Hainan Island International Film Festival 2026 AI Film Gala: Free Worldwide Entry, ¥100,000 Prizes
About the opportunity and eligibility
The 8th Hainan Island International Film Festival's AI Film Gala invites international creators of AI cinema, animation, series and experimental moving images. Under the theme Beyond Generation, the festival seeks cinematic craft and emotional storytelling rather than a mere demonstration of generative tools. Its four main entry categories are AI Feature Films, AI Premium Series, AI Short Films and AI Experimental Moving Image. Live-action/AI hybrids, animated and documentary formats are eligible when they fit the relevant section. Selected works may be presented at a December 2026 gala in Hainan, China.
How to apply and work requirements
AI Features must be landscape-format works of at least forty minutes, with sixty minutes or more encouraged. AI Premium Series requires a minimum of three landscape-format episodes, each three to twenty minutes, from completed or formally developed 2026 series projects. AI Shorts run at least one minute but under forty. Experimental Moving Image includes linear films from one minute and spatial, interactive or real-time generated experiences without a fixed duration, provided an operational or experience-ready build is submitted. Choose one primary category for each work; the organisers may propose a change in consultation with the creator.
Deadline, costs, benefits and rights
The FilmFreeway call opened October 21, 2026 and closes November 15. All four core categories display a standard entry fee of Free. Ten annual honours together carry RMB 100,000 in announced cash awards, with RMB 10,000 before tax assigned to each honour; not all selected works win money. The description says selections are announced around mid-November, whereas FilmFreeway lists November 30 for notification, so check directly rather than treating either date as guaranteed. Authors should verify copyright clearance, online screening permissions and terms for AI-sourced content before final submission.
Independent editorial summary and translation of an external call. Check the organiser's latest official requirements, deadline, fees, copyright, screenings and participation conditions before applying or paying. Official rules prevail.
Official source / 公式募集情報: https://filmfreeway.com/The8thHainanIslandInternationalFilmFestivalAIFilmGala
More detailed official rules / 募集詳細: https://filmfreeway.com/The8thHainanIslandInternationalFilmFestivalAIFilmGala