Astana AI Film Festival Awards $450,000 Grand Prix to Latvian Filmmaker

Jerusalem, 4 October, 2026 (TPS-IL) -- Astana (Kazinform) – Kazakhstan has hosted the Astana AI Film Festival for the first time, attracting 8,067 entries from 125 countries and becoming the world’s largest international competition for AI-generated films, Kazinform News Agency reports.

The festival’s Grand Prix and $450,000 prize went to Latvian filmmaker Nikolay Shestak for The First Honest Day.

Kazakhstan’s Myrzakhan Zhumakhan won the Best Character category for his comedy It Was Just a Joke. The film follows a dog and its owner’s brother as they quarrel over a prank, with events unfolding like a blockbuster. Zhumakhan said he enjoys pranks and humor, which inspired him to create the story.

The second-place award of $200,000 went to India’s SITARA, while Spain’s Looking For Perseida took third place and $100,000.

Only 25 films were selected from thousands of submissions to reach the final. They were evaluated by an international jury that included former UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay and investor Balaji Srinivasan.

The festival had a total prize and support fund of $2 million. Half was allocated to awards, while the remaining amount will support promising AI teams and the development of film production in Kazakhstan.

The festival’s debut in Astana marked a major step for AI-generated cinema, bringing international filmmakers together to showcase their work and compete for substantial prizes.

Earlier, Qazinform reported President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev had taken part in the opening ceremony of the Astana AI Film Festival.