16-feb-2026, 1:32 PM, New Delhi is set to host an AI-focused film event at the historic Qutub Minar on February 17, bringing together cinema, artificial intelligence and emerging technology as part of the India AI Impact Summit 2026.
The event will showcase short films created using artificial intelligence and explore how new technology is changing the way stories are developed, produced and presented.
The festival is scheduled to take place from 6 pm to 10:30 pm and will include film screenings, discussions, a fireside conversation and an awards ceremony.
The event comes as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly influential in India’s creative industries, including filmmaking, advertising, animation and digital content.
AI Film Festival to Be Held at Qutub Minar
The Delhi edition of the India AI Film Festival is scheduled for February 17, 2026, at the Qutub Minar complex.
The choice of the historic monument provides a distinctive setting for an event focused on emerging technology and new forms of storytelling.
According to event information, guests are expected to arrive from 6 pm, with the main programme beginning later in the evening. The program includes an opening ceremony, panel discussions, AI film screenings, and an awards ceremony.
The event is being organised alongside the India AI Impact Summit 2026, which is taking place in New Delhi from February 16 to 20.
What Will Be Shown at the Festival?
The festival will focus on films made using artificial intelligence as part of the creative and production process.
Organizers said the event would feature a selection of AI-generated short films chosen from submissions from India and other countries.
Around five to six selected independent AI short films are expected to be screened during the evening programme, along with films from leading AI studios.
The programme is intended to demonstrate how filmmakers and creators are experimenting with AI tools while continuing to use human direction, storytelling, and creative decision-making.
This approach is important because the event is not being positioned simply as a demonstration of software. Instead, it aims to examine how artificial intelligence can become another tool available to filmmakers.
AI and the Future of Storytelling
One of the central themes of the event is expected to be the changing relationship between artificial intelligence and storytelling.
AI tools can now assist creators with areas such as visual development, animation, video generation and other production tasks.
This has opened up new possibilities for independent filmmakers who may not have access to the budgets traditionally required for large productions.
At the same time, the growing use of AI has raised questions about originality, copyright, employment, and the role of human creativity in filmmaking.
The Delhi event provides an opportunity for filmmakers, technology professionals, and audiences to discuss these issues while viewing examples of AI-assisted and AI-generated cinema.
AI Cinema Showcase at India AI Impact Summit
A separate AI Cinema Showcase is also being organised as part of the India AI Impact Summit 2026.
LTM, in collaboration with the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and Waves Bazaar, announced the showcase under the aegis of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The showcase will feature films created by Indian filmmakers, including individuals, studios, collectives and students.
The initiative aims to highlight the use of AI as a creative and storytelling tool while promoting a human-centric approach to emerging technology.
The selected films are expected to be screened at the Immersive Room AI Theatre at the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting pavilion during the summit.
Delhi Event Follows November 2025 AI Film Festival
The February event should not be described as India’s first-ever AI film festival without qualification.
India had already hosted an AI Film Festival and Hackathon in November 2025 during the 56th International Film Festival of India in Goa, in collaboration with Waves Film Bazaar, LTM, and NFDC.
The Delhi event therefore represents another major step in India’s growing AI-and-cinema movement, rather than the country’s first exposure to AI filmmaking.
This distinction is important for accurate reporting.
AI Meets Indian Cinema
The growing interest in AI filmmaking comes at a time when Indian creators are experimenting with generative tools for everything from short videos to visual effects.
A recent AI-generated recreation of a scene from the Bollywood film Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, featuring AI-edited versions of Sam Altman, Bill Gates, and Sundar Pichai, also attracted attention online ahead of the festival.
The video was shared by Chandan Perla, who is involved in organizing the India AI Film Festival.
The clip demonstrated how AI tools can be used to remix familiar cultural material in new ways, while also highlighting the growing public interest in AI-generated entertainment.
What the Festival Means for Creators
For independent filmmakers and students, AI could potentially reduce some of the financial and technical barriers involved in filmmaking.
Creators can use AI tools to experiment with visual concepts, generate scenes and develop ideas without requiring the same physical resources used in conventional productions.
However, the technology also presents challenges.
Questions surrounding copyright, consent, ownership of AI-generated material, and the use of performers’ likenesses remain important issues for the entertainment industry.
As AI-generated content becomes more sophisticated, filmmakers and policymakers will need to determine how existing rules should apply to these new forms of production.
A New Direction for AI and Cinema
The Delhi festival and the wider AI Cinema Showcase reflect India’s growing attempt to connect technology with creative industries.
While the India AI Impact Summit focuses heavily on policy, innovation, and business, the cinema events bring artificial intelligence into a cultural and artistic setting.
The combination could provide filmmakers with an opportunity to demonstrate what current AI tools can achieve while also encouraging discussion about their limitations.
For audiences, the event offers an early look at how AI may influence the future of filmmaking and visual storytelling.
Conclusion
Delhi’s upcoming AI Film Festival at Qutub Minar will bring together filmmakers, technology enthusiasts, and audiences interested in the relationship between artificial intelligence and cinema.
The February 17 event will feature AI-generated short films, discussions and an awards programme as part of the broader India AI Impact Summit 2026.
Although the Delhi event should not be described as India’s first-ever AI film festival, it represents an important new chapter in the country’s growing AI cinema movement. An earlier AI Film Festival and Hackathon was held in Goa in November 2025.
As filmmakers continue experimenting with artificial intelligence, events such as this could help shape the conversation around creativity, technology, and the future of Indian cinema.
Sources: India AI Impact Summit, LTM, NFDC, The Week, India Today, and NDTV.
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