Three AI film categories will screen at Dubai's Paramount Hotel Theatre this November, with a red-carpet ceremony on the 29th
Golden Dunes Dubai International Film Festival accepts AI shorts, commercials and music videos from international creators, with winners screening at the Paramount Hotel Theatre in Dubai.
Dubai's newest red-carpet film festival has carved out three dedicated categories for AI-generated work, and the prize on offer is a genuine theatrical screening rather than a certificate or a digital badge. Winners in each category will have their films shown at the Paramount Hotel Theatre in Dubai, with the Opening Ceremony on 29 November 2026 and an Awards Night the following evening on 30 November.
The festival is open internationally, which means creators anywhere in the world can submit, provided they hold full rights to every element of their film, including music, visuals, and any AI-generated content. The use of AI tools is not only permitted but is the point of the whole event. Entry fees follow FilmFreeway's tiered pricing structure, so the cost will depend on which tier you select at checkout.
What you submit
The festival runs three categories:
- Best AI Short Film — any short film under 30 minutes produced with AI tools
- Best AI Commercial — branded or commercial content under 5 minutes
- Best AI Music Video — music video format, any genre
All submissions must be made through the official festival site, which routes through FilmFreeway. The submitter must hold full rights to all elements of the film, including any music used.
Prize structure
The prize in each category is an exclusive screening at the Paramount Hotel Theatre in Dubai, a physical venue with a red-carpet opening ceremony. There is no disclosed cash component. The festival page does not list a statuette, jury cash, or distribution deal alongside the screening. The value here is primarily the prestige of a Dubai theatrical premiere and the networking context of an in-person awards event.
Terms worth reading
The eligibility rule requiring submitters to hold full rights to all content, including AI-generated visuals and audio, is worth taking seriously if you have used third-party AI platforms whose output licences are ambiguous. Check your tool provider's terms before submitting.
Entry fees are set per FilmFreeway's standard tier system. FilmFreeway typically offers early, regular, and late tiers, with costs rising as the deadline approaches. The page does not publish a flat fee figure, so check the FilmFreeway submission page directly to see the current tier price before you commit.
The contest page does not include detail on rights granted to the festival over submitted or winning work. It is advisable to review the full terms on the official festival site before submitting, particularly regarding any screening licences or promotional use of your film.
The deadline is 15 October 2026. No cutoff time is published, so submitting by 14 October is a reasonable precaution. Apply via the official Golden Dunes Festival site.
Source: https://aifilmcontests.com/contests/golden-dunes-dubai-2026