Dasein AI Film Festival

By submitting a film to the Dasein AI Film Festival ("Festival"), the filmmaker ("Applicant") agrees to the following Terms & Conditions. These guidelines are designed to protect both the Festival and the artists who make it possible. Dasein is committed to fostering a respectful, ethical, and inspiring environment for filmmakers from around the world.

2027 Edition
Theme
Ego Blinds. Love Sees.

The 2027 Dasein AI Film Festival explores the evolution of character in an age transformed by artificial intelligence.

Inspired by Martin Heidegger's philosophy of Dasein, we continue to ask not only what it means to exist, but what it means to exist responsibly. If technology is reshaping our world, then our greatest challenge is no longer merely intelligence—it is wisdom, integrity, compassion, and the choices we make with that intelligence.

This year's theme is also informed by the recent reflections of Pope Leo XIV on artificial intelligence, human dignity, and the importance of ensuring that technology serves humanity rather than reducing human beings to mere resources or algorithms. His call for love, dignity, and ethical responsibility echoes many of the questions raised by Heidegger decades earlier about technology's power to shape how we understand ourselves and the world.

The Festival further draws inspiration from Ilgaz Kuren's book, Asking the Right Questions, which argues that humanity's future depends not only on creating more powerful technologies, but on cultivating better questions, deeper understanding, moral courage, and the capacity to love beyond ego.

We welcome narrative, documentary, animation, experimental, hybrid, and other cinematic works that explore consciousness, ethics, identity, compassion, integrity, interconnectedness, humanity's relationship with nature, emerging technologies, and new visions for civilization.

Films are encouraged—but not required—to interpret the annual theme directly.

Festival Philosophy

Dasein AI Film Festival brings together filmmakers, artists, philosophers, scientists, technologists, and audiences to explore one central question:

How can humanity remain deeply human while creating increasingly intelligent machines?

We believe the future will not be shaped by artificial intelligence alone, but by the character of those who create and use it.

Creative freedom, ethical responsibility, intellectual curiosity, and mutual respect are the foundation of our Festival. Through cinema, we hope to encourage conversations that move beyond technological capability toward wisdom, dignity, love, and the shared responsibility of shaping a future worthy of humanity.

The Foundation
2026 Theme
Being. Becoming. Between.

The inaugural Dasein AI Film Festival explored the evolution of consciousness through the Trans Layer Consciousness Axis, inspired by Martin Heidegger's concept of Dasein—our way of being in the world.

It invited filmmakers to examine identity, memory, artificial intelligence, and the changing nature of existence through bold philosophical storytelling.

If 2026 explored the evolution of consciousness, 2027 explores the evolution of character.

From Being
to Seeing.

From awareness
to responsibility.

From intelligence
to wisdom.

From asking what we can become
to asking who we choose to become.

Submission Category
AI Short Film
Preferred runtime: 5 minutes or less
Maximum runtime for screening consideration: 15 minutes
Multiple submissions are welcome. Each film must be submitted separately with its own entry fee.

Films under five minutes receive programming preference, allowing the Festival to showcase a greater diversity of voices. Films between five and fifteen minutes remain eligible for selection and will be considered based on their artistic merit and overall programming fit.

Films not selected for theatrical screening may, with the filmmaker's explicit permission, be considered for presentation on Dasein's official YouTube channel, educational showcases, or other Festival initiatives. Online presentation is entirely optional and requires prior consent from the filmmaker.

Technical Requirements
Preferred resolution: 4K
Minimum resolution: 1920 × 1080 (Full HD)
Accepted formats: .mp4 or .mov
H.264 or H.265 codec recommended
Any cinematic aspect ratio is accepted
English subtitles are required for films not primarily in English.
Submission Materials

Please include:

Completed film
Synopsis (up to 100 words)
Director Biography (up to 100 words)
Director Statement (up to 250 words)
Poster or still image (recommended)
Selection

Submitting a film does not guarantee official selection.

Films are evaluated on artistic quality, originality, storytelling, technical execution, thematic relevance, and overall contribution to the Festival program.

Selections are made by the Festival Programming Team and Official Jury.

All decisions are final.

Due to the volume of submissions, individual feedback cannot be provided.

Officially selected filmmakers receive:

Official Selection Laurel
Festival Pass
One Guest Pass
Awards

Awards are determined by the Official Jury and Audience Voting where applicable.

Prizes may include:

Festival Trophies
Official Laurels
Signed copies of Asking the Right Questions by Ilgaz Kuren
Sponsor Software Credits
Educational Opportunities
Festival Merchandise
Future Screening Opportunities
Additional prizes announced by Festival partners
Copyright

Filmmakers retain full ownership and copyright of their work at all times.

Submission to Dasein AI Film Festival does not transfer ownership or exclusive rights to the Festival.

Rights Granted to the Festival

By submitting a film, the Applicant grants Dasein AI Film Festival a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to:

Publicly screen selected films during official Festival events.
Use trailers, posters, titles, stills, filmmaker biographies, and excerpts of up to two minutes for Festival promotion.
Record Festival activities, including Q&A sessions, award ceremonies, interviews, and audience interactions.
Archive submitted materials for Festival documentation and historical records.

Any screening outside official Festival activities requires the filmmaker's prior written consent unless otherwise agreed.

Submitted films will never be used to train artificial intelligence or machine learning models without the filmmaker's separate written permission.

Filmmaker Responsibilities

Applicants represent and warrant that they possess all necessary rights, permissions, licenses, and releases relating to:

Images
Music
Voice Performances
AI-generated Assets
Third-party Materials
Performances
Likenesses
Any copyrighted or protected content included in the submission

Applicants accept full legal responsibility for their work.

AI Ethics

Dasein supports ethical and responsible AI filmmaking.

Films may be disqualified if they include:

Non-consensual deepfakes
Unauthorized voice cloning
Unauthorized likeness replication
Copyright infringement
Fraudulent or deceptive AI practices
Serious ethical violations

Filmmakers are encouraged—but not required—to disclose the principal AI tools used during production.

Content Standards

The Festival reserves the right to reject or remove works containing:

Hate speech
Incitement to violence
Harassment
Child exploitation
Non-consensual sexual imagery
Illegal content
Material presenting significant legal or safety concerns

Programming decisions remain solely at the Festival's discretion.

Respect for Filmmakers

Every submission represents significant creative effort.

Dasein AI Film Festival is committed to treating every filmmaker with professionalism, fairness, and respect. Every eligible submission receives genuine consideration during our curatorial process.

Although we cannot provide individual feedback, we sincerely appreciate every artist who chooses to share their work with our community.

Professional Conduct

All participants—including filmmakers, audience members, jury members, speakers, volunteers, sponsors, partners, and staff—are expected to behave respectfully.

Harassment, discrimination, intimidation, abusive behavior, or misconduct may result in immediate removal from Festival activities and future participation without refund.

Photography & Recording

Festival events may be photographed, filmed, or recorded for archival and promotional purposes.

Participants with legitimate privacy or safety concerns are encouraged to contact Festival staff so that reasonable accommodations may be discussed.

Withdrawal

Applicants may withdraw their film prior to official selection notifications.

Once a selected film has accepted its invitation and Festival scheduling has been finalized, withdrawal may not be possible except under extraordinary circumstances.

Refund Policy

Submission fees are non-refundable.

No refunds will be issued due to:

Non-selection
Withdrawal
Technical issues
Schedule changes
Venue changes
Event cancellation beyond the Festival's reasonable control
Liability

Dasein AI Film Festival is not responsible for:

Lost or corrupted submissions
Technical failures
Internet interruptions
Travel expenses
Accommodation costs
Equipment damage
Personal injury
Delays or cancellations caused by circumstances beyond the Festival's reasonable control

Applicants agree to indemnify and hold harmless Dasein AI Film Festival, its directors, staff, volunteers, jury members, sponsors, partners, and representatives from any claims, damages, liabilities, or legal expenses arising from submitted materials or participant conduct.

Force Majeure

The Festival reserves the right to modify dates, venues, schedules, programming, or event formats due to circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including natural disasters, public health emergencies, government restrictions, labor disputes, venue issues, or other unforeseen events.

Privacy

Personal information is collected solely for Festival administration, communications, event operations, and award notifications.

We never sell or rent personal information.

Please refer to our Privacy Policy for additional information regarding the collection and use of personal data.

Governing Law

These Terms & Conditions are governed by the laws of the State of California.

Any dispute arising from participation in the Festival shall first be submitted to binding arbitration under the rules of the American Arbitration Association (AAA). If arbitration is unavailable or unenforceable, disputes shall be resolved exclusively in the state or federal courts located in San Francisco County, California.

Modifications

The Festival reserves the right to amend these Rules & Terms, awards, categories, schedule, venue, programming, jury composition, and Festival format when reasonably necessary.

Updated versions become effective immediately upon publication on the Festival website.

Our Commitment

Dasein AI Film Festival exists to create a space where filmmakers, artists, philosophers, technologists, scientists, and audiences come together to ask meaningful questions about the future of humanity.

We believe that creative freedom, ethical responsibility, mutual respect, and intellectual curiosity are essential to artistic progress. Our goal is not only to present outstanding films, but to build a lasting international community where artists are respected, ideas are challenged, and conversations continue long after the credits roll.