Manchester Animation Festival Bars Generative-AI Films From 2027
The festival announced the ban alongside its 2026 competition winners, with Phuong Mai Nguyen's In Waves taking the feature film prize.
Manchester Animation Festival will stop accepting films made with generative AI starting with its 2027 edition, the festival announced on the Friday it revealed the winners of its 2026 competition, according to cartoonbrew.com.
In the feature film category, the prize went to In Waves by Phuong Mai Nguyen. We Are Aliens by Kōhei Kadowaki received a special mention in the same category.
The Oscar-qualifying short film award was won by When the Sea Was Calm by Mamuka Tkeshelashvili. A Little Death, directed by Leto Meade and Jonathan Rockefeller, was named best British short.
Into the Forest by Antonin Niclass took the audience award and also earned a special mention in the children's competition.
The five-day festival drew nearly 12,000 admissions, its highest total to date. The next edition is scheduled for November 14-18, 2027.
Earlier Cannes pickup
In Waves had previously been Netflix's first major pickup at this year's Cannes.
Quick answers
When will Manchester Animation Festival stop accepting generative-AI films?
Starting with its 2027 edition, the festival will no longer accept films made with generative AI.
When is the next Manchester Animation Festival?
The festival returns November 14-18, 2027.
Which film won the 2026 feature prize at Manchester Animation Festival?
In Waves by Phuong Mai Nguyen won the feature film prize.