BEST AI FILM AWARD
Belonging · Resilience · Thriving
Grand Final
25 October 2026 | Manila, Philippines
Inspiring Asia Micro Film Festival 2026 centres on the theme of Community Empowerment, guided by the tagline: Belonging, Resilience, and Thriving.
Community empowerment is the process by which people draw on their collective strengths to shape their futures — bound not by borders, but by belonging, mutual care, and shared purpose. It grows when people come together with trust and commitment to take action, amplify voices often unheard, and build the resilience to thrive with dignity and hope.
Inspiring Asia is a platform that celebrates Asia’s diverse cultures, innovative spirit, and commitment to positive change. In 2026, it will unfold through eight Regional Film Festivals across China, Indonesia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Hong Kong, creating a wider platform for local voices to be seen across Asia.
The Best AI Film Award celebrates outstanding AI-generated or AI-assisted micro films that bring together creativity, storytelling, cinematic expression, and social impact.
As artificial intelligence opens new possibilities for visual creation and storytelling, Inspiring Asia welcomes works that use AI not only as a technical tool, but as a creative partner in shaping meaningful narratives. We are looking for films that explore community empowerment through fresh perspectives, imaginative forms, and emotionally engaging stories.
Your film may be fully AI-generated, AI-assisted, or created through a hybrid process combining human direction, original footage, animation, design, editing, sound, or AI-generated elements. What matters most is that the final work expresses a clear creative vision and connects meaningfully with the festival theme.
Participants from Inspiring Asia 2026 regions offering the AI Film category should submit through their respective regional submission portals.
Participants from outside these regions should submit through the Other Regions portal.
Inspiring Asia recognises the ongoing conversation around the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence (AI). We believe AI has the potential to complement and not replace human creativity, while lowering barriers to filmmaking and enabling more people to tell meaningful stories.
At the same time, we continue to value the depth, authenticity, and craftsmanship that come from human creativity and storytelling. Thus, Inspiring Asia has established separate tracks and award categories for AI Films and Micro Films. Moreover, to promote transparency and responsible use of technology, submissions to the AI Film category must disclose the AI tools used, describe the extent of their use, and confirm that the submitter has the necessary rights and permissions for all content included in the film.
We look forward to showcasing a diverse range of stories and creative expressions, and to supporting filmmakers who are exploring new possibilities at the intersection of technology, creativity, and social impact.
As part of our collaboration with MiniMax Hailuo, participants submitting to the AI Film category will receive exclusive 2000 credits to support their creative process.
To receive the credits, participants are required to provide their Hailuo UID.
If you do not have a Hailuo account yet, you may sign up here:
Note: The UID will only be used for credit allocation purposes and will not affect the judging process.
Regional prizes may vary by location and will be announced by each Regional Film Festival.
Film Submission Requirements
Best AI Film Award
The uniqueness of the concept, artistic vision, and use of AI tools.
The quality and effectiveness of AI-assisted production, including image generation, animation, visual effects, sound design, editing, and overall integration of technology, to support the filmmaker’s vision.
The strength of the film’s narrative, including its structure, pacing, character development, emotional resonance, and ability to engage audiences.
The overall quality of the filmmaking craft, including visual composition, cinematography, artistic direction, editing, sound, atmosphere, and audience experience.
The film’s ability to raise awareness, inspire reflection, or evoke the desire to act on the competition theme.
Declaration of Accuracy & Submission Rights
The participant confirms that all information provided is accurate and they have the right to submit this film/project on behalf of the production team or organisation. The participant understands that the award will be granted to the designated production team or organisation, not necessarily the submitter.
AI-Generated or AI-Assisted Content Declaration
Copyright & Licensing
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