AI-powered cinema begins a global journey toward Cannes 2026
The World AI Film Festival is preparing for a truly global edition. Ahead of its international finale on April 21–22, 2026 at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès de Cannes, the festival dedicated to films created with artificial intelligence tools is launching a worldwide tour that will connect several of the world’s leading creative hubs.
The road to Cannes will therefore unfold as an international journey rather than a traditional selection process, bringing together filmmakers, technologists and digital artists from Asia, Europe and South America. The initiative aims to create a travelling platform where new cinematic languages shaped by AI can be explored and shared.
The international “Road to Cannes” stages
The global tour of the World AI Film Festival will stop in four major cultural capitals:
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São Paulo – February 27–28, 2026
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Seoul – March 6–7, 2026
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Kyoto – March 12–13, 2026
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Beijing – April 15, 2026
Each city will host a local edition of the festival, showcasing films that integrate artificial intelligence into different phases of filmmaking, from screenwriting and image generation to animation, editing and sound design.
National juries will select the most innovative works, and the winning films will advance to the international selection presented in Cannes, where they will compete alongside productions from around the world.
A global laboratory for the cinema of tomorrow
More than a competition, the World AI Film Festival aims to become an international hub for creative experimentation. Its goal is to connect filmmakers, digital creators, developers and producers who are exploring new forms of storytelling in the age of artificial intelligence.
In recent years, AI has increasingly transformed the audiovisual industry. Algorithms capable of generating photorealistic images, deep-learning tools for restoration and post-production, and software assisting editing and visual creation are reshaping the entire filmmaking process.
Within this rapidly evolving landscape, the festival stands out as one of the first international events entirely dedicated to films created, in whole or in part, using artificial intelligence technologies.
The grand finale in Cannes
The journey will culminate on April 21–22, 2026, at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès de Cannes, an iconic venue for global cinema and home to the famous Cannes Film Festival.
During the final event, the films selected during the world tour will be screened and the WAiFF international awards will be presented.
The festival is organized by the Département des Alpes-Maritimes, the Institut EuropIA, and the Maison de l’IA, with the support of the Ville de Cannes.
Rooted in the Alpes-Maritimes yet firmly international in scope, the World AI Film Festival aims to establish Cannes as a global hub for cinema created with artificial intelligence.
