ASTANA — The Astana AI Film Festival has opened applications for its inaugural international competition, inviting creators worldwide to showcase films produced using artificial intelligence. Submissions will remain open until Aug. 15, with screenings and the awards ceremony scheduled for Sept.
28–Oct. 1 in Astana as part of the Astana AI Week. The prize fund of the festival is $1 million. According to organizers, the competition will feature two sections. The main category will focus on this year’s theme, The Future Worth Living In, while an open competition will recognize achievements in directing, visual language, storytelling, concept development and character creation.
To qualify, films should be created using what organizers describe as “full AI” technologies, meaning AI serves as the primary production tool rather than simply assisting in post-production. Organizers say they hope the festival will evolve into a global platform for AI-driven filmmaking and emerging forms of digital creativity.
Participation is free and open to individuals and teams regardless of age or professional experience. Applicants are required to submit AI-generated short films of up to 10 minutes, accompanied by a project description, through the festival’s online platform. Films can be uploaded via YouTube or cloud storage services.
Festival organizers and international experts will shortlist 25 projects, including 10 films in the main competition and 15 in the open section. An international jury comprising representatives from the film industry, the AI sector and the broader creative technology community will select the winners.
Besides film screenings, the festival program will include an AI content conference, panel discussions and pitching sessions for creators and producers. The launch of the festival comes amid Kazakhstan’s broader efforts to strengthen its position as a regional hub for technology and creative industries.
Earlier this year, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev described the Astana AI Film Festival as an important initiative to promote Kazakhstan internationally as a center of innovation and creative industries. He noted that AI is transforming the nature of creativity by opening new forms of self-expression and lowering barriers for creators.
Kazakhstan’s creative economy has expanded 3.2-fold since 2017, according to an analytical review by the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), The sector generated 1.2 trillion tenge ($2.6 billion) in gross value added in 2023, employed more than 141,000 people by mid-2024 and included nearly 42,000 registered businesses.
The government has identified creative industries as a priority area for economic diversification and innovation, supporting the development of digital content, film production, gaming and other technology-driven creative sectors.