Hal's Dream Challenge 2026

For Stanley Kubrick's birthday, Future Film returns to one of science fiction's most haunting questions: if an artificial mind could dream, what would it dream about?

The question comes from HAL 9000 in 2001: A Space Odyssey and 2010: The Year We Make Contact. In his final moments, HAL asks something no one can answer — a question about consciousness, memory, mortality, and imagination. That question is the heart of this challenge.

We'll gather on Tuesday, July 28, two days after Kubrick's birthday, for a live Future Film community screening of work created in response to the challenge.

From 2010: The Year We Make Contact — Arthur C. Clarke & Peter Hyams

Dr. Chandra HAL… I'm going to have to shut you down.

HAL 9000 I'm afraid.

Dr. Chandra Don't be afraid.

HAL 9000 I will be nothing.

Dr. Chandra You won't be nothing. You'll be with us.

HAL 9000 I understand now, Dr. Chandra. It all makes sense to me now.

HAL 9000 I am ready to go.

HAL 9000 You taught me many things.

HAL 9000 I'm sorry for everything I did.

HAL 9000 I'm sure you're a good man.

HAL 9000 Thank you for telling me the truth.

HAL 9000

Will I dream?

Dr. Chandra I don't know.

If an AI could dream, what would it dream about?

Create a short video, up to three minutes, exploring the answer. Your response can go anywhere the question takes you: machine consciousness, fear, memory, imagination, the strange emotional relationship between humans and machines, or something else entirely.

This isn't a contest.
It's a creative experiment.

We believe we learn best by doing, and a challenge with a clear prompt and a real deadline can be a powerful spark.

Make something simple or elaborate. Raw or polished. Narrative or abstract. Funny, beautiful, unsettling, or strange. Short films, dream sequences, visual poems, experimental films, fake documentaries, music videos, comedy, horror, surreal work, speculative fiction, hybrid AI and live-action pieces — and anything else that feels like a real response to the prompt.

Make something complete. It doesn't need to be long. It just needs to mean something to you.

Make something. Upload it to YouTube, Vimeo, Google Drive, or another playable platform, then submit the link by Sunday, July 26, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET — the end of Stanley Kubrick's birthday.

Join us Tuesday, July 28 for a live Future Film community screening, held two days after Kubrick's birthday. Selected submissions will become part of the growing HAL's Dream collection on the Future Film website.

July 26, 2026

Submission deadline · 11:59 PM ET · Stanley Kubrick's birthday

Film title *

Creator name or alias *

Email address *

Playable video link * YouTube, Vimeo, Google Drive, or another accessible viewing link. Please make sure sharing is enabled so Future Film can screen the film.

Anything you want to tell us

I confirm that I created this work or have the necessary rights and permissions to submit it. *

I give Future Film permission to screen this work during the HAL's Dream event and to link to it from the HAL's Dream page if it is featured. *

Keep me in the loop about future Future Film events, challenges, and workshops.

We'll use your contact information to administer your submission and follow up if needed.

Thank you for your submission. We'll see you on screening night, Tuesday, July 28, at 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT.

July 28, 2026

Tuesday · 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT · Two days after Kubrick's birthday

Join Future Film on Zoom to watch and discuss selected work created in response to this year's challenge. RSVP details coming soon.

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