Tribeca Film Festival Promises An Amazing Event As It Celebrates 16 Years
By: Hope Wilkos, Writer
Movies have that uncanny ability to melt our hearts and warm our souls. They take us into the land of the unimaginable, reminding us that life is not all routine. There is no better time than the month of April to experience these glorious emotions because Tribeca Film Festival is ready to outshine all the prior years, making its 16th year the biggest and brightest yet. The festival will run
from April 19th through the 30th, 2017, promising a lineup that will awaken all your senses.
Be a part of the unveiling of never before seen films, ask questions of the producer/director and/or actors, at times pre-cinema and at times post-cinema. As a culturally diverse festival, it is Tribeca’s mission and heritage to elevate the voices of some of the most exciting artists and storytellers working in contemporary film today. The wide range of topics that will be explored this year include the most provocative issues unfolding daily in the U.S. and around the world, portraits of complex and inspirational artists, stories of historical moments, and buoyant, clever films that will educate and stimulate. There will be a series of special Earth Day documentary screenings addressing the environmental issues that continue to plague our planet.
Whitney Houston in WHITNEY ‘CAN I BE ME.’ Photo by David Corio.
Opening Tribeca Film Festival is the World Premiere of the feature documentary, ‘Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives’ at Radio City Music Hall. Immediately following will be a special concert highlighted by performances from Aretha Franklin, Jennifer Hudson, Earth, Wind & Fire and more eagerly awaited surprises.
Lauri Tilkanen as Veli Mäkinen, Jessica Grabowsky as Toukon sisko Kaija, and Pekka Strang as Touko Laaksonen in TOM OF FINLAND. Photo by Mikko Rasila.
Tribeca Film Festival Programs will include: Competition, including U.S. Narrative, Documentary, and International Narrative categories; Spotlight, supported by The Lincoln Motor Company, a selection of anticipated premieres from major talent; Viewpoints, which recognizes distinct voices in international and American independent filmmaking; and the popular Midnight Section, supported by EFFEN® Vodka, featuring the best in psychological thriller, horror, sci-fi, and cult cinema.
Adding to the drama of the event will be some light-hearted comedy including talks between Saturday Night Live writer and standup comedian, Michael Che and director Paul Feig, a touching documentary about funny man, Gilbert Gottfried, and everyone’s favorite, Tracey Morgan starring in ‘The Clapper’ with Ed Helms and Amanda Seyfried.
Ronald Reagan, Mikhail Gorbachev, George Bush all wave to the press corps. Film still from THE REAGAN SHOW. Photo credit: Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.
Tribeca Film Festival will show 98 feature-length titles, all presented by corporate sponsor and leader for the technology of the future, AT&T. In a year of record high submissions, the Festival’s curators chose to reduce the size of the overall program by 20%, making this the most selective and focused festival slate yet. The Competition section features 32 films: 12 documentaries, 10 U.S. narratives, and 10 international narratives. The Spotlight Narrative section features 15 fiction films, while 16 nonfiction films will premiere in the Spotlight Documentary section. The Midnight section features five heart-stopping narratives and one documentary premiere.
Marie Leuenberger as Nora in THE DIVINE ORDER. Photographer: Daniel Ammann.
“It’s uncertain and tumultuous times like these that we need artists and storytellers the most, and this year’s program is a testament to the unending capacity of film for impact, empathy, and even much-needed escapism,” said Cara Cusumano, Tribeca’s new Director of Programming. “Each in their own way, these 98 films fill me with optimism and inspiration at the unique power of our medium, and the eyes of a talented filmmaker to inspire, challenge, and maybe even change the world.”
“In the current climate, both in the literal and political sense, it is more important than ever to elevate stories about the moments we are going through as a nation and as global citizens,” said Paula Weinstein, Executive Vice President of Tribeca Enterprises. “We were really moved by this group of projects that reflect our world and the critical tipping point we have reached.”
Steve Coogan as Paul Lohman, Richard Gere as Stan Lohman, Rebecca Hallas Katelyn Lohman, and Laura Linney as Claire Lohnman in THE DINNER. Photo courtesy of The Orchard.
“This year’s film slate is perhaps our most varied yet in both the generosity in the stories told and the diversity of the styles of filmmaking, with the international films transcending geographical boundaries,” said Frédéric Boyer, Tribeca’s Artistic Director. “It is a group of beautiful films of discovery, and strong performances from directors and actors from every corner of the globe, including from countries that are not the mainstay of cinema. We are really impressed with the films, and are excited to share with the Tribeca audience.”
Cate Blanchett in MANIFESTO. Photo by Julian Rosefeldt.
To honor Earth Day, which falls during the Festival, the programmers chose to highlight documentaries that focus on critical and timely issues that have an impact on our planet, including climate change, food waste, and animal extinction. Each of these films will screen on Earth Day, April 22, as well as throughout the Festival. This will be reflected in other sections of the festival programming as well, including VR and Tribeca N.O.W.
The 2017 feature-film program includes films from 28 countries, including 78 World Premieres, six International Premieres, six North American Premieres, two U.S. Premieres, and six New York Premieres.
Thirty-seven of the feature filmmakers are making their feature directorial debuts, and 20 of the directors are returning to the Festival, this time with their new films. Thirty-two women directors are represented in the 98 festival selections. Tribeca’s 2017 slate was programmed from more than 8,700 submissions, of which 3,362 were feature films submissions.
This year, the films in competition will compete for cash prizes totaling $160,000, as well as artwork from the Artists Awards program, offering donated work from contemporary artists.
The 2017 Tribeca Film Festival continues to push the boundaries of storytelling via technology and creativity in this year’s Tribeca Immersive program, presented by AT&T. With 29 virtual reality (VR) and innovative exhibitions, Tribeca Immersive presents thought-provoking experiences and installations from top creators and emerging artists, including 20 world premieres. This year, Storyscapes and Virtual Arcade exhibitions will run concurrently throughout the Festival at the Tribeca Festival Hub, located at 50 Varick Street in the heart of Tribeca.
The highly enjoyed Storyscapes will tackle topics including an exploration of autobiography in VR, a hunger to connect with the world around us, recounting life in a concentration camp, perception and identity, and the secret lives of strangers.
“Artists allow us to see the world differently. They peel back layers of reality to show us new ways of thinking, using story, and technology to reveal truths and possibilities,” said Ingrid Kopp, curator of Storyscapes. “It is thrilling to be exhibiting such a dynamic range of projects in the fifth year of Storyscapes and at a time when there are so much creativity and energy in the interactive space. It has been wonderful to witness audience interest in immersive work grow over the past few years and to see how artists have responded to this excitement.”
The Virtual Arcade, which made its debut at the 2016 Festival, returns for 2017 with the sole purpose to entertain, inspire and transport participants with a range of experiences from animated epics to post-apocalyptic landscapes.
“As VR has continued to evolve technologically, so has the storytelling. Our mission is to shine a light on those creators pushing the boundaries of the medium to move beyond the demo phase and deliver on the promise of fully realized stories and truly transformative experiences,” said Loren Hammonds, Programmer, Film & Experiential at Tribeca Film Festival.
One of the biggest hits of the entire festival has been the Short Films, enlightening audiences and packed full of diverse topics. This year, there is a total of 57 films, brought to attendees by filmmakers from all over the world of which 40% were directed by women. They will be presented in 10 distinct competition programs, consisting of five narrative, four documentaries, and, for the second year, one animated program. In addition, there is the Sports Shorts program as part of the 11th annual Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival, sponsored by Mohegan Sun. The Shorts program is sponsored by Nutella Originals. Recipients of the Tribeca Film Festival awards for Best Narrative Short and Best Documentary Short will qualify for consideration in the Academy Awards’ Short Films category, provided the film complies with Academy rules. Since 2004 (with the exception of 2007), Tribeca’s program has included a short that has been nominated and/or won in one of these two categories. From last year’s Festival selection, three shorts that world premiered at Tribeca were nominated for Oscars: Joe’s Violin, Pearl, and Extremis, which was the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival Award winner for Best Documentary Short.
Tribeca Film festival also bestows a Student Visionary Award, and this year for the first time, a Best Animated Short Award.
Each year, Tribeca Film Festival closes with a very memorable event and this year is no different. There will be back-to-back screenings of The Godfather and The Godfather Part II followed by a cast reunion and conversation with director Francis Ford Coppola and actors Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, and Robert De Niro on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of The Godfather’s theatrical release. It will take place on Saturday, April 29, 2017.
Attendees of the festival can anticipate seeing celebrities from the music, sports and fashion world at some of the Special Screenings such as Sean “Diddy” Combs Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: The Bad Boy Story documentary and James Ponsoldt’s World Premiere film, The Circle, starting Tom Hanks and Emma Watson. Fashion enthusiasts can look forward to seeing House of Z, a documentary that follows fashion superstar Zac Posen. Which fashion dignitaries will be on hand to celebrate the film’s success?
The special screenings are rounded out with a group of anniversary retrospectives: the 25thanniversary of Aladdin with a special sing-along; the 25th anniversary of Reservoir Dogs, followed by a conversation with director Quentin Tarantino and members of the cast; and the 15th anniversary of Bowling for Columbine, followed by a discussion with director Michael Moore.
Perhaps the most important piece rounding out the Tribeca Film Festival will be the jurors, recently appointed, comprised of a group of critically acclaimed filmmakers, award-winning actors working across film, television, and stage, accomplished producers, and cultural leaders. Divided among the competitive Festival categories, the jury reflects the diversity of Tribeca’s program, which showcases storytelling in all forms, including film, television, virtual reality, and music. The winning films, filmmakers, actors, and storytellers in each category will be announced at the Tribeca Film Festival Awards ceremony at BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center on Thursday, April 27 beginning at 5:30 pm and hosted by Michael Rapaport. The nine Tribeca juries for the film and immersive storytelling categories will award cash and prizes. Ten of the winners will also receive a work of original art by a renowned contemporary artist as part of the Tribeca Film Festival Artists Awards program, sponsored by CHANEL. Jurors include Priyanka Chopra, R.J. Cutler, Willem Dafoe, Peter Fonda, Diane Lane, Barbara Kopple, Tavi Gevinson, Josh Lucas, Sheila Nevins, Michael Pitt, Zachary Quinto, Christina Ricci, Ruth Wilson and more.
“This year’s jury reflects the diverse artistry represented in our Festival program, which has evolved over the past 15 years to showcase the breadth of storytelling across all mediums,” said Jane Rosenthal, co-founder, Tribeca Film Festival, and Executive Chair, Tribeca Enterprises. “Selecting winners in each category is no easy task, and we look forward to the thoughtful perspective and spirited debate our jurors will bring to the job.”
Ronny Merhavi, Noa Kooler, and Dafi Alferon in THE WEDDING PLAN. Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
In addition to the main competition juries, the Festival also announced the all-female jury for the 2017 Nora Ephron Prize, which was founded four years ago to honor a woman filmmaker whose work embodies the spirit and vision of the legendary filmmaker and writer Nora Ephron. Tribeca previously announced five jurors for the second annual Tribeca X Award, which celebrates branded storytelling at the intersection of advertising and entertainment.
Purchase your tickets online at tribecafilm.com, and, by visiting the site, that gives you access to The Tribeca 2017 Film Guide. One of the best ways to determine your favorite films to see is by downloading the Tribeca App. It only takes a click to put you right into the thick of the action. You can also follow Tribeca Film Festival @ tribeca.tumblr.com, twitter.com/tribeca, www.snapchat.com/add/tribecafilmfest, www.youtube.com/c/tribecafilmdistribution.
Now sit back and enjoy the show!
