PixLight 2026 is offering $300,000 in prizes for AI-assisted genre pilots and feature screenplays, with free entry open to all filmmakers worldwide.
PixVerse's PixLight 2026 contest invites filmmakers to submit genre pilots and feature screenplays for a shot at a $100,000 grand prize, with the total pool reaching $300,000.
PixVerse has opened submissions for PixLight 2026, its annual contest designed to greenlight AI-assisted genre film projects. The competition accepts two distinct tracks: short-form genre pilots and feature-length screenplays. With a total prize pool of $300,000 distributed across multiple tiers, the contest is pitched not as a one-winner-takes-all affair but as a structured development pipeline, with winning projects receiving production and development support in addition to cash awards.
Entry is free and open to any filmmaker regardless of nationality or professional background. The contest explicitly permits the use of any AI tools in the creative process, which positions it squarely within the emerging wave of competitions that treat generative AI as a legitimate part of the production workflow. Submissions close on 9 October 2026, and the tracker deadline matches the official page, so treat that date as firm. No cutoff time is published, so submitting at least a day in advance is advisable.
What you submit
The contest runs two parallel tracks. The Pilot Track invites genre short films, categorised on the official page under Short Film. The Script Track invites feature-length screenplays. You can apply directly at app.pixverse.ai/challenge/pixlight. The official contest listing is also available at aifilmcontests.com/contests/pixlight-2026.
Prize structure
The $300,000 pool breaks down as follows:
- Grand Prize: $100,000
- Gold Award: $50,000
- Silver Award: $20,000
- Pilot Track Spotlight Awards: 20 awards at $5,000 each, totalling $100,000
- Script Track Spotlight Awards: 10 awards at $3,000 each, totalling $30,000
All prizes are denominated in USD cash. The contest page also states that winning projects receive development and production support, though the specific form of that support is not detailed on the public listing.
Terms worth reading
The official page does not reproduce full terms and conditions in the text available at the time of writing. Before submitting, check the application portal at PixVerse for the complete rules, particularly around intellectual property ownership of submitted work, any rights the organiser may claim over winning or shortlisted projects, and what "development and production support" entails contractually. Broad licensing clauses or first-look deals attached to prize-funded development support are common in this category of contest, and creators should confirm the position on rights retention before entering. Entry is free, which removes one concern, but the combination of cash prizes and production backing often comes with strings on the underlying IP.
Eligibility is stated as open to all filmmakers, with no geographic restrictions listed. Any AI tools are permitted, which means there are no restrictions on which platform or model you use in your workflow.
For the most current rules and any updates, visit the official PixLight 2026 page and the entry portal directly.
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