HKUST's AI Film Festival Expands with New Categories, 1,100+ Global Submissions
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology will host its second AI Film Festival on May 16-17, drawing over 1,100 submissions from filmmakers, video creators, and students across nearly 80 countries. The event marks part of HKUST's 35th anniversary celebrations.
This year introduces four new award categories: Best Technical Innovation, Best Human-AI Collaboration, Best Realist Exploration, and Best Cross-Cultural Dialogue. Two competition sections are new as well - one focused on vertical short-form video for social media platforms, and another dedicated to AI-assisted music composition.
Who's Judging
The jury includes Tia Carrere, a two-time Grammy Award-winning singer and actress; Paul Debevec, Chief Research Officer of Netflix Eyeline Studios; and Jacob Adler, Grand Prix winner of the 2025 Runway AI Film Festival.
What's on the Program
The festival runs screenings of shortlisted films, including six works by HKUST community members. Three panel discussions will cover production technology, film aesthetics in the AI era, and cultural heritage in digital formats.
Speakers include local film director Ka Sing-Fung, producer To Chi-Long, and Feynman Li, General Manager of AI Content Creative at Tencent Online Video. An exhibition gallery will display student projects and AI film materials in an installation format.
The festival positions itself as a platform for creators working with AI to present work and discuss how these tools affect authorship, production, and cultural expression.
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