The Artefact AI Film Festival announces its jury chaired by Cédric Klapisch and officially opens submissions

• Cédric Klapisch is a French director, screenwriter, and producer. He gained international acclaim with his European youth trilogy: L’Auberge espagnole (2002), Russian Dolls (2005), and Chinese Puzzle (2013). He excels at generational chronicles and human comedies, blending humor, emotion, and social observation.

“For AI to become a true creative tool, we must absolutely ensure that this so-called ‘artificial intelligence’ is not guided by the ‘natural stupidity’ of certain human beings…”

• Ana Girardot, acclaimed French actress, represents the craft of acting in the face of new creative tools. First brought to public attention in La Maison and acclaimed in works such as Escobar: Paradise Lost and the series La Flamme, she stands as one of the leading figures of contemporary cinema and television.
  

“I am delighted to be part of the jury of the Artefact AI Film Festival by Mk2. It is a rare opportunity to dive into the universe of these new filmmakers, to discover works that go beyond technical experimentation to become true films, carrying a vision, an emotion, and a cinematic language of their own. I look forward to seeing how this generation embraces AI to invent new forms of storytelling and imagery.”

• Junie Lau, a multidisciplinary artist exploring the boundaries between art and technology, was also one of the winners of the festival’s 2024 edition. Her interactive installations, showcased at the Centre Pompidou and Ars Electronica, demonstrate her commitment to reinventing the dialogue between innovation and artistic expression.

“More importantly, it has not only given rise to new forms of art, media, and storytelling, but also opened up a new possibility — allowing voices that might otherwise be drowned out in grand narratives, especially the gentle yet resilient voices of women, like that of my grandmother, to echo through light and shadow in my collaborative film with Google I/O.”

• Jeremy Boxer, artistic director and filmmaker, is a specialist in new visual storytelling forms. Former Head of Programming at Vimeo and curator at SXSW, he has supported many emerging talents while developing innovative international projects.

“My favorite thing about when new technology becomes accessible to creative minds is the emergence of new voices that would not have had an opportunity to be seen or heard. I am looking forward to finding some of those new voices. “

• Raphaël Frydman, French filmmaker and winner of the 2024 edition, is a witness to the creative impact of AI on the younger generation. Produced by mk2, Frydman is currently directing a feature film that integrates artificial intelligence technologies.
• Paul Trillo, an innovative director and screenwriter in the use of digital tools. An Emmy Award winner, he has distinguished himself with short films and commercials, celebrated at festivals such as SXSW and through collaborations with Microsoft and Apple, exploring new narrative and visual forms.
• Bruno Patino,  President of ARTE, is a visionary of contemporary media transformations. Former editorial director of Le Monde and Arte France, he is also the author of several seminal essays on the impact of digital culture, including La civilisation du poisson rouge.
• Elisha Karmitz, CEO of mk2, embodies French independent cinema by combining artistic excellence with innovation. Under his leadership, mk2 supports auteur cinema awarded at Cannes while exploring new digital creations, such as an AI-powered feature film with Raphaël Frydman.
• Anne Apter,   actress, director, and screenwriter, stands out for her creative use of AI. After Bref.2 on Disney+ and Hulu, she directed Imagine, which won awards at the Nikon Film Festival and Les Arcs, followed by the series D’autres que moi on Canal+ in 2024.

“In my opinion, AI tools help unlock creativity. I hope to discover films that use these tools in the service of storytelling — and not the other way around.”

The strength of this jury lies in the diversity of its members, reflecting the entire audiovisual creation ecosystem in the age of AI. Its transversal composition brings together auteur cinema, traditional media, and digital platforms, embodying the festival’s pioneering spirit and its commitment to promoting an open and virtuous dialogue on artistic creation.

Building on the lessons of its first edition, the festival continues to explore how AI can facilitate access to creation for emerging filmmakers, while maintaining its commitment to transparent use and respect for intellectual property.

After the success of 2024 with 267 submissions from 35 countries, the festival now seeks to cement Paris’s status as Europe’s reference city for reimagining the future of cinematic creation.

From September 2 to December 3, 2025, creators from around the world are invited to submit their short films on the theme “(Dis)play”. The competition is free and open to all, encouraging exploration of the playful universe of generative AI.

Submission requirements:

• Create a profile on the festival’s official website
• Submit a film of maximum 314 seconds (a nod to the number Pi, 3.14)
• Use at least one generative AI tool at each stage (pre-production, production, post-production)
• Provide a production journal detailing the use of AI tools
• Include a visual, a synopsis, and a film presentation

Competition Timeline

• Submission period: September 2 – December 3, 2025
• Public vote: December 10, 2025 – January 14, 2026
• Jury deliberation: Mid-January 2026
  Awards ceremony: Mid-February 2026

The competition features four distinctions, highlighting different creative approaches:

• Grand Prize (€10,000): Awarded to the best film
• Jury Prize (€1,000): Awarded to the film that most impressed the jury for its cinematic quality
• Audience Award (€1,000): Awarded to the film chosen by the online vote
  Artefact “Best Use of AI” Prize: Awarded to the film making the best use of AI, with support in the form of an incubator for the next short film project

For the second consecutive year, the Artefact AI Film Festival welcomes Google among its official partners, highlighting its commitment to supporting the creative community as it explores the new possibilities of generative AI.

Convinced that these tools are genuine allies for artists, Google reaffirms through this partnership that technology is at the service of imagination, experimentation, and the renewal of cinematic storytelling.

This collaboration is part of Google’s broader commitment to developing responsible AI tools and listening closely to the needs of creators and cultural industries.

Johann Choron, Strategic Partnerships & Gen AI Lead – Media and Cinema at Google, said: “Our partnership with the Artefact AI Film Festival reflects our deep conviction: artificial intelligence can act as a catalyst for the creativity of our time. At Google, we are committed to developing AI tools that enhance human creative potential. It was important for us to support an event that shines a spotlight on the pioneering artists and creators of this new cinematic era. We look forward to seeing how the filmmakers at this festival will embrace these technologies to invent the stories of tomorrow.”

About the Artefact AI Film Festival with mk2:

The Artefact AI Film Festival is a groundbreaking initiative launched by Artefact, an international leader in data and AI, and mk2, France’s leading arthouse cinema group. This international competition is open to all—experienced filmmakers and newcomers alike—and aims to showcase talents exploring new creative processes with AI tools.

The theme of this second edition, “(Dis)play”, invites participants to dive into the playful and experimental world of artificial intelligence: children’s games, role-playing, or wordplay.

Official website: https://artefact-ai-film-festival.com

Artefact is a French consulting and engineering firm, the European leader in data and AI, operating in 25 countries with 1,700 employees. Based in Paris, the company supports organizations and individuals in the responsible and creative adoption of these technologies to generate positive impact. It develops custom solutions; from strategy to operations, tailored to the specific challenges of each sector. Artefact collaborates with major international groups across all key industries and is actively committed to ethical, accessible AI.

Founded in 1974, mk2 is one of Europe’s leading independent cinema groups. It operates a network of prestigious theaters, an internationally renowned production and distribution company (Anatomy of a Fall by Justine Triet, Kaizen by Inoxtag), and a fully integrated creative and media agency. The group runs 23 cinemas in France and Spain, drawing 7 million spectators annually.

As France’s leading arthouse circuit, mk2 promotes programming that combines auteur cinema, mainstream films, and cultural events, guided by three values: curation, diversity, and transmission. Its 12 Parisian cinemas attract over 4 million spectators each year, representing a 22.2% market share in the capital. Each year, 500 events are hosted in its venues, complemented by 7 restaurants and cafés and 1 Cinema-Hotel (Hotel Paradiso).

For over 20 years, the mk2 Bibliothèque cinema, the group’s flagship, has stood as a hub for cultural innovation and experimentation. In 2016, mk2 launched mk2 VR, Europe’s first permanent space dedicated to virtual reality, reinforcing its pioneering role in immersive experiences and new storytelling formats.

Vectors for mk2:
ai-film-festival@vectors-group.com
Chloé Luce: +33 6 32 80 98 18
Joseph Hamelin: +33 7 88 28 46 44

Taddeo for Artefact:
Camille Duchiron: camille.duchiron@taddeo.com : +33 6 50 52 44 43
Maud Ollieric: maud.ollieric@taddeo.com : +33 6 23 38 90 09