atl exp - ATLANTA EXPERIMENTAL FEST

RULES & TERMS – ATL EXP - ATLANTA EXPERIMENTAL FESTIVAL

Submission Format:
We accept short films up to 20 minutes in length. All genres and styles are welcome. Projects must be experimental in nature - this includes AI-generated or AI-assisted work, as well as traditional experimental, abstract, or hybrid formats.

AI Usage (if applicable):
If your film involves AI, please include a short note on which tools you used and how they were integrated (for example: Runway for visuals, ChatGPT for script, ElevenLabs for voiceover). This helps us understand and properly contextualize your work.

Premiere Status:
Premieres are not required. Previously screened work is welcome as long as it is eligible for public exhibition.

Language:
If your film is not in English, it must include English subtitles.

Exhibition Format:
Selected films must be delivered in high-resolution digital format and ready for live projection.

Rights & Permissions:
By submitting, you confirm that you hold all necessary rights to the content in your film, including music, visuals, and AI-generated assets. You grant Atlanta Experimental the right to exhibit your work during the 2026 event and to promote it across our channels.

Festival Participation:
Filmmakers with selected work are encouraged to attend the live event in Atlanta in 2026.

AWARDS & PRIZES

ATL EXP honors films and creators who break things on purpose: structure, tools, genres, expectations. These awards recognize the best of AI, experimental, and hybrid cinema.

Best Short
Top overall honor. Awarded to the most exceptional film with a unique vision, strong execution, and lasting impact.

Best Narrative
For storytelling that hits hard, whether emotional, nonlinear, poetic, or strange.

Innovation Award
Given to the film that pushes the edge with standout use of AI, technology, or experimental technique.

The Mindbender
Awarded to the film that gets under your skin. Surreal, disorienting, unforgettable.

Creator of the Year
Presented to a standout artist whose work, on screen or across multiple projects, defines the spirit of Atlanta Experimental. Risk-taker. Rule-breaker. Original thinker.

Audience Choice
Voted on by the crowd during the live event.

Each award winner receives a custom crystal trophy - a physical reminder that your strange, rule-breaking film found its place.