Picture for illustrative purposes only. ARCHIVE

Meta description: The 1 Billion Followers Summit has revealed the Top 12 shortlisted films for the world’s largest AI-generated film award, valued at $1 million, ahead of public voting this December. News story: The 1 Billion Followers Summit, the world’s largest gathering dedicated to the content creation economy, has announced the Top 12 shortlisted films competing for the world’s largest AI-Generated Film Award, valued at US$1 million. The award is organised by the UAE Government Media Office in collaboration with Google Gemini, and attracted 3,500 film submissions from around the world. Following a rigorous selection process, the final 12 films were chosen by a specialised jury made up of global creative leaders, filmmakers and technology experts. Public voting for the shortlisted films will run from December 21 to 25 through the official platform of the summit. The voting phase will help determine the Top 5 finalists, which will be screened during the fourth edition of the 1 Billion Followers Summit, taking place from January 9 to 11, 2026, across Emirates Towers, Dubai International Financial Centre, and the Museum of the Future, under the theme “Content for Good.” Vote here The final winner of the world’s most valuable AI-generated film award will be announced on January 11, 2026. The jury panel includes Dan Germain, Executive Creative Director at Google Brand Studio London; Ali Ali, film director and Cannes Lions Film Jury member; Christian Haas, Executive Creative Director at YouTube; Piotr Dąbkowski, Co-Founder and CTO of ElevenLabs and a TIME100 AI honouree; and Marina Mogilko, entrepreneur and content creator known globally as SiliconValleyGirl. A total of 400 hours of film content were reviewed by a committee of 40 specialists, resulting in an initial shortlist of 100 films before narrowing it down to the final 12. More than 30,000 creators from 116 countries expressed interest in the award, underscoring its global reach and influence in the rapidly evolving AI-powered creative industry. Anthony Nakache, Managing Director for Google in the Middle East and North Africa, said the collaboration highlights the growing role of AI in creative storytelling. “We are delighted to collaborate with the 1 Billion Followers Summit as we prepare to announce the winner of the world’s largest AI-Generated Film Award, created using Google Gemini models and tools,” Nakache said. “Submissions from 116 countries highlight the strong global interest among content creators in transforming their creative ideas into impactful films that deliver meaningful community messages.” Alia AlHammadi, Vice Chairperson of the UAE Government Media Office and Director of the 1 Billion Followers Summit, said the strong participation reflects the summit’s global standing. “The strong interest in participating in the award reflects the position of the 1 Billion Followers Summit as a global platform that brings together ambition and innovation,” she said. “This is clearly demonstrated by the exceptional level of creativity seen in many submissions, which were marked by deep human and artistic vision.”

The Top 12 shortlisted films

Category: “Rewrite Tomorrow” Heal – Mohamed Gomaa Rizk (Egypt) Set in 2030, the film follows Laila, a young woman who lost her voice due to trauma and uses emotional AI to enter her comatose mother’s memories in a journey of healing. Cats Like Warmth – Lee Su Yeol (South Korea) A data-driven robot in a rural village learns that emotional warmth and connection come from the heart, not from algorithms. Homeward – Nav Lotay (United Kingdom) After years lost in space, Arri is sent back to Earth’s past, where he confronts his own regrets and finds a path toward reconciliation. Roots of Tomorrow – Daniel Titz (Germany) A scientist and her dog search distant planets for a plant that can destroy microplastics, only to discover the solution lies closer than expected. Maestra – Hilario Abad (Spain) A veteran musician faces an AI that surpasses her technical skill, learning that human experience is the true source of artistic mastery. Dreams Don’t Die – Omar Rammal (Palestine) A mother shelters her child from war inside a magical storybook, where children from conflict zones confront darkness through imagination and hope. Category: “The Secret Life of Everything” The Translator – Philip Lee (USA) A woman’s obsession with plants becomes humanity’s lifeline as she uncovers the Earth’s silent language to locate hidden water sources. Portrait No. 72 – Rodson Fer Suarez (Philippines) An elderly photographer in Varanasi finds renewed purpose through an unexpected friendship with a curious child. Ceremony – Mark Wachholz (Germany) The lone survivor of an erased city reveals a disturbing truth about children and memory during a haunting interview. The Beginning – Ibraheem Diab (Jordan) A young man travels 3,500 miles in search of safety, discovering that compassion can turn survival into hope. LILY – Zoubeir Jlassi (Tunisia) A guilt-ridden archivist haunted by a doll confronts truth, confession and redemption in a rain-soaked city. Pursuit of Pearl – Zahir Khan (Canada) A young pearl diver from Dubai survives a near-drowning after a mysterious underwater encounter that shapes his life after loss. All entries were assessed for storytelling quality, ethical transparency, artistic innovation, and the integration of AI technologies. Each shortlisted film was verified to have used at least 70 percent generative AI tools developed by Google Gemini. ICA/Expat Media
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