- 265 festival submissions received, including 223 films from 52 countries
- American finalists include The Realm, Rules of Play, and A River in a River
Paris, France / New York, NY — February 12, 2026 — Artefact, the global leader designing data and AI solutions that drive measurable impact for people and organizations, today announced the finalist selections for the Artefact AI Film Festival, created in partnership with mk2 and dedicated to celebrating bold new forms of storytelling enabled by generative AI.
For this edition, the festival received 265 submissions, including 223 films from 52 countries, reflecting the accelerating momentum of AI-assisted creativity across filmmakers, artists, and new hybrid creator communities.
The festival’s second edition explores the theme “(Dis)play”, inviting creators to experiment with play, formats, and perspectives while questioning what we choose to reveal on screen.
American Finalists
Artefact congratulates the American finalists selected this year:
- THE REALM — Seif Abdalla
- RULES OF PLAY — Jacob Adler
- A RIVER IN A RIVER — Bruno Lasevicius
Jury and Awards
The 2025/2026 edition jury is chaired by Cédric Klapisch, alongside a multidisciplinary panel spanning cinema, culture, and creative technology.
Awards for the festival include: Grand Prix (€10,000), Jury Prize (€1,000), Audience Prize (€1,000), and the Artefact “Best Use of AI” Prize (incubator-style support for a next short film). The festival culminated with an Awards Ceremony at mk2 in Paris on 12th February.
About Artefact
Artefact is a global leader in data and AI consulting, dedicated to designing AI solutions that positively impact people and organizations. Built on deep data science expertise and cutting-edge AI technologies, Artefact delivers end-to-end AI projects at scale across industries, helping organizations unlock value across their entire value chain.
Media Contact
Dalyce Semko
dalyce@expandcommunication.com
403-869-3259
