In a one of a kind program, Tribeca & OpenAI commissioned five filmmakers to create original short films, granting them early access to OpenAI's advanced video generation model, Sora. Join Tribeca and Brad Lightcap (COO, OpenAI) in the debut screening of these SORA Shorts from Bonnie Discepolo, Ellie Foumbi, Nikyatu Jusu, Reza Sixo Safai, and Michaela Ternasky-Holland alongside a conversation with these filmmakers at this very special event.

About the Filmmakers

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 film, Our Father, the Devil, premiered at the Venice Film Festival. It went on toscreen at over 50 international film festivals where it won 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. Ellie was also 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.