Toronto AI Shorts Submit

Season 1 · Toronto

Toronto AI Shorts Film Festival

Toronto AI Shorts

A black box theatre is built to be empty: no fixed set, no fixed genre, just a dark room and a light, ready for whatever comes next. This festival works the same way.

Submit a Film → Read more

The Space

A black box theatre is built to be empty. No fixed set, no fixed genre, just a dark room and a light, ready to become whatever the next production needs.

Toronto AI Shorts works the same way: no fixed genre, no fixed approach to using artificial intelligence, as long as it had a real, traceable part in the film somewhere. We judge what’s on screen, not how it got there.

On Friday, September 25, 2026, at 6:00 PM, we’re screening the selected films at Black Box, 1085 Bellamy Rd N, Scarborough, in Toronto, followed by a Q&A with whichever directors can join us, and time afterward that isn’t rushed, filmmakers and audience talking together in the same room.

Any genre. Any story. Bring us the film; we’ll turn the lights on.

The Program

Center Stage
Grand prize. Best film in the program.
Spotlight
Best director.
The Frame
Best cinematography or visual craft.
Breakout Performance
Best performance, on screen or voice.
The Cue
Best sound design.

The Winners

Five categories, five films, selected from this season’s submissions. They screen on the night, September 25.

  • The Hunt - Part One poster
    Center Stage · Best Film

    The Hunt - Part One

    Vincent Perez · Spain

  • Dungeon Alliance: Kastrom's Tomb, Part I poster
    Spotlight · Best Director

    Dungeon Alliance: Kastrom’s Tomb, Part I

    Andrew J Parks · United States

  • CANNED poster
    The Frame · Best Cinematography

    CANNED

    Yukun Huang · China

  • Time Travel Hotel poster
    Breakout Performance

    Time Travel Hotel – Official Music Video

    821R (Honey R) · Japan

  • SUFFRAGETTE poster
    The Cue · Best Sound Design

    SUFFRAGETTE

    France

Official Selection

  • From Noah to Jesus poster
    Official Selection

    From Noah to Jesus

    Algis Kemezys · Canada

  • NO JUDGEMENT DAY poster
    Official Selection

    NO JUDGEMENT DAY

    Ian Johnston · Canada

Before You Submit

  1. Genre. Wide open. Any genre, any format, fiction or documentary.
  2. Completion date. On or after January 1, 2024.
  3. AI involvement. Must have played a real, traceable part somewhere: writing, images, voice, score, or cut. Say where in the notes.
  4. Language. English, or subtitled in English.
  5. Premiere status. None required. Already screened elsewhere is fine.
  6. Multiple entries. As many as you have, each entered separately.
  7. Rights. You must hold them, and clear the public screening.
  8. Format. MP4 or MOV, minimum 1080p.
  9. Discretion. We may decline or reorder without explanation.

The Room

Black Box, 1085 Bellamy Rd N, Scarborough, ON M1H 3C7, Canada. Doors 6:00 PM, Friday, September 25, 2026.

Deadline 1
Sep 25, 2026
Deadline 2
Oct 23, 2026
Deadline 3
Nov 18, 2026
Deadline 4
Dec 16, 2026
Deadline 5
Jan 13, 2027
Deadline 6
Feb 8, 2027
Deadline 7
Mar 8, 2027
Deadline 8
Apr 5, 2027
Deadline 9
May 3, 2027
Deadline 10
May 29, 2027
Notification
Jun 4, 2027
Screening
Jun 12, 2027

Submit through FilmFreeway: filmfreeway.com/TorontoAIShortsFilmFestival. Questions first? Write to info@aitorontoshorts.com.