The Grand Jury of Academics
Stewarding the Future of Cinema
Thank you for joining the Grand Jury of Academics for the Sparknify Film Festival. We are honored to confirm your registration as a vital steward of this historic event. In early Sept. 2026, you will receive credentials to screen up to 14 short films, two per core emotion block.
Please contact our festival administrator if you have any questions.
About this Film Festival
The Sparknify Human vs. AI Film Festival brings traditional filmmakers and AI creators onto the same stage to explore a defining creative question: How should traditional filmmaking evolve in the age of AI, and how can AI-generated films move audiences more deeply??
This short film festival reframes cinematic evaluation around emotion. Each submitted film centers on one of seven core human emotions: Joy, Sorrow, Rage, Serenity, Love, Hate, or Desire. Rather than focusing only on tools or technique, the festival asks creators to define their work by what it makes audiences feel.
More than a competition, the festival serves as both a creative compass for traditional filmmakers and a Turing Test for AI-generated films, examining how emotion is expressed and experienced to influence human minds at a time when intelligent machines are becoming part of the creative process in cinema.
Selected works will be reviewed by leading scholars, AI innovators, and film industry professionals working across cinema, technology, and human perception. The films will then premiere at a live Silicon Valley showcase on September 26, 2026 featuring screenings and conversations about the future of storytelling.