Upstream AI Short Film Festival (1)

Festival start: 13 August 2027      Festival end: 15 August 2027

WHERE HUMAN DREAMS MEET

​Upstream Film Festival is an Estonian experimental film festival exploring how artificial intelligence is changing cinema. It is taking place in Tallinn, Estonia, for the first time. 
​
This year is experimental for us, just as AI is for the world today, so for our first year, our mission is simple: to introduce high-quality AI short films of various genres to Estonian audiences. 
​
We live in an era of rapidly changing visual effects, where it is becoming harder to tell what is real and what is generated. However, the human remains the creator, deciding what the films of the future will ultimately look like. 
​
We are open to discussion: is AI just a tool, or can it be a creator too?
​
Join us to test these new possibilities and bring your wildest dreams to the big screen!

Festival Submission Rules

1. General Requirements

1.1. Submitted films must feature all the essential elements of cinema: developed characters, a structured screenplay, a clear genre identity, and compelling visuals. Commercials, advertisements, and pure music videos are not accepted.

1.2. The festival will review all submissions and reserves the right to reassign a film to a different category if necessary.

1.3. Submitted films must maintain at least an Estonian Premiere status. This means the film must not have been screened at any cinema, other festival, cinema, or public event in Estonia, nor broadcast on Estonian television prior to Upstream.ff 2027. Online availability on international platforms does not void this status (see 1.4).

1.4. Public distribution on international personal portfolios and social media platforms (such as YouTube, X/Twitter, or Vimeo) is permitted. However, we highly encourage creators to submit their latest work, and preference will be given to projects that haven't been widely circulated online.

1.5. The festival does not accept submissions from filmmakers, production companies, or AI creators who are tax residents, citizens, or legal residents of the Russian Federation or the Republic of Belarus. Any films submitted from these regions will be automatically disqualified and will not be reviewed by the selection committee.

1.6. The festival accepts films in any language. Films in Estonian do not need subtitles. All other non-English language films must have printed/burned-in English subtitles. Separate subtitle files (.srt, .vtt) will not be accepted; subtitles must be part of the video file. Failure to provide proper subtitles prior to the final submission deadline may result in disqualification without a refund of the submission fee.

1.7. Submission Fees & Refunds: The early deadline allows for free film submissions. All other deadlines require a submission fee. All submission fees are non-refundable. Fee adjustments or refunds will not be issued under any circumstances, including disqualification due to copyright breaches, technical non-compliance, or rule violations.


2. Categories & Genres

2.1. We accept film submissions in the following
categories:

• Narrative Fiction (Drama, Sci-Fi, Horror, Comedy, etc.): The visual style must match the standards of traditional cinema.

• Documentary and Mockumentary (Mock Documentary): An exploration of how far AI can go in reconstructing reality.

• Animation: We accept 2D/3D animation, stop-motion aesthetics, and experimental motion graphics generated or enhanced by AI.

• Estonian AI Short: This category is dedicated to Estonian directors, creators, and AI artists. Eligible submissions must be directed by Estonian residents/nationals, or showcase stories deeply connected to Estonia, utilizing artificial intelligence tools in the filmmaking process.


3. AI Integration & Criteria

3.1. AI must be used as a primary tool for visualization and generation, but the creative direction, concept, and structural assembly must remain under human control.
3.2. The Human Touch: Despite the use of AI, the film must retain human essence (natural voice inflections, correct word accents, and realistic visual consistency).


4. Technical Specifications

4.1. Maximum Duration: Up to 15 minutes.

4.2. Aspect Ratio: 16:9 (Horizontal format only).
Vertical videos (9:16) will be automatically disqualified.

4.3. File Formats: Full HD (1080p) or 4K resolution in .MP4 or .MOV containers (H.264 / ProRes codec).


5. Copyright & Intellectual Property

5.1. Prompts & Proof of Authorship

5.1.1. All prompts used to generate the screenplay or visuals remain the sole property of the creator. The festival claims no rights over your prompts.

5.1.2. Please note that the festival reserves the right to ask for your prompts to verify that the video was generated using AI and that the screenplay involves human co-creation (mainly applicable to the "Documentary" category). The festival agrees to keep all provided process logs confidential under a strict non-disclosure agreement (NDA) and will not publish them without the author’s written permission.

5.2. Copyright Infringement & Restrictions

5.2.1. The unauthorized use of intellectual property is strictly prohibited.

5.2.2. You cannot use AI tools to generate direct copies, unauthorized adaptations, or blatant plagiarism of protected works. Specifically, the following are strictly prohibited:

● Direct Adaptations: Existing copyrighted scripts, books, stories, or screenplays by other directors, writers, or creators cannot be adapted into an AI film without explicit, written legal consent.

● Verbatim & Visual Copying: Recreating exact copyrighted scenes, shots, or sequence designs from existing movies, animations, or music videos.

● Intellectual Property & IP Theft: Utilizing famous animated characters, brands, or franchises in their recognizable visual forms.

● Identity Theft (Deepfakes): Generating or altering images, likenesses, or voices of celebrities, actors, or real living people without their explicit, documented consent.

● Unlicensed Audio: Using copyrighted music tracks, sound effects, or audio elements without proper commercial licensing.

5.2.3. Permitted Content

●  You may use AI-generated models/images of fictional individuals, or real people’s likenesses and voices solely if you have their written consent.

●  Public Domain & Historical Figures: Portrayals of historical or deceased figures are permitted provided they do not infringe upon protected trademarked estates, post-mortem publicity rights, or libel laws.


5.3. Disqualification Clause:

5.3.1. If any unauthorized copyrighted material, likeness, or audio is detected, the festival reserves the right to automatically disqualify the film at any stage, including after it has passed the technical selection or during the festival screening.

5.4. Publicity and Promotional Rights

5.4.1. By submitting your film to the Upstream Film Festival, you grant the festival the right to screen the full film during the event and special Upstream festival screening.

5.4.2. Additionally, you grant the festival organizers the non-exclusive, royalty-free right to use extracts, clips, stills, or trailers (up to 2 minutes or 10% of the film’s total duration) for promotional purposes. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Displaying promotional materials on the festival’s official website and social media channels (YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, etc.).

• Using content for press releases, festival trailers, or partner media coverage. The participant warrants that they hold all necessary rights for such use and that the content does not infringe upon any third-party intellectual property rights.


6. Final Note

6.1. As AI technology evolves rapidly, the festival organizers may update these guidelines to keep pace with industry trends. We reserve the right to modify these requirements at any time, and participants will be notified of any changes accordingly.