My Red Crayon wins Best AI Film at Cinema AI Hackathon 2025; global talent shines at 56th IFFI
The Cinema AI Hackathon 2025, held under the Waves Film Bazaar at the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), honoured cutting-edge innovation in AI-assisted filmmaking, recognising creators who are pushing the boundaries of craft, technology and ethical storytelling.
#IFFIWood, November 25: The Cinema AI Hackathon 2025, held under the Waves Film Bazaar at the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), honoured cutting-edge innovation in AI-assisted filmmaking, recognising creators who are pushing the boundaries of craft, technology and ethical storytelling. The initiative brought together filmmakers, technologists and creators from around the world to explore how AI can meaningfully support scriptwriting, video generation, editing and production while ensuring transparency and authenticity.
The Hindi film My Red Crayon by Team Kalpnk, directed by Aayush Raj, won the Best AI Film award, emerging as the standout work of the competition. The jury also recognised excellence across four additional categories:
• Most Innovative Use of AI: REMORY (English), directed by Keyur Kajavadara, Team Atomeist
• Best Storytelling: Lost and Found (Hindi), directed by Samresh Shrivastav
• Best Visuals: BEING (English), directed by Sumesh Lal, Team Indywood & Wonderwall Media Network
• Best Sound/Music Design: Monsoon Echo (English) by Rajesh Bhosle
The hackathon adopted a two-stage online format. In the first round, individuals and teams of up to five members submitted previously created AI-based films of 2–10 minutes. The response was overwhelming, with more than 180 entries received between November 1 and 12. After evaluation by the selection committees, 14 teams were shortlisted for the final 48-hour challenge.
For the second stage, participants were given the theme “Memories Reimagined” and tasked with creating a 60–120 second cinematic story interpreting a deeply personal memory using AI tools. The challenge ran from 4:00 pm on November 20 to 4:00 pm on November 22, pushing teams to deliver emotionally resonant, technically robust content under intense time constraints.
The jury panel comprised Shekhar Kapur, festival director at IFFI; Ramdas Naidu; Ashwin Kumar; Asha Batra; Sujay Sen; Nayna Raut; Dibyendu Halder; and Neha Kathuria. The panel praised the originality, narrative depth and creative discipline displayed by the participants, noting that the quality of output in such a limited time frame was “exceptional and inspiring.”
The Cinema AI Hackathon 2025 has emerged as a defining platform showcasing the transformative potential of AI in filmmaking. By blending creativity with advanced tools, the event marks a significant step toward shaping the next generation of storytellers and redefining cinematic expression in the digital era.
About IFFI:
Established in 1952, the International Film Festival of India is South Asia’s oldest and largest celebration of cinema. Jointly hosted by NFDC under the ministry of information and broadcasting and the Entertainment Society of Goa, the festival has evolved into a global stage where restored classics meet contemporary experiments and where master filmmakers and newcomers converge. Set against Goa’s coastal backdrop, the 56th edition from November 20–28 presents a dynamic blend of competitions, cultural showcases, masterclasses and the vibrant Waves Film Bazaar.
