The WAIFF Comes to London
A historic partnership signed. A UK competition launched. A new chapter begins
On a sun-filled afternoon at the AI Beach Party in London — now in its third year, brought together by Nadio Granata and the AI Collective — the World AI Film Festival officially announced its arrival in the UK.
Marco Landi, President of Institut EuropIA, President and founder of WAIFF, had flown in that morning from the south of France. By evening, alongside WAIFF director and Studio Laffitte Film Director Julien Raout, a landmark agreement had been signed.
“The UK is now on the road to Cannes. London has a major role to play in the future of AI, cinema and storytelling.”
— Julien Raout, CEO Studio Laffitte & Festival Director, WAIFF
A Partnership Built on Shared Vision
The signatories represent a team with deep roots in London’s creative and events industries. Dennis McCourt , Nadio Granata, and Andrew W. Robinson will serve as the principals delivering the World AI Film Festival in the United Kingdom.
The conversation centred around one conviction: the UK is home to some of the world’s most talented creative minds, and London deserves its own seat at the global AI cinema table.
The event itself — relaxed, professional, creative and full of great energy — featured Pro talks, a hackathon, beach hut AI ideas pitching, fireside chats, a barbecued lunch, DJ and drinks. Standout presentations on the day came from Andrew Grill, Charlie Hills and Hayley Brown, with Gordon Glenister compering throughout.
What the WAIFF London Showcase Will Be
Given the timeline and the ambition to do things right, the inaugural UK edition will be a focused, high-impact event in London, on 24 November 2026. Rather than a sprawling festival, it will achieve three precise objectives.
THREE OBJECTIVES
- Launch a dedicated Short Film UK Competition for British creators — celebrating the next generation of AI filmmakers from across the United Kingdom.
- Present a curated showcase of the WAIFF Cannes 2026 selection — bringing the best of this year’s festival to a London audience for the first time.
- Host a press conference to officially launch WAIFF Cannes 2027 — putting London at the heart of the international announcement.
The UK Competition & The Road to Cannes
The Short Film UK Competition is the centrepiece of the London Showcase — and a genuine gateway to the international stage.
A UK jury will select the five best British films, which will be projected at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes as part of WAIFF 2027. From those five finalists, the audience present at the London event will vote for their favourite — and the winner will enter the official Horizon Competition at WAIFF Cannes 2027.
THE HORIZON COMPETITION
“The best UK film, chosen by a London audience, will compete on the international stage at the Palais des Festivals, Cannes, in April 2027.”
The event may be organised as either a ticketed public event or by invitation — to be confirmed by the local team based on the strategy that best serves the London creative community.
