June 18th, 2025

TRIBECA STUDIOS AND OPENAI LAUNCH YEAR-LONG COLLABORATION TO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT FILMMAKERS IN CREATING AI-INTEGRATED SHORT FILMS

Original short films will premiere at 25th annual Tribeca Festival in June 2026

 

 

New York, NY, June 18, 2025 – On the heels of the 2025 Tribeca Festival, Tribeca Studios and OpenAI today announced a year-long program supporting two independent filmmakers in the creation of original AI-integrated short films. The collaboration offers filmmakers the opportunity to develop live-action short films using OpenAI’s full suite of tools, including new features as they become available, and explores how AI can support and expand the creative process.

 

The selected filmmakers will receive production funding, creative mentorship from Tribeca Studios and OpenAI, and hands-on training and access to OpenAI’s full suite of AI capabilities—from concept to completion. The films will premiere at the 2026 Tribeca Festival, accompanied by a conversation about the evolving role of AI in independent film.

 

This new program builds on the success of Sora Shorts, which debuted at the 2024 Tribeca Festival and featured five original films created by Tribeca alumni using early access to Sora. Now, Tribeca and OpenAI are deepening that commitment with a year-long investment in two filmmakers.

 

"At Tribeca, storytelling is at the heart of everything we do — and innovation is key to its future. Partnering with OpenAI allows us to be at the forefront of a new creative frontier, where AI is not a replacement, but another powerful tool in a filmmaker’s toolkit,” said Jane Rosenthal, Co-Founder and CEO of Tribeca Enterprises. “This collaboration reflects Tribeca’s commitment to championing fearless artists who are willing to explore, experiment, and push the boundaries of their craft.”

 

“Filmmakers have always pushed the boundaries of storytelling, and this program is about supporting that spirit with tools to enhance traditional filmmaking pipelines,” said Brad Lightcap, COO of OpenAI. “We’re proud to continue our partnership with Tribeca to help bring new ideas to life using OpenAI tools, and I am excited to see how filmmakers embrace the technology to support their creative expression.”

 

Invitations to submit to this filmmaker program will go out shortly. For more information, please contact tribecastudios@tribecafilm.com.

 

strong>Press Contacts
Annie Davis: adavis@tribecafilm.com

 

ABOUT TRIBECA ENTERPRISES
Tribeca Enterprises is a multi-platform media and entertainment company that owns and operates the Tribeca Festival, content division Tribeca Studios, film distribution label Tribeca Films, and production company m ss ng p eces. With strong roots in independent film, Tribeca is synonymous with creative expression and entertainment. Founded in 2003 by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff, Tribeca Enterprises brings artists and audiences together to celebrate storytelling in all its forms, including film, TV, music, audio storytelling, games, and immersive. Tribeca champions emerging and established voices, discovers award-winning talent, curates innovative experiences, and introduces new ideas through exclusive premieres, exhibitions, conversations, and live performances. In 2019, James Murdoch’s Lupa Systems bought a majority stake in Tribeca Enterprises, bringing together Rosenthal, De Niro, and Murdoch to grow the enterprise.

 

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