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Artefact AI Film Festival x mk2 · Guide

How to win the Artefact AI Film Festival.314 seconds. €10,000. Deadline 2 December.

The contest rules, the three production phases you must document, what each judging step looks at, the prizes of the second edition and a week-by-week plan to 2 December 2026. Then write the film, storyboard it and generate it with Seedance, all in 熙熙.
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  • Deadline 2 December 2026
  • 314 seconds, AI in three phases
  • Jury led by Nakache and Toledano
Lost Garden · Episode 1

Independent guide. 熙熙 does not organise the Artefact AI Film Festival and is not affiliated with Artefact or mk2. Rules read on 1 October 2026. Official rules

熙熙 now offers two ways to start: a free tier that lets you write screenplays at no cost, and the 年度会员 at ¥168 一年, which takes your finished screenplay and generates a complete storyboard automatically—turning script into visual sequence without leaving the platform.

Also available now: video generation of each shot, powered by Seedance, on the same 年度会员, with 3,000 张额度 一年.

The rules on one card

What the third edition asks for.

The Artefact AI Film Festival is a juried short film competition dedicated exclusively to AI-assisted cinema, organized by Artefact in collaboration with the mk2 cinema network across Paris. Now in its third edition, this year's festival centers on the theme (Dis)Connection, inviting filmmakers to explore technology's dual role in bringing us together and pulling us apart. Entry is completely free, with no purchase or subscription required to submit. The festival's official rules and eligibility criteria are published in French.
Edition
3rd edition, 2026-2027, theme (Dis)Connection
Submissions
2 September to 2 December 2026
Length
Up to 314 seconds, which is 5 min 14 s
AI rule
At least one generative AI tool in each of three phases: pre-production, production, post-production
What to provide
A public YouTube or Vimeo link, a visual, a synopsis, a short presentation and a production log
Grand Prix
€10,000, and a 30 second version shown for a week in all mk2 theatres
Other prizes
Jury, Audience and Artefact (best use of AI) awards: €1,000 each
Who can enter
Anyone, worldwide. One film per person

Documentation basis: the official contest rules bearing a 30 July 2026 revision date, plus both the home page and the Rules section of artefact-ai-film-festival.com as they appeared on 1 October 2026. Because the French-language rules hold legal precedence over any translation, read the French text in its entirety before you prepare your submission. One detail lives only on the home page and not in the rules' prize article: the Grand Prix carries a 30-second runtime ceiling.

Key dates

Nine weeks to submit.

The submission window opened on 2 September 2026. When planning your post-production schedule, count backward from the 2 December deadline rather than forward from the day you conceived your concept—this reverse-timeline approach keeps hard cutoffs visible and prevents last-minute scrambles.

  1. 2 Sep 2026

    Submissions open

    Each film is checked by Artefact, goes to mk2 for artistic validation, then is put online as submissions arrive if it is accepted.

  2. 2 Dec 2026

    Deadline

    The last day to submit. The rules give no cutoff hour: submit earlier.

  3. 9 Dec to 13 Jan

    Public vote

    The public votes on the site. The most voted film gets the Audience Award.

  4. Mid to late Jan 2027

    Twenty finalists, then the jury

    The twenty finalists are announced in mid-January. The jury deliberates at the end of the month.

  5. End of Feb 2027

    The ceremony at mk2 Bibliothèque

    Winners are announced at the mk2 Bibliothèque cinema in Paris. The twenty finalists are invited.

How films are judged

Four prizes, four ways of looking.

The rules deliberately omit any scoring grid or weighted rubric. Instead, they establish four distinct prizes, each governed by its own evaluative philosophy, and they position three successive filters ahead of the jury. Understanding what each prize and each filter prioritizes will help you align your creative choices with the festival's architecture.

  • Grand Prix: the best film

    Given to the best film, plainly. The second edition's Grand Prix, The Cinema That Never Was, imagined lost films and echoed Tarkovski, Kurosawa and Ray: an idea of cinema before a demonstration of tools.

  • Jury Award: cinematic quality

    It honours the film that impressed the jury by its cinematic quality. Framing, light, editing, rhythm: think direction before generation.

  • Audience Award: the 9 December to 13 January vote

    It goes to the film with the most votes on the site. Automated votes are forbidden. Only films put online after validation by Artefact and the mk2 editors can be voted for. A thumbnail, a title and a strong first thirty seconds make the difference.

  • Artefact Award: best use of AI

    It rewards the film that made the best use of AI. Your production log is the evidence: every phase documented, every choice explained.

Before any film reaches the jury, it must clear three sequential filters: first, Artefact verifies compliance with the creation charter and confirms the technical specifications meet broadcast standards; next, the editorial teams at mk2 and Troiscouleurs curate the official selection; finally, twenty finalists advance to the jury for prize consideration. A film that violates the charter is disqualified during the initial compliance check, well before anyone evaluates its artistic or narrative merits.

Who decides

Four pairs of eyes on your film.

The jury is led by Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano, the directors of Intouchables, Le Sens de la fête and Hors normes. The official page does not list the other jurors by name: the rules only specify that they are professionals drawn from both the cinema industry and the field of artificial intelligence, bringing dual expertise to the selection process.

  • Artefact: the charter and the technique

    First filter: the Artefact team checks that the film respects the creation charter (314 seconds, AI in all three phases) and reaches a sufficient technical level. A film outside the charter never reaches a jury.

  • mk2 and Troiscouleurs: the artistic selection

    The mk2 editors and the journalists of Troiscouleurs, the group's magazine, review the accepted films and choose twenty. They are film readers: tell a story, do not demonstrate.

  • Nakache and Toledano: the jury

    The twenty finalists go before the jury. According to the official page, the two presidents' cinema, popular and socially engaged, blends humour, emotion and a view on society. An emotion that reads without explanation is a good starting point.

  • The public and the partners

    From 9 December to 13 January the public votes for the Audience Award. The event's partners can also give extra prizes to any film in competition, finalist or not.

The theme

(Dis)Connection: three tensions to choose from.

The theme explores the new connections between cinema, artificial intelligence, contemporary creation and digital experiences, examining how these domains intersect and reshape one another. The official page identifies three boundaries that are shifting and evolving. The Rules page spells the theme as "(Dis)Connexion". Under each boundary, the festival outlines the specific angle and perspective we would take in exploring these transformations.

  • 01

    Human and machine

    The bond between a person and what they made, or what made them.

    One character facing a presence that does not answer. Two characters are enough, and that keeps faces stable for 314 seconds.

  • 02

    Real and virtual

    What we perceive, what we believe, what is true when every image can be made.

    Carry the doubt through an object or a gesture, not a screen full of text: AI video garbles writing. One well-placed slide from real to virtual beats ten.

  • 03

    Author and tool

    Who holds the camera when a machine generates the image?

    The tension closest to the Artefact Award. A film about its own making, where the production log becomes part of the story, can play both sides. The bet is to be honest about what the AI did.

The second edition

What the 2026 results say.

The second edition closed on 12 February 2026 at mk2 Bibliothèque, presided over by president Cédric Klapisch, with approximately twenty finalist shorts in competition according to Écran Noir's coverage. Its theme was (Dis)play, exploring the interplay between performance, interaction, and digital presentation.

  1. 01

    The Grand Prix went to an idea of cinema. The Cinema That Never Was, by Mark Wachholz of Germany, imagines lost films and calls up Tarkovski, Kurosawa and Ray. A film about cinema, crowned at a festival tied to a theatre network.

  2. 02

    The toolchain was varied. According to Écran Noir, the winning film mixes GPT, ElevenLabs, Udio, Kling and Midjourney: several tools, each in its phase, which is what the charter asks for.

  3. 03

    Use of AI has its own prize. La tisseuse d’ombres, by Anne Horel, won Best Use of AI. Field Notes, by Ariel Kotzer, won the French Touch Award, worth €10,000 in 2025 and absent from the third edition's page.

  4. 04

    Prizes change between editions. In 2025: Grand Prix and French Touch Award at €10,000 each, Jury, Audience and Paris Aéroport awards at €1,000. In 2026-2027: a €10,000 Grand Prix, three €1,000 awards, and more to be announced.

  5. 05

    The calendar is stable. In 2025, submissions ran from 2 September to 30 November, the public vote from 10 December to 14 January, the ceremony in February. In 2026, the same rhythm: deadline 2 December, vote 9 December to 13 January.

From script to screen

Six shots at the Source Tree.

This is the Source Tree scene from Lost Garden, episode 1, an animated series made by the 熙熙 team with Seedance. The charter asks for AI in all three phases: the screenplay page and the storyboard frame belong to pre-production, the final image to production.

Logline. A small knight wakes up in a dead world and learns he is the last guardian of a seed that could bring the garden back.

Screenplay · episode 1 · the Source Tree

INT. HEART OF THE ROOTS - NIGHT

Living roots coil tightly around LANTERN and pin him down to the ground, immobilizing him completely. A voice rings out and stops them, halting their movement.

THE SOURCE TREE

Stop. He is my guest.

A giant woman formed of roots and white lilies opens her arms wide over the cavern, her presence filling the space above.

Her eyes open. Blue, and vast.

THE SOURCE TREE

Welcome to you, Lantern Knight.

She lifts him in her palm, like a lamp.

THE SOURCE TREE

Do not be afraid. I will not harm you.

In the dark, a seed of light opens. Inside the flower, a sleeping child.

THE SOURCE TREE

You must find yours. Protect her.

CUT TO:

  1. A small lantern-helmed knight bound by thick roots in a ruined hall
    Storyboard frame of the trap shot, in grey
    01

    Medium · the trap

    Medium shot, Lantern bound by thick living roots in a ruined hall, glowing blue mushrooms on the floor, cold light

  2. A giant woman made of roots and white lilies spreads her many arms in a dark cavern
    Storyboard frame of the wide shot, in grey
    02

    Wide · the Source Tree

    Symmetrical wide shot, a giant woman made of roots, arms spread with many hands, white lilies, blue glyphs

  3. Extreme close-up of a giant pale face with piercing blue eyes
    Storyboard frame of the eyes close-up, in grey
    03

    Extreme close-up · the eyes

    Extreme close-up on the giant's face, piercing blue eyes opening, pale skin, soft light from below

  4. A tiny armored knight stands in the middle of a giant open hand
    Storyboard frame of the palm shot, in grey
    04

    High angle · the palm

    High angle, the tiny knight standing in the center of a giant open palm, stone floor far below

  5. A giant fingertip gently touches the chest of a small armored knight
    Storyboard frame of the touch close-up, in grey
    05

    Close-up · the touch

    Close-up, a giant fingertip gently touches the knight's armored chest, faceless helm, emotion through posture

  6. A sleeping pink-haired child curled inside a glowing blue flower
    Storyboard frame of the seed insert, in grey
    06

    Insert · the seed

    Top-down insert, a glowing pale blue flower opening, a sleeping child with pink hair curled inside

Lost Garden, episode 1 runs 17 minutes: for this festival we would cut a version of 4 minutes 55 at most, under the 314 second limit. An animated series by the 熙熙 team, made with Seedance, and a finalist at the AI London Festival. The scene fits the theme: a knight bound by living roots, a giant palm, a touch, a seed. Hit play and it starts on this scene.

The script

A 4 min 55 film in five movements.

The hard ceiling sits at 314 seconds—that's 5 minutes and 14 seconds exactly. To preserve a safety buffer, target 4 minutes 55 seconds: roughly 4 to 5 screenplay pages translated into 60 to 80 individual shots, each lingering 3 to 5 seconds. A second act that meanders or loses momentum simply won't fit within this window.

  1. 0:00 to 0:20

    The hook

    A single image that asks something. In a format this short, there is no preamble.

  2. 0:20 to 1:00

    The bond

    Who is tied to whom, and what threatens the tie. Two characters are enough.

  3. 1:00 to 3:20

    The break

    The bond strains, snaps or changes. Every cut of the edit should serve that tension.

  4. 3:20 to 4:20

    The choice

    The moment a character reconnects or lets go. Give it time and no needless dialogue.

  5. 4:20 to 4:55

    The last image

    A picture that answers the first one, held for three seconds. Then the credits.

The Grand Prix carries an additional requirement: a 30 second version will play across all mk2 theatres. During the editing phase, carve out a 30 second extract that functions as a complete piece—one with its own narrative hook and a satisfying payoff, not merely a truncated preview.

Week by week

From 1 October to the submit button.

Between 1 October and 2 December lie nine weeks in total. Active filming occupies weeks 5, 6, and 7, while the production log documents the process continuously from start to finish. Every decision and preparation made before week 5 determines whether those three production weeks unfold smoothly or stumble.
  1. 01

    Week 1 · by 8 October

    Theme and logline

    Pick one of the three tensions: human and machine, real and virtual, author and tool. Write ten loglines. Keep the one that fits in a sentence and an image.

  2. 02

    Week 2 · by 15 October

    A 4 to 5 page screenplay

    Write it in 熙熙's free plan, in industry format. Little dialogue: 314 seconds cannot be shared with speech. Note in the log what the AI did, which is charter phase 1.

  3. 03

    Week 3 · by 22 October

    Characters and locations

    Lock one reference for each character and each set. They carry into every shot and keep faces identical for five minutes.

  4. 04

    Week 4 · by 29 October

    The storyboard

    Generate the breakdown and the storyboard from the screenplay, then set framing, angle, movement and duration shot by shot. It proves phase 1.

  5. 05

    Weeks 5 to 7 · by 19 November

    Generate the footage, phase 2

    Scene by scene with Seedance, from the storyboard. Keep every prompt and every version: they are the raw material of the production log.

  6. 06

    Week 8 · by 26 November

    Edit, sound, grade, phase 3

    Cut to under 314 seconds, mix, add generated or licensed voices and music. At least one AI tool must be used in this phase too, and noted.

  7. 07

    Week 9 · by 2 December

    Publish the link and submit

    Publish on YouTube or Vimeo with a link anyone can open. Write the log, add the visual, synopsis and presentation. Submit a few days early: no cutoff hour is stated.

Disqualification traps

Eight ways to be excluded before the jury.

The majority of frequent questions trace back to the article covering the creation charter and the specific guarantees the competition requires from all entrants. Consult the official rules thoroughly before drafting your submission.

  • AI missing from one of the three phases

    The charter requires at least one generative AI tool in pre-production, production and post-production. A film generated with AI but edited and mixed by hand misses a phase. A non-compliant film is excluded before the artistic selection.

  • 314 seconds, not one more

    The maximum length is 314 seconds, which is 5 min 14 s. A film of 5 min 20 is outside the charter. Check the length of the published file, not of your timeline.

  • No production log

    You must provide a document that describes your use of generative AI against the charter's criteria. Keep it while you make the film, not afterwards.

  • A private or unreadable link

    The film must be hosted on YouTube or Vimeo with a link anyone can open. Test it in a private window.

  • Music and elements you do not own

    No protected element, whether music, text or object, without the prior written agreement of its rights holders. Use generated or licensed music and keep the proof.

  • A real face, a place, a brand

    You guarantee the consent of the people shown and of the owners of places and goods, and no advertising allusion. Invent your characters and check every shot for logos.

  • Several films, several accounts

    One candidate space and one film per participant. Creating false identities to enter more than once can mean a permanent ban from the contest.

  • Automated votes

    The Audience Award runs from 9 December to 13 January. Any automatic voting is forbidden, and the film can be disqualified. Rally people, not scripts.

Why 熙熙

Three phases to document. One project to connect them.

The charter mandates demonstrable AI use across pre-production, production, and post-production stages, supported by a log that provides clear evidence. 熙熙 serves as the integrated pipeline for the first two phases: it unifies screenplay development, storyboard assembly, and footage generation within a single connected project environment.

  • Pre-production and production in one place

    Screenplay, characters and storyboard in 熙熙. The footage is powered by Seedance 2.0 and 2.5. Editing, grading and mixing stay with the tool of your choice, including at least one AI tool to note in your log.

  • A production log that nearly writes itself

    Every shot stays linked to its scene, its storyboard frame and the prompt that made it, so your log is a readout of the project.

  • The same faces for five minutes

    Characters, locations and references carry from shot to shot: what it takes to hold 314 seconds without a continuity break.

  • Free to write

    The 免费档 is 免费 with no end date, and the 年度会员, ¥168 一年, covers the storyboard and video generation. The contest is free, so your budget goes into the making, not the entry.

Real productions

International festival-recognized films have been written and produced with 熙熙.

熙熙 is already powering real AI film productions across multiple formats — cinematic short films, animated series pilots, and narrative experiments — with projects created on the platform earning selections, nominations, and awards at international film festivals around the world.

  • Video thumbnail for VOIDBORN

    VOIDBORN

    AI animated / cinematic short

    Festival recognition

    • 1st Place Silver

      Mondial Chroma Awards

    • 2nd Place 熙熙

      Mondial Chroma Awards

    • Award Winner

      Seoul International AI Film Festival

  • Video thumbnail for Les Fils du Vinnana

    Les Fils du Vinnana

    AI short film

    Festival recognition

    • Honorable Mention

      Top Quark Film Festival

    • People's Choice Nominee

      Illuminate Oneness of Humanity

    • Nominee

      ALTFF Supershort

  • Video thumbnail for Lost Garden

    Lost Garden

    AI animated series pilot

    Festival recognition

    • Finalist

      AI London Festival

See what creators are building

The pipeline

Write. Board. Produce.

  1. 熙熙 screenplay editor: acts, sequences and beats above the formatted script of The Yellow Umbrella

    01The screenplay, enriched

    An industry-standard screenplay editor, and more: a visual outline and beat editor, your writing inspirations (notes, photos, audio) kept next to the page, and an AI researcher to support your writing, not replace it.

  2. 熙熙 storyboard: shot S3 of The Yellow Umbrella with characters, shot settings and the script beside it

    02The storyboard, made easy

    Shot breakdown generated from your screenplay, manual control over every shot (frame, angle, movement, duration), and generative AI previsualization in one click.

  3. 熙熙 production canvas: shots S3 and S4 as connected nodes carrying their storyboard panels and prompts

    03AI production, with finesse

    Footage generation pipelines connected to your screenplay and storyboard. Optimized out of the box, fully editable workflow.

More AI film festivals

Guides for other festivals

Go further

Guides for festival films

FAQ

The Artefact AI Film Festival, your questions

How do you win the Artefact AI Film Festival?
The rules publish no grid. A film must first respect the charter (314 seconds at most, AI in all three phases), then get past the mk2 and Troiscouleurs editors, become one of twenty finalists and convince the jury led by Nakache and Toledano. Make a short, simple, moving film with a precise production log.
What is the deadline?
Submissions run from 2 September to 2 December 2026. The rules state no cutoff hour, so submit earlier. The public vote follows from 9 December to 13 January 2027, and the ceremony is at the end of February 2027 at mk2 Bibliothèque.
How much can you win?
Grand Prix: €10,000, and according to the home page a 30 second version shown for a week in all mk2 theatres. Jury Award, Audience Award and the Artefact Award for best use of AI: €1,000 each. Partners may give other prizes.
Do I need AI at every step?
Yes: at least one generative AI tool in each of the three phases, pre-production, production and post-production, and a production log that describes it. Examples: screenplay and storyboard for phase 1, image or video generation for phase 2, editing, generated music and voices for phase 3.
How long can the film be?
314 seconds at most, which is 5 minutes and 14 seconds. The rules give no minimum length.
What hosting and format?
The film is hosted on YouTube or Vimeo and sent as a link anyone can open. You add a visual, a synopsis, a presentation and the production log. The rules we read set no resolution.
Who can enter, and how many films?
Any individual worldwide, except the staff of Artefact and its partner companies and their families. One candidate space and one film per person. Minors need a parent's authorisation. A co-directed film names one lead director, who alone receives any prize.
What happens to my film, and do I keep my rights?
You remain the owner. By entering, you allow the film to be shown free of charge on the contest site, on social networks, on the Artefact and mk2 sites and in mk2 theatres, for 24 months after the contest ends.

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