An AI film festival on the Venice Lido is awarding nine category winners a Crystal Brain trophy and a September screening on the same sand as the main fest
The KM Universe AI Film & Ads Awards Venice 2026 screens at Sabia Venice on the Lido on 3 September, with nine categories open to AI-generated and AI-enhanced work submitted via FilmFreeway.
The Venice Film Festival occupies the Lido di Venezia every autumn, and on 3 September 2026 a parallel event will do the same. The KM Universe AI Film & Ads Awards, organised by KM Universe DMCC under the direction of Dr Jacques Durand and Devy Man, holds its Venice edition at Sabia Venice, a venue on the same stretch of Lido beach. Winners across nine categories receive a Crystal Brain Award trophy and a screening at that location on the night.
This is the third edition of the festival circuit, and the Venice instalment is the most geographically distinctive stop. For AI filmmakers who want a Venice credit on a project, the submission window is narrow: the deadline is 26 August 2026, which at time of writing leaves roughly one day. Entries are submitted through FilmFreeway, with tiered paid submission fees depending on the category and timing chosen.
What you submit
The festival accepts work across nine tracks: AI Short Film, AI Long Film (feature), AI Documentary, AI Movie Series, AI Vertical Series, Music Video, Advertising and Commercials, and the AI Heritage Challenge Venice 2026. Both fully AI-generated films and AI-enhanced productions are eligible. The organisers state a preference for 100 per cent AI-generated work but do not exclude hybrid productions. Entry is open globally with no stated nationality restriction.
Prize structure
Each category produces at least one winner. The prize is a Crystal Brain Award trophy plus a screening at Sabia Venice on the Lido on 3 September 2026. There is no cash component listed. The value is the physical award, the Venice Lido screening, and the festival circuit credit. Winners across all nine tracks are recognised, so the pool of recipients is broad.
Terms worth reading
Submission is paid via FilmFreeway on a tiered fee structure; the page does not publish the exact fee tiers, so check the FilmFreeway listing before entering to confirm the cost for your chosen category. The page does not detail rights or licensing terms beyond the screening itself, so review the FilmFreeway submission agreement carefully for any licence granted to the organisers for promotional use of submitted material. The festival is run by a UAE-registered entity (KM Universe DMCC), which is worth noting if jurisdiction matters to you. Given the 26 August 2026 deadline falls within a day of publication, submit immediately if you intend to enter.
Submissions are made via FilmFreeway. The official contest page is at aifilmcontests.com.