The 2024 Tribeca Festival unveiled its lineup of talks with iconic artists, critically-acclaimed directors, and multi-hyphenate entertainers including Andy Cohen, Kerry Washington, Laverne Cox and Michael Stipe; as well as reunions and retrospectives of venerable and lauded films and TV series.
The Storytellers Series features Emmy Award-winning producer, director, and writer Judd Apatow; Emmy Award-winning host, producer, author Andy Cohen; Golden Globe, SAG, and Emmy-Award winning actor Kieran Culkin; Emmy Award-winning actor, producer, and New York Times bestselling author Kerry Washington in conversation with producer, bestselling author, and former U.S. ambassador Nicole Avant; Grammy Award-winning artist, producer, singer-songwriter Michael Stipe; Grammy Award-winning and Academy Award-winning singer, songwriter, and composer Jon Batiste celebrating Nat King Cole with author and music journalist Marcus J. Moore; and Emmy-winning producer and actor Laverne Cox.
The Directors Series features Academy Award-winning director, producer, photographer, and musician Gus Van Sant in conversation with art dealer, filmmaker, and actor Vito Schnabel. Recently, Van Sant directed Schnabel in the FX series Feud: Capote vs the Swans created by Ryan Murphy, which they’ll discuss among other topics.
“Tribeca is proud to present an incredible roster of talent who have impacted the cultural zeitgeist in significant ways across disciplines,” said Meredith Mohr, Vice President of Artist Relations at Tribeca. “This year’s stellar lineup of Talks—including the beloved Storytellers and Directors Series—and Reunions aims to spark meaningful dialogue while celebrating diverse artistry, imaginative storytelling, and creative achievements.”
The 25th anniversary of The Sopranos will be celebrated at the Beacon Theatre with the world premiere of WISE GUY David Chase and The Sopranos, a documentary directed by Tribeca alum Alex Gibney. This special event will feature a reunion with creator David Chase, executive producer Terence Winter, and stars Edie Falco, Michael Imperioli, Aida Turturro, Annabella Sciorra, Robert Iler, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Drea De Matteo, Steve Schirripa, Michele Chase, Kathrine Narducci, and Dominic Chianese.
This year’s reunions and retrospectives captures the essence of nostalgia and intrigue with the 50th anniversary of Mean Streets featuring Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro in conversation with Nas; the 50th anniversary of Steven Spielberg’s theatrical debut, The Sugarland Express, followed by a conversation with the acclaimed director; the 40th anniversary of Footloose, presented by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, featuring a special conversation with Kevin Bacon; and the 40th anniversary of Beat Street, with an introduction by Nas. The lineup also includes Tod Browning’s 1927 silent film The Unknown starring Lon Chaney and Joan Crawford.
The animated musical based on Daft Punk’s album “Discovery,” Interstella 5555: The 5tory Of The 5ecret 5tar 5ystem, will be screened for the first time in North America in remastered 4K. In addition, North by Northwest, Alfred Hitchcock’s thrilling tale of mistaken identity and espionage, will premiere in a newly restored 70mm version. Tribeca will also screen AlphaGo, a 2017 selection, in honor of the film team’s 2024 premiering follow-up, The Thinking Game.
2024 TRIBECA FESTIVAL STORYTELLERS
Judd Apatow
Judd Apatow is one of the most prolific comedic minds in the industry. Most recently, Apatow executive produced Peacock’s Stormy Daniels documentary, Stormy, Peacock’s buddy comedy Please Don’t Destroy: The Treasure Of Foggy Mountain and Universal’s romcom Bros. Apatow also co-directed, along with Michael Bonfiglio HBO Films’ Emmy®-winning documentary George Carlin’s American Dream. Previous director credits include The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up and The King Of Staten Island. He produced Academy Award®-nominated The Big Sick and Bridesmaids, as well as, Superbad, Pineapple Express and Anchorman. For television, he executive produced Girls and Freaks And Geeks. Off screen, Apatow authored The New York Times best-seller Sick in the Head and it’s follow up, Sicker in the Head.
Andy Cohen
Andy Cohen is an Emmy Award-winning host, producer, and author, best known for his 15 years on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, Bravo’s late-night talk show. Cohen serves as executive producer across 11 NBCUniversal properties, hosts two SiriusXM channels, and co-hosts CNN’s New Year’s Eve Special with Anderson Cooper. He is a five-time New York Times bestselling author with his own book imprint. Cohen has been honored with GLAAD’s Vito Russo Award, and has appeared on The Hollywood Reporter and Variety’s lists of Most Powerful LGBTQ Players in Hollywood. He also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Born in St. Louis, Cohen resides in New York with his children, Benjamin and Lucy.
Michael Stipe
Michael Stipe, American, born 1960, is an artist, producer and singer-songwriter. He fronted the band R.E.M. for 31 years, selling over 100 million records and touring the world. For the past decade, his personal focus has been cross-medium work, incorporating video, soundscape, sculpture, and photographic and digital imagery. He has released four recent photography books through Damiani out of Bologna, Italy. His first institution show was at ICA Milan in December 2023. He is currently completing his first solo album to be released this year. Michael lives in New York City and Berlin.
Jon Batiste Celebrates Nat King Cole through Music & Conversation
Jon Batiste is a five-time Grammy Award-winning and Academy Award-winning singer, songwriter, and composer. Most recently, Batiste received five Grammy nominations for his latest studio album, World Music Radio, including ‘Album of the Year.’ Batiste also earned an Oscar nomination this year for his song “It Never Went Away,” on behalf of the Netflix documentary American Symphony, which follows Batiste in early 2022, when he finds himself celebrated with 11 Grammy nominations, including album of the year for his 2021 studio album We Are. Batiste is currently on his first-ever headlining tour, visiting intimate theaters across North America and Canada, The Uneasy Tour: Purifying The Airwaves For The People. The music and conversation will pay homage to Nat King Cole’s, Live at the Blue Note Chicago, the never-before-heard audio recordings from his Chicago residency, recently released via Iconic Artists Group. It will be moderated by author and music journalist Marcus J. Moore, whose first book, The Butterfly Effect: How Kendrick Lamar Ignited the Soul of Black America, was published in 2020 by Simon & Schuster to critical acclaim. His next book, High and Rising (aka The De La Soul Book), will be published in November via HarperCollins.
Kieran Culkin
Kieran Culkin is perhaps best known for his critically acclaimed performance as “Roman Roy” in Jesse Armstrong’s multi-award-winning HBO series Succession, for which he received the Emmy Award and the Critics Choice Award for “Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series” and the Golden Globe Award for “Best Actor in a Television Series – Drama.” Kieran also received the Critics Choice Award for “Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series” and a SAG Award for “Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.” On the big screen, Kieran can next be seen in Fox Searchlight’s highly anticipated two-hander A Real Pain, in which he stars opposite the film’s writer/director Jesse Eisenberg. As a teenager, Kieran garnered critical acclaim for his performance in the titular role in the feature Igby Goes Down. Kieran has also lent his voice to numerous film and television projects. He will next be heard as “Squealer” in Andy Serkis’s upcoming animated adaptation of George Orwell’s iconic novel Animal Farm and as “Dr. Riley” in Ramy Youssef’s Amazon animated series #1 Happy Family Usa. On Broadway, Kieran starred in Kenneth Lonergan’s This Is Our Youth opposite Michael Cera and Tavi Gevinson.
Kerry Washington and Nicole Avant: Legacy and Impact in Storytelling
Award-winning actor, producer, and New York Times Bestselling author Kerry Washington, and award-winning producer, bestselling author, and former US Ambassador Nicole Avant take to the stage at Tribeca to discuss how we tell stories to continue legacies and impact our communities. The conversation explores the anticipated return of Unprisoned, documentaries like Daughters and The Black Godfather, both speakers’ debut memoirs Thicker Than Water and Think You’ll Be Happy, and the upcoming Tyler Perry film Six Triple Eight, which Avant produces and Washington stars in and executive produces.
Laverne Cox
Laverne Cox is a four-time Emmy-nominated actress and Emmy-winning producer, celebrated for her groundbreaking role in Orange is The New Black, which made her the first openly transgender actress to receive a Primetime Emmy nomination. She is also a prominent advocate for equal rights, known for her empowering message. Cox has starred in various roles and holds two SAG Awards, among other accolades.
Alison Roman on Creativity, Connection, and Navigating Storytelling in the Digital Age
Alison Roman has captivated audiences with her unique approach to storytelling across various mediums. From her bestselling cookbooks to her engaging YouTube series “Home Movies,” Roman fearlessly explores the intersection of food, culture, and personal narratives. She will discuss her creative evolution and how she maintains an authentic voice while navigating the diverse landscapes of publishing, video, podcasting, and social media. Join us for a lively discussion diving into Roman’s creative journey!
2024 TRIBECA FESTIVAL DIRECTORS SERIES
Gus Van Sant in conversation with Vito Schnabel
Gus Van Sant is a filmmaker, painter, photographer, and musician. Van Sant received his BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence in 1975, and his work has been exhibited at the Musée de l’Elysée, Lausanne, Switzerland; Le Case d’Arte, Milan, Italy; the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at the University of Oregon, Eugene; and Vito Schnabel Gallery, New York and St. Moritz, Switzerland. Van Sant is known for directing films such as Good Will Hunting (1997), My Own Private Idaho (1991), Drugstore Cowboy (1989), Elephant (2003), and Milk (2008). He has been nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Director, and his film Elephant won the Palme d’Or award at the Cannes Film Festival. Recently, Van Sant directed Vito Schnabel in Ryan Murphy’s series Feud: Capote vs the Swans. The conversation is moderated by Schnabel, an art dealer, filmmaker, and actor. He wrote, produced, and stars in an upcoming feature film The Trainer (2024), a dark comedy based on an original story by Schnabel and directed by Tony Kaye.
2024 TRIBECA FESTIVAL REUNIONS & RETROSPECTIVES
Sopranos 25th Anniversary Reunion: WISE GUY David Chase and The Sopranos, (United States) – World Premiere. Acclaimed filmmaker Alex Gibney delves deep into the psyche of renowned director David Chase’s life and career offering a unique window into his creative process and a deep insight into his groundbreaking work on the Emmy®- and Golden Globe®- winning HBO Original series The Sopranos. Directed by Alex Gibney. Produced by Ophelia Harutyunyan and Alex Gibney. An HBO Documentary Film. After the Screening: A conversation featuring David Chase, Michele Chase, Terence Winter, Edie Falco, Michael Imperioli, Aida Turturro, Annabella Sciorra, Robert Iler, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Drea De Matteo, Steve Schirripa, Kathrine Narducci, and Dominic Chianese, moderated by Director Alex Gibney.
Mean Streets, (United States). In Manhattan’s Little Italy, four friends in their 20s drift through life in their neighborhood streets and bars, where, when not hustling a crooked buck, they drink, chase women and brawl—sometimes with each other. Directed by Martin Scorsese. Produced by Jonathan T. Taplin.
The Sugarland Express, (United States). Steven Spielberg made his feature film directorial debut in 1974 with The Sugarland Express, which he also co-wrote, and follows a woman (Goldie Hawn) and her husband (William Atherton) as they take a police officer (Michael Sacks) hostage and flee across Texas while they try to get to their child before he is placed in foster care. The following year, he directed JAWS, the first film to break the $100 million box office mark and transform the economics of the film business. He earned Academy Award nominations for Best Director for The Fabelmans, West Side Story, Lincoln, Munich, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Additionally, he earned DGA Award nominations for those films, as well as Amistad, Empire of the Sun, The Color Purple, and JAWS. With thirteen to date, Spielberg has been honored by his peers with more DGA Award nominations than any other director. A Universal Pictures release. After the movie: A conversation with Steven Spielberg, moderated by Variety’s Executive Editor Brent Lang.
Footloose, (United States). A 1984 American musical drama film directed by Herbert Ross. It tells the story of Ren McCormack (Kevin Bacon), a teenager from Chicago who moves to a small town, where he attempts to overturn the ban on dancing instituted by the efforts of a local minister (John Lithgow). A Paramount Pictures release. After the movie: A conversation with Kevin Bacon.
Daft Punk & Leiji Matsumoto’s Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem (4K Remaster), (France, Japan). Originally released in May 2003, Daft Punk & Leiji Matsumoto’s Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem was written by Thomas Bangalter, Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Cédric Hervet, directed by Kazuhisa Takenouchi and supervised by the legendary Leiji Matsumoto. Interstella 5555 tells the story of the abduction of an alien music band by an evil human character who has dark plans. The hour-long film was cut into music videos to accompany Daft Punk’s album Discovery, and is rare to see in its original form in theaters. This North American premiere version has been remastered in 4K.
Beat Street, (United States). Featuring a special introduction by Grammy Award-winning rapper, entrepreneur, and hip hop legend Nas, the film features a group of Bronx teens in the early years of hip-hop attempting to break into show business. An Orion Pictures release.
North by Northwest 70mm Restoration (United States). Cary Grant stars as an innocent man mistaken for a spy in one of director Alfred Hitchcock’s greatest thrillers. While leaving New York’s Plaza Hotel, advertising executive Roger Thornhill (Grant) has the misfortune of standing just as the name “George Kaplan” is paged–starting a lethal case of mistaken identity and a nonstop game of cat and mouse as he is pursued across North America by espionage agents trying to kill him–and by police who suspect him of murder. North By Northwest (1959) was filmed in VistaVision and released in 1.85. Warner Bros.
Motion Picture Imaging scanned the original 8-perf 35mm VistaVision camera negative in 13k with all restoration work completed in 6.5k, Sheri Eisenberg, Colorist. The 70mm film print was created at Fotokem by filming out a new 65mm negative. Warner Bros. Post Production Creative Services created a 5.1 audio mix from the original mono stems with Doug Mountain, Sound Mixer. Inventure Studios created the DTS encoded deliverable of the restored audio to playback flawlessly with the 70mm film print. This newly restored version has been approved by the Film Foundation.
The Unknown, (United States). A masterclass in subversion, Tod Browning’s 1927 silent film classic shocks and awes through Lon Chaney’s towering performance as carnival knife thrower “Alonzo the Armless.” It’s also an early watershed moment for disability representation in horror cinema, its power remaining potent nearly 100 years later. Directed by Tod Browning. Produced by Irving G. Thalberg. With Lon Chaney, Norman Kerry, Joan Crawford. Reconstruction and digital restoration courtesy of the George Eastman Museum from 35mm prints at GEM and the Národní filmovy archiv, with the support of The National Film Preservation Foundation. After the Movie: A conversation between actor, writer, and disability advocate Mat Fraser and fellow actor and disability advocate Christine Bruno.
AlphaGo, (United States). With simple rules but a near-infinite number of possible outcomes, the ancient Chinese board game Go has long been considered the holy grail of artificial intelligence. Director Greg Kohs’ absorbing documentary chronicles Google’s DeepMind team as it takes on one of the world’s top Go players in a weeklong tournament, pitting man against machine in a competition that reveals as much about the workings of the human mind as it does the future of AI. A Netflix release.