From April 17th to April 28th The Tribeca Film Festival is celebrating it’s twelfth year since its founding by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff following the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center.
The Festival was created in hopes of nurturing the economic and cultural revitalization of lower Manhattan through an annual celebration of film, music and culture. It has helped filmmakers reach the broadest possible audience, enabling the international film community and general public to experience the power of cinema and promote New York City as a major film making center. The Tribeca Film Festival has proudly screened more than 1,400 films from more than 80 countries, attracted an international audience of more than 4 million attendees and has generated an estimated $750 million in economic activity for New York City since its first edition in 2002.
The mainstay of every Film Festival is its Spotlight section and The Tribeca Film Festival did not disappoint when they announced the 33 films, 21 narratives and 12 documentaries featured by both well-known filmmakers like Richard Linklater, Neil Jordan, Mira Nair, David Gordon Green, and Neil LaBute and promising new talent. Co-sponsored by Cadillac & Jet Blue this section offers 23 world premieres and advanced screenings from established and emerging filmmakers.
The Festival presented by American Express® also announced its lineup for the 2013 Tribeca Talks® panel series. Tribeca Talks will feature conversations with some of the most influential and creative minds in the film industry. “Each year we seek to provide audiences with diverse opportunities to connect with some the most accomplished and innovative minds in film with the Tribeca Talks series, ” said Geoff Gilmore, Chief Creative Officer of Tribeca Enterprises. “We are excited to present this year’s lineup, featuring visionary industry leaders who are sure to engage audiences with thoughtful discussions on topics inspired by films and filmmakers participating in the Festival.”Those participating include Academy Award®-winner Clint Eastwood with Academy Award®-nominee Darren Aronofsky, Academy Award®-nominee Richard Linklater with fellow nominees Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, director Mira Nair with actress Bryce Dallas Howard, and Emmy Award®winner Jay Roach with actor Ben Stiller. Academy Award®-winner Whoopi Goldberg, Academy Award®-nominee Ellen Page, legendary author and activist Gloria Steinem and actor Adrian Grenier.
The annual Tribeca Family Festival Street Fair (April 27-10 am -6pm) Greenwich Street (between Chambers Street and Hubert Street) will feature an exciting lineup of programs to entertain the entire family, including, Tribeca/ESPN Sports Day (April 27) Sports Day which will take place on Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., on N. Moore Street (between Greenwich Street and West Street). The ESPN event gives sports fans the opportunity to engage in a variety of free, sports-related activities that will include games, demonstrations and prize giveaways. In addition, some of New York’s most popular athletes, mascots and sports personalities will make guest appearances throughout the day.
Additional activities are The Tribeca Drive-In (April 18-20), Family Screenings (April 21 and 27) and the new Tribeca Studios Backlot, which will transform a downtown street into an interactive movie set where visitors can explore a wide range of elements that go into creating a film production on location in New York City. Also new this year is the Tribeca Food Feast, which will offer festival goers a chance to watch chefs from the neighborhood and beyond create their unique dishes on a show kitchen stage and try their hand at a variety of cooking activities. Street Fair favorites including live Broadway performances, arts and crafts and puppet shows will also return to the annual celebration of the Tribeca neighborhood. In addition, the Family Festival will feature an exciting sneak preview of the upcoming summer comedy The Smurfs 2, along with a free family screening of the beloved film The Smurfs, with appearances by cast members and many more additional activities.
The 30th Anniversary of Martin Scorsese’s The King of Comedy, digitally restored, in association with The Film Foundation, Regency Enterprises and Twentieth Century Fox, will close The Tribeca Film Festival on Saturday, April 27 and will take place at BMCC Tribeca PAC. Directed by Martin Scorsese, written by Paul D. Zimmerman, produced by Arnon Milchan, and starring Robert De Niro, Jerry Lewis, Diahnne Abbott and Sandra Bernhard –was originally released in 1983. “I’ve always been partial to comedians – the irreverence, the absurdity, the hostility, all the feelings under the surface – and to the old world of late night variety shows” Scorsese said. De Niro went on to say “I was a big fan of the script and was very excited to do it with Marty and happy that we finally made it. The fact that it’s been restored (hard to believe so many years have passed) is even all the better, and I can’t wait to see it on our closing night.”
Lauded as “shockingly prescient” by Moviefone, the film is recognized for its groundbreaking foresight into reality-TV culture and lack of distinction between renown and notoriety. It also holds up as the finest dramatic work of Lewis’ career, one of Martin Scorsese’s most underrated movies and a darkly funny film that features Robert De Niro playing the scary and fascinating character, Rupert Pupkin.
For more information on scheduling and Festival packages please go to www.tribecafilm.com/festival, or call (646) 502-5296 or toll free at (866) 941-FEST (3378).
As Founding Sponsor of the Tribeca Film Festival, American Express is committed to supporting the Festival and the art of film making, bringing business and energy to New York City and offering Card members and festivalgoers the opportunity to enjoy the best of storytelling through film. The Festival is also pleased to announce the return of its Signature Sponsors: Accenture, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Bloomberg, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® Gin, Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC), Brookfield, Cadillac, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, ESPN, GE FOCUS FORWARD (in partnership with cinelan), Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Heineken USA, JetBlue, Magnum® Ice Cream, NBC 4 New York, NCM Media Networks, The New York Times, and Oppenheimer Funds along with new Signature Sponsors: AT&T, IWC Schaffhausen, PepsiCo, and Sony Electronics.
By Lauren Clarke-Bennett
Photos courtesy of: The Tribeca Film Festival