Filmmakers and musicians have one day to submit AI-assisted work to a Los Angeles festival offering live screening, laurels, and industry access near Hollywood's major studios.
AIMF 2026 is a Los Angeles non-profit festival screening AI-assisted films, music videos, animation, and digital art on 11–13 September, with submissions closing 15 August 2026.
The Artificial Intelligence Media Festival, known as AIMF, is a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) non-profit event that has positioned itself as one of the few dedicated festivals for work where artificial intelligence plays a genuine role in the creative process. The 2026 edition runs from 11 to 13 September at a venue near Universal Studios, Warner Bros., and Disney's Burbank campus, which puts selected filmmakers and musicians inside the gravitational pull of the industry they are trying to reach. Submissions close on 15 August 2026, meaning the window is now measured in hours, not days.
The festival is not a token gesture toward AI-adjacent content. Organisers require that AI or CGI be demonstrably incorporated into the creative process, not merely used for a thumbnail or a press release. That means the work itself, whether a short narrative film, an animated piece, a music video, or a digital artwork, must carry the technology through to the final cut. Non-English entries are accepted provided they include English subtitles, and only finished works are eligible, so rough cuts or works-in-progress will not be considered.
What you submit
AIMF accepts work across multiple categories: short film, animation, music video, experimental, student projects, trailers, digital art, and songs or scores. The categories span genre as well, with sci-fi, fantasy, and horror specifically noted alongside narrative and experimental forms. Any AI tools are permitted, and CGI qualifies as a form of computational creativity under the eligibility rules. The entry platform is FilmFreeway, where you will also find the full fee schedule, as entry costs are listed there rather than on the main festival page.
Prize structure
The prize is not cash. Selected works receive official festival laurels, a live screening in Los Angeles across the three-day event on 11–13 September 2026, and eligibility across multiple award categories including Best AI Use. The networking value is part of the stated offering, with the festival's location near major studio lots cited explicitly. For a creator working in AI-assisted media, a laurel from a dedicated festival and a screening record on FilmFreeway carries documentary weight for future submissions and grant applications.
Terms worth reading
AIMF is run by a registered non-profit, which tends to signal creator-friendly intent, though the full rights and licence terms are hosted on FilmFreeway and should be read before submitting. The page does not indicate any broad rights grab or public disclosure of unreleased work beyond the screening itself, but verify this on the FilmFreeway submission page. Entry fees are not listed on the official contest page; check filmfreeway.com/aimf for current fee tiers, which typically vary by category and submission date. Because the deadline is 15 August 2026 with no published cutoff time, submit before end of day on 14 August to leave a margin for any platform delays.
The official contest page and the FilmFreeway entry portal are your two stops before the window closes.
Source: AI Film Contests, AIMF 2026