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Direct//AI Awards
Direct//AI Awards is a global celebration of original work made with AI and shaped by human craft.
For our first edition, we invite creators worldwide to submit across four tracks: Film, Series, Creative, and Commercial. Each track is built for a different kind of work, but the standard is the same — a clear idea, a strong point of view, and a finished piece worth watching.
Selected works will be showcased across CapCut's official channels. Winners will be chosen by an international jury of filmmakers, producers, and creative leaders.
This is year one — the beginning of a festival built for the next era of creation.
Built to remove cost as a barrier:
Free Pro access, credits, and extra rewards for eligible creators.
Limited to eligible Direct//AI Awards creators on a first-come, first-served basis.
Claim Starter Pack →Additional credits and student-only award consideration for verified school emails.
Verify Student Status →Bonus credits for eligible creators sharing CapCut behind-the-scenes.
Read BTS Guide →Four tracks, one Grand Prix, one student award:
Gold winners advance, eligible entries compete for Best Film.
Reviewed by filmmakers, producers,
and creative leaders from around the world.
We judge the finished work, not the prompt.
AI matters, but story, taste, and craft matter more.
Create with CapCut Studio, match work to track.
Submit via official form before deadline. Start below.
Original CapCut work with AI central to the process, not decorative.
Choose Film, Series, Creative, or Commercial. Track-specific criteria apply.
Project link, title, team, description, tools, subtitles, supporting materials.
Submit via the official Direct//AI Awards entry form. Confirmation email to follow.
Frequently asked questions.
Entry basics, eligibility, tools, AI usage, submissions, timeline.
Official rules and contact details below.
No. Direct//AI Awards is free to enter.
Direct//AI Awards is open to creators worldwide, except where prohibited or restricted by law. Participants must meet the eligibility requirements listed in the official rules.
No. Direct//AI Awards is open to independent creators, filmmakers, students, artists, studios, and creative teams.
Yes. You may submit multiple works, as long as each submission is unique and meets the rules of its chosen track.
Yes. Students may enter the main competition tracks. Eligible student submissions may also be considered for the Best Student Film award.
Yes. Your work must be created with CapCut Video Studio. You may use other tools alongside CapCut, but you will need to disclose the tools used in your submission.
Yes. You may use other AI tools as part of your creative process, as long as your submitted work is created with CapCut Video Studio and follows the official rules.
AI-generated or AI-assisted content should be central to the submitted work. We are looking for meaningful use of AI, not AI used as a superficial effect.
No. Entries are judged on the finished work, not the amount of AI used.
Submissions open on May 26, 2026.
The submission deadline is July 31, 2026.
Submit your work through the official Direct//AI Awards entry form. You will need to provide your project link, title, creator or team information, track selection, short description, tool usage details, and any required subtitles or supporting materials.
Winners are expected to be announced in early September 2026 through Direct//AI Awards programming and CapCut's official channels.
Submit your work to Direct//AI Awards 2026 and join creators around the world
shaping the next era of storytelling.