‍Charlie FinkContributor

A former tech executive covering AI, XR and The Metaverse for Forbe

‍

On Friday, the Tribeca Festival and OpenAI announced a program to debut five original short films, marking the first time films made using OpenAI’s text-to-video AI model Sora will be showcased at a festival. Sora can make video clips up to one minute in length, a revolutionary advancement. It’s still in private testing, but Open AI has been gradually opening it up to more filmmakers. Just last month we took a deep dive into filmmaker Paul Trillo’s new music video, "The Hardest Part," created entirely using Sora AI.

By giving filmmakers access to Sora’s capabilities, this initiative explores the developing space of generative AI as a creative tool. The group of award-winning filmmakers are Tribeca Festival alumni. In the spirit of exploration, like Trillo, they were only given a few weeks make their AI films. “Tribeca is rooted in the foundational belief that storytelling inspires change. Humans need stories to thrive and make sense of our wonderful and broken world,” said co-founder and CEO of Tribeca Enterprises Jane Rosenthal in a statement. “Sometimes these stories come to us as a feature film, an immersive experience, a piece of art, or even an AI-generated short film. I can’t wait to see what this group of fiercely creative Tribeca alumni come up with.”

The five films will debut on June 15 at the Tribeca Film Center Screening Room. Following the screening, Tribeca and OpenAI will host a conversation with the filmmakers about the importance of artists pushing boundaries, challenging ideas, and bringing stories to life in innovative ways.

Bonnie Discepolo

Bonnie Discepolo is a filmmaker and actor who writes and directs genre films about women’s bodily autonomy. Discepolo’s films feature grounded characters in heightened or magical worlds. Discepolo’s films have played Tribeca, SXSW, Fantastic Fest, Overlook Film Festival and many more. Discepolo is an alum of Robert Rodriguez’s “Rebel Without a Crew the Series.” In addition to writing and directing, Discepolo is an actor who can be seen on Fire Country, Chicago Med, Shazam: Fury of the Gods, and Robert Rodriguez’s Hypnotic. Discepolo is currently interested in stories about time travel, metaphysics and climate change.

Ellie Foumbi

Ellie Foumbi is an award-winning Cameroonian American filmmaker whose debut feature, Our Father, the Devil, screened at over 50 international film festivals and went on to win several prizes. It received universal critical acclaim, including Independent Spirit Award and Gotham Award Nominations. She's an alumna of Berlinale Talents and a BAFTA Breakthrough USA Fellow. In 2022, Ellie was named one of 25 New Faces of Independent Film by Filmmaker Magazine. She holds an MFA in Directing from Columbia University's School of the Arts.

Nikyatu Jusu

Nikyatu Jusu is an independent writer, director, and tenured Professor in Film & Video at George Mason University. Her short films have screened at festivals nationally and internationally, marking her Sundance short film debut and foray into representation (CAA & M88) with her Black vampire film Suicide By Sunlight [2019]. Nanny [2022], Jusu’s feature film debut, made her the second black woman director and Nanny the first horror film to win the Sundance Grand Jury Prize (US Dramatic). A meteoric year for Nanny includes wins such as: Sundance Film Festival’s Vanguard Award, Las Vegas Film Critics Society Breakout Filmmaker of the year and a myriad of additional awards culminating in the 2023 Film Independent Spirit Someone to Watch Award. Nanny is immortalized with a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release within the Criterion Collection. Jusu is currently in development on her follow up feature film. Monsters are her happy place.

Reza Sixo Safai

Reza Sixo Safai is a trailblazing Iranian-American filmmaker whose bold, genre-defying works have captivated audiences worldwide. Born in Iran and raised in America, Safai seamlessly weaves Eastern and Western narratives, crafting fearless stories that shatter cultural boundaries. His career took off with his short film "The Mario Valdez Story," winning second prize at Cannes, and he gained further acclaim with his role in the Sundance-winning "Circumstance." Safai further cemented his status as a genre pioneer by producing and co-starring in "A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night," the Sundance Iranian vampire sensation that garnered widespread praise. Safai's influence extends beyond traditional filmmaking, as he is a true innovator in the world of Artificial Intelligence, having helped create the first AI feature-length film. His genre-bending filmography includes works like the post-apocalyptic samurai western "Prisoners of the Ghostland" and an Iranian reimagining of "The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant." His films have garnered numerous accolades at prestigious festivals such as Tribeca, SXSW, Sundance, and Cannes. With an unwavering dedication to storytelling, Safai will forever celebrate the unifying power of cinema.

Michaela Ternasky-Holland

Michaela A. Ternasky-Holland is a Peabody-nominated and Emmy award-winning director who specializes in creating socially impactful stories using immersive and interactive technology. As a recent nominee for the Producers Guild of America’s Innovation Award, she is a recognized consultant, speaker, and thought leader, who has been listed as one of the 100 Original Voices of XR and Blooloop’s 50 Immersive Influencers. Michaela’s past work has been curated by top institutions and festivals, such as the New York Public Library, Museum of the Moving Image, Nobel Peace Center, The United Nations, Venice International Film Festival, SXSW, and Tribeca Festival. Her projects have also been featured in renowned press outlets, such as TIME, Forbes, The Guardian, Variety, and Hollywood Reporter.

‍

‍