Frequently Asked Questions — We Are Human Festival
Questions about the We Are Human Festival, the film call, the programme or partnerships? Find all the answers below.
When and where does the festival take place?
The We Are Human Festival takes place on 24 November 2026 at the Forum des Images, Paris. The day is dedicated to screenings of finalist films, conferences, workshops and meetings with creators. As evening begins, the day culminates in the awards ceremony for the festival's three prizes.
After Paris, the festival expands internationally from December 2026 to March 2027 across seven partner cities: São Paulo (10 December 2026), New York (17 December 2026), Nairobi (20 January 2027), Johannesburg (28 January 2027), Mumbai (26 to 28 February 2027), Quito (15 to 16 March 2027) and Geneva (March 2027).
→ See international screenings
Is admission to the festival free?
Yes. The We Are Human Festival is free and open to the public. Each creator may submit a maximum of two (2) works to this edition. Each work is the subject of a separate submission, accompanied by its own Ethics Notebook.
How can I contact the team?
By email: contact@wearehuman.foundation · Instagram / LinkedIn
What is the We Are Human Festival?
The We Are Human Festival is the first international film festival in the age of artificial intelligence, committed to human rights. Carried by We Are Human Foundation — a French non-profit association of general interest — it brings together artists, filmmakers, researchers and citizens around a shared ambition: to explore how artificial intelligence can become a tool for creation, reflection and the defence of humanist values. The festival takes place on 24 November 2026 at the Forum des Images, Paris, then expands internationally from December 2026 to March 2027.
Is this a technology event?
No. We Are Human is neither a tech expo nor a showcase for technical demonstrations. It is an artistic and engaged festival that places human rights at the heart of contemporary creation.
The festival practises what it calls necessary diversion: transforming a technology of power into a vehicle for universalism. AI is a tool in service of creation and human rights — not an object of celebration in itself. We Are Human acknowledges the ecological cost of AI and its biases, and refuses to let these tools redefine the world without bringing a vision to them.
What is the festival's long-term vision?
Each edition is built around one article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UN, 1948), which becomes the thread running through the film call, programming, debates and educational initiatives. The principle: 1 edition = 1 article, over 30 years.
The 2026 inaugural edition is dedicated to Article 1: "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights."
→ Read the Universal Declaration on the United Nations website
Who is behind the project?
We Are Human Foundation is founded and chaired by Michael Swierczynski, with Elsa Swierczynski (Secretary General), Pierre Saal and Damien Rabiller (Board Advisors), and ambassadors engaged internationally.
The festival brings together an ecosystem of institutional, editorial and distribution partners including MediaClub (international media and creative industries network), Fondation Plaza Geneva (cultural and international dialogue), Fondation ELYX (UN-labelled, culture and human rights), Forum des Images (Paris), MixBrasil (São Paulo) and Loopsider (media).
When does the film call open and how do I register?
The film call opens on 1 June 2026. The full submission guidelines will be available at that date on
Who can submit a film?
The call is open to everyone, regardless of nationality or background. It is aimed in particular at:
artists and professionals seeking to highlight responsible AI projects the general public wishing to engage and contribute to civic debate schools and young audiences exploring new forms of storytelling, with or without formal training change-makers working at the intersection of culture, science and society
What formats are accepted?
Accepted works are original audiovisual creations between 1 and 10 minutes. All formats are welcome: fiction, documentary, experimental, hybrid.
AI is at the heart of the creative process, though not its sole purpose. Works entirely generated by AI, without human intention or direction, do not reflect the spirit of the festival. What matters above all: a human perspective and a singular artistic point of view.
How should films engage with the human rights theme?
The reference article is not a theme to be illustrated literally — it is a starting point for free, critical or poetic interpretation. A work may question, subvert, embody or create tension with the reference article, in any artistic form.
Are there awards? Who selects the films?
An independent artistic committee establishes the official selection. Finalist films are announced on 20 October 2026. Three awards are presented at the closing ceremony on 24 November 2026 at the Forum des Images, Paris, by a jury drawn from the worlds of creation, media and innovation:
Grand Prix — 5,000 € · Screenplay Award — 3,000 € · Ethics Award — 2,000 €
The 20 selected films are screened internationally from December 2026 to March 2027 in New York, São Paulo, Nairobi, Johannesburg, Mumbai, Quito and Geneva in theatres, with public discussions and showcasing to local cultural stakeholders.
The full jury composition will be announced approximately one month before the festival.
What is the We Are Human ethics booklet?
The ethics booklet is a short document — Four questions to be completed with each film submission directly on FilmFreeway. It invites creators to reflect on their use of AI tools, the role of the human in their creative process, any ethical tensions encountered, and how their work connects to the edition's theme. The compiled booklets will be published collectively after the festival — an archive of creation in the age of AI.
Is the booklet compulsory? Can it penalise a submission?
Yes, it is compulsory. However, no answer is eliminatory. The booklet is not a control mechanism or a selection filter — it is an integral part of the work and will be presented alongside the film at the festival. We Are Human considers transparency to be a form of creation in its own right.
What are the four questions in the booklet?
Tools used — which AI tools were used in the creation process (image, video, sound, text, voice…)?
The human's role — what role did the human play in the creative process?
Tensions encountered — visual biases, problematic representations, carbon footprint, doubts about training data… or the absence of tension, which is equally valid information.
Relation to human rights — how does the work engage with the edition's theme?
How do I become a partner of the We Are Human Festival?
The festival welcomes several forms of partnership: AI technology and creative mentoring, venue provision, distribution through cinemas and online platforms, media coverage, and laureate prizes.
As an official partner, you benefit from visibility across all festival communications, presence at events in Paris and international screenings, participation in roundtables and conferences, and a direct CSR impact in favour of responsible and inclusive AI.
Contact: contact@wearehuman.foundation
How to support the We Are Human organization?
We Are Human is a French nonprofit (association loi 1901) recognized as serving the public interest. It may receive donations and corporate sponsorship within the applicable legal framework, in financial, in-kind or skills-based form. Each partnership is defined through direct discussion with the organization.
Contact: contact@wearehuman.foundation
How do I stay up to date with festival news?
LinkedIn — We Are Human Foundation
Direct contact: contact@wearehuman.foundation
