World AI Film Festival 2026: Skolae Invites Itself into the Heart of Augmented Cinema

Skolae, official sponsor of the World AI Film Festival 2026, at the heart of the organization and debates around the challenges of AI in creative industries, particularly in the cinema sector.

The higher education network Skolae was the official sponsor of the 2nd edition of the World AI Film Festival (WAiFF), a major international event focusing on the challenges of artificial intelligence in creative and audiovisual industries, especially in the world of cinema. For two days, the network mobilized its schools and students at the heart of the event, engaging in production, creation, and strategic reflection on the future of the sector.

Students from the Higher Institute of Audiovisual (ISA) were at the core of the festival, participating in the official broadcast of roundtable discussions held at the Miramar, dedicated to the challenges of AI in audiovisual media.

In parallel, the ESIS students, from the cinema, AI, sound, and music school within the Skolae network, captured the highlights of the event, between the Cinema Les Arcades – the venue for official screenings, awards ceremonies, and discussions – and the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, where cinema professionals and personalities gathered.

The projects of students from several schools within the Skolae network, including ESUPCOM, EFET CREA (design school), ICAN (Institute of Digital Creation and Animation), PPA Business School, ESIS, and ECITV, were selected and screened during the festival, in a space open to the public.

“The future of cinema depends on new uses. It is urgent to modernize the offering for young audiences. We must move away from the church of cinema. The theaters are empty. We have no choice,” explained David Defendi.

With this partnership, Skolae affirms its commitment to actively contribute to the discussions on AI and share its training expertise with cinema and audiovisual industry players. By involving itself at all levels – from production to strategic reflection – the network confirms its ambition to train a new generation of talents capable of innovating at the intersection of creation and technology.