OMNI AI Film Festival puts Australia at the centre of AI cinema's global rise
John Babic
23 September 2025 - IT Wire
Whilst some people are shying around, even shunning the use of artificial intelligence in the media world, Aryeh Sternberg and Travis Rice saw the gap and has created the OMNI AI Film Festival, right here in our own backyard.
Artificial intelligence has already reshaped industries from publishing to music, but nowhere is its impact more hotly debated than cinema. What was once a niche experiment in online forums is fast becoming a global movement, and Australia is leading the charge through the OMNI AI Film Festival.
Founded by Aryeh Sternberg and Travis Rice in 2024, OMNI has rapidly evolved from a test screening into a global hub for AI-generated cinema. Its inaugural event sold out earlier this year, attracting nearly 1,000 submissions from creators in more than 70 countries. Now, with OMNI 1.0 scheduled for November 2025, the festival is positioning itself as the central stage where human imagination and machine learning collide.
AI cinema as a new category, not a shortcut
The festival’s mission is clear: AI cinema deserves to be judged on its own merit. Unlike traditional festivals that have only just begun to add “AI categories” without clear guidelines, OMNI enforces strict criteria. Each submission must be composed of at least 90 per cent generative AI, whether in scripting, visuals, sound, or editing.
“Storytelling has always evolved with technology,” Sternberg explains. “From the printing press to the camera, every new medium has challenged us to think differently. AI is simply the next frontier”.
