Tunisian filmmaker Zoubeir Jlassi has won the world’s largest AI Film Award for his film Lily, receiving a one-million-dollar prize from Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum during the 1 Billion Followers Summit in Dubai.
The award is organised in collaboration with Google Gemini and was presented at the fourth edition of the summit, which is being held in Dubai from January 9 to 11 under the theme ‘Content for Good’. The event is organised by the UAE Government Media Office and has brought together more than 15,000 content creators, influencers, chief executives and global experts to discuss the future of the content creation economy.
Organisers said the award drew 3,500 film submissions, while more than 30,000 participants from 116 countries expressed interest, reflecting strong global engagement. A specialised jury of 40 experts reviewed more than 400 hours of film content to ensure entries met the award’s creative and technical criteria. From this process, 100 films were shortlisted for further assessment.
Shortlisted entries then underwent technical verification using Google Gemini to confirm that each film was produced using a minimum of 70 per cent generative artificial intelligence tools. Following this evaluation, Lily was selected among 12 films chosen for public voting and later advanced to a final list of five nominees.
The winning film centres on a lonely archivist whose life is altered after a doll becomes trapped on his car bumper during a hit-and-run accident he committed. The doll is revealed as a spiritual link to the survivor of the incident, compelling the protagonist to confront his guilt. Haunted by the object, he ultimately seeks redemption by confessing to the police and reuniting the doll with the injured child in hospital. Organisers said the award aims to encourage filmmakers to use artificial intelligence tools to deliver positive, culturally connected stories that raise awareness of humanitarian values and promote responsible and meaningful content creation.
