Opening Signal
A live welcome from the city, the edition manifesto and a first look at the films defining its creative signal.
INAUGURAL EDITION
CIRCUIT 16 / 52 · DXB · 2026
CIRCUIT 16 / 52 · DXB · 2026
● Middle East · 2026 INAUGURAL EDITION ARCHIVE
DUBAI
AI CINEMA
FESTIVAL
Impossible Architecture / Global Ambition. One global screen for cinema with authorship, craft and emotional force.
01 / THE CITY SIGNAL
A CREATIVE TERRITORY, NOT A TOURIST POSTCARD
IMPOSSIBLE ARCHITECTURE
GLOBAL AMBITION
Dubai rewards the audacity to build what cinema has not yet seen—impossible architecture, borderless collaboration and premium visual storytelling.
- Format
- One day, online worldwide
- Edition
- INAUGURAL EDITION
- Date
- Sunday, Apr 19, 2026
- Submission deadline
- Sunday, Apr 5, 2026
- Time zone
- Asia/Dubai
- Creative signal
- Impossible Architecture / Global Ambition
DXB / 2026.04.19ONE DAY / ONE CITY SIGNAL / ONE GLOBAL SCREEN
THE
PROGRAMME
+
Competition Screens
Curated online programmes across narrative, animation, documentary, experimental work and future formats.
The Directors’ Room
Selected filmmakers discuss authorship, process, rights, responsible practice and the new language of cinema.
Award Gala — Live Online
The global audience reconnects for jury awards, the audience prize and the World Championship qualifier.
02 / CITY DESK
LOCAL EDITION / GLOBAL ONLINE DELIVERY
LOCAL
PRESENCE.
GLOBAL REACH.
DXB
Dubai Broadcast Desk
The city desk coordinates filmmaker access, programme communications, live-gala production and local partnerships. Audience screenings and the Award Gala are delivered online worldwide; registered guests receive access instructions directly.
Contact the Dubai desk ↗03 / THE AWARDS
CINEMA, JUDGED AS CINEMA
DUBAI
AWARDS
More ways to recognise the whole film: story, direction, performance, image, sound, innovation and transparent human authorship.
CITY SIGNATURE AWARDDubai Creative Signal — Impossible Architecture / Global Ambition
01Grand Prizes
City Grand PrixBest AI FilmJury PrizeAudience AwardGlobal Championship Qualifier
02Formats
Narrative FeatureNarrative ShortAnimationDocumentaryExperimental FilmMusic VideoFashion FilmCommercial StorytellingSeries PilotMicro ShortVertical CinemaImmersive / XRInteractive FilmStudent FilmYouth Film
03Cinematic Craft
DirectionScreenplayCinematographyEditingProduction DesignVisual EffectsCharacter DesignAnimation CraftPerformanceVoice PerformanceSound DesignOriginal ScoreOriginal SongColourTitle SequenceWorld-BuildingCreature DesignAction Choreography
04Genre, Impact + Innovation
Science FictionFantasyHorrorComedyClimate StorytellingSocial ImpactHuman–AI CollaborationResponsible AI PracticeTechnical InnovationBreakthrough Filmmaker
DUBAI / SUNDAY
APR 19, 2026 / ONLINE WORLDWIDE
SUBMISSIONS CLOSE APR 5, 2026
NO VIDEO UPLOAD · YOUTUBE OR GOOGLE DRIVE LINK