The 1 Billion Followers Summit has named the 12 finalists for the world's largest AI-generated film award, a $1 million prize supported by Google Gemini. Judges reviewed 400 hours of submissions — 3,500 entries in total — before a panel of 40 experts narrowed the field to 100, then a five-member specialist jury selected the final twelve.
How the 12 Finalists Were Chosen
A specialised jury comprising global experts selected the shortlist from 3,500 submissions. Google Gemini provided technical verification, confirming that each finalist used generative AI for at least 70% of their film's production. The five jury members include Dan Germain (Executive Creative Director, Google Brand Studio London), Ali Ali (Egyptian film director and Cannes Lions jury member), Christian Haas (Executive Creative Director, YouTube), Piotr Dąbkowski (Co-Founder and CTO of ElevenLabs), and Marina Mogilko (entrepreneur and content creator with over 18 million followers).
The Two Creative Themes
Submissions were guided by two creative prompts. The first, "Rewrite Tomorrow," called for future-focused narratives. The second, "The Secret Life of Everything," invited personal and conceptual storytelling.
The 12 AI Film Finalists
Rewrite Tomorrow
1. Heal — Mohamed Gomaa Rizk (Egypt) 2. Cats Like Warmth — Lee Su Yeol (South Korea) 3. Homeward — Nav Lotay (UK) 4. Roots of Tomorrow — Daniel Titz (Germany) 5. Maestra — Hilario Abad (Spain) 6. Dreams Don't Die — Omar Rammal (Palestine)
The Secret Life of Everything
7. The Translator — Philip Lee (USA) 8. Portrait No. 72 — Rodson Fer Suarez (Philippines) 9. Ceremony — Mark Wachholz (Germany) 10. The Beginning — Ibraheem Diab (Jordan) 11. LILY — Zoubeir Jlassi (Tunisia) 12. Pursuit of Pearl — Zahir Khan (Canada)
Public Vote and Summit Schedule
Public voting was open from December 21 to 25, 2025 at aifilm.1billionsummit.com. Following the public vote, the jury will select the Top 5 films to be screened on January 10, 2026. The winner will be announced on January 11, 2026, during the fourth edition of the 1 Billion Followers Summit — hosted by the UAE Government Media Office and held across Emirates Towers, Dubai International Financial Centre, and the Museum of the Future.
AI Sits Inside Mainstream Creator Culture
The AI-Generated Film Award category signals a shift in how creators and industry professionals view generative tools. With 30,000 people from 116 countries expressing interest in the summit, the award offers selected projects direct visibility before brands, studios, and creative agencies monitoring the space. The summit's theme for its fourth edition is "Content for Good."
