storyboard Beta costs $9.99 a month, and Seedance video generation comes with the Filmmaker plan as it rolls out.

Real productions

International festival-recognized films have been written and produced with ScreenWeaver.

ScreenWeaver is already being used as a creative workspace for real AI film productions, from cinematic shorts to animated series pilots selected, nominated, and awarded by international festivals.

  • Video thumbnail for VOIDBORN

    VOIDBORN

    AI animated / cinematic short

    Festival recognition

    • 1st Place Silver

      Mondial Chroma Awards

    • 2nd Place Dreamina

      Mondial Chroma Awards

    • Award Winner

      Seoul International AI Film Festival

  • Video thumbnail for Les Fils du Vinnana

    Les Fils du Vinnana

    AI short film

    Festival recognition

    • Honorable Mention

      Top Quark Film Festival

    • People's Choice Nominee

      Illuminate Oneness of Humanity

    • Nominee

      ALTFF Supershort

  • Video thumbnail for Lost Garden

    Lost Garden

    AI animated series pilot

    Festival recognition

    • Finalist

      AI London Festival

See what creators are building

The pipeline

Write. Board. Produce.

  1. ScreenWeaver screenplay editor: acts, sequences and beats above the formatted script of The Yellow Umbrella

    01The screenplay, enriched

    An industry-standard screenplay editor, and more: a visual outline and beat editor, your writing inspirations (notes, photos, audio) kept next to the page, and an AI researcher to support your writing, not replace it.

  2. ScreenWeaver storyboard: shot S3 of The Yellow Umbrella with characters, shot settings and the script beside it

    02The storyboard, made easy

    Shot breakdown generated from your screenplay, manual control over every shot (frame, angle, movement, duration), and generative AI previsualization in one click.

  3. ScreenWeaver production canvas: shots S3 and S4 as connected nodes carrying their storyboard panels and prompts

    03AI production, with finesse

    Footage generation pipelines connected to your screenplay and storyboard. Optimized out of the box, fully editable workflow.

More AI film festivals

Guides for other festivals

Go further

Guides for AI film awards

FAQ

AI Film Awards, your questions

How do you win the AI Film Awards?
Enter the edition that fits your film with a short or long film generated entirely with AI, and win its category. No jury or criteria are published, so a clear idea, clean craft and finished sound are what you control.
Which editions exist?
KM Universe runs the series in Cannes, Venice, Dubai, Marrakesh, Paris, Bali, Brasil, Las Vegas and India, with Seoul and Mumbai listed as coming soon. Bali and São Paulo run together on 6 to 8 November 2026.
What is the listed deadline?
FilmFreeway listings show 20 October 2026 for Bali and Brasil. We could not open those pages, and July press gave 9 September for Brasil, so confirm on the live page.
Must the film be 100% AI-generated?
The Brasil rule says all works must be generated 100% with AI, and the Bali listing says the same. Other editions describe AI-enhanced filmmaking, so read each edition’s rule.
What do entries cost?
Bali lists $30, or $25 for Gold members. Brasil is free for Brazilian participants with a discount code, and the international fee is not published. The AI Film Pro membership offers unlimited free submissions.
Which lengths are listed?
Bali lists AI Short at 0 to 5 minutes, AI Long at 5 to 90 minutes, AI Video Clip at 0 to 5 minutes and AI Documentary under 60 minutes. Brasil accepts vertical formats of any duration.
Is it connected to the Cannes Film Festival?
No. The organisers say the AI Film Awards is a fully independent event, with no link to the Cannes Film Festival or the Marché du Film, and that Cannes names only the city.

Nineteen days to the listed deadline. Start with the page.

Open the free editor today and write the screenplay. Storyboard it, then add Seedance footage when that reaches your plan.
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