Over the past year, we’ve witnessed how creators globally have been using our AI models and tools to share their stories with the world. That’s why we launched the AI Film Award, last September, with a simple belief — that AI is here to become a powerful partner in the creative process.
The response was overwhelming. We received 3,500 entries from every corner of the globe, each showcasing the incredible potential of AI in filmmaking. Just last week, we were happy to announce the winner of this special competition at the 1 Billion Followers Summit, one of the largest annual creator events globally. The winner received $1M, offered by our partner, the 1 Billion Followers Summit!
Meet the winner: ‘Lily’
The top honor went to Zoubeir ElJlassi, a visionary graphic designer and filmmaker from Tunisia. His film, Lily, tells the story of a lonely archivist whose life is upended by a doll found at the scene of a hit-and-run. The film shows that objects are silent witnesses to our secrets, eventually pushing the main character to confess and make things right.
The jury — which included creative leaders from tech, content creation & filmmaking — was captivated by how ElJlassi blended human emotion with technology. He didn’t just showcase what the tools could do; he used them to serve a deeply moving narrative.
Creativity powered by Google AI
When we launched this award, we introduced creators to a suite of tools designed to bring their visions to life. ElJlassi’s winning submission is a testament to how these models can be used in a professional filmmaking workflow:
- Cinematic vision with Veo: Using our state-of-the-art video generation model, Zoubeir was able to create the film’s distinct, gloomy aesthetic — generating consistent, high-quality video that set the atmospheric tone of the piece.
- Precision control with Flow: To ensure the characters conveyed the necessary feeling of empathy, Flow allowed for sophisticated control over scenes and styles.
- Visuals with Gemini: From storyboarding to identifying characters’ look & feel, Gemini played a crucial role in the creative pipeline.
A global celebration of storytelling
While Lily took home the grand prize, the shortlist highlighted the incredible diversity of AI cinema. The finalists tackled our two core themes — “Rewrite Tomorrow” and “The Secret Life of Everything” — with unique perspectives from around the world:
- The Translator (USA): A story of connection with nature in a dying world.
- Portrait No. 72 (Philippines): A heartwarming bond between an elderly photographer and a child.
- Cats Like Warmth (South Korea): A robot discovering the meaning of emotional warmth.
- HEAL (Egypt): A futuristic journey into memory and healing.
What’s next?
The AI Film Award has proven that when you put powerful tools in the hands of talented storytellers, the boundaries of creativity expand. We want to thank every creator who submitted a film, and the 1 Billion Followers Summit for hosting this landmark event and for their partnership.
Congratulations to Zoubeir ElJlassi on this historic win. We can’t wait to see what he creates next.
