We’re excited to share two big pieces of news at once: James Drake Media has partnered with AIMA Productions to co-organise AIMA London 2026, and we’ve just released our first short film born from that partnership, “Checkmate to the Death.”
A New Chapter for AIMA
Following the success of the inaugural AI Movie Awards in Mallorca this past spring, AIMA is heading to London. James Drake Media joins as co-organiser for AIMA London 2026, taking place 7–8 November 2026 at IET London. The two-day event will bring together AI filmmakers, creators, studios, and innovators from around the world for screenings, industry talks, networking, and the AI Movie Awards ceremony celebrating the best in AI cinema.
For us, this partnership is a natural next step. We’ve been part of the AIMA story from the beginning, presenting the James Drake Award for Best Documentary in Mallorca and watching our own work, including “The Daughter Who Saved de Gaulle,” recognised there with the Best Diversity & Inclusion award. Co-organising AIMA London lets us help shape the next stage of a festival we already believe in, and to keep building the community of storytellers working at the edge of AI filmmaking.
Introducing “Checkmate to the Death”
Alongside the festival news, we’re proud to release the first short film to come out of this partnership: “Checkmate to the Death.”
Set in Odessa in 1918, during the brutal Red Terror, the film follows legendary chess grandmaster Ossip Bernstein as he faces an impossible choice: defeat a ruthless Cheka officer in a single game of chess, or be executed. Inspired by true historical events, it’s a psychological thriller that blends history, suspense, and surreal visual storytelling, following Bernstein as fever, memory, and reality collide across the chessboard, and every move becomes a battle between life and death.
The film is directed by Federico Luglio, written by Thomas Righini Carrington and Federico Luglio, and executive produced by Thomas Righini Carrington and JD Media, with music by Luyo | Double Records. It brings together cinematic AI-generated visuals, dramatic performances, and a haunting atmosphere to explore themes of courage, sacrifice, and the power of the human mind under unimaginable pressure.
Building Something Together
This partnership, and this film, reflect what James Drake Media and AIMA both care about: pushing AI filmmaking forward while keeping storytelling at the centre of it. From the chessboard in Odessa to the stage in London this November, we’re just getting started.
Stay tuned for more updates on AIMA London 2026 and future JD Media releases.
