Imagine settling into an IMAX theater, the lights dimming, and—instead of the latest blockbuster—you’re about to watch a curated slate of ten bite‑sized films born entirely of artificial intelligence. Starting August 17, that’s exactly what movie‑lovers in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Seattle, Dallas, Boston, Atlanta, Denver and Washington, D.C. will experience, thanks to a new partnership between IMAX and Runway AI.

It all began last spring when Runway, the New York‑based AI powerhouse founded in 2018 by three Tisch School grads, invited thousands of aspiring filmmakers to push the creative envelope at its third annual AI Film Festival in Alice Tully Hall and L.A.’s Broad Theatre. From over 6,000 submissions, a jury of heavy hitters—including Gaspar Noé, Harmony Korine and Jane Rosenthal—narrowed the field to ten finalists, each a two‑ to ten‑minute marvel showcasing everything from post‑apocalyptic transhuman odysseys to sensory collages of memory and loss.

Runway itself has sprinted ahead in recent months. In April, it closed a $308 million Series D round led by General Atlantic, rocketing its valuation past $3 billion and cementing its status as a generative‑AI unicorn. Originally conceived as a toolkit for animators, Runway’s suite now powers text‑to‑video magic, real‑time background removal, and next‑generation visual effects—tools that, in the words of co‑founder and CEO Cristóbal Valenzuela, “empower today’s brightest creative minds with the tools of tomorrow.”

Valenzuela couldn’t hide his excitement about the IMAX deal. “The quality, variety and storytelling of these films deserves a premium viewing experience,” he said. “This partnership will bring AIFF to thousands of moviegoers across America, at the highest possible quality.” And IMAX is equally keen to experiment. Jonathan Fischer, the company’s Chief Content Officer, noted that its grand, large‑format screens have “typically been reserved for the world’s most accomplished and visionary filmmakers,” but that this collaboration “opens our aperture” to a new generation of storytellers where “technology converge[s] in an entirely new way.”

Placing AI‑crafted shorts on IMAX’s towering screens is emblematic of Hollywood’s broader reckoning with AI. While some remain nervous, funding for AI — from startups like Runway to legacy studios exploring in‑house tools — is surging. Netflix co‑CEO Ted Sarandos put it bluntly on the streamer’s July earnings call: “We remain convinced that AI represents an incredible opportunity to help creators make films and series better, not just cheaper,” citing the Argentine sci‑fi series El Eternauta, whose VFX sequence was completed ten times faster thanks to AI.

Beyond the AIFF showcase, IMAX has been broadening its programming slate—from live concerts and sporting events to alternative content—that fuels its post‑pandemic rebound. According to IMAX’s latest quarterly report, the firm saw a 25 percent uptick in attendance this spring, driven in part by specialty events and strong tentpole releases. This new AI partnership slot not only diversifies its lineup but also underlines its appetite for innovation.

For Runway, the IMAX screens are a proving ground. After teaming up with Lionsgate on custom video‑generation models and AMC Networks on augmented‑reality promos, the festival run marks its first real‑world “theatrical tour.” Should audiences respond, it could pave the way for more mainstream distribution of AI‑made features—perhaps even a full‑length AI feature one day.

So, come mid‑August, expect a different kind of IMAX marquee: ten titles, each an AI experiment in storytelling, each under ten minutes, united by a single day’s innovation. As cinema and code continue to collide, this festival on the big screen asks a provocative question—what happens when filmmakers hand the digital reins to intelligent machines? If this inaugural run goes well, we may all be back next year wondering not just what stories AI can tell, but how grand‑scale theaters like IMAX will help us see them in a new light.