WAIFF USA 2026: Terms and Conditions
These Terms and Conditions govern the submission of any creative work to WAIFF USA 2026 and the relationship between the submitting creator and WAIFF USA. The Festival is held October 10 and 11, 2026, in Los Angeles, California, and is operated by World Artists Guild Inc. By submitting a Work to the Festival, Creator agrees to these Terms in full.
1. Eligibility
1.1 Open to US-based creators. Submissions accepted from US-based Creators aged 13 and older across all forms, mediums, and stages of career. Submitters under 18 must provide parental or guardian consent at the time of submission.
1.2 AI integration required. Works must incorporate AI in their making. Disclosure of AI use is mandatory; see Section 2.4.
1.3 No premiere requirement. Online distribution, streaming releases, and prior festival screenings (US or international) do not affect eligibility for WAIFF USA.
1.4 No completion date restriction. Works completed at any time may be submitted, provided they meet all other eligibility requirements.
1.5 Reduced submission fees. Reduced fees are available to: (a) Creators currently enrolled as students at an accredited institution (undergraduate or graduate), or (b) Creators aged 13 to 18 at the time of submission. To claim the reduced fee, select "Student Project = Yes" on the FilmFreeway submission form. Award finalists in either group must provide proof of eligibility (current student ID, enrollment letter, or government-issued ID showing age) before being announced. Misrepresentation of eligibility results in disqualification without refund.
1.6 Cross-entry permitted. Works may be submitted to multiple competition categories provided they meet runtime and eligibility for each entered category. A separate submission fee applies per entry.
1.7 Flag awards via self-identification. Best Student-Submitted Work and Best Youth-Submitted Work (ages 13 to 18) are recognized as flag awards across the submission pool, not as separate entry categories. Creators self-identify on the submission form using the Student Project flag and a custom Youth question. Final flag award winners verify eligibility at the finalist stage.
1.8 Cannes advancement eligibility. Eligibility of Award Winners for advancement to WAIFF Cannes 2027 is governed by category criteria published by WAIFF Headquarters and may be subject to additional requirements (including, where applicable, requirements regarding the Creator's country of origin or residence). The WAIFF USA Grand Jury selects up to 5 Works for advancement consistent with WAIFF Headquarters criteria at the time of selection.
2. Submission Process and Fees
2.1 Platform. All Festival submissions are made through FilmFreeway at https://filmfreeway.com/WorldAIFilmFestival-USA.
2.2 Categories. WAIFF USA operates 9 competition categories: Live Action Short Film, Feature Film, Animated Short, Documentary, Vertical and Mobile Content, Music Video, Advertisement and Commercial, AR / VR / XR Experience, and Gaming. Runtime requirements are published at filmfreeway.com and at worldaifilmfestival.us.
2.3 Submission fee structure.
| Deadline | Standard Fee | Student / Youth Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Early Bird (May 20 to June 30) | $30 | $15 |
| Regular (July 1 to July 31) | $45 | $25 |
| Late (August 1 to August 20) | $60 | $35 |
Feature Film surcharge. Feature Film submissions add $5 to the applicable tier fee.
Fees are payable through FilmFreeway and subject to FilmFreeway's payment processing terms.
2.4 Submission materials required. Each submission must include: (a) the Work at HD (1920 by 1080) minimum, with 4K (3840 by 2160) preferred, in .mp4 or .mov format; (b) one representative still image (1920 by 1080 minimum); (c) a synopsis of 150 words maximum; (d) a director or creative-lead biography of 100 words maximum; (e) a complete credits list; (f) English subtitles (burnt-in or soft) for non-English language Works; and (g) a Production Journal identifying the AI tools used. Submissions missing a Production Journal will not be reviewed. Finalists may be asked to provide a DCP or Apple ProRes master for theatrical screening; specifications will be provided upon selection.
2.5 Content Credentials. Content Credentials (C2PA) on final files are encouraged but not required.
2.6 Reclassification. WAIFF USA reserves the right to reclassify any submission into the appropriate category based on content, runtime, and medium. Creators will be notified of any reclassification prior to jury review.
3. Compliance with the WAIFF USA Standards
3.1 All submissions must comply with the five WAIFF USA Standards published at worldaifilmfestival.us. The Standards apply to every Work regardless of category, award status, or selection outcome.
3.2 The five Standards are:
Standard 1: Disclosure
Every submission discloses the AI tools used, including generative image, video, voice, and audio systems.
Standard 2: Likeness and Voice
Every recognizable face and voice requires documented consent, consistent with right-of-publicity law and the SAG-AFTRA Digital Replica Rider. No unauthorized synthetic replicas of real people, living or deceased.
Standard 3: Content Integrity
Submissions must comply with US federal and state law. No non-consensual intimate imagery. No deepfakes that defame or depict real individuals without consent.
Standard 4: Music and Clearance
All music, footage, and third-party material cleared at sync, master, and mechanical levels, or generated from licensed sources. Training-data provenance is not a substitute for rights clearance.
Standard 5: Human Authorship
Every film has a named director or creative lead who takes authorial responsibility for the final work. AI is a tool in the filmmaker's hands, not a replacement for the filmmaker.
3.3 Submissions that fail to meet any of the Standards, or that cannot demonstrate rights clearance on request, will be disqualified without refund.
3.4 Specific legal compliance baseline. Without limiting Section 3.1 and 3.2, all submissions must comply with applicable laws governing AI-generated content, including but not limited to California Assembly Bill 2602 (2024) and California Assembly Bill 1836 (2024) regarding AI-generated digital replicas of performers and personalities; California Senate Bill 926 (2024) and California Civil Code Section 1708.86 regarding AI-generated non-consensual intimate imagery; and the federal PROTECT Act (18 U.S.C. Section 2256) regarding depictions of minors. The above citations are illustrative and not exhaustive; Creators are responsible for full compliance with all applicable laws.
4. Rights Granted by Submission
4.1 Standard Submission Grant (all submissions)
By submitting a Work, Creator grants to WAIFF USA and World Artists Guild a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license, for a term of five years from the date of submission, to:
(a) Screen the Work at the Festival and at any festival-affiliated screenings;
(b) Use the Work, in whole or in part, for festival promotion across all channels including social media, press, marketing, recap content, brand materials, sponsor activation materials, partner press materials, and any other festival-related promotional context;
(c) Sub-license the right described in (b) to bona fide press partners, sponsors, and festival partners for festival coverage and activation purposes; and
(d) Display the full Work to jury panels for evaluation.
4.2 Perpetual Archival Rights (all submissions)
In addition to the rights in Section 4.1, Creator grants to WAIFF USA and World Artists Guild a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free perpetual license to:
(a) Retain the Work in WAIFF USA's historical archive for archival, educational, and curatorial purposes;
(b) Reference and credit the Work in WAIFF USA historical materials, retrospectives, festival history publications, educational programs, and curatorial studies; and
(c) Use the Work for non-commercial research, analytical, and operational purposes related to WAIFF USA, World Artists Guild, and the development of festival-related programs and initiatives.
These perpetual rights are limited to non-commercial archival, educational, and research uses and do not include commercial exploitation outside of the Award Winner Catalog Grant described in Section 4.3.
4.3 Award Winner Catalog Grant (Tier 1 Award Winners, perpetual)
For Creators whose Works receive a WAIFF USA Tier 1 Award (one of the 9 Category Winners or 2 Flag Awards) at the 2026 edition (each, an "Award Winner"), and conditional on the Creator's acceptance of that Award, Creator grants to WAIFF USA and World Artists Guild, in addition to the rights in Sections 4.1 and 4.2, a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free perpetual license to:
(a) Include the Work in any WAIFF USA-branded or World Artists Guild-branded retrospective screenings, anthology programs, brand events, and partner showcases globally;
(b) Use the Work, in whole or in part, in any WAIFF USA-branded or World Artists Guild-branded promotional context (including sponsor decks, brand marketing, editorial features, recap content, and trailer materials);
(c) Include the Work in any WAIFF USA-branded or World Artists Guild-branded commercial compilation, subject to the revenue terms in Section 4.4 below; and
(d) License the Work to any WAIFF USA-affiliated or World Artists Guild-affiliated commercial streaming channel, distribution platform, or similar venue, subject to the terms in Section 4.5 below.
4.4 Compilation Revenue Terms
(a) "Net Revenue" for purposes of this Section 4.4 means gross revenue received by World Artists Guild from any commercial exploitation of a compilation containing the Work, minus World Artists Guild's documented direct costs of production, distribution, marketing, and platform fees attributable to that exploitation.
(b) Net Revenue from any WAIFF USA-branded or World Artists Guild-branded commercial compilation containing an Award Winner's Work shall be allocated 60% to World Artists Guild and 40% to the participating Creator(s). This allocation reflects World Artists Guild's investment in curation, marketing, brand development, and compilation production costs, and is consistent with industry-standard practice for festival-curated short film anthologies.
(c) Where a compilation contains works by multiple Creators, the 40% creator share shall be allocated among participating Creators pro rata based on the relative duration of each Creator's Work within the compilation, unless otherwise agreed in writing.
(d) Opt-out. Award Winners may opt out of inclusion in any specific compilation by providing written notice to World Artists Guild within 30 days of World Artists Guild's notice of intent to include the Work. Opt-out from a specific compilation does not affect the Creator's Award status, eligibility for other catalog uses under Section 4.3, or the Creator's other rights under these Terms.
(e) World Artists Guild shall provide quarterly accounting statements to participating Creators within 60 days of the end of each calendar quarter, identifying gross revenue, deductible costs, Net Revenue, and the Creator's share for each compilation in which their Work is included.
4.5 Channel Licensing Terms
(a) "Channel Net Revenue" for purposes of this Section 4.5 means gross revenue received by World Artists Guild from any WAIFF USA-affiliated or World Artists Guild-affiliated commercial streaming channel, distribution platform, or similar venue licensing arrangement attributable to the Work, minus World Artists Guild's documented direct costs of brokerage, channel relationship management, accounting, reporting, and any applicable platform or distribution fees.
(b) Inclusion of the Work in any WAIFF USA-affiliated or World Artists Guild-affiliated commercial streaming channel, distribution platform, or similar venue requires the Creator's prior written approval per channel.
(c) Each channel-specific deal is negotiated separately based on the channel's revenue structure (subscription, ad-supported, royalty-based, flat-fee, or hybrid). In any revenue-share structure, the Creator's share shall be no less than 40% of Channel Net Revenue attributable to the Work. The remaining portion of Channel Net Revenue (up to 60%) is allocated to World Artists Guild in consideration of World Artists Guild's brokerage of the channel deal, ongoing channel relationship management, accounting, and reporting obligations.
(d) World Artists Guild shall provide accounting statements to participating Creators for channel deals on a quarterly basis or per the channel's reporting cadence, whichever is more frequent.
4.6 Creator Retention of Rights
4.6.1 Creator retains full copyright ownership of the Work at all times.
4.6.2 Creator retains all exclusive theatrical, broadcast, streaming, OTT, video-on-demand, derivative work, character, intellectual property, merchandising, and commercial exploitation rights to the Work outside the licensed uses set out in Sections 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, and 4.5.
4.6.3 Specifically, nothing in these Terms grants WAIFF USA or World Artists Guild (a) any exclusive distribution rights; (b) any rights to derivative works (sequels, prequels, remakes, adaptations, spinoffs); (c) any rights to characters, names, titles, settings, or other intellectual property elements; (d) any rights to merchandising; or (e) any rights outside the specific licensed uses described above.
4.7 Independence of License and World Artists Guild's Standing
4.7.1 The license granted hereunder is non-exclusive and independent of any other festival, competition, distribution, or platform arrangement involving the Work. Creator's submission to WAIFF USA does not grant WAIFF USA or World Artists Guild any preference, priority, or exclusivity over the Work for any other festival, distribution, or commercial deal.
4.7.2 World Artists Guild Inc. is the operating entity behind WAIFF USA and the named licensee of WAIFF brand rights in the United States. World Artists Guild has made and continues to make material investment in the Festival's operation, curation, brand, infrastructure, and creator catalog. The perpetual rights granted under Sections 4.2 and 4.3 vest in World Artists Guild as the operating entity and are held by World Artists Guild in consideration of World Artists Guild's investment and ongoing operational stewardship.
4.8 Survival of Rights
4.8.1 The rights granted in Section 4.1 expire automatically at the end of the five-year term.
4.8.2 The rights granted in Sections 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, and 4.5 are perpetual and vest in World Artists Guild. These rights survive any termination, expiration, non-renewal, or transfer of WAIFF USA's underlying licensing arrangements with WAIFF Headquarters or any other party.
4.8.3 If World Artists Guild ceases to operate under the WAIFF USA name (whether by license non-renewal, license transfer, or otherwise), World Artists Guild may continue to exercise the perpetual rights described in Sections 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, and 4.5 under World Artists Guild-branded or other non-WAIFF-branded contexts only, without reference to the "WAIFF" name or related marks. World Artists Guild's catalog of Works acquired during the period of WAIFF USA operation remains a World Artists Guild asset.
5. Awards and Advancement
5.1 11 Tier 1 Awards. WAIFF USA 2026 grants 11 Tier 1 Awards: 9 Category Winners (one per competition category) and 2 Flag Awards (Best Student-Submitted Work, Best Youth-Submitted Work). Each Tier 1 Award Winner receives the WAIFF USA Trophy and the official WAIFF USA laurel for marketing use.
5.2 WAIFF USA Official Selection. From the 11 Tier 1 Award Winners, the WAIFF USA Grand Jury selects up to 5 Works for the WAIFF USA Official Selection. The Official Selection advances to WAIFF Cannes 2027 as the United States selection.
5.3 Cannes advancement criteria. To advance to WAIFF Cannes 2027, a Work must meet the category criteria of WAIFF Cannes France as published by WAIFF Headquarters. Works that win Tier 1 but do not meet Cannes category criteria do not advance and remain Year 1 recognition.
5.4 WAIFF USA Grand Prix. From the up to 5 Official Selection Works, the Grand Jury selects a single Work as the WAIFF USA Grand Prix, announced at the festival ceremony.
5.5 Sponsor prize packages. Where available, sponsor prize packages and additional benefits will be posted at worldaifilmfestival.us at the time of selection.
5.6 Cannes advancement and Headquarters rights. At the time of Cannes advancement, the advancing Creator may enter into a separate agreement with WAIFF Headquarters regarding Cannes-specific uses of the Work. Any such agreement is between the Creator and WAIFF Headquarters; WAIFF USA and World Artists Guild are not parties to that agreement. The rights granted by Creator to WAIFF USA and World Artists Guild under Section 4 survive any separate agreement between the Creator and WAIFF Headquarters.
6. Disqualification, Withdrawal, and Refunds
6.1 Non-refundable submission fees. All submission fees are non-refundable. Withdrawal of a Work after submission does not generate a refund. Disqualification, for any reason, does not generate a refund.
6.2 Disqualification triggers. WAIFF USA may disqualify any Work that: (a) fails to meet the WAIFF USA Standards; (b) cannot demonstrate rights clearance on request; (c) misrepresents eligibility (including misrepresentation of student or youth status); (d) is later found to have unlawful content; or (e) materially breaches these Terms.
6.3 Effect of disqualification. Disqualification rescinds any pending or granted Award. Disqualification does not, by itself, terminate the rights granted by the Creator in Section 4; however, WAIFF USA may elect to terminate the Section 4.1 rights upon disqualification by providing written notice to the Creator.
6.4 Withdrawal. A Creator may withdraw a Work from consideration by providing written notice to WAIFF USA. Withdrawal does not generate a refund. Withdrawal does not, by itself, terminate the perpetual rights granted in Sections 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, or 4.5; however, WAIFF USA may elect to release the perpetual rights upon written request from the Creator and at WAIFF USA's sole discretion.
7. Jury and Selection
7.1 Category Juries. Each competition category is evaluated by a Category Jury of professionals with domain expertise relevant to that category. Jurors may serve across multiple related categories at WAIFF USA's discretion. Category Juries select one Winner per category.
7.2 Grand Jury. A cross-disciplinary Grand Jury of senior industry figures reviews all 11 Tier 1 Award Winners and selects the up to 5 Works that comprise the Official Selection. The Grand Jury also selects the WAIFF USA Grand Prix from the Official Selection.
7.3 Decisions are final. All jury decisions are final. WAIFF USA does not provide individual feedback on submissions.
7.4 Conflicts of interest. Jurors are required to recuse themselves from evaluating any Work in which they have a direct personal, financial, or creative interest.
8. Warranties and Indemnification
8.1 Creator warranties. By submitting a Work, Creator warrants that:
(a) Creator holds all rights necessary to submit the Work and grant the rights described in Section 4;
(b) The Work does not infringe any third party's copyright, trademark, right of publicity, right of privacy, or other proprietary right;
(c) All AI tools used in the production of the Work were used in compliance with applicable laws and the WAIFF USA Standards;
(d) All consents required under the WAIFF USA Standards (including SAG-AFTRA Digital Replica Rider compliance for any identifiable persons depicted) have been obtained and documented; and
(e) The Work complies with the WAIFF USA Standards published at worldaifilmfestival.us.
8.2 Indemnification. Creator agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless WAIFF USA, World Artists Guild Inc., WAIFF Headquarters, Institut EuropIA, and all jury members, employees, contractors, sponsors, and partners of the foregoing (collectively, the "Indemnified Parties") from and against any and all claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from or related to: (a) any breach by Creator of any warranty in Section 8.1; (b) any third-party claim alleging that the Work infringes any copyright, trademark, right of publicity, right of privacy, or other proprietary right; (c) any third-party claim arising from non-compliance with the WAIFF USA Standards; or (d) any claim arising from Creator's misrepresentation of eligibility.
8.3 Notice of claims. Indemnified Parties shall notify Creator promptly of any claim subject to indemnification. Creator shall control the defense and settlement of such claim, provided that no settlement materially adverse to the Indemnified Parties may be made without the Indemnified Parties' prior written consent.
9. Disclaimers and Limitations of Liability
9.1 No guarantees. WAIFF USA makes no guarantee regarding the selection, screening, awarding, or advancement of any Work. Selection and awarding are at the sole discretion of WAIFF USA, the relevant juries, and the Grand Jury.
9.2 Festival operation. WAIFF USA reserves the right to modify the Festival schedule, venue, programming, judging, or any other aspect of the Festival at any time. Date changes, venue changes, and programming modifications are operational adjustments and do not entitle Creators to refunds. WAIFF USA also reserves the right to cancel the Festival in whole or in part for any reason. Cancellation does not, by itself, entitle any Creator to a refund.
9.3 No consequential damages. In no event shall the Indemnified Parties be liable to Creator for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from or related to the Festival, the submission process, or these Terms, even if advised of the possibility of such damages.
9.4 Cap on liability. The total liability of the Indemnified Parties to Creator under these Terms, for any cause whatsoever, shall not exceed the total submission fees paid by Creator for the Work in question.
9.5 No warranty. The Festival, the submission process, and these Terms are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis without warranties of any kind, express or implied, except as required by applicable law.
10. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution
10.1 Governing law. These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to its conflict of laws principles.
10.2 Arbitration. Any dispute, controversy, or claim arising out of or related to these Terms, the Festival, or any submission shall be resolved exclusively by binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association under its Commercial Arbitration Rules. The arbitration shall be conducted in Los Angeles County, California, by a single arbitrator. The arbitrator's award shall be final and binding, and judgment on the award may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction.
10.3 Waiver of class action. Creator agrees to resolve disputes only in an individual capacity, not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class or representative action.
10.4 Injunctive relief. Notwithstanding Section 10.2, either party may seek injunctive or other equitable relief in any court of competent jurisdiction to protect intellectual property rights pending the outcome of arbitration.
11. General Provisions
11.1 Entire agreement. These Terms, together with the rules and conditions published at filmfreeway.com/WorldAIFilmFestival-USA and worldaifilmfestival.us, constitute the entire agreement between Creator and WAIFF USA / World Artists Guild regarding the submission and consideration of the Work. These Terms supersede any prior agreements, communications, or understandings.
11.2 Severability. If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect, and the invalid provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to render it valid and enforceable while preserving the original intent.
11.3 Changes to Terms. WAIFF USA may amend these Terms at any time by posting an updated version at worldaifilmfestival.us. For Creators who have already submitted a Work, the version of these Terms in effect on the date of submission shall govern that submission, unless the Creator expressly agrees to the amended version.
11.4 Assignment. Creator may not assign these Terms or any rights or obligations hereunder without WAIFF USA's prior written consent. WAIFF USA and World Artists Guild may assign these Terms in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or substantially all of their assets without Creator's consent.
11.5 No agency. Nothing in these Terms creates an agency, partnership, joint venture, or employment relationship between WAIFF USA / World Artists Guild and Creator.
11.6 Notices. All notices to WAIFF USA / World Artists Guild under these Terms shall be sent to info@waiffusa.com. All notices to Creator shall be sent to the email address provided by Creator on the FilmFreeway submission form.
11.7 Force majeure. Neither party shall be liable for any failure or delay in performance due to causes beyond its reasonable control, including acts of God, natural disasters, war, terrorism, pandemic, government action, labor disputes, or other force majeure events.
11.8 Survival. Sections 4 (Rights Granted by Submission), 8 (Warranties and Indemnification), 9 (Disclaimers and Limitations of Liability), 10 (Governing Law and Dispute Resolution), and 11 (General Provisions) survive termination or expiration of these Terms.
12. Contact
Questions regarding these Terms should be directed to:
WAIFF USA / World Artists Guild Inc.
Email: info@waiffusa.com
Website: worldaifilmfestival.us