Now open
(Open Cities Accelerator)
for
Submissions
The accelerator program supports up to ten projects, creating a focused, creative environment where artistic ambition and disciplined experimentation go hand in hand. We work with emerging and established filmmakers pursuing ambitious work driven by a clear, distinctive voice. Selected participants - a single filmmaker or a two-person team - take part in a three-month virtual program and conclude with a ten-day onsite residency in Portugal and a pitch day with invited industry professionals. There is no requirement that projects be set, shot, or produced in Portugal - we support filmmakers and stories from anywhere in the world.
Each team is paired with accomplished mentors across writing, directing, producing, creative technology, and industry leaders - receiving hands-on creative and strategic counsel tailored to their specific project. We help each team assess their film's creative and budgetary demands, connect them with the right technologists and tools, and build a production strategy around the film's actual needs. Participants work within a small cohort of peers equally committed to ambitious, uncompromising work.
The program is not designed for the production of full generative AI feature films. It is for filmmakers who want to use emerging technologies - including AI - as tools in service of their vision.
Participants graduate with a strengthened script, a production roadmap, the framework of a business plan, pre-visualizations of key elements of their project, and a prototype derived from their technological and artistic experimentation.
Joana Vicente, Open Cities CEO
What Selected Projects Receive
The program comprises three key elements that aim to move through phases of Inspiration, Development, Experimentation, Market Positioning and culminate in a Pitch session:
6 Virtual Sessions between July and October 2026
Ongoing Mentor Support throughout the program
On-Site Residency in Portugal from November 1-10th 2026
Selected participants will receive:
Accommodations and group meals provided for the residency program in Lisbon
1:1 Bespoke creative and technology mentorship guiding script development and technological experimentation
Guest speakers and feedback from industry guests across visualization, production, sales, marketing, distribution, and creative technologies
Workshops and masterclasses on AI and emerging technologies in filmmaking
A cohort-based model encouraging peer-to-peer exchange
Ethical and legal frameworks for responsible AI integration
Industry exposure opportunities
Pitch training and preparation
A Tech Sprint - a structured period of hands-on experimentation with tools and technologists
A live industry pitch event
Off-site excursions connecting participants with Lisbon's cultural landscape and creative community
Participants graduate with a strengthened script, a production roadmap, the framework of a business plan, pre-visualizations of key elements of their project, and a prototype derived from their technological and artistic experimentation.
Cost
A one-time, non-refundable Application Fee of $60 will be due upon completion of your application
Selected projects only
Open Cities does not take ownership or creative control of your project. In exchange for mentorship, strategic support, and production resources, participants grant Open Cities a 2% production fee contribution from the total budget and a 2.5% deferred participation in net proceeds, in the event the film is produced. After the program, Open Cities International Lda. will have a 90-day exclusive window to negotiate an option, production, or co-production agreement for your project.
Credit Requirement
Projects that go into production agree to include the Open Cities Logo and the credit: “Developed with support from the Open Cities Accelerator.”
Who Should Apply & Eligibility
Applications are open to directors and producers
Applicants must:
Be at least eighteen (18) years of age
Hold the rights necessary to submit the project
Submit a narrative feature film project
Have a draft of a completed screenplay
Have a director attached who has completed a short film or feature that has received festival selection or critical recognition.
Be committed to maintaining artistic integrity and to the responsible use of emerging technologies, including thoughtful consideration of authorship, consent, and the human dimensions of the work
Be open to an environment where experimentation is actively encouraged
Our Commitment to Diversity
Open Cities is committed to building a cohort that reflects the full breadth of global filmmaking. We actively encourage applications from filmmakers who are underrepresented in the industry - including but not limited to women, people of color, LGBTQ+ filmmakers, filmmakers with disabilities, and those working outside major film industry centers. We believe that a diversity of perspectives, backgrounds, and ways of working is essential to the kind of cinema we want to support. Selection is based on the strength of artistic vision and the fit of the project, not on access to resources, existing industry relationships, or prior experience with technology.
Applicants for selected projects must be available for all program dates. The program will be conducted in English.
Submission and Materials Checklist
Before moving on to the application form on Film Freeway, please ensure you have reviewed the following:
Projects must be:
• narrative feature film projects
• written in English or an English version of the script
Application Materials
Submissions Checklist - You will be asked to submit three PDFs, as follows:
Document 1:
Biography of Writer, Director and Producer (200 words max each)
Long Synopsis 1-3 pages,
Director and Producer’s Statement
Links to previous work (with relevant passwords if any)
Short essay (300-word cap). Open Cities combines script development with hands-on experimentation with emerging technologies to help filmmakers realize ambitious projects on their own terms. Describe the creative or production challenges facing your project, how you hope the blend of creative development and technological experimentation will impact your work, and your current familiarity with these tools. What are the goals you wish to achieve from the program?
Document 2:
Screenplay draft
Document 3:
Look-book/Pitch deck
On Film Freeway, you will be asked to enter the following information:
One paragraph project description
Email address
Phone number
Website / LinkedIn
Genre (if applicable)
Social handles (if applicable)
[Link to short or feature film]
Key Dates:
Contact: For questions, please contact: submissions@open-cities.com
What tools will I need access to, and who pays for them?
Open Cities will provide participants with guidance and relevant tools as part of the program.
What part of the program costs are covered?
Selected participants receive accommodation and group meals for the residency program in Lisbon.
What is your AI policy?
Open Cities takes an ethical, human-led approach to AI and emerging technologies. We do not require or endorse the use of any specific tool. We believe AI should serve the filmmaker's vision - not replace it - and that the creative, authorial, and ethical dimensions of that choice belong to the filmmaker. Questions of consent, representation, and the provenance of the work matter to us. We support participants in thinking through these questions rigorously, so that the choices they make are considered, and their own.
Who from my team can join the program?
Up to two core collaborators (a director and producer) may participate in all elements of the program, including the in-person residency in Portugal. We strongly encourage the writer(s) to participate in the appropriate virtual stage of the program. If a producer is not yet attached to the project, Open Cities will work to match the director with a Producer Mentor for the length of the program.
Do I need financing already attached?
No. Projects at a range of financing stages are welcome to apply.
How many projects will be selected?
Up to 10 projects will be selected for the cohort.
Is there a shortlist stage or interview process?
Yes. Shortlisted applicants may be invited to a virtual interview before final selections are made.
What materials are required at the initial application stage?
See the Materials Required section above.
What do you mean by "AI" or "emerging technologies"?
We use these terms broadly to include cinematic AI tools, virtual production technologies, machine learning-assisted workflows, and other emerging digital tools that are reshaping how films are developed, produced, and distributed. You do not need to be a technical expert to apply.
Is there an application fee?
The application fee is $60
What happens at the end of the program?
The residency concludes with a pitch day for invited industry guests. Participants leave with a strengthened script, a production roadmap, a business plan framework, pre-visualizations of key project elements, and a working prototype — along with relationships with mentors, technologists, and industry professionals built over the course of the program.
Will Open Cities take equity or ownership of my project?
Open Cities does not take ownership or creative control of your project. In return for the mentorship, strategic support, and production resources provided, participants agree to a program participation fee of 2% of total production budget and 2.5% of net profits. Open Cities International Lda. will have a 90-day exclusive window to negotiate an option, production, or co-production agreement for your project.
What is the Selection Process
Applications will be reviewed by the Open Cities team and selected industry advisors. A shortlist stage will include virtual interviews. Selection will be based on: * Strength of artistic vision * Clarity of project development * Thoughtful approach to emerging technologies * Alignment with Open Cities' creative and ethical values
Ineligible Material
The following are not eligible: Projects that infringe copyright or break international regulations concerning the ownership of intellectual property