The Busan International AI Film Festival is offering every selected film a thousand-dollar screening grant, with an extra three thousand going to the audience favourite

The third edition of the Busan International AI Film Festival arrives at a moment when AI-assisted filmmaking has moved from novelty to legitimate festival circuit contender. Hosted at the Busan Cinema Center, the event runs 3 to 5 December 2026 and is structured around a simple premise: if your film is selected, you are paid. Every film that makes the official programme receives a USD 1,000 screening grant, regardless of how many other films are chosen alongside it. That is not a top-three prize; it is a floor.

The audience then votes on their favourite during the festival, and the winner of that vote collects an additional USD 3,000. Selected filmmakers are also invited to the festival itself for a Q&A with the audience and networking sessions with other AI filmmakers at the Busan Cinema Center. For internationally based creators, that invitation is worth factoring into any travel budget calculations before submitting.

What you submit

Films must have used AI partially or fully in the creative process. There is no restriction on genre. Crucially, every submission must include a written description of which AI tools were used and how, so a brief production note documenting your workflow is a required part of the package, not an optional extra. Films must have been completed after September 2025. English subtitles are required for any dialogue. Each individual or group may submit one entry only. Eligibility is open worldwide.

Submissions are accepted either through the official BIAIF website or via FilmFreeway. Entry is free.

Prize structure

- USD 1,000 screening grant for every film that receives an official selection
- USD 3,000 Audience Award, voted on by the festival audience during the December event
- Official BIAIF selection certificate
- Festival invitation and audience Q&A slot
- Networking access at Busan Cinema Center, 3 to 5 December 2026

The distinction between the two cash elements matters. The screening grant is awarded to all selected films, so the competitive pressure for that payment is simply selection itself. The Audience Award is a single additional prize decided by public vote at the live event.

Terms worth reading

The page does not publish a full rights or licensing agreement, so creators should review the submission terms directly at the BIAIF website before applying. The AI-tool description requirement effectively asks filmmakers to publicly document their production process as part of submission, which is worth considering if your workflow involves proprietary methods. Entry is free, and no rights grab is advertised in the publicly available contest description, which is a reasonable starting point.

The submission deadline is 11 September 2026. No cutoff time is published for that date, so submitting at least a day in hand is advisable. The festival runs 3 to 5 December 2026 at the Busan Cinema Center, Busan, South Korea.

Apply at the official BIAIF website or through FilmFreeway. The contest listing is tracked at AI Film Contests.

Source: https://aifilmcontests.com/contests/busan-international-ai-film-festival-2026