AI Filmfest Athens 2026 · Guide

How to win AI Filmfest Athens.Myths Meet Machine. Fifteen minutes. €1,000 per prize.

The theme, the rule that makes the film fully AI-generated, image and sound, the four cash prizes and a plan to the late deadline, which sources give as 15 October 2026. Then take the film from the screenplay to the footage in ScreenWeaver.
Start writing for freeSee the scene
  • Late entries until 15 October 2026
  • Fully AI image and sound
  • Four prizes of €1,000
Lost Garden · Episode 1

Independent guide. ScreenWeaver does not organise AI Filmfest Athens and is not affiliated with it. Listing details read on 1 October 2026 through search summaries and festival indexes, since the FilmFreeway page itself blocks automated reading. Festival listing on FilmFreeway

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 Athens festival asks for.

AI Filmfest Athens bills itself as Greece’s first AI film festival. The rule that matters most is short: no traditional live-action footage, and AI for the picture and the sound.
Theme
Myths Meet Machine
Late deadline
15 October 2026, one index says 19 October
Running time
3 to 15 minutes, main competition
AI requirement
Fully AI image and sound, with an AI workflow note
Prizes
€1,000 each for four awards, plus trophies
Fee
€30 regular and late per FilmFreeway text, €45 per one index
Delivery
H.264 MP4, Full HD or better, 16:9 preferred
The festival
6 November 2026, The Ellinikon Experience Centre, Athens

Source: the festival’s FilmFreeway listing as quoted in search results, cross-checked on kajimelo.com and aifilmcontests.com on 1 October 2026. FilmFreeway returns an access error to automated readers and no standalone official site was found. The deadline and the fee differ between sources: confirm both at checkout.

Key dates

Two weeks left to enter.

The sources agree on every date but one, and that one decides whether you have 14 days or 18. Read the late deadline as 15 October and the 19th as the day results go out.

  1. 19 Aug 2026

    Early bird deadline

    Closed. The listing text puts the early entry fee at €20.

  2. 9 Sep 2026

    Regular deadline

    Closed. According to the listing text, the fee was €30.

  3. 15 Oct 2026

    Late deadline

    Per the FilmFreeway listing as relayed by search and by kajimelo.com. aifilmcontests.com prints 19 October as the late deadline, which the other two give as the notification date.

  4. 19 Oct 2026

    Notifications

    Entrants hear whether they are selected, eighteen days before the festival.

  5. 6 Nov 2026

    The festival

    A one-day event at The Ellinikon Experience Centre in Athens, with the awards.

The prizes

Four prizes of €1,000, and what each rewards.

The theme is Myths Meet Machine. The festival lists six awards in all, adding a Lifestyle Award with a 24-Hour Challenge and an honorary Pioneer or Lifetime Award. The four cash prizes are the ones to aim for, and under each is the angle we would take.

  • 01

    Best AI Film

    The overall prize for a film that works as a film, with €1,000 and a trophy.

    A short film that finishes beats a long film that wanders. One myth, one want, one price, told in six minutes, can hold the whole festival’s attention.

  • 02

    Best Direction and Creative Vision

    For the clearest authorial intent, with €1,000 and a trophy.

    Direction here is a set of choices you can name: a palette, a lens, a rhythm. Write them on one page before you generate, and refuse every shot that breaks them.

  • 03

    Best Visual and Sound Achievement

    For the craft of image and sound together, €1,000 and a trophy.

    With fully AI audio required, sound is half the prize. Design a voice, an ambience and a score as carefully as the picture, and mix them so they never fight.

  • 04

    Mythos Award

    For the work that best joins legend and modern technology, €1,000 and a trophy.

    The theme made into a prize. Reach for a myth with a clear shape, such as a descent, a gift or a punishment, and put the machine inside the myth, not beside it.

From script to screen

Lost Garden: one scene, six shots.

Athens wants myth and machine in the same film. This is the Source Tree scene from Lost Garden, episode 1, an animated series made by the ScreenWeaver team with Seedance: a figure of roots and lilies who lifts a small knight like a lamp. The screenplay page, then each shot as a storyboard frame and as the final image.

Logline. A small knight wakes up in a dead world and learns he is the last guardian of a seed that could bring the garden back.

Screenplay · episode 1 · the Source Tree

INT. HEART OF THE ROOTS - NIGHT

Living roots coil around LANTERN and pin him down. A voice stops them.

THE SOURCE TREE

Stop. He is my guest.

A giant woman of roots and white lilies opens her arms over the cavern.

Her eyes open. Blue, and vast.

THE SOURCE TREE

Welcome to you, Lantern Knight.

She lifts him in her palm, like a lamp.

THE SOURCE TREE

Do not be afraid. I will not harm you.

In the dark, a seed of light opens. Inside the flower, a sleeping child.

THE SOURCE TREE

You must find yours. Protect her.

CUT TO:

  1. A small lantern-helmed knight bound by thick roots in a ruined hall
    Storyboard frame of the trap shot, in grey
    01

    Medium · the trap

    Medium shot, Lantern bound by thick living roots in a ruined hall, glowing blue mushrooms on the floor, cold light

  2. A giant woman made of roots and white lilies spreads her many arms in a dark cavern
    Storyboard frame of the wide shot, in grey
    02

    Wide · the Source Tree

    Symmetrical wide shot, a giant woman made of roots, arms spread with many hands, white lilies, blue glyphs

  3. Extreme close-up of a giant pale face with piercing blue eyes
    Storyboard frame of the eyes close-up, in grey
    03

    Extreme close-up · the eyes

    Extreme close-up on the giant's face, piercing blue eyes opening, pale skin, soft light from below

  4. A tiny armored knight stands in the middle of a giant open hand
    Storyboard frame of the palm shot, in grey
    04

    High angle · the palm

    High angle, the tiny knight standing in the center of a giant open palm, stone floor far below

  5. A giant fingertip gently touches the chest of a small armored knight
    Storyboard frame of the touch close-up, in grey
    05

    Close-up · the touch

    Close-up, a giant fingertip gently touches the knight's armored chest, faceless helm, emotion through posture

  6. A sleeping pink-haired child curled inside a glowing blue flower
    Storyboard frame of the seed insert, in grey
    06

    Insert · the seed

    Top-down insert, a glowing pale blue flower opening, a sleeping child with pink hair curled inside

Lost Garden, episode 1 runs 17 minutes, so entering it would mean a cut to fit the 15 minute limit. It shows the Mythos Award’s ingredients: a mythic guardian, a ritual exchange and a world built by light. Episode 1 was a finalist at the AI London Festival. The player opens on the Source Tree, about 7 minutes 35 seconds in.

The script

A 6 minute myth in four movements.

The main competition takes 3 to 15 minutes. Six minutes is long enough for a myth and short enough to generate in two weeks: about 6 screenplay pages and 45 to 70 shots of 5 to 8 seconds.

  1. 0:00 to 0:40

    The invocation

    A voice or an image that opens the myth. Say once what will be lost.

  2. 0:40 to 2:30

    The offence

    Someone takes what they should not, or refuses what they should. The world answers.

  3. 2:30 to 5:00

    The trial

    The price is demanded. Keep it simple: one place, one opponent, one test.

  4. 5:00 to 6:00

    The mark

    What remains afterwards: a scar, a star, a stone. One last image, then the credits.

The festival wants AI-generated audio as well as image. Write the sound in the screenplay: who speaks, with what voice, over which ambience. A film with silence only where you chose it feels designed.

Day by day

Fourteen days, step by step.

Fourteen days from 1 October to the late deadline, if you trust 15 October. That is enough for a 3 to 6 minute film with a ready idea, and not enough for a 15 minute one.
  1. 01

    1 to 3 October

    A myth and a logline

    Pick one myth, or invent one with a clear shape. Write three loglines. Choose the one that puts a machine, an algorithm or an AI inside the legend.

  2. 02

    4 to 6 October

    The screenplay

    Six pages, few lines. Write it free in ScreenWeaver, in industry format, and note the sound in each scene.

  3. 03

    7 to 9 October

    Look and storyboard

    Fix one reference for each character and place. Split the screenplay into shots and correct each frame. A held look saves rerolls.

  4. 04

    10 to 12 October

    The footage

    Generate scene by scene as video generation reaches your plan, or with the tools you hold today. No tool is imposed. Keep every prompt.

  5. 05

    13 and 14 October

    Edit, sound and workflow note

    Cut, mix the AI audio and write the short AI workflow note the festival requires. Export H.264 MP4 at Full HD or better and an accepted frame rate.

  6. 06

    15 October

    Check and submit

    Open the festival’s FilmFreeway page and read the deadline and fee yourself. If the deadline is the 19th, you have bonus days. Do not plan on it.

Ways to lose the entry

Eight ways to be out before the screening.

The festival’s page sits behind FilmFreeway. The traps below are what its listing says, as relayed by search, and you should read the listing yourself.

  • Live-action footage

    The main competition asks for fully AI-generated image and sound, and no traditional live-action footage. A filmed shot, even one, breaks the condition.

  • No AI workflow note

    A short note on how AI was used is required. Write it from your prompt log: tools, versions, which scenes.

  • A licensed soundtrack

    The audio must be AI-generated too. A licensed track from a library does not fit the rule, however well it suits the picture.

  • The wrong runtime

    The main competition runs 3 to 15 minutes. The listing’s category wording differs, so confirm the length for your category before you cut.

  • A deadline taken on trust

    Sources give 15 and 19 October for different events. Treat 15 October as final and finish before it.

  • A film with no myth

    The theme is Myths Meet Machine, and one prize is named after it. A well-made film with no legend in it can still compete for Best AI Film, but is unlikely to win the Mythos Award.

  • Off-spec files

    H.264 MP4, at least 1920 by 1080 with 4K UHD preferred, at 23.976, 24, 25 or 30 frames per second, and 16:9 preferred. Check frame rate before export.

  • A fee surprise

    FilmFreeway text relayed by search gives €30 for regular and late entries, while an index lists €45 for late entry. Read the amount at checkout.

Why ScreenWeaver

No tool imposed. A film to design.

Athens lets you use any AI tool and asks you to describe your workflow. ScreenWeaver covers what happens before the tools run: screenplay, storyboard and footage in one connected project.

  • Your workflow note, from the project

    Each shot is tied to its scene, its storyboard frame and its prompt, so the AI workflow note comes from a log and not from memory.

  • A myth needs a shape

    A screenplay and a storyboard make the four movements visible before any footage exists. You will see a missing trial before you pay for it in generations.

  • The same faces and places

    References for characters and locations carry from shot to shot, so a legend keeps its figures recognisable for six minutes.

  • Start for free today

    Start the screenplay at no cost and with no time limit on the Screenwriter plan. Add the storyboard with Storyboard Beta for $9.99 a month. Seedance video generation is rolling out with the Filmmaker plan.

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 festival films

FAQ

AI Filmfest Athens, your questions

How do you win AI Filmfest Athens?
The festival publishes no jury and no scoring grid in the sources we read. It awards €1,000 each for Best AI Film, Best Direction and Creative Vision, Best Visual and Sound Achievement and the Mythos Award. Make a finished, fully AI film with a clear myth in it.
What is the deadline?
The late deadline is 15 October 2026 according to the FilmFreeway listing as relayed by search and by kajimelo.com. aifilmcontests.com gives 19 October, which the other sources list as the notification date. Confirm it on FilmFreeway.
Must the film be fully AI-generated?
For the main competition, yes: AI-generated image and sound, no traditional live-action footage, and a short AI workflow note. The listing says any AI tools are accepted.
What is the runtime limit?
3 to 15 minutes for the main competition. The listing’s category wording differs, so confirm the length for your category.
What will the entry fee be?
FilmFreeway text relayed by search gives €20 early bird and €30 for regular and late entries. One index lists €45 for late entry. Check the amount at checkout.
Does a film that already played elsewhere qualify?
Yes, according to the listing: films may already have been published or screened at other festivals.
Where is the ceremony?
On 6 November 2026 at The Ellinikon Experience Centre in Athens. Notifications are due on 19 October.
What is each prize worth?
€1,000 for each of Best AI Film, Best Direction and Creative Vision, Best Visual and Sound Achievement and the Mythos Award, plus trophies. A Pioneer or Lifetime Award is honorary, and partner tool credits may be added.

Two weeks. Start with the page.

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