// AI-native cinema · Toronto · 2026

The future of cinema,
prompted into existence.

PROMPT FESTIVAL arrives in Toronto on July 26, 2026 — an evening dedicated to bold short-form cinema, emerging voices, and films that spark conversation long after the credits roll.

Jul 26, 2026· Black Box· Scarborough, Toronto
Submit your film → Explore awards
Prompt Deadline closes in —
About

A festival for AI-native cinema.

Set inside Black Box in Scarborough, PROMPT FESTIVAL brings filmmakers, artists, and curious audiences together for a program built around fresh storytelling, unexpected perspectives, and genre-bending work from around the world.

From visually striking experiments to emotionally sharp narratives, the selection celebrates cinema that feels immediate, playful, and alive. PROMPT FESTIVAL is dedicated to creators exploring new cinematic language through artificial intelligence — whether through film generation, visual development, animation, voice work, sound design, editing assistance, script development, concept generation, poster creation, or hybrid workflows.

Watch.

Screen a curated program of AI-native short films at Black Box.

Meet.

Connect with filmmakers, artists, and curious minds in an intimate setting.

Exchange.

Trade ideas with the creators building tomorrow's cinematic language.

Awards

Fifteen categories. One signature prize.

PROMPT FESTIVAL celebrates creators shaping the future of cinema through AI.

// festival grand prize

Best Prompt

Can a creator produce a complete, compelling short film from a single prompt?

Best Prompt honors storytelling precision, conceptual clarity, and mastery of AI tools through minimal human intervention. The ideal benchmark is a finished short film generated from one prompt, or as close to that vision as possible.

This is not just a technical exercise. This is a new form of authorship.

What you receive

An official screening, laurels, and a real audience.

Selected filmmakers receive

  • Official screening at PROMPT FESTIVAL Toronto
  • Official selection laurels
  • Access to the live event and filmmaker networking
  • Eligibility for all competition categories

Winners receive

  • Winner laurels
  • Official inclusion in the winners program
  • Category award recognition
  • Featured placement across festival communications
  • Priority consideration for future curated showcases
Eligibility

If AI was used anywhere in your creative pipeline, your project qualifies.

Image generation Video generation Animation Screenplay development Concept development Voice generation Sound design Music generation Editing assistance Visual effects Character creation Poster creation Hybrid AI / traditional workflows

All genres accepted. Short films, experimental works, music videos, hybrid projects, and AI-native works are welcome. Non-English entries must include English subtitles.

Venue

Black Box, Toronto.

An intimate Scarborough venue built for discovery — where filmmakers, artists, and audiences meet in close quarters to share work that feels immediate and alive.

Black Box
1085 Bellamy Rd N
Scarborough, ON M1H 3C7
Canada
Submit

Submissions open through July 11.

Submit through FilmFreeway. Entry fees are non-refundable. Final programming decisions remain at festival discretion.

RoundDeadlineFee
Prompt DeadlineJul 11, 2026$15
Submit on FilmFreeway →

Notification date: July 19, 2026 · Event: July 26, 2026

Contact

Get in touch.

For press, partnerships, and general inquiries:
admin@promptfilmfest.com