Australia is set to host what organisers describe as the world’s first dedicated festival for generative AI films this November. The OMNI AI Film Festival, created in Sydney, is preparing for its next evolution, OMNI 1.0, after attracting almost 1,000 entries to a preview event earlier this year.
According to the festival, submissions have come in from more than 70 countries, and the entry deadline has now been extended to 15 September 2025.
All screen works submitted must be created with generative AI.
OMNI Film Festival: quick links
OMNI will only accept AI-generated films
AI-driven art is gaining visibility, but questions continue to swirl about originality, intellectual property, and the role of human labour in machine-assisted creativity.
The event’s organisers, Aryeh Sternberg and Travis Rice, insist the event provides a structured and ethical framework for exploring this emerging medium. Every submission is tested for plagiarism, and entries must adhere to strict guidelines around originality and transparency.
‘Storytelling has always evolved with technology,’ Sternberg said in the press release. ‘From the printing press to the camera, every new medium has challenged us to think differently. AI is simply the next frontier.’
Rice framed OMNI as more than a festival, calling it ‘a dialogue about creativity, ethics, and how humans and machines will co-author the stories of tomorrow’.
George Miller will judge the AI generated films
One name drawing attention to the festival is Australian filmmaker George Miller, who has been announced as a member of the judging panel. Miller, best known for Mad Max and Happy Feet, will be joined by Yan Chen, a former Disney and DreamWorks animator, and award-winning artist Jonathan Zawada.
Miller described OMNI as ‘part of the natural evolution of storytelling’. His involvement will likely spark discussion in Australia’s screen sector, where many practitioners view AI with suspicion.
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Generative AI tools have already unsettled multiple industries, from publishing to music. In film, they are increasingly being used for visual effects, concept development, and even full narrative construction. While some hail these tools as democratising access to filmmaking, critics warn of the ethical risks of outsourcing creative labour to algorithms.
Hollywood unions including the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA have already fought to restrict the use of AI in film and television production, fearing it could erode both job security and creative rights. Similar anxieties are present in Australia, where the MEAA has called for stronger regulation and transparent guardrails around AI use.
OMNI’s founders insist their festival has guardrails in place: entries will be ‘checked’ against plagiarism detection systems, and the event positions itself as a global hub for ‘ethical AI cinema’.
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What OMNI means for Australia
The press release says that Australia’s creative sector, coupled with its relatively progressive stance on technology regulation, makes it an ideal base for launching the world’s first AI-only film festival.
The festival’s preview edition in April – dubbed OMNI 0.5 – sold out, drawing a mix of filmmakers, technologists and the simply curious. Two Australian works made it to the shortlist, and organisers say the full-length fest will further spotlight local creators experimenting with AI tools.
For now, OMNI presents itself as an experiment – one that aims to give ‘structure, legitimacy and visibility’ to an emerging creative practice.
Submissions for OMNI 1.0 close on 15 September 2025, with the festival’s winners to be announced and screened in November. Further details can be found at the OMNI Film Festival website.
