The Fracture by Jacopo Reale Wins Best Direction at Astana AI Film Festival 2026
By Sahan Perera-Merry
At a glance
Jacopo Reale won the Best Direction Award at the Astana AI Film Festival 2026 for his short film, The Fracture, which was created using artificial intelligence tools. The festival, dedicated to AI-enabled cinema, evaluated films on artistic vision and storytelling, highlighting the integration of AI in filmmaking. This win underscores the innovative approach of Labyrinth Reply, a company focused on AI-generated film production.
Jacopo Reale, director and AI Creative Director at Labyrinth Reply, has won the Best Direction Award at the Astana AI Film Festival 2026 for The Fracture, a short film written and directed by Reale and produced by Animatix.ai and Labyrinth, with art direction by Giacomo Cannelli and Alessandro Risuleo. Now in its inaugural edition, the Astana AI Film Festival is an international festival dedicated to cinema and emerging forms of audiovisual production enabled by artificial intelligence. Films were assessed by an international jury not only on their use of AI tools, but also on their artistic vision, storytelling quality, overall coherence, and ability to integrate technology into the creative concept.
Set in 1515, The Fracture tells the story of Queen Anna, who awaits her husband’s return from war. When the king finally returns to court, he is a profoundly changed man, haunted by inexplicable visions. As Anna tries to understand what has happened to him, she encounters a mysterious fracture in reality whose consequences will echo across the centuries.
The short film was created entirely using artificial intelligence tools, while drawing on the skills and production practices of traditional filmmaking, from narrative development and editing to sound design and mixing. In this approach, AI becomes one of the tools available to filmmakers throughout the creative process, while storytelling, pacing, editing, and the overall construction of the cinematic experience remain central.
The award also comes at a time of growth for Labyrinth Reply, the new Reply Group company dedicated to AI-generated film and audiovisual productions, established by bringing together the creative and production expertise of Labyrinth Studio with Reply’s technology ecosystem. The company combines generative AI tools with traditional filmmaking expertise to develop new creative approaches and production workflows for the film and entertainment industries.
The Fracture was also selected as a finalist at the World AI Film Festival in Cannes and the AI Film Fest Monaco earlier in 2026. The film demonstrates how this approach can be applied in practice, with AI tools playing a central role in the creative and directorial process, from the initial concept through to the production of the finished film.
Editorial insight
The recognition of The Fracture at the Astana AI Film Festival highlights the growing intersection between artificial intelligence and film production, with new festivals now emerging to showcase creative work developed using these technologies. While the use of AI in filmmaking is not new, dedicated events such as this signal a shift towards formalising AI-driven production as a distinct category within the wider industry.
For studios and professionals exploring the potential of generative AI, the festival’s approach reflects a broader industry conversation about the role of technology in creative processes. The award for Best Direction, judged on both artistic merit and integration of AI, points to evolving standards by which such work will be assessed. As more companies invest in AI-enabled production, recognition at international events may become an important marker of credibility and creative leadership within this specialist field.
Story ideas and journalist angles
TechnologyImpact of AI on Traditional Filmmaking Techniques
Explore how AI tools are being integrated into traditional filmmaking processes as highlighted by the award-winning short film, 'The Fracture', and the implications for the future of the film industry.
Target audience technology, trade-industry Story potential 7/10 Human interestEmergence of AI Film Festivals as a New Avenue for Filmmakers
Investigate the rise of AI-focused film festivals like the Astana AI Film Festival and their significance in providing new platforms for filmmakers exploring AI technologies.
Target audience culture-arts, trade-industry Story potential 6/10Issued by Reply. Distributed by WebPR UK.
About Reply
Reply Labyrinth Labyrinth Reply is the Reply Group company specialising in film and audiovisual production, bringing together creativity, filmmaking expertise and AI technologies within a unified production process. By joining the Reply Group, Labyrinth Studio’s creative and production capabilities are combined with the Group’s technology ecosystem, infrastructure and specialist expertise, expanding its ability to develop fully AI-generated and hybrid productions by integrating 3D, virtual production, animation and generative technologies across the entire production pipeline.