The Reply AI Film Festival has announced its selection of 10 short films and its prestigious jury for its third edition, running alongside the Venice Film Festival, according to festival organizers. Selected from 3,000 submissions across 76 countries, the competing works showcase how creators use artificial intelligence tools to build new narratives. The overall winner and specialty prize recipients will be announced on Sept. 6 at the Match Point Arena at the Venice Tennis Club on the Lido, according to event details.
Jury Panel Leads the Competition
According to festival organizers, the jury for this year’s competition brings together renowned figures from traditional cinema and cutting-edge visual effects. Italian Oscar winner Gabriele Salvatores will head the panel. Salvatores won the 1991 international feature Oscar for “Mediterraneo” and most recently directed the 2024 film “Naples to New York,” according to production records.
The distinguished jury also features “The Lion King” director Rob Minkoff, “Twilight” director Catherine Hardwicke, and London-based VFX supervisor Giacomo Mineo, whose credits include Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” according to festival announcements. Rounding out the panel are veteran Hollywood executive Christina Lee Storm—a Netflix and DreamWorks alum who recently joined L.A.-based AI-native entertainment studio Secret Level as head of its new narrative studio—and Italy-based producer Nils Hartmann, who recently stepped down as EVP at Sky Studios Italy, where he oversaw acclaimed Italian TV series including “Gomorrah,” according to official biographies.
Special Prizes and Key Themes in AI Filmmaking
Beyond the top prize for the best AI short film overall, the jury will present two dedicated special awards, according to festival guidelines. The AI for Good Award, promoted in collaboration with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), will recognize the short film that most effectively reflects the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Additionally, the Reply AI Studios Grand Prix will honor the project that demonstrates the highest level of innovation and excellence in applying artificial intelligence throughout the creative process, according to organizers.
According to a festival statement, the 10 selected shorts stand out for their ability to explore “a new phase of imagination in which human creativity and technology meet to give life to new languages and visions.”
Diverse Global Selection Highlights New Cinematic Languages
The selected lineup features distinct international projects exploring complex themes, according to official synopses. Canadian director Robert Gaudett presents “A Face Only a Mother Could Love,” which follows a Parisian dancer whose secluded life shifts when an observer approaches him in a park, sparking a deep connection. British director Mike Bennion contributes “Kev,” an intimate look at the protagonist’s personal experience with blindness, emphasizing everyday connections and personal networks.
Entries from China further expand the festival’s thematic scope. Jiaze Li’s science fiction short “Website” explores a platform capable of transmitting impossible events from other worlds, where observation actively shapes reality and culture. Meanwhile, the visual artists’ collective 2xLabs presents “Centenarian Kindergarten,” set in a dystopian 2090 marked by a birth rate decline. The plot follows four centenarians escaping a sterile facility where AI assistants enforce forced happiness in an attempt to reclaim human imperfections, according to the synopsis.
Did you know? The Reply AI Film Festival evaluates entries produced using new technologies and AI tools, carefully selecting finalists from thousands of international submissions to screen alongside the historic Venice Film Festival.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where and when will the Reply AI Film Festival winner be announced?
The winner will be announced on Sept. 6 at the Match Point Arena, set up at the Venice Tennis Club on the Lido, according to event organizers.
Who is heading the jury panel?
Italian Oscar-winning director Gabriele Salvatores, known for “Mediterraneo” and “Naples to New York,” is heading the jury, according to the festival announcement.
What are the special awards given at the festival?
The jury will award the AI for Good Award in collaboration with the ITU for adherence to UN Sustainable Development Goals, and the Reply AI Studios Grand Prix for creative innovation and excellence in artificial intelligence, according to festival details.
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