A $50,000 faith-driven AI film competition is heading to a red-carpet gala in Los Angeles this October
The Tyrannus Angel Awards offer $50,000 across Original, Adapted and Animated divisions for AI films of 2–15 minutes centred on courage, restoration and hope. Deadline: 20 September 2026.
The Tyrannus Foundation is running its 2026 Angel Awards for AI-assisted short films, with a total prize pool of $50,000 distributed across three divisions and a live red-carpet gala for roughly 200 guests in downtown Los Angeles on 24 October 2026. The competition is explicitly thematic: organisers are looking for stories built around courage, restoration, redemption and hope, and judges are told to weigh emotional impact above technical showmanship.
AI tools are not just tolerated here, they are a core requirement. Generation, animation, voice synthesis, scoring and editorial assistance are all acceptable, but the competition page specifies that AI must play a real role in the finished work. Films that merely use a single AI colour-grade probably do not reflect the spirit of the brief. Previously screened films are eligible, and filmmakers may submit as many entries as they like, each at a flat fee of $30.
What you submit
Films must run between 2 and 15 minutes and must be submitted through FilmFreeway only. Every entry requires an English SRT subtitle file. The competition is open worldwide, and there is no restriction on prior screening history, so festival veterans can resubmit existing work if it fits the thematic scope.
Three divisions are judged separately:
- Original — stories written specifically for the competition
- Adapted — films based on existing source material
- Animated — AI-animated works in any style
Prize structure
The $50,000 total is distributed across Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Production in each of the three divisions. Beyond the main prizes, the competition names 30 finalists and issues four special mentions. All recognised filmmakers are invited to the red-carpet gala on 24 October 2026 in Los Angeles, which will also be livestreamed globally.
Terms worth reading
The entry fee is $30 per film, so multiple submissions add up quickly. The competition page does not detail the specific cash breakdown per award category, so prospective entrants should consult the full rules on the Tyrannus Angel Awards official site before budgeting. The faith-driven thematic framing is prominent throughout the judging criteria, which is worth factoring in at the scripting stage. No broad rights-grab language appears on the competition listing, but filmmakers should verify the full submission agreement on FilmFreeway before uploading.
The submission deadline is 20 September 2026. No cutoff time is published, so submit with at least a day in hand to avoid any last-minute platform issues.
Full details and entry at aifilmcontests.com.