CLOWD Film Fest Announces 22 Finalists from 11 Countries for the first Festival at Glendale’s Historic Alex Theatre

The finalists, from 11 countries, offer a broad look at what is emerging as artists around the world put artificial intelligence in the hands of storytellers.

GLENDALE, CA, UNITED STATES, September 15, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- International filmmakers bring a new generation of AI-assisted storytelling to the big screen October 7–8

CLOWD AI Film Festival has announced the 22 films selected as finalists for its inaugural festival, taking place October 7–8, 2026, at the historic Alex Theatre in Glendale, California.

Representing filmmakers from 11 countries, the finalists offer an unusually broad look at what is emerging as artists around the world put artificial intelligence in the hands of storytellers. The program spans short narrative, music video, fantasy and utopian storytelling—from intimate human dramas and surreal dream worlds to futuristic societies, cybernetic landscapes and creatures hiding in the dust beneath our feet.
“This is exactly why we created CLOWD,” said Curt Doty, founder of the CLOWD AI Film Festival. “AI may be the technology behind these films, but technology isn’t the story. The filmmakers are. These 22 finalists show just how different the results can be when artists from different countries, cultures and creative disciplines get their hands on the same new toolbox.”
Doty added, “What surprised me most is how charming and human so many of these films are. We’re seeing filmmakers move beyond the novelty of AI imagery and begin using these tools to develop characters, emotion, humor and genuine points of view. That’s where things get interesting.”
The finalists will be presented theatrically at the Alex Theatre, alongside panel discussions examining the rapidly evolving intersection of filmmaking, artificial intelligence and human creativity, culminating in the CLOWD awards ceremony.

THE 2026 CLOWD FINALISTS

SHORT NARRATIVE
DOVES — Alex Lang, USA
KEV — Mike Bennion, USA
THE WELL — Daniel Titz, Canada
ELARA & THE ASH KING — Marcus Grip, United Kingdom
A FACE ONLY A MOTHER COULD LOVE — Robert Gaudette, Canada
WHEN YOU RUN FROM YOUR MOM — Edmond Yang, Norway
THE DEEP BREATH — Yuri Oh, South Korea
DEPARTMENT OF GOOD MEMORIES — Caroline Kiessling, Canada
TWENTY SEVEN — Mike Bennion, USA
THE SIESTA JOB — Tamara Llorens, Spain

MUSIC VIDEO
BANG BANG — Toby Hyder, United Kingdom
LIL SOMETHING — Diana Mota, Portugal
TIC TOC ROCK — Martin Huisman, Belgium
HEROINE — Elle Cardenas, USA
SAISHO HA KAKUSEI — Jonathan Carène, France

FANTASY
ELSEWHERE — Roxanne Ducharme, Panama
CRYSTAL CAVES — Joni Dobrov, USA
LOT 94: DRINK YOUR DREAMS — Tamara Llorens, Spain
THE DUSTLING — Josie Kaye, USA
WHAT THE DEEP KNOWS — Claudia Lalau, France

UTOPIA
GITA — Alex Lang, USA
FUTURE SCENES FROM A MALL — Chien-Hua Soang, Taiwan

A GLOBAL SCREEN FOR A NEW KIND OF FILMMAKER
The inaugural event will bring the online AI filmmaking movement into a traditional theatrical environment—placing some of cinema’s newest production techniques on the screen of one of Southern California’s most storied independent movie palaces.
The CLOWD AI Film Festival takes place October 7–8, 2026, at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, California, with finalist screenings, panel discussions and the CLOWD awards ceremony.

You can preview these films and give them a vote for the ATTENTION award on the RAD.live site. https://rad.live/content/channel/clowd-ai-film-festival-3tApUq/
Festival passes are available through TheAlex.com. Additional festival information is available at ClowdFilmFest.com.

ABOUT CLOWD AI FILM FESTIVAL
CLOWD AI Film Festival celebrates filmmakers and storytellers exploring artificial intelligence as a new creative tool for cinematic storytelling. CLOWD brings together filmmakers, artists, technologists and entertainment leaders through theatrical screenings, competition, panel discussions and community, with a creator-first approach to intellectual property and an emphasis on the art and ethics of AI-assisted filmmaking.

Media Contact:
Curt Doty
Founder, CLOWD AI Film Festival
310.994.7810
curt@realmIQ.com

Curt Doty
Clowd Film Fest
+1 310-994-7810
email us here
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