Image: OMNI
Adelaide will welcome a new crew this February, as OMNI, South Australia’s first AI Film Festival, arrives, bringing a fascinating new chapter in the city’s ever-evolving creative scene.
OMNI provides a fresh look at the art of filmmaking, exploring how new and emerging tools are influencing the way stories are told, imagined and shared. Originally taking place in Sydney, where the inaugural OMNI 0.5 captured global attention, the festival has quickly grown into an international platform, drawing more than 1,400 submissions from creators across over 70 countries for its second iteration.
The ethos behind OMNI is less about technology and more about storytelling. It is a chance to show how filmmakers are experimenting with new methods to express ideas, reach audiences and challenge traditional models of production. For Adelaide, a city with a long-standing reputation for getting behind bold arts festivals and boundary-pushing ideas, it’s a natural fit.
The festival has been judged by an impressive panel of creatives, including legendary Australian director George Miller, renowned for Mad Max and Happy Feet, former Disney and DreamWorks animator Yan Chen, award-winning artist Jonathan Zawada, and Adelaide creative Amber Cordeaux. They each brought wide-ranging perspectives that span blockbuster cinema, animation, fine art and experimental storytelling, making them the perfect people to hear from.
OMNI co-founders Aryeh Sternberg and Travis Rice shared their vision for the festival. “Storytelling has always evolved with technology,” shared Aryeh. “From the printing press to the camera, every new medium has challenged us to think differently. AI is simply the next frontier.
“OMNI is more than a film festival, it’s a dialogue about creativity,” added Travis. “How do we engage with technology in the modern era, and how do we value the attention we give to screens that are telling the stories of tomorrow?”
For Australian filmmakers, OMNI has become a powerful platform for voices that may not always fit within traditional industry structures. Past finalist and AIFilm4Good founder Samantha Pillay shared, “I use AI to bypass traditional gatekeepers and million-dollar budgets, allowing me to produce cinematic social impact stories, spanning AI film and music, that would otherwise remain silenced, ensuring they reach a global audience.
“It’s incredibly powerful to see an Australian initiative like OMNI leading the global conversation on generative storytelling. We often look overseas for validation, but OMNI proves that Australia is right at the forefront of defining the future of AI cinema. It builds an ecosystem, and provides a critical home for creators who are pioneering this new language of art,” she said.
Adelaide’s role in being the first city to host OMNI outside of Sydney places South Australia at the centre of this global movement. By bringing the festival to Mercury Cinema this February, the city is reinforcing its reputation as a cultural leader willing to embrace new ideas while staying grounded in community, collaboration and creativity.
The evening will feature screenings of standout works from around the world, and a panel discussion with filmmakers and creative industry leaders, offering insight into how storytelling is evolving across film, music and visual art. The event is proudly supported by Adelaide-based production company Allusein and local favourite Organic Hill Wines.
Expected to attract filmmakers, artists, business owners, and those creatively curious, OMNI will be an engaging evening that blends global perspectives with local energy. As Adelaide continues to find its place on the world stage, OMNI’s arrival is very exciting.
OMNI AI Film Festival
When: February 6th
Where: Mercury Cinema
For more information, click here.
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