SEOUL, March 04 (AJP) - The World AI Film Festival (WAIFF), which debuted in Nice, France on April 11, 2025, will expand globally in 2026, with Seoul emerging as one of its key host cities.
Putting emphasis on collaboration between artificial intelligence and human creativity, WAIFF aims to bridge technology, industry and artistic expression. The 2026 circuit will move through China, Korea, Japan and Brazil before culminating in April at the WAIFF Cannes Edition in France. Select award-winning works from the Seoul edition will receive official invitations to screen in Cannes, placing Korean creators before an international audience of filmmakers and industry professionals.
Eligibility and Submission Framework
WAIFF Seoul 2026 was limited to Korean nationals and residents, excluding employees of WAIFF institutions, partner organizations and their family members. Nominees invited to official events must have no restrictions affecting their entry or stay in Korea, and participants under 19 were required to submit parental consent.
Eligible works were required to have been completed after Oct. 1, 2024, with one entry permitted per category. The festival stipulated meaningful integration of artificial intelligence, requiring each project to employ at least three AI tools, including one image-generative system.
Submissions were required to include a synopsis, poster and still images, a production journal, a director’s biography or CV, and the video. English subtitles were mandatory, and videos had to meet a minimum technical standard of Full HD resolution at 24 frames per second. Entries that failed to comply with the guidelines or were submitted after the deadline were deemed invalid. Once selected as nominees, works could not be withdrawn.
Competition Structure
The Seoul edition will feature four categories reflecting different storytelling formats.
The AI Short Film section accepts works running between five to ten minutes, with a recommended 16:9 aspect ratio and a declared genre among animation, action, drama or fantasy.
The AI Shorts Series category centers on vertical content. Participants must submit a 9:16 series comprising four to six episodes, each 15 to 60 seconds, delivered as a single file with clearly separated segments.
The AI Advertisement category invites short-form commercials for fictional products or services, incorporating a product name, logo and narrative concept.
The Youth AI Film category consists of participants under 24 as of Feb. 10, 2026, with entries required to run between five to ten minutes.
Team submissions are permitted, provided a designated representative is appointed to hold authority over awards and prize matters. The organizers do not intervene in internal disputes among team members.
Event Schedule
WAIFF Seoul 2026 will kick off on March 6 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Lotte Concert Hall, located on the 8th floor of Lotte World Mall in Seoul. Admission is free.
The following day, March 7, the “WAIFF Seoul 2026: Creative Intelligence Forum” will run from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Lotte Cinema World Tower Seoul. Tickets are priced at 89,000 won ($59.97).
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