Expo City Dubai's Artificial Intelligence Film Festival

A new artificial intelligence film festival launched by Expo City Dubai will explore the use of AI in creative storytelling and filmmaking.

The Artificial Intelligence Film Festival, which will run for about six months, is the first event of its kind in the region, Emirates News Agency reported.

The competition runs until December 1, 2023, with professional and amateur film creators from around the world invited to submit a short film that includes AI-generated content. The winning entries will be showcased at an awards ceremony on 29 February 2024.

The film festival will be running for the next six months and will include a global competition, innovative film screenings, and engaging panel discussions featuring renowned AI experts and film makers, and hands-on workshops offering insights into AI integration in film production – all showcasing how AI can be used to enhance the filmmaking process.

The film will be shortlisted by the jury from December 1, 2023, to January 8, 2024, with the announcement of finalists and the start of online voting for the Audience Choice Award from January 15 to February 9, 2024. The awards ceremony will be held at Expo City Dubai on February 29, 2024.

The AI Film Festival will feature four prestigious categories of awards, each celebrating excellence in the world of artificial intelligence-driven film making. The Best Film Award, the Best Director Award, the Audience Choice Award, and the AI Choice Award.

“The first in a long line of initiatives, AIFF will explore the relationship between creativity and technology, human ingenuity and artificial intelligence,” said Marjan Faraidooni, chief of education and culture at Expo City Dubai.

"Recognising that AI can support the understanding, emotional depth and imagination that artists exclusively possess, it opens the door to enthusiasts who may have previously found the filmmaking industry inaccessible. We look forward to welcoming everyone on this bold step towards shaping a future where talent and technology connect,” he added.

The hybrid AIFF, hosted by Expo City Dubai with a dedicated website to enable virtual visitors to explore the festival remotely, will be the region's premier event to celebrate and propel the convergence of cinema and AI, underlining the symbiotic relationship between human creativity and technology. It establishes Expo City Dubai as the epicentre of AI innovation, a future-focused community, and a global platform for collaboration on big ideas.