Film & AI: International Open Call 2026

Explore Article 1 of the UDHR through human / AI hybrid creation

This first international call invites filmmakers, artists and creators from around the world to submit works exploring the connections between artificial intelligence, audiovisual creation and human rights.

 

Submission period

Opening June 1st, 2026 → Closing September 30th, 2026

4 months to submit your work

 

Who can apply?

This call for films is open to filmmakers, visual artists, studios, independent creators and collectives engaged in innovative artistic practices. All formats are welcome: fiction, documentary, experimental work, video poem, audiovisual essay, as long as they question the contemporary transformations linked to artificial intelligence.

No matter where you come from, what matters is your vision. No specific training is required.

This open call welcomes everyone, with or without an academic or professional background in film or the visual arts. Aged 18 and above.

Free submission.

 

Why participate?

We Are Human is not a technology festival. It is an artistic and committed festival.

It offers an international space to explore, question and subvert the uses of artificial intelligence through the lens of human rights. Participating means contributing to building new narratives and taking part in a collective reflection on the future of our societies.

Selected films will be screened in Paris at the Forum des images on November 24, 2026, then presented in partner cities: São Paulo, New York, Nairobi, Johannesburg, Mumbai, Quito and Geneva.

 

A unique trajectory

The festival is built on a 30-year vision, rooted in the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Each edition explores a single article as a source of contemporary artistic interpretation.

The first edition in 2026 is dedicated to Article 1:

"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood." Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

United Nations, 1948. → Read the full text on the United Nations website.

 

Official framework

 

Contemporary reading

At a time when artificial intelligence decides what is visible, audible and credible, the question of equality in dignity takes on a radically new dimension. Algorithmic systems inherit our biases, reproduce our inequalities and rank human existences on an unprecedented scale. To be born free and equal is a fundamental right. But what happens when the machine doesn't know it or pretends not to?

 

Artistic tension

Is equality in dignity still possible in a world where invisible systems decide the value of a face, a voice, a story?

 

Creative impulse

Drawing from this founding article, creators are invited to explore  through cinema, image, sound and hybrid storytelling what it means to be born human in the age of algorithms. To question equality, dignity, fraternity: not as abstract ideals, but as grounds for artistic and critical experimentation.

 

Eligible Works

Original audiovisual works inspired by Article 1 of the UDHR,

completed on or after June 1st, 2025.

Duration: 1 minute minimum / 10 minutes maximum

Human/AI hybrid creation required.

Ethics Notebook mandatory for all submissions.

Works generated solely by AI without human creative direction are not eligible.

 

Article 1, in practice: keep it simple, make it matter

No big budget, no film crew, no philosophy thesis required. Human/AI hybrid creation is at the heart of the festival. Whether you use AI to generate imagery, shape your sound, or elevate footage shot on your phone, it is there to amplify your vision — not replace it. What matters is a simple, powerful story: 1 to 10 minutes.

Let real life inspire you:

Freedom: against the machine A character who switches off their GPS, ignores an algorithm's suggestion, follows their own instinct, makes an unpredictable choice or simply looks up at the sky.

Brotherhood: the encounter Two strangers with nothing in common different ages, cultures, paths — who cross in the street, meet each other's eyes, and share a smile or a spontaneous gesture of kindness. AI can translate their inner worlds or make that moment visually unforgettable.

Dignity: the everyday Turning the camera on an unseen worker, celebrating their face and gestures, to show that every human being carries the same worth regardless of their place in society.

Simple anchors for your film: a look, a gesture, a contrast, an encounter.

Use AI: image, sound, music, text as a tool to bring your ideas to life. Put the machine at the service of your sensitivity. Be simple. Be true.

 

"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood." Article 1, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, United Nations, 1948.

 

Official Selection

An independent artistic committee establishes the shortlist of selected films.

 

Announcement of the official selection

October 20th, 2026

 

Shortlisted films revealed: Festival & awards ceremony

November 24th, 2026 — Forum des Images, Paris

 

International screenings, debates & talks

December 2026 – March 2027 · New York · São Paulo · Johannesburg · Nairobi · Mumbai · Quito · Geneva

 

Festival Awards

A jury at the crossroads of creation, media and innovation.

Grand Prix — 5,000 €

Prize for Best Screenplay — 3,000 €

Ethics Award — 2,000 €

Participation is free of charge. Prizes are funded by We Are Human, a French registered nonprofit (association loi 1901, public interest status), exclusively as part of its charitable mission: promoting human rights in the age of AI through artistic creation.

 

Selected Films & International Distribution

The 20 selected projects will tour the world in prestigious partner venues: cinemas, cultural centers, and festival stages across the globe. Beyond the awards, each selected work receives international and local recognition theatrical screenings, audience meet-and-greets, and visibility among the cultural stakeholders of each city.

 

Ethics booklet 

We Are Human Festival is the first international film festival at the age of AI to ask each creator to document their ethical approach.

This notebook: four questions, ten minutes is an integral part of the submitted work. It will be presented alongside the film and will contribute to public debates and panel discussions.

This notebook is not a selection filter. No answer is eliminatory.

 

By submitting a film, filmmakers confirm they have read and accepted these rules in full.