The AIGC Film Section of the 16th Beijing International Film Festival ("BJIFF") has officially opened registration for its flagship competition, the “72-Hour Extreme Innovation Competition”.

Conceived as a cutting-edge creative experiment, the competition pushes the boundaries of endurance, intellect and imagination. AI innovators and filmmakers from around the world are invited to form cross-disciplinary teams and take on three escalating rounds of creative production within a 72-hour timeframe. The competition introduces a proprietary “points race” system, where strategic decision-making is as critical as artistic inspiration—turning every stage of the contest into a high-stakes, dynamic race for ranking.

By exploring human–machine collaboration, the competition seeks to redefine the future of storytelling. We look forward to seeing you at the forefront of this creative frontier.

16th Beijing International Film Festival

AIGC Film Section · 72-Hour Extreme Innovation Competition

Guiding Units:

Beijing Municipal Radio and Television Bureau

Beijing International Film Festival Organizing Committee Office

Hosts:

Communication University of China

Exclusive Strategic Partner:

Wan

Organizers:

School of Animation and Digital Arts, Communication University of China

Publicity Department of the CPC Haidian District Committee, Beijing

Exclusive Platforms partners:

Tencent Video, Lumio Community

Co-organizers:

CPC Wanshou Road Subdistrict Working Committee, Haidian District, Beijing

Wanshou Road Subdistrict Office, People's Government of Haidian District, Beijing

China Film AI Research Institute

Beijing Yuanyu Science Fiction and Future Technology Research Institute

Academic Supporting Units:

China Animation Association

Digital Human Research Institute, Communication University of China

Specially Invited Community Partners:

StoryStorm, AI · DAO

Global Strategic Partners:

WAIFF - World AI Film Festival in Cannes

School of Design, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) International Youth Film Festival

MIT AI Film Hackathon

The final round of the 72-Hour Extreme Innovation Competition will feature 16 teams selected from across the globe: 8 teams advancing from preliminary competitions in eight cities; 4 teams from overseas and Hong Kong–Macao invitational divisions; 4 teams selected via open online registration. Bringing together diverse perspectives and top-tier talent, the competition offers multiple entry pathways. Teams may apply through more than one channel. Final qualification will be determined by the highest evaluation score achieved. Where a team qualifies through multiple channels, priority will be given to results from city preliminaries, with the corresponding online qualification slot allocated to the next-ranked team.

(I) Registration Requirements

Team Registration: Teams may be formed freely, with two members per team. Cross-disciplinary collaboration is encouraged, including combinations such as AI technology, film production and screenwriting.

Submission Requirements: All teams must submit their applications by scanning the designated QR code, selecting their preferred competition city, and obtaining details of the preliminary round. Participants must then follow the instructions provided and participate in the scheduled offline timed preliminary competition. Completion of these steps constitutes a successful registration. (Note: Offline competition schedules vary across preliminary divisions. Applicants are advised to closely monitor official communications for their selected division to avoid missing their assigned session.)

(II) Online Registration

Applicants may register online by scanning the QR code, selecting "Online Registration" and completing and submitting the questionnaire. Submission of the completed form will be deemed a successful registration.

(III) City Preliminary Division Registration

Applicants choosing to enter via city preliminaries must scan the QR code, select "City Preliminary Division", choose their preferred competition city, and obtain details of the preliminary round. Participants must then follow the instructions provided and participate in the scheduled offline timed preliminary competition. Completion of these steps constitutes a successful registration. (Note: Offline competition schedules vary across preliminary divisions. Applicants are advised to closely monitor official communications for their selected division to avoid missing their assigned session.)

Appendix: Overview of Preliminary Divisions (in no particular order)

1. Overseas and Hong Kong-Macao Invitational Divisions

(1) United States · MIT AI Film Hackathon

(2) France · WAIFF – World AI Film Festival in Cannes

(3) Hong Kong, China · School of Design, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

(4) Macao, China · Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) International Youth Film Festival

2. Domestic City Preliminary Divisions

(1) Beijing · South Central Axis (Beijing) International Culture Technology Development Co., Ltd.

(2) Changchun · School of Media Science/ School of Journalism), Northeast Normal University

(3) Changsha · Hunan Guangqi Future Film Technology Co., Ltd.

(4) Guangzhou · Yuexiu Grand Mansion · Xidi Lakeside Social Innovation Center

(5) Hangzhou · Hangzhou Xibo Culture Communication Co., Ltd.

(6) Shenzhen · Greater Bay Area Homeland Youth Community Foundation (Nanshan District, Shenzhen)

(7) Suzhou · StoryStorm · Huazong OPC

(8) Wenzhou · China (Wenzhou) Data Security Hub

III. Key Competition Information

(II) Scale: The competition is open to global participants, with 16 teams (two members per team) to be selected for the final in Beijing.

(III) Final Dates: April 20–23, 2026

(IV) Final Venue: Haidian District, Beijing, China

(V) Awards: Winning teams will receive official honors and may be invited to participate in festival screenings, industry matchmaking and related professional activities. Pre-registration and team qualification selection are now officially open. The competition seeks pioneers who combine technical expertise, artistic vision and teamwork spirit. Bring your creativity and ambition, take on the challenge, and join us in shaping a new paradigm for filmmaking in the AIGC era.

IV. Evaluation Process

(I) Online Registration Track

1. Evaluation Procedure: After the registration deadline, the jury will evaluate all submitted materials, including each team's prior works, and select four teams to advance to the finals. The shortlisted teams will be publicly announced.

2. Evaluation Criteria:

(1) Audiovisual Language: Effectiveness in using visual and audio elements to tell a story, convey meaning, and create atmosphere.

(2) Creative Expression: Novelty and imagination reflected in the concept, perspective and presentation of the work.

(3) AIGC Technology: Quality, innovation, technical execution, consistency and breakthrough potential of the work using AIGC technology.

(II) City Preliminary Track

1. Evaluation Procedure: Preliminary jury panels in each city will assess submissions from the offline timed competitions, assigning comprehensive scores. Results will not be disclosed on-site. Finalists will be determined following a secondary review by the Organizing Committee's final jury, with nine teams advancing and publicly announced.

2. Evaluation Criteria:

(1) Thematic Relevance: Alignment of the work with the assigned theme.

(2) Audiovisual Language: Effectiveness in using visual and audio elements to tell a story, convey meaning, and create atmosphere.

(3) Creative Expression: Novelty and imagination reflected in the concept, perspective and presentation of the work.

(4) AIGC Technology: Quality, innovation, technical execution, consistency and breakthrough potential of the work using AIGC technology.

 

This community is strictly for answering event-related inquiries and does not accept film submissions. For detailed rules, updates and announcements, please follow the official BJIFF WeChat account.

Special Notes:

Full copyright of submitted works remains with the creators. By registering, creators grant the Organizing Committee of the 16th BJIFF AIGC Film Section a royalty-free and irrevocable license to screen works online and offline, distribute globally and re-edit for competition promotional purposes. The Organizing Committee may transfer these rights, in whole or in part, to affiliated guiding, hosting or organizing organizations.

Creators must ensure that their works—including scripts, audiovisual materials and AI-generated content—are free of copyright disputes. Any legal issues arising from intellectual property conflicts are the sole responsibility of the creators. The Organizing Committee reserves the right to disqualify entries or revoke awards if disputes arise.

The Organizing Committee retains a perpetual, non-commercial right to use submitted works for film screening, promotional campaigns and archival purposes during the festival and supporting activities. Detailed rights and terms are outlined in the submission portal.

For registration details and the latest updates, please consult the official channels of the Beijing International Film Festival.