Presented by Story Machine (formerly VideoStack.AI)

The Big
Screen Hack

Traditional filmmakers paired with AI creatives across four global cities. From London to Cannes — and beyond.

Apply Now →Imagine Your Film
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LONDON BERLIN NEW YORK DUBLIN
The Legacy

Past BFI Winners

Neon Requiem
Dir. Maya Chen · 4:32
★ Best Film 2024
Ghost Signal
Dir. James Okafor · 3:18
★ Best Director 2024
Latent Space
Dir. Priya Sharma · 5:01
★ Best Tech 2024
Frame by Frame
Dir. Lukas Weber · 2:55
★ Audience Prize 2024
The Dreaming Engine
Dir. Sofia Alvarez · 4:47
★ Innovation Award 2024
Imagine

Describe Your Film. We'll Poster It.

Type a film concept and our AI will generate a mock poster breakdown for your Big Screen Hack entry.

Generating your poster concept...
The World Tour

Four Cities. One Vision.

● Open
London
17 Apr — 15 May 2025
BFI Southbank
Teams~40
PremiereCannes '25
Berlin
8 Sep — 3 Oct 2025
Kunstquartier Bethanien
Teams~35
PremiereBerlinale '26
Announced
New York
10 Nov — 5 Dec 2025
Tribeca Hub
Teams~50
PremiereTribeca '26
Announced
Dublin
19 Jan — 13 Feb 2026
Lighthouse Cinema
Teams~30
PremiereDIFF '26
How It Works

Four Stages. One Film.

01
Match
One filmmaker + one AI creative. Matched at the city meet-up or pre-formed.
Week 1
02
Brief
Single theme revealed live. One week of pre-production and planning.
Pre-Production
03
Create
Two weeks to shoot and edit a 1–5 min short film blending craft with AI.
Weeks 2–3
04
Screen
Films submitted. Industry judges. Winners screened at a major festival.
Festival
Choose Your Path

Two Tracks. One Stage.

Filmmaker Track
Tell the Story
For directors, writers, cinematographers. You bring the vision; your AI partner brings the impossible.
  • Narrative direction & creative leadership
  • Camera, lighting, sound design
  • Edit, colour grade, final delivery
  • Best Film · Best Director · Audience Prize
Builder Track
Build the Tool
For developers, AI engineers, creative technologists. Build tools that solve real filmmaker problems.
  • AI-assisted generation, editing, VFX
  • Novel creative tools & workflows
  • Technical demo alongside the film
  • Best Tech · Best Innovation · Builder Grand Prix
Become a Sponsor

Partner With BSH

Your brand in front of 160+ creators, screened at Cannes and Tribeca. Get in touch to discuss sponsorship tiers.

Our Partners

Backed by the Best

Presented By
Founded By
Co-Producer
Technology Partners
Venue & Festival Partners
The Stakes

More Than Cash

2nd Place
£3,000
  • Festival screening
  • Online release
Grand Prix
£10,000
  • Cannes & Tribeca screening
  • Full tech showcase
  • Industry mentorship
  • Global press
3rd Place
£1,500
  • Festival screening
  • Online release
Join the Movement

The Future of Cinema
Won't Wait

Director, editor, developer, or AI researcher — there's a seat for you on the road to Cannes.

Apply: Filmmaker Track →Apply: Builder Track →