New Era of Cinema: Astana’s First International AI Film Festival Opens for Entries

Astana is set to become the epicenter of a landmark event for the creative industry—the Astana AI Film Festival. This international competition for short films created using Artificial Intelligence (AI) features a substantial total prize pool of

$1 million.

A defining feature of the project is its inclusivity; there are no restrictive prerequisites for participants. Applications will be accepted from May through the end of August. Both professional film studios and independent creators are invited to compete on equal footing.

Aizatulla Hussein, one of the festival’s organizers, expressed strong confidence in the event's future:

"We envision the Astana AI Film Festival becoming an annual milestone in the creative industry and a sustainable international platform for emerging formats and names. The opportunity is open to everyone: submissions can be made by entire teams or by individual creators," he noted.

Beyond fostering creativity, the festival emphasizes the security and ethics of new technologies. Co-organizer Almas Zhali highlighted that smart technologies will play a crucial role in preventing manipulations and deepfakes, while ensuring the protection of intellectual property rights.

"We look forward to welcoming a diverse audience, from industry professionals to the general public. This year, we will be gauging the audience's interests. It is truly exciting for us to bring together global creators and see their work. Who knows, we might discover a masterpiece that could be developed into a full-length feature film for global platforms or theatrical release,"   Almas Zhali stated.

Participation in the competition is free of charge. In October, a jury of international experts will announce the short-list of the most outstanding works.