First Astana AI Film Festival draws 8,067 entries from 125 countries; $450K grand prize awarded
lmoroney · x · 2026-10-06
The first Astana AI Film Festival wrapped October 3 in Kazakhstan: 8,067 entries from 125 countries, 25 finalists.
- Grand Prix ($450,000): "The First Honest Day" by Latvian filmmaker Nikolay Shestak — a former actor who started directing 4 years ago and has made AI-assisted films for only 2
- The Best Story team spent a month and a half refining their screenplay; the third-place filmmaker finished his entry in 10 days
Advice for AI creators from the winners: invest the first hours in script, characters, and something personal — then pick your tools.
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