Former Sundance CEO Joana Vicente and her partner, the Oscar nominated producer Jason Kliot, have launched a new tech-focused film accelerator and production company.
Called Open Cities, the new shop seeks to empower independent filmmakers on a global stage with ethical AI tools, financing and creative mentorship. Based in Portugal and New York, the company was formed with WarnerMedia executive Tony Gonçalves and Portuguese entrepreneur and investor Filipe de Botton.
“At a moment when independent film feels increasingly fragile, we see enormous possibilities. By building a space for experimentation with artists, we’re creating an environment where creative and technical innovation can thrive together, supporting artist development and enabling filmmakers to tell bold and ambitious stories,” said Vicente, Open Cities CEO and also the former chief of the Toronto International Film Festival.
The inaugural accelerator program will be submission-based and start with virtual programs for script refinement, individual mentorship and education for a suite of tech tools (including “informed” AI programs that assist with everything from pre-visualization to sound editing and color correction). The program will culminate in a week-long, in-person immersive session and pitch day. A limited number of projects will be selected for finance and production. The flagship session will run from August-November of 2026. Submissions will open March 15, 2026.
“As Akira Kurosawa once said, ‘To be an artist means to never look away.’ We’ve spent our careers confronting technological change and converting it into creative power. Our focus now is enabling the next generation of independent storytellers to make films that were previously beyond reach.” said Kliot, chief creative officer and the producer of “Capernaum,” “Coffee and Cigarettes” and “Welcome to the Dollhouse.”
Open Cities presents a professional reunion for Vicente and Kliot, who are married. Over two decades ago, the pair worked together at the label Blow Up Pictures and HDNet Films with Mark Cuban, helping usher in a new era of digital filmmaking. Their collaborations with filmmakers such as Alex Gibney (“Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room”), Brian De Palma (“Redacted”) and Steven Soderbergh (“Bubble”) demonstrated how new tools could reshape both process and possibility
Their new venture is supported by an international advisory group spanning film, technology, philanthropy, and creative leadership. Advisors include David Linde, CEO of the Sundance Institute; Katherine Oliver, Principal at Bloomberg Philanthropies; Mark D’Arcy, Global Creative Director at Microsoft AI; Joonas Makkonen, Founder and CPTO of Dobbin; PedroSanta Clara, Founder of Tumo and 42 Lisbon; Jon Kamen, Founder and CEO of RadicalMedia; Jed Alpert, Founder and CEO of Mobile Commons; and Abhishek Sharma, AI product developer and engineer.
The company is backed by international investors from Brazil, Portugal and the United States.