How Tunisian Zoubeir Jlassi wins world’s largest AI film award in Dubai

Dubai: Tunisian filmmaker Zoubeir Jlassi has won the world’s largest AI Film Award for his film Lily, receiving the $1 million prize from Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum at the 1 Billion Followers Summit in Dubai.

The award is organised by the summit in collaboration with Google Gemini.

The ceremony took place during the fourth edition of the 1 Billion Followers Summit, the world’s largest gathering focused on shaping the content creation economy. Held under the theme ‘Content for Good’, the event runs from January 9 to 11 across Emirates Towers, Dubai International Financial Centre and the Museum of the Future, bringing together more than 15,000 content creators, influencers, CEOs and global experts.

Honouring the winner, Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said that recognising creatives and encouraging innovation across content creation fields underscores the UAE’s commitment to nurturing talent shaping the future of the cultural and creative industries.

Shaikha Latifa said the world’s largest AI Film Award plays a key role in driving the growth of the digital content industry, while motivating young creators to innovate through works that challenge conventional boundaries and demonstrate how technology can empower human creativity.

“Purposeful content plays a vital role in promoting positive values, strengthening community awareness and inspiring creative thinking. We take pride in supporting initiatives that empower content creators to express their perspectives and translate ideas into meaningful impact, advancing knowledge, serving society and contributing to a higher quality of life for communities,” Sheikha Latifa said.

Congratulating Jlassi, she highlighted his creative vision and effective use of technology, reflecting the spirit of a new generation shaping the future of the content creation industry.

The AI Film Award attracted 3,500 film submissions, while more than 30,000 participants from 116 countries expressed interest, underlining the initiative’s global reach. The award aims to support impactful filmmaking that leverages AI tools, including Google Gemini, to enhance creative and aesthetic expression while promoting humanitarian values and cultural connection.

A specialised jury of 40 experts reviewed nearly 400 hours of film content, following a rigorous evaluation process aligned with the award’s criteria. From this, 100 films were shortlisted, while non-compliant entries were excluded.

Shortlisted films underwent advanced technical assessment using Google Gemini to verify content quality and technical standards. Each film was confirmed to have been produced using at least 70% generative AI tools from Google, validated through AI-based assessment processes.

Following jury evaluation and public voting, Lily progressed from a shortlist of 12 films to the final five nominees, eventually securing the top prize.

The winning film tells the story of a lonely archivist whose life is disrupted when a doll becomes lodged on his car bumper after a hit-and-run accident he committed. The object, revealed as a spiritual link to the survivor, haunts the protagonist and forces him to confront his guilt. The story culminates in redemption as he confesses to the police and reunites the doll with the injured child in hospital.

Through its powerful narrative, Lily underscores how ordinary objects can become silent witnesses to human actions, carrying truth and demanding moral accountability.