FILM FESTIVAL
USA
WAIFF LA USA is the United States edition of the World AI Film Festival, the international AI film competition based in France, with annual editions in Cannes and across multiple countries.
October 10 & 11, 2026, in Los Angeles
The city where Hollywood, the Mecca of filmmaking, lives and where the future of moving images will be debated loudest.
We launched WAIFF LA USA because the conversation about AI and filmmaking is too important to be left to the people who love AI uncritically or the people who refuse to engage with it at all. Some storytellers are experimenting with these tools at home, sometimes quietly, while the same conversation turns taboo at the office watercooler. Others have spent decades watching a craft they gave their lives to be reshaped by tools that did not exist a few years ago. All deserve to share their stories.
We are not interested in declaring winners and losers in the AI vs tradition culture war. We do not know yet what AI filmmaking will become. Nobody knows. Storytellers should decide how AI is used.
Tools evolve. Stories endure.
Awards & Prizes
Year 1 has 11 awards: 9 Category Winners (one per competition category) plus 2 Flag Awards (Best Student-Submitted Work, Best Youth-Submitted Work for ages 13 to 18, selected across the submission pool). Each of the 11 winners receives the WAIFF LA USA Trophy and the official laurel for marketing use.
From the 11 winners, a cross-disciplinary Grand Jury of senior industry figures selects 5 works for the WAIFF LA USA Official Selection, which advances to WAIFF Cannes 2027. This is the only AI film competition in the world that feeds directly into a recognized global pipeline. To advance to Cannes, a winning work must meet the category criteria of WAIFF Cannes France.
From the 5 Official Selection works, the Grand Jury names a single WAIFF USA Grand Prix, announced last at the ceremony. Sponsor prize packages and additional benefits, where available, will be posted at worldaifilmfestival.us at the time of selection.
Rules & Terms
WAIFF LA USA welcomes works from filmmakers worldwide. The following rules apply to all submissions.
Open to creators 13 and older, worldwide. Works must incorporate AI in their making. No premiere requirement. Online distribution, streaming releases, and prior festival screenings don’t affect eligibility. Submitters under 18 need parental or guardian consent at submission.
Categories. 9 competition categories: Live Action Short Film, Feature Film, Animated Short, Documentary, Vertical and Mobile Content, Music Video, Advertisement and Commercial, AR / VR / XR Experience, Gaming. Best Student-Submitted Work and Best Youth-Submitted Work (ages 13 to 18) are flag awards across the submission pool, not separate entry categories. Self-identify on the form. Cross-entry across multiple competition categories is allowed; a separate submission fee applies per entry.
Standards. All submissions follow the WAIFF USA Standards: AI tool disclosure; documented consent for any recognizable likeness or voice (SAG-AFTRA Digital Replica Rider); compliance with US federal and state law; music and footage cleared at sync, master, and mechanical levels; named director or creative lead. Full Standards at worldaifilmfestival.us.
Submission requirements. HD 1920 by 1080 minimum, 4K 3840 by 2160 preferred. .mp4 or .mov file formats. Non-English works must include English subtitles (burnt-in or soft). Each submission must include a representative still image (1920 by 1080 minimum), a 150-word synopsis, a 100-word director or creative-lead biography, and a complete credits list. Each submission must include a Production Journal identifying the AI tools used. Content Credentials (C2PA) encouraged on final files. Finalists may be asked to provide a DCP or Apple ProRes master for theatrical screening; specifications will be provided upon selection.
Fees are non-refundable. Jury decisions are final.
Full Terms and Conditions, including all license terms, revenue structures, and dispute resolution, live at worldaifilmfestival.us/terms. By submitting, you agree to them.
CONTACT
info@waiffusa.com