India’s AI short film competition · 2026–27
AI Film FestivalWin ₹1 Lakh
Make a 1–3 minute AI short film on “Stories of India”. Free to enter, any AI tool, any Indian language.
₹2,30,000 total prize pool · Submissions close 15 January 2027, 11:59 PM IST
₹2,30,000 in prizes
Six awards. Films made on Indian Pixels can win twice.
Grand prize
₹1,00,000
Best Film
The overall winner, chosen by the jury.
Indian Pixels award
₹50,000
Best Made with Indian Pixels
Best film whose visuals were mostly generated on Indian Pixels. Winner also gets 3 months of the Pro plan.
₹40,000
2nd Place
Runner-up.
₹20,000
3rd Place
Second runner-up.
₹10,000
Best Regional-Language Film
Best film in an Indian language other than English or Hindi.
₹10,000
Best Student Film
Open to students enrolled in a school, college or university.
Prize amounts are before TDS, which is deducted as per Indian law.
Make it on Indian Pixels, win up to ₹1.5 lakh
Films made mostly on Indian Pixels compete for the ₹50,000 award and the main prizes. You get Veo 3, Kling, Seedance, Wan, Runway, Suno music and 200+ AI models in one place.
- 200 bonus credits for every valid Indian Pixels entry after the festival (used with any paid plan, valid 60 days)
- The top 10 Indian Pixels films are featured on our homepage and YouTube, credited to you
Entering for the Indian Pixels award?
End your film with the official end card (3 seconds), and keep your original Indian Pixels downloads — the jury checks them against your account’s generation history.
How to enter
- Step 1
Sign up free
Create a free Indian Pixels account. You’ll use it to submit your film.
- Step 2
Make your film
A 1–3 minute AI short film on the theme “Stories of India”. Use any AI tools — films made mostly on Indian Pixels can also win the ₹50,000 award.
- Step 3
Upload to YouTube
Upload it to YouTube (public or unlisted) with #IndianPixelsAIFilmFest in the title or description.
- Step 4
Submit the link
Fill in the form on this page before 15 January 2027.
Key dates
- Submissions open
- Open now (since 20 October 2026)
- Last date to submit
- 15 January 2027, 11:59 PM IST
- Winners announced
- 26 January 2027 (Republic Day)
Submit your film
Free entry · up to 3 films per person · closes 15 January 2027, 11:59 PM IST
Rules
- Free to enter. Open to residents of India aged 18 or over (under-18s may enter with a parent or guardian’s consent).
- Films must be 1 to 3 minutes long, made mostly with AI tools, and fit the theme “Stories of India” — any genre is welcome.
- Any language is allowed. Films not in English or Hindi should have English subtitles.
- Up to 3 entries per person. Each film must be new, made after the festival opened, and your own work.
- Not allowed: deepfakes or likenesses of real people, copyrighted characters, music or footage you don’t have rights to, sexual or violent content, hate, or political campaigning.
- Say which AI tools you used.
- For the ₹50,000 Indian Pixels award: most visuals must be generated on the Indian Pixels account you submit from, the film must end with the official “Made with Indian Pixels” end card (download it on this page), and you must keep your original Indian Pixels downloads — the jury checks your generation history and may ask for the files.
- You keep ownership of your film. By entering, you allow Indian Pixels to show it (with credit) on its website and social media.
- A jury scores story, visual quality, creativity and use of AI. The jury’s decision is final.
- Prize money is paid by bank transfer after verification (PAN and bank details). TDS is deducted as per Indian law.
How films are judged
- Story35%
Is it engaging, original and true to “Stories of India”?
- Visual quality30%
Consistency, framing, motion and editing.
- Creativity20%
Fresh ideas and smart use of AI tools.
- Sound15%
Music, voice and sound design.
Questions
Is it free to enter the Indian Pixels AI Film Festival?
Yes. Entry is free and you can use any AI tools. You just need a free Indian Pixels account to submit your YouTube link.
What is the prize money?
The total prize pool is ₹2,30,000: ₹1,00,000 for Best Film, ₹50,000 for Best Made with Indian Pixels, ₹40,000 for 2nd place, ₹20,000 for 3rd place, and ₹10,000 each for Best Regional-Language Film and Best Student Film. TDS is deducted as per law.
Do I have to use Indian Pixels to make my film?
No. Any AI tool is allowed. Films whose visuals are mostly generated on Indian Pixels can also win the ₹50,000 Best Made with Indian Pixels award, and can still win the main prizes.
What is the last date to submit?
Submissions close on 15 January 2027, 11:59 PM IST. Winners are announced on 26 January 2027 (Republic Day).
How long should the film be?
Between 1 and 3 minutes, including titles and credits.
Can I submit a film in Tamil, Telugu or another Indian language?
Yes — any language. Please add English subtitles if it isn’t in English or Hindi. There’s a ₹10,000 award for the best regional-language film.
How do you check that a film was made on Indian Pixels?
Every image and video you generate is saved to your Indian Pixels account history. For the ₹50,000 award the jury compares your film with the clips generated on the account you submitted from. Films must also end with the official “Made with Indian Pixels” end card, which you can download on this page. Keep your original downloads in case the jury asks for them.
Questions? Email admin@indianpixels.net or ask in our Discord.