WAIFF Los Angeles 2026 — World AI Film Festival USA

Name: WAIFF Los Angeles 2026 — World AI Film Festival USA
Start: 2026-10-10
End: 2026-10-10
Location: Los Angeles, USA

World AI Film Festival (WAIFF) / Institut EuropIA

Hollywood's biggest AI cinema moment of 2026. The U.S. edition of the World AI Film Festival lands in LA October 10–11, and the top five films advance to the WAIFF Cannes 2027 Grand Finale at the Palais des Festivals. Nine categories — Live Action Short, Feature, Animated, Doc, Vertical/Mobile, Music Video, Ad, AR/VR/XR, Gaming. Submit before the LA cut-off and your film could be on a Cannes red carpet next May.

Submission deadline

September 15, 2026

105 days remaining

Apply Now →

Prize

5 LA winners advance to WAIFF Cannes 2027 Grand Finale + LA screening + global press

›Top 5 advance to WAIFF Cannes 2027 (Palais des Festivals)
›LA premiere screening October 10–11, 2026
›Crystal Brain trophy for main category winners
›Press across Variety, Hollywood Reporter, Euronews
›9 competition categories incl. Feature, Short, AR/VR/XR, Gaming

AI Tools Allowed

✓Runway
✓Sora
✓Kling
✓Veo
✓Luma
✓Pika
✓MidJourney
✓ElevenLabs
✓Any AI tools

Eligibility

Open to creators 13+ worldwide. Works must meaningfully incorporate AI. Best Student & Best Youth (13–18) are flag awards across all categories.

Entry Fee

Variable (FilmFreeway tiers)