BlackAIfest returns for its second edition from October 23 to 25, 2026 in Worcester, United Kingdom.
Hosted by RTF, in partnership with SHAIKE, and powered by Mighty Jot, the festival brings together AI filmmaking, screenings, industry conversations and awards across three days.
Three Days of Film, AI and Industry Conversations
The festival opens on Friday, October 23 with arrivals, a tour of Worcester’s Guildhall, a welcome red carpet, cocktails and the Grand Opening Ceremony.
The opening evening will include live music, exclusive movie trailer previews and the presentation of the first three festival awards, followed by a meet and greet and the Festival Launch Party.
On Saturday, October 24, screenings will run across The Hive, Swan Theatre and RTF MVC from 9:30 AM to 10:00 PM.
The day also includes industry sessions at The Hive, including:
The Global Pipeline Shift
Part one of The Uncomfortable Conversation — AI in Film, exploring how AI is reshaping global film production workflows, creative processes and industry standards.
Making & Selling Indie Films
A practical industry talk focused on distribution pathways, business strategies for independent filmmakers and the upcoming Scala Theatre in Worcester
AI, Copyright and Creative Rights
The final day continues with screenings before moving into another industry session:
Legal Bedrock & Human Rights
Part two of The Uncomfortable Conversation： AI in Film will focus on emerging legal frameworks around human copyright, creative ownership and artists’ rights in an AI-driven era.
The festival will close with the Closing Gala & Awards Night at Freedom Hall, including a joint red carpet, final awards and a special panel titled “What Festivals Look for in Films,” offering practical insights into how filmmakers can strengthen their submissions and improve their chances of selection.
The BlackAIfest 2026 Official Selection
The 2026 Official Selection brings together filmmakers from countries including Germany, South Korea, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States, Bangladesh, China, Jordan, South Africa, Kazakhstan, Spain, Türkiye, Japan, Brazil, Mexico, Italy and more.
The selection spans short films, animation, experimental work, documentaries, features, music videos and other AI-driven projects.
Among the selected films are titles including Sisters, MARS, Switch’n Lanez, Dream Maker, Cérémony, The Dragon Hunter, The Scribe and the Swordsman, My Family, A New Day, Blue Sadness, Prototype, A Message for the Butterfly and Time Force.
SHAIKE x BlackAIfest
SHAIKE is proud to partner with BlackAIfest 2026 for its second edition in Worcester.
The partnership brings BlackAIfest into SHAIKE’s international festival network and gives our community another opportunity to discover AI films, filmmakers and industry conversations taking place around the world.
Discover BlackAIfest 2026
Dates: October 23–25, 2026
Location: Worcester, United Kingdom
Hosted by: RTF
In partnership with: SHAIKE
Powered by: Mighty Jot
Discover the second edition of BlackAIfest 2026 and its Official Selection on SHAIKE.
