Creating a film is far from easy. Between the initial idea and its realization, there are plenty of creative, technical, and financial obstacles. To give shape to a story, you have to search, try, and often start over.Work that AI tools can now support: sketching a storyboard, exploring an artistic direction, or generating the first images of a scene makes it possible to test ideas before committing to greater production resources.

For its third edition, the Artefact AI Film Festival provides a framework for these experiments. This year’s theme, “(Dis)Connection,” invites participants to explore the relationship between humans and machines. Applications are open until December 2, 2026.

There is much to inspire you to step behind the camera, even a virtual one. But how do you get started with such a project? Which tools should you use to achieve your goals?

Partners of this edition, NVIDIA and LDLC support creators at different stages of their projects: NVIDIA through its technologies dedicated to creation and AI, and LDLC through the selection of equipment that makes it possible to use them.

Artefact AI Film Festival: a third edition to explore the connections between cinema and AI

Led by mk2 and Artefact, in partnership with LDLC and Nvidia, the Artefact AI Film Festival celebrates films created with the help of artificial intelligence.The idea is not to take part in a prompt competition here: the tools must serve a story, a directorial intention, or an emotion.

Open to participants from around the world, the competition imposes several constraints. Each candidate may submit a single film lasting no more than 314 seconds, or 5 minutes and 14 seconds.

It must also have used at least one generative AI technology in each of the three phases of the project: pre-production, production, and post-production. From the storyboard to the sound work, including image generation, AI must therefore play a role at several stages of creation.

Following “Réalité(s)” and “(Dis)play”, this third edition introduces a new theme: “(Dis)Connection”. Participants are invited to explore what brings humans and machines closer together or drives them apart, what connects authors with their tools or separates them, and what links the real and the virtual or sets them apart. This provides material for both narratives and filmmaking choices.

Launched in 2024 by Artefact and mk2, the festival was initially chaired by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, followed by Cédric Klapisch. Its second edition drew 265 entries from 52 countries, including 20 films selected as finalists in the competition.

The co-chairs of the jury for the 2026 edition of the Artefact AI Film Festival // Source: Artefact AI Film Festival

This year, the jury is co-chaired by Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano, who are, among other things, the directors of Intouchables.The first prize comes with €10,000 and includes the screening of a 30-second version of the winning film in all mk2 cinemas for one week. Three other awards of €1,000 each round out the awards: the Jury Prize, the Audience Award, and the Artefact Award for Best Use of AI.

Practical information

StageAnnounced datesApplication submissionsFrom September 2 to December 2, 2026Public votingFrom December 9, 2026 to January 13, 2027Jury deliberationsJanuary 2027Award ceremonyFebruary 2027, at mk2 Bibliothèque

Imagine, iterate, create: how RTX 50 Series GPUs can support filmmakers throughout their project

Since the rules require generative AI at every stage, from pre-production to post-production, participants must consider the role these tools play in the entire making of their film.

As a festival partner, Nvidia offers a hardware and software ecosystem that makes it possible to experiment with AI on your own computer. With a PC equipped with a GeForce RTX 50 Series GPU and a tool such as ComfyUI, you can install compatible models to generate images or videos locally.The computation is then performed on the machine, with settings that the user can save, modify, and reuse as needed.

For filmmakers, the benefit is being able to explore several avenues: turning an idea into a set-design proposal, comparing lighting moods, or preparing a reference image to guide the generation of a sequence. The choice of shots, their consistency, and the pace of the narrative remain the filmmaker’s responsibility, but these tools provide material to select, rework, and assemble.

To get hands-on, our ComfyUI guide details the installation and the first steps in generating images and videos on a PC equipped with an Nvidia RTX graphics card.

Local generation also provides greater control over your tools: when operating entirely locally, the images and instructions are not sent to a remote service. The possibilities nevertheless depend on the hardware, the installed models, and their terms of use.

To accelerate the process, GeForce RTX 50-series cards rely in particular on their Tensor cores, specialized in AI computations, and support for FP4. With compatible models in ComfyUI, this compute format reduces video memory requirements by up to 60% and makes generation up to 2.5 times faster, according to Nvidia. The benefit for creators is tangible: less waiting between versions to compare results and refine their choices.

Once the footage has been produced, the film still needs to be edited and finalized. The Nvidia Studio environment also supports these stages, with dedicated drivers and optimizations in compatible applications such as Premiere Pro and Blender. Depending on the features being used, the GPU accelerates certain effects, 3D rendering, and video decoding and encoding. To discover these uses through professionals’ methods, our article dedicated to Nvidia Studio takes another look at the work of Mastu and Michou’s editors.

Finally, to go further, Nvidia offers numerous online guides and tutorials:

• A tutorial on learning to generate AI visuals (in English)
• A step-by-step Github tutorial for generating AI 3D assets in Blender
• Nvidia’s blog for creators is packed with useful resources for generating AI content

What equipment is needed to get started with AI-assisted creation?

To get started, it is best to choose your machine according to the tools and projects you have in mind. In addition to GPU power, several features deserve your attention:

Item to look atWhy it mattersGPU and video memory (VRAM) Run the selected AI models, with capacity suited to their needs System memory (RAM) Run creative software and work with several applications SSD storage Store the models, the footage and the various versions of the film

In terms of form factor, a laptop follows the filmmaker while travelling, while a tower offers a fixed setup that is easier to upgrade.

As a festival partner, LDLC offers equipment for these uses. On the one hand, the retailer offers a selection of machines specially designed to meet the requirements of creative users and AI enthusiasts. On the other hand, it provides extensive advisory services for everyone looking for equipment that meets specific constraints. Hardware selection, custom tower design and general advice: LDLC’s teams are there to support you whatever your needs.

The retailer also offers a five-year warranty on eligible computers sold through it, including PCs fully assembled by LDLC: a two-year statutory warranty, supplemented by three years of free commercial warranty, excluding batteries and consumables. An advantage to consider for a machine intended to support several projects.