Tribeca Film Festival

The 2017 Tribeca Film Festival announced its jurors –  comprised of a group of critically acclaimed filmmakers, award-winning actors working across film, television, and stage, accomplished producers, and cultural leaders.  The winning films, filmmakers, actors, and storytellers in each category will be announced at the Tribeca Film Festival Awards ceremony  hosted by Michael Rapaport on Thursday, April 27 . The 2017 Tribeca Film Festival runs from April 19 –30. 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. “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.” 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. Following is a list of all 2017 Festival jurors and their respective categories.

Feature Film Competition Categories

The jurors for the 2017 US Narrative Competition section are: Josh Lucas: Actor Josh Lucas is best known for his roles in the films A Beautiful Mind, Sweet Home Alabama, Poseidon, and Clint Eastwood’s J. Edgar, as well as on stage in “The Glass Menagerie” and “Spalding Gray: Stories Left to Tell.” He can currently be seen in Netflix’s The Most Hated Woman In America. Lucas is based in NYC. Melanie Lynskey: New Zealand born Melanie Lynskey’s first role came in 1994 with her award winning performance in Peter Jackson’s Heavenly Creatures opposite Kate Winslet. Since then, she has amassed a number of credits both in features and television. Her credits include Steven Soderbergh’s The Informant, Tom McCarthy’s Win Win, Billy Ray’s Shattered Glass, Sam Mendes’ Away We Go, and Jason Reitman’s Up in the Air. Denis O’Hare: Denis O’Hare is a Tony Award winning and Emmy-nominated actor. Screen credits include Charlie Wilson’s War, Milk, Dallas Buyers Club, and American Horror Story. Alex Orlovsky: Alex Orlovsky has been working as a producer for 15 years. In that time, he has produced The Discovery, The Wolfpack, I Origins, The Place Beyond the Pines, Blue Valentine, and Half Nelson, among others. Orlovsky’s films have been nominated for Academy Awards, Golden Globes, Independent Spirit Awards, and Gotham Awards, and have played in a number of major film festivals including Berlin, Cannes, Sundance, Toronto, Tribeca, and Venice. Stephanie Zacharek: Stephanie Zacharek is the film critic for Time magazine. She was previously chief film critic for the Village Voice and Salon.com, and was a finalist for the 2015 Pulitzer Prize in criticism. The jurors for the 2017 International Narrative Competition section are: Willem Dafoe: Two-time Academy Award nominee Willem Dafoe is one of today’s most highly accomplished and versatile American film actors. He has performed in over 100 films in Hollywood and abroad. Peter Fonda: Peter Fonda is an award-winning actor who co-wrote, produced, and starred in the iconic film Easy Rider. Since his legendary role, he has continued to deliver impressive performances seen in films such as Ulee’s Gold, The Tempest, 3:10 to Yuma, and Ghost Rider. Tavi Gevinson: Tavi Gevinson is an actress, writer, and the editor-in-chief of “Rookie”, a website for teenage girls which she founded in 2011. She can soon be seen opposite Michael Cera and Abbi Jacobson in the upcoming film Person To Person, which follows a variety of New York characters as they navigate personal relationships and unexpected problems over the course of one day. Alessandro Nivola: Alessandro Nivola is a Tony Award nominated film and stage actor and television producer. Film credits include American Hustle, Junebug, Coco Before Chanel, A Most Violent Year, and Selma. Ruth Wilson: Two-time Olivier Award-winner, Golden Globe winner and Tony Award nominated actress Ruth Wilson has paved her way in theatre, television and film. Best known for her portrayal of the character Alison in The Affair and of Alice in Luther, and for her work on the London stage, Wilson has become one of Britain’s most lauded young actresses. The jurors for the 2017 World Documentary Competition section are: R.J. Cutler: R.J. Cutler is an award-winning director and producer. His work includes the feature film If I Stay, the documentaries Listen to Me Marlon, The World According to Dick Cheney, The September Issue, A Perfect Candidate, and The War Room, and the television series Nashville, American High, Freshman Diaries, Black/White, and 30 Days. Alma Har’el: Alma Har’el’s award winning, visionary work plunges deep into the heart of imagination and produces genre-redefining and fearless work that artistically blurs the line between documentary and fiction. In 2016, Har’el founded Free The Bid, an initiative designed to fight gender bias in the advertisement industry. Barbara Kopple: Barbara Kopple is a two-time Academy Award winning filmmaker. She has produced and directed over 35 films, and counting. Anne Thompson: Anne Thompson is Editor at Large at Indiewire, founder of Thompson on Hollywood, author of “The $11 Billion Year” and cohost of the weekly Screen Talk podcast. David Wilson: David Wilson is a filmmaker and co-founder of the True/False Film Fest in Columbia, Missouri. The jurors for the 2017 Best New Narrative Director Competition are: Bryan Buckley: Bryan Buckley is the director of the films Asad, The Bronze, and upcoming release, Dabka. He is known for his extensive commercial work, directing more than 50 Super Bowl spots. Clea Duvall: Clea DuVall is an actress and filmmaker. She currently stars in the Emmy award winning HBO series Veep, and recurs in AMC’s Better Call Saul. She starred in many award winning films including Argo, Passengers, Zodiac, Girl, Interrupted, and the cult favorites But I’m A Cheerleader and The Faculty. Michael Pitt: Michael Pitt is an American actor, writer, director, producer, and musician. Credits include Boardwalk Empire, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, The Dreamers, I Origins, Funny Games, and Last Days. His most recent role was Kuze in Ghost in the Shell. In 2015, Michael Pitt made his directorial debut with The Driver. The jurors for the 2017 Albert Maysles Award (Best New Documentary Director Award) are: Amy Berg: Amy Berg is a critically acclaimed, Emmy-award winning and Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker whose company, Disarming Films, writes and produces docuseries for television and long-form documentaries focusing on social justice. Alice Eve: Alice Eve is an acclaimed British actress known for her roles in Star Trek into Darkness and Before We Go opposite Chris Evans. She can soon be seen in upcoming feature Please Stand By opposite Dakota Fanning and Toni Collette and Replicas opposite Keanu Reeves. Marilyn Ness: Marilyn Ness is a two-time Emmy®, DuPont, and Peabody Award-winning documentary producer and director best known for her work producing Cameraperson, Trapped, E-Team, and 1971 (Tribeca Film Festival 2014). Zachary Quinto: Zachary Quinto is a film, stage and television actor as well as a producer. His credits include Star Trek, Snowden, The Glass Menagerie, Heroes and two seasons of American Horror Story. In 2008, he began his production company Before the Door Pictures, which has gone on to produce such films as Margin Call, All Is Lost, Banshee Chapter, Breakup At a Wedding, A Most Violent Year, and the upcoming film Aardvark. Shaul Schwarz: Shaul Schwarz is a conflict photojournalist turned filmmaker. He’s the director of the feature documentaries Narco Cultura (2013) and Trophy (2017).

Short Film Competition Categories

The jurors for the 2017 Narrative Short Film Competition are: Udi Aloni: Udi Aloni is a filmmaker and writer whose works frequently explore the interrelationships between art, theory, and activism. His most recent film, Junction 48, won the Best International Narrative Feature award at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival and the Audience Award at the Berlinale, among other awards. Brennan Brown: Brennan Brown can be currently seen as Robert Childan on the hit Amazon series The Man in the High Castle, as Dr. Sam Abrams on Chicago Med, and Edward Biben on Mozart in the Jungle. A graduate of Yale School of Drama, his many film credits include I Love You Phillip Morris, Focus, and State of Play. Gilbert Gottfried: As a famed comic’s comic, Gilbert Gottfried puts aside political correctness for his live performance and fires an onslaught of jokes that know no boundaries. Credits include: a cast member on SNL, Beverly Hills Cop II, The Cosby Show, Late Night with David Letterman, The Howard Stern Show, and Aladdin, as the voice of the wise cracking parrot Iago. Amy Heckerling: Amy Heckerling came from the Bronx and wrote Clueless. Sheila Nevins: Sheila Nevins is President, HBO Documentary Films. She has been responsible for overseeing the development and production of more than 1,000 documentaries for HBO, HBO2, and Cinemax. As an executive producer or producer, she has received 32 Primetime Emmy® Awards, 7 News and Documentary Emmys®, and 42 George Foster Peabody Awards. During her tenure, HBO’s critically-acclaimed documentaries have gone on to win 26 Academy Awards®. Mark O’Brien: Mark O’Brien is an award-winning actor and filmmaker, best known for his roles in the Academy-Award nominated film Arrival and the AMC series Halt & Catch Fire. He can next be seen in the upcoming Sony/Amazon series The Last Tycoon, and a number of feature films including Kin, State Like Sleep, and Parallel. ·Jesse Plemons: Jesse Plemons is an actor. Credits include: Friday Night Lights, Breaking Bad, Fargo, Black Mass, Bridge of Spies, The Master, and Other People. He will next appear in American Made, Hostiles, Black Mirror, and The Discovery. The jurors for the 2017 Documentary and Student Visionary Competitions are: Priyanka Chopra: Priyanka Chopra is a multifaceted personality and one of the most recognized and applauded talents in the world. With more than 50 film credits, Priyanka currently stars in ABC’s hit show Quantico and can be seen in the upcoming Baywatch movie, premiering on May 26th. Olivia Thirlby: A native New Yorker, Olivia Thirlby is best known for her work in features such as Juno, United 93, The Wackness, 2012 Tribeca film Being Flynn, The Stanford Prison Experiment, Between Us, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2016, and the Amazon/David E. Kelly series Goliath. Ryan Eggold: Ryan Eggold is an actor, writer, director, producer, and composer. He currently stars as the male lead in NBC’s The Blacklist: Redemption, the spinoff from the thriller drama, The Blacklist in which he also stars. Ryan has starred in various acclaimed film, TV, and theatre projects, and is also an accomplished musician, singer, and playwright. Brendan Fraser: Brendan Fraser is an award-winning actor. Credits include the Mummy franchise, The Quiet American, and Crash. He recently starred in the third season of Showtime’s award-winning TV show, The Affair. Ileen Gallagher: Ileen Gallagher produces memorable experiences and destinations, in projects ranging from new museums, corporate attractions, and citywide film/media celebrations to exhibitions, special events, the organization of archives, and beyond.

Storyscapes

The jurors for the 2017 Storyscapes Competition are: Lily Baldwin: Lily Baldwin is an NYC/LA-based filmmaker and dancer, whose directing work has appeared at SXSW, Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, the V&A Museum London, Art Basel Miami, ShortsHD, Filmmaker Magazine, NOWNESS, Fandor, and BitTorrent. Charlotte Cook: Charlotte Cook is a Co-Creator and Executive Producer of Field of Vision, and a programmer at CPH:DOX. Julia Kaganskiy: Julia Kaganskiy is the founding Director of NEW INC, the New Museum’s incubator for art, design and technology. Michael Premo: Michael Premo is an artist, journalist, and filmmaker. Sarah Wolozin: Sarah Wolozin is director of the MIT Open Documentary Lab.

Nora Ephron Prize

The jurors for the 2017 Nora Ephron Prize are: Dianna Agron: Dianna Agron was last seen in Luc Besson’s The Family opposite Robert DeNiro and Michelle Pfeiffer. She will next be seen Sony Pictures Classics Novitiate which recently screened at the Sundance Film Festival. Agron is previously known for her roles on Glee and the feature film I Am Number Four. Joy Bryant: Award-winning actress Joy Bryant is best known as the star of NBC’s Parenthood. A former model, Bryant most recently portrayed civil rights activist Eleanor Holmes Norton in the Amazon series Good Girls Revolt and has a memorable cameo in the final season of HBO’s Girls. Diane Lane: Diane Lane has been hailed as Best Actress by the New York Film Critics and National Society of Film Critics, and received Academy Award®, Screen Actors Guild, Golden Globe® and Emmy® nominations for her career work-to-date. Her next film, Paris Can Wait, directed by Eleanor Coppola will be released on May 12. Zoe Lister-Jones: Zoe Lister-Jones is an actor, writer, producer and director, currently starring on CBS’ Life in Pieces and in the indie comedy Band Aid, in which she also makes her directorial debut. Christina Ricci: Christina Ricci can currently be seen in the Amazon original series Z: The Beginning of Everything, in which she plays Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald.

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[caption id="attachment_21867" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Nigerian Prince[/caption] AT&T and Tribeca are teaming up to launch a new film initiative, AT&T Presents: Untold Stories. An Inclusive Film Program in Collaboration with Tribeca.  AT&T will provide funding of up to $1 million for 1 talented filmmaker to create his or her film, and Tribeca will provide mentorship from seasoned industry professionals. AT&T plans to distribute the winning film across several of its video platforms, including DIRECTV NOW, AT&T’s streaming over-the-top service. The new film initiative is a multi-year, multi-tier alliance between AT&T and Tribeca along with the year-round nonprofit Tribeca Film Institute. It will debut at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival, which begins on April 19 in New York City. AT&T will serve as the presenting sponsor of the Festival for the fourth straight year. “AT&T Presents: Untold Stories is about pushing the boundaries of storytelling, connecting our customers to new and exclusive content and celebrating diversity,” said Fiona Carter, AT&T Chief Brand Officer. “At AT&T, we’re passionate about innovation, culture and community – the same values that drive the Tribeca Film Festival. By launching this program with Tribeca, we are helping to give underrepresented filmmakers in the industry opportunities they have not had before.” “As a champion of supporting underrepresented filmmakers for over a decade, Tribeca Film Festival and Tribeca Film Institute are proud to collaborate with AT&T on AT&T Presents: Untold Stories, a significant and essential program that goes beyond the generous funding,” said Jane Rosenthal, co-founder and Executive Chair of the Tribeca Film Festival and co-founder and co-chair of the Tribeca Film Institute. “To be able to say to a filmmaker that we are not only going to help get your important story made, but we will provide the mentoring, guidance and guaranteed distribution so it will get seen, is an incredible feeling.” “We are excited to collaborate with AT&T on this timely and critical new initiative, AT&T Presents: Untold Stories,” said Amy Hobby, Executive Director of Tribeca Film Institute. “This program fits squarely within our year-round work at TFI – to bring stories from underrepresented filmmakers to audiences around the world – and we look forward to providing guidance to all of the talented pitch participants to help fully realize these amazing projects.” AT&T Presents: Untold Stories kicks off April 18 with a live pitch event in New York City. Five talented and diverse filmmakers (listed below), curated by Tribeca Film Institute, will present their story ideas, budgets and film scripts to a Greenlight committee, including Fiona Carter (AT&T Chief Brand Officer), Jeffrey Wright (Actor), Anthony Mackie (Actor), Josh Deutsch (Chairman and CEO, Downtown Records), Lee Daniels (Film Producer), Len Amato (President, HBO Films) and Frida Torresblanco (Film Producer). Tribeca will livestream the pitch event on its Facebook page for fans to follow along. The Greenlight committee will then narrow the selection to 1 filmmaker who will receive the $1 million grant. The chosen filmmaker will be announced later that day at a luncheon that celebrates inclusivity in storytelling. The winning filmmaker will then create his or her film project, using the $1 million grant to help produce the film. In addition to the $1 million, AT&T and Tribeca will help with awards submissions, qualifying screenings, advertisements and promotion of the film. The finished film will premiere at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival and will run across several of AT&T’s video platforms, including DIRECTV NOW. AT&T will provide to the other 4 participating filmmakers a grant of $10,000 each to help achieve their respective film goals. AT&T will host several events at this year’s Festival: April 19 – AT&T Presents TFI Network: a part of the Tribeca Film Festival and the AT&T Untold Stories Program. Day 1 of this three-day networking event for Tribeca Film Institute grantees and other selected filmmakers will include various panels and presentations from some of the industry’s most iconic filmmakers and experts. AT&T Presents: Untold Stories will be the focus of 1 of the panel discussions. The $1 million grant recipient will sit on the panel, along with AT&T Chief Brand Officer Fiona Carter. April 26 – AT&T’s DIRECTV Premiere of the film, The Exception, will begin with a red carpet event. Directly following the premiere, attendees will be joined by the film’s cast at an after party. The Exception, directed by David Leveaux, is a World War II drama about a German officer who begins a dangerous affair with a young Dutch-Jewish woman. April 28 – AT&T’s Free Film Friday awards fans the opportunity to see exclusive film screenings for free. Additionally, AT&T Presents: Untold Stories is the focus of this year’s official Tribeca Film Festival trailer that will be shown before every film during the Festival. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1VKNgFuBoE

AT&T Presents: Untold Stories’ Selected Projects and Filmmakers

Forever Even Longer. Written and Directed by Andrew Perez Duarte, Produced by Navid Khonsari and Vassiliki Khonsari Film Summary: After the death of his estranged gay son, an elderly, small-town Mexican man must travel to the U.S. to meet his heartbroken granddaughter and his resentful son-in-law and confront his own prejudice. In this authentic drama that celebrates the laugh-at-life moments, Forever, Even Longer tells the universal story of intolerance and forgiveness—even after it seems too late. Bio: Perez-Duarte is a director, writer and creative producer – at iNK Stories his work includes the highly acclaimed 1979 Revolution (Sundance, SXSW, BAFTA), award-winning short Galeana No. 8, and upcoming VR experiences Blindfold, and The Helmets. Raised in Mexico, Perez-Duarte graduated from SCAD Film and contributes as a Ghetto Film School Mentor. The Hand of God. Written and Directed by Lissette Feliciano, Produced by Pricilla Anany Film Summary: Elon Edson is the greatest footballer in the world. On the eve of receiving a lifetime achievement award, he recounts belief in miracles which carried him from his mother’s death at the hands of terrorism through his perilous escape from Nigeria to Europe. Bio: Lissette Feliciano is a writer, director and a graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. She is a member of the Alliance of Women Directors and has a penchant for social impact narratives. Her work often includes magical realism, the moniker of idols Gael Garcia Marquez and Isabel Allende. Her most recent short film With Children premiered at Cinequest 2017 and depicts a single mother’s struggle with wage inequality in the 1970’s. I’m Not Down. Written and Directed by A. Sayeeda Moreno, Produced by Derek Nguyen and Monique Gabriela Curnen Film Summary: When a middle-aged, black punk rock single dad is served an eviction notice by the greedy new landlord of his New York City tenement building, he has to fight for his way of life and save the livelihood of his family, the building’s tenants, and the character of a neighborhood that’s being threatened to vanish forever. Bio: A. Sayeeda Moreno is a proud native New Yorker. Her Futurestates.tv short, White, premiered at SXSW and screened at Tribeca and BAMcinemaFest. The feature-length script won the San Francisco Film Society Hearst Screenwriting Award. Her short, Sin Salida, aired on HBO. She earned her MFA in Film from NYU. Nigerian Prince. Written and Directed by Faraday Okoro, Produced by Biyi Bandele and Oscar Hernandez-Topete Film Summary: After being sent to Nigeria against his will, a stubborn Nigerian-American teenager joins forces with an internet scammer, in order to return to the United States. Bio: Faraday is a New York City based Nigerian-American filmmaker. He attended Howard University and NYU Graduate Film School. Faraday’s films have screened in numerous film festivals worldwide, including Tribeca, LA Film Festival, and the Palm Springs International Shortsfest. In 2016, Faraday was included in MovieMaker Magazine’s 25 Screenwriters to Watch. The Short History of the Long Road. Written and Directed by Ani Simon-Kennedy, Produced by Darren Dean and Kishori Rajan Film Summary: Teenage Nola grew up living out of a van with her charismatic father, Clint—two nomads against the world. When Clint suddenly dies, Nola must confront the reality of life on the road alone. She’ll need to take the wheel for the first time – learning to own her grief, her past and her new destination. Bio: Ani Simon-Kennedy is a New York-based filmmaker from Paris. Through her production company Bicephaly Pictures (co-founded with cinematographer Cailin Yatsko), she’s directed videos for Condé Nast, Vice and Intel. An alum of Film Independent, IFP Film Week and Through Her Lens, she wrote and directed her first feature film Days of Gray in Iceland.

AT&T Presents: Untold Stories’ Greenlight Committee

Fiona Carter is Chief Brand Officer for AT&T, a global leader in the rapidly converging telecommunications, media and technology (TMT) space. She oversees global brand marketing, advertising, media and sponsorships, as well as the integration of brand leadership into the company’s business strategies. She’s also a passionate advocate for female equality and strives to make a difference for women not only in the workplace, but all aspects of life. Anthony Mackie is currently one of Hollywood’s most in-demand actors, known for his roles in Oscar-winning films The Hurt Locker and Million Dollar Baby, as well as recurring character ‘The Falcon’ in the Marvel universe films. Lee Daniels is an Academy Award-nominated filmmaker who is best known for directing the feature films Lee Daniels’ The Butler, Precious: Based on the Novel by Sapphire, and The Paperboy, in addition to producing Monster’s Ball. In 2015, Daniels expanded his influence into the world of television by co-creating the Fox network’s mega hit series Empire and is currently working on his latest series, STAR, which was recently picked up by Fox for a second season. Josh Deutsch is the Chairman and CEO of Downtown Records, Immortal Music Publishing, and Downtown Events. As CEO, Deutsch oversees the operations and creative direction of all three companies and plays an active role in the recorded music, music publishing, and live events businesses. Prior to his current position, Deutsch founded Downtown Music LLC in 2006 and acted as its Chairman and CEO, overseeing the company’s recorded music, publishing, licensing, online and studio business units. Len Amato is President of HBO Films, responsible for all original movies made for the network. He started his career in New York at Tribeca Productions and was President of Spring Creek Productions prior to coming to HBO. Frida Torresblanco is the award winning producer of Pan’s Labyrinth, directed by Guillermo del Toro and the winner of three Oscars, Magic, and the upcoming Disobedience, starring Rachel Weisz, Rachel McAdams and Alessandro Nivola, directed by Sebastian Lelio, and produced through her new film production company Braven Films. Jeffrey Wright is a Tony, Emmy, AFI and Golden Globe Award-winning actor. He has enjoyed an illustrious career that has spanned the worlds of theatre, film and television. Wright can be seen playing Bernard Lowe, in HBO’s Westworld. Wright has also recently played Harvard Law professor, Charles Ogletree in HBO’s Confirmation, as well as Dr. Valentin Narcisse in HBO’s critically acclaimed series Boardwalk Empire.

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[caption id="attachment_21786" align="aligncenter" width="1203"] For Every Kind of Dream: Yassin Falafel (Brand: Square)[/caption] Ten finalists, 9 short films and 1 Virtual Reality project, were selected from a field of 600 entries that represent the best in storytelling at the intersection of advertising and entertainment from the past year for the second annual Tribeca X Award at the upcoming 2017 Tribeca Film Festival. The award highlights excellence in creative, original and authentic storytelling that is sponsored or underwritten by a brand. The selected projects were created by acclaimed filmmakers in partnership with a wide-ranging array of brands, including Apple, Beefeater, BMW, CHANEL, Diageo North America, Kenzo, Red Bull, Square, Visit Seattle, and YETI Coolers. The finalists include a futuristic short film with an A-list cast and action-packed driving stunts, a VR experience of an immersive play by “La Despensa” that follows the journey of Ulysses, a short film about a deaf choreographer who experiences and shares music and dance through waves of sound, and a short film that follows a bold woman’s climb to the tops of the Seven Summits. The selected projects can be viewed in a special section on TheAtlantic.com, created by Atlantic Re:think [theatlantic.com/sponsored/tribecax]. The winner will be announced during the Festival at a celebration and screening of the work on Monday, April 24, followed by a dinner supported by WHOSAY. “Over the past year, branded content has grown leaps and bounds with an explosion of projects and collaborations. These finalists represent the best artist-brand pairings of the past year and demonstrate how authentic, original and creative storytelling truly rises above the rest,” said Andrew Essex, CEO of Tribeca Enterprises. “Having partnered with some of the world’s most creative brands, Atlantic Re:think is an established arbiter of standout branded content,” said Hayley Romer, SVP and Publisher of The Atlantic. “It’s exciting to now have the opportunity to celebrate the best of the best across the industry – and bring this work to our audience, which has long embraced and engaged with brand storytelling.” Eligible projects included scripted and documentary work for film, TV, digital, social, and virtual reality and/or augmented reality, in both feature and short length. The winner will be chosen by a jury that includes Joanna Coles, CCO at Hearst; Jae Goodman, CCO and Co-Head of Marketing of CAA; Tim & Eric (Comedy Duo) and Directors at PRETTYBIRD, Founders of Abso Lutely; Jenna Lyons, President and Creative Director of J.Crew; Eli Pariser, CEO of Upworthy; and a proprietary A.I. solution developed by Celtra, providing quantitative creative analysis based on performance data and insights from hundreds-of-thousands of video advertising campaigns powered by Celtra’s creative management platform. The 10 finalists for the Tribeca X Award are: BeefeaterXO Brand: Beefeater Directed by Jesús Hernandez BeefeaterXO is an interactive experience inside the creative mind of the 3-Michelin-starred chef Dabiz Muñoz, where the viewer travels through 4 different cities in order to find the secrets behind the most avant-garde cocktails ever made. Chris Fonseca: Keep It Moving Brand: Diageo North America Directed by Zachary Heinzerling Deaf people are anything but disabled, and this film featuring the real story of deaf dancer Chris Fonseca proves it. Born profoundly deaf, Chris challenges the perceptions of disability as a social barrier by teaching his deaf students how to express themselves on the dance floor, inspiring self-confidence within them and pure awe in all of us. The Escape Brand: BMW Directed by Neill Blomkamp BMW Films were a groundbreaking series of eight short, online films released in 2001, starring Clive Owen as an enigmatic driver for hire who used a BMW for his thrilling exploits. To celebrate the film’s 15th anniversary, “The Escape” is a modern homage to the originals, with Clive Owen reprising his role as the driver and also starring Jon Bernthal and Dakota Fanning. Five by Five Brand: Visit Seattle Directed by Terence Nance, Martha Stephens, Clea DuVall, Drew Christie and Ian Cheney Five films by Five Filmmakers each exploring and celebrating Seattle through the lens of one of the five senses. Each film was conceived and directed by a celebrated independent filmmaker. The films cross genres including documentary, experimental, animation and scripted. For Every Kind of Dream: Yassin Falafel Brand: Square Directed by Mohammad Gorjestani Yassin Terou fled Syria with a suitcase and a few hundred dollars. He knew no one in Knoxville, Tennessee, and he spoke no English, but he went there to rebuild his life and pursue his dream of perfect falafel anyway. Every business starts with a dream, and Square exists to serve them—every kind of dream. “Yassin Falafel” is Square’s first short film chronicling their remarkable sellers and their tireless pursuit of their dreams. JellyWolf Brand: CHANEL Directed by Alma Har’el JellyWolf is a feminine-spiritual coming of age story told through notes of scent. CHANEL N°5 L’Eau speaks to a new woman, who are often portrayed as beautiful creatures whose only desire is to be desired. This film is to inspire young women to remember their voice and to see each other. Mavens: Jocelyn Cooper Brand: Red Bull Directed by Salima Koroma Jocelyn Cooper left the top of music industry to start a movement. She is a partner in AFROPUNK, a festival that unifies people through music, film, skate, and art. She inspires perseverance and empowers an underserved population, and that’s what makes her of a true maven. The Realest Real Brand: Kenzo Directed by Carrie Brownstein With social media ever more present in our lives, blurring the barriers between ordinary and instafamous, Kenzo invited writer and Director Carrie Brownstein to take a look at the invisible digital walls that separate us from our favorite stars, and the curious conceit of a dream come true. Wasfia Brand: Apple Directed by Sean Kusanagi As the first Bangladeshi to scale the Seven Summits, Wasfia Nazreen doesn’t just climb for the thrill; she climbs for the women of her country. Lyrical and poetic, this short documentary explores what it means to pursue the unknown. Yeti Presents Brand: YETI Coolers John Shocklee: A Fairy Tale Directed by Ryan Heffernan and Grayson Schaffer Refusing to act his age has worked out well for John Shocklee. The 52 year old has devoted his life to doing what he loves. Powered by old school hip hop and fresh powder, Shocklee makes turns down untamed slopes with the freedom of a man half his age. Soul of a City Directed by Berndt Mader Austin, TX has a rich artistic history sometimes not seen in a sea of new residents. Neon artist Evan Voyles represents the inventive spirit that makes Austin a creative haven, and his work continues to light up landmarks across our capital city.

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Tribeca Games is partnering with Kill Screen to launch the Tribeca Games Festival, an event to bring together New York City’s passionate gaming community.   The festival will include behind-the-scenes looks back at some of the most fascinating games of the past year, and conversations with cultural leaders and game industry insiders, including a conversation with legendary game creator, Hideo Kojima. The inaugural Tribeca Games Festival will take place April 28-29 during the Tribeca Film Festival at The Tribeca Festival Hub at Spring Studios.  The Tribeca Film Festival runs April 19-30. The festival will kick off with the New York premiere of Telltale Games’ first-ever crowd play of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale series, Episode 1 and a concert headlined by British electronic producer and multi-instrumentalist Mura Masa. The Tribeca Games Festival program includes “X Post Conversations,” a series of cross-cultural conversations, each pairing a creator from the gaming community with someone of equal stature from an outside field; “Retro Active,” a series of talks that take a look back on some of the greatest titles from 2016, exploring every element from art, design and sound to storytelling; “Sneak Peeks,” previews of new and unreleased work from some of the most dynamic independent game studios from around the world, and an interactive arcade allowing attendees to get hands-on with new and unreleased games.   Hideo Kojima is widely celebrated as the godfather of the stealth action game genre, having created theMetal Gear franchise 30 years ago this July. He was awarded the Game Developers Choice Awards’ Lifetime Achievement Award in March 2009, inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts and Science’s Hall of Fame in February 2016 and, most recently received The Game Awards’ Industry Icon Award this past December. Hideo Kojima leads a robust schedule of conversations to take place at the Festival, including additional keynote conversations given by Quantum Break, Alan Wake and Max Payne creator Sam Lake and BioShock director/writer Ken Levine, a celebration of the 25th anniversary of virtual reality-themed movie The Lawnmower Man with filmmaker Brett Leonard, principal filmmaker for VR at Google Jessica Brillhart and Cy Wise from Job Simulator’s Owlchemy Labs, and discussions with developers of recent and upcoming games such as Overwatch, The Banner Saga, Firewatch, The Stanley Parable,Watch Dogs 2, What Remains of Edith Finch and several more. In 2011, Tribeca was the first film festival to welcome gaming to the official program with the World Premiere of L.A. Noire, a detective-based Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 (PS3) game. It has continued to support artists in the gaming world with the premiere of Beyond: Two Souls, a PS3 fantasy role-playing game led by Oscar^® nominee Ellen Page (2013); a panel series on innovation and storytelling in gaming with League of Legends’ designers, artists, producers, and musicians (2015); a partnership with Games for Change that illustrated how new and innovative platforms can serve the social good with participants including Morgan Spurlock, Pulitzer Prize-winning authors Nicholas Kristof & Sheryl WuDunn (A Path Appears), Chief Scientist of Oculus VR Michael Abrash, and the developers of Rovio’s blockbuster mobile game Angry Birds (2015, 2016); and more. The Tribeca Games Festival program follows: OPENING NIGHT A celebration of games, play and interactivity set to the music of British electronic producer and multi-instrumentalist Mura Masa, who inspires game makers and players globally, and an exclusive Telltale crowdplay experience KEYNOTE CONVERSATIONS Intimate conversations some of the top game creators on the future of games and storytelling. Hideo Kojima The legendary creator of the Metal Gear franchise, on what’s next for him and the influences of cinema on his work. Ken Levine Director and Writer of the BioShock series, Levine reflects on his two decades in videogames and the legacy his work has created for interactive story-telling. Sam Lake The creator of Max Payne, Alan Wake and Quantum Break, on his unique approach to storytelling in games.  X POST CONVERSATIONS Cross-cultural conversations, pairing a creator of the gaming community with leading artists and filmmakers. Winslow Porter, Milica Zec and Tracy Fullerton Virtual reality directors Winslow Porter and Milica Zec and Director of USC’s Game Innovation LabTracy Fullerton discuss how to create real-world environmental awareness in digital worlds Ian Dallas Giant Sparrow’s creative director Ian Dallas takes the stage to discuss his upcoming game, What Remains of Edith Finch. Combining a family drama with famous supernatural Japanese tales, he will discuss how creators are making mysticism relevant to the modern world. Robin Hunicke with Maureen Fan Robin Hunicke, founder of indie studio Funomena, and Baobab Studios CEO Maureen Fan show how to create delight and joy in VR RETRO ACTIVE By breaking down each title piece by piece – exploring every element from art, design and sound to storytelling – we take a look back on the some of the greatest titles from 2016. Firewatch / Campo Santo The Firewatch team at Campo Santo dissects their award-winning debut with a focus on narrative design with writer and studio director Sean Vanaman. Overwatch /Michael Chu Overwatch senior game designer Michael Chu discuss how characters come into being in one of the best-selling PC games of all-time. The Stanley Parable / Davey Wreden The Stanley Parable creator Davey Wreden on how he designs virtual spaces that are perfectly suited for his unique narratives and how that’s pushed him to explore the everyday. The Banner Saga / John Watson Stoic co-founder John Watson on how classic films like Disney’s Sleeping Beauty inspired the Norse world of The Banner Saga series Watch Dogs 2 / Jonathan Morin Watch Dogs 2 creative director Jonathan Morin tackled issues like surveillance, the Silicon Valley housing crisis, and diversity in tech in their ground-breaking title. He’ll talk about how the team built a simulation where everything is connected. SPECIAL CONVERSATIONS 25th Anniversary of The Lawnmower Man + The Past, Present &  Future of VR Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of The Lawnmower Man, a special conversation on how Lawnmower Man influenced a generation of digital creators and to how capture images of the future with the tools of today with Brett Leonard, director of The Lawnmower Man, Jessica Brillhart, Principal Filmmaker for VR at Google, and Cy Wise from Job Simulator’s Owlchemy Labs. SNEAK PEEK AND THE ARCADE A preview of new and unreleased work with some of the most dynamic independent game studios from around the world like Might & Delight, Finji Games, and Giant Sparrow, and additional hands-on play with unreleased and newly-released titles.

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[caption id="attachment_21727" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] A still from The New York Timesí Op-Docs “Hotel U.S.A.”[/caption] The Tribeca Film Festival will spotlight creators who are pushing the boundaries of online storytelling in its N.O.W. (New Online Work) section. The Festival today announced the lineup for the section’s programs: the N.O.W Showcase, Special Screenings, and the Creators Market participants. The Tribeca N.O.W. program will run during the Tribeca Film Festival, taking place April 19-30. This year’s N.O.W. Special Screenings series features high profile content curated by Tribeca from the industry’s leading online networks and talent. Academy Award-nominated® Tribeca alumni Josh Foxand James Spione will premiere Awake, A Dream from Standing Rock, Executive Produced by Shailene Woodley, and co-directed by Myron Dewey. Eli Roth’s Crypt TV will premiere Monster Madness, a series of several character shorts from the digital brand’s scaremakers. Op-Docs, The New York Times’ award-winning forum for short, opinionated documentaries, will screen three films at the Festival.Burgeoning online studios DUST, Adaptive Studios, and Stage 13 will bring three fresh voices into the genre sphere from trailblazing female filmmakers Nicole Delaney, Vera Miaob and Arkasha Stevenson. Conversations will follow each screening with the creators, talent, and special guests. The N.O.W. Showcase is a curated selection of 10 independent online creators’ latest work that is representative of the industry’s freshest voices and most original forms of storytelling. In addition to the world premieres of the new online work during Showcase Screenings on April 20, a piece of past work from each filmmaker will be showcased on TribecaFilm.com. Rounding out the opportunities for online storytellers is the second annual Creators Market, which connects online creators with the industry, including buyers, producers and brands, and supports the creation, sale, and showcase of new online works. The N.O.W. program has become known for its curatorial expertise in discovering emerging talent. Discoveries include High Maintenance from Ben Sinclair and Katja Blichfeld, which was picked up byHBO; Money & Violence from Moise Vernau, whose second season was picked up by Jay-Z’s Tidal; and up-and-coming talent like Brian Jordan Alvarez, whose 2016 N.O.W. series The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo went on to receive a Breakthrough Series – Short Form nomination at the Gotham Awards.

N.O.W. SPECIAL SCREENINGS

A selection of high-profile content from the industry’s leading digital networks and online talent playing as official Special Screenings of TFF. Awake, A Dream from Standing Rock, directed by Josh Fox, James Spione, Myron Dewey, written by Floris White Bull, Josh Fox, Myron Dewey. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Standing Rock North Dakota became one of the most watched places on earth. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe captured world attention through their peaceful resistance. While many may know the details, Awake, A Dream from Standing Rock, executive produced by Shailene Woodley, captures the story of Native-led defiance that forever changed how we fight for clean water, our environment and the future of our planet.  Crypt TV’s Monster Madness, directed by Ben Franklin & Anthony Melton, Alexander Babaev, Jon Kovel, Nicholas Mihm, John William Ross, Gabriel Younes and more. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative and Non-Scripted. Crypt TV’s Monster Madness features some of the best and biggest character shorts from the digital brand’s scaremakers. From a stunningly terrifying protector of the bullied to a child’s toy that reveals horrors around every corner of a suburban home to the real life tale of a man whose body is stretched and pierced into a piece of daring art, Crypt shorts proudly embrace the horror lifestyle. The Birch (directed by: Ben Franklin & Anthony Melton) My First Day (directed by: Jon Kovel) Odd Jobs: Body Modification (directed by: Nicholas Mihm) Stereoscope (directed by: Alexander Babaev) Sunny Family Cult (directed by: Gabriel Younes) The Thing in the Apartment (directed by: John William Ross) 

Out of This World: Female Filmmakers in Genre

An evening of three diverse works from female filmmakers working online in the genre sphere. From post-apocalyptic love and telekinetic mother/daughter relations to an unseen predator in a mining town, these stories from up-and-coming online studios DUST, Stage 13 and Adaptive Studios, artfully skew everyday travails into the bizarre and visually fantastic. YOYO, directed by Nicole Delaney. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. Caroline can’t stand that she is a virgin…And then the world ends. In post-apocalyptic Los Angeles, after a dust storm has wiped out humanity, she meets Francis and is convinced that he’s the man to pop her cherry. YOYO is a heartfelt, dark comedy about finding meaning in life, even when life ceases to exist.​ With: Martin Starr, Sophie von Haselberg. Presented by DUST and Gunpowder & Sky. Two Sentence Horror Stories: MA, directed by Vera Miao. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. Like many traditional Chinese families, Mona still lives at home with her stern but loving Ma.When she meets cute Erica, their instant chemistry awakens something dormant inside. But Ma is not going to let her daughter go easily. Because nothing is allowed to come between a mother and daughter. With: Wei Yi Lin, Ayesha Harris, Mardy Ma. A Stage 13 production. Pineapple (Episodes 1 & 2), directed by Arkasha Stevenson. (USA) – New York Premiere, Narrative. The local coal mine in the town of Black Rock becomes a crime scene when a miner’s daughter is assaulted in its tunnels. She utters only one word, which leaves the town baffled: “pineapple.” Tensions rise as the mine’s opportunistic owner uses the investigation as an excuse to shutter the dying operation indefinitely. With: Tyler Vickers, Kel Owens, Ron Gilbert, Gloria Vonn, Lucille Sharp, Brooklyn Robinson. An Adaptive Studios production. 

THE NEW YORK TIMES’ Op-Docs

The New York Times’ Op-Docs poignantly explore relatable struggles faced by everyday citizens.  From immigrant families overwhelming first night in America, to women struggling with Louisiana mandated abortion waiting periods, to a Japanese man’s attempt to both parent his young child and provide palliative care for his mother, the short films provide a window into universal experiences and acutely relevant conversations. Undue Burden, directed by Gina Pollack. (USA) – New York Premiere. When you live in a state with laws that restrict access to abortion, an unwanted pregnancy is only the start of your difficulties. Taller Than the Trees, directed by Megan Mylan. (USA) – Special Screening. Japanese men haven’t traditionally been caregivers. But for Masami Hayata, it’s a crucial part of raising his family. Hotel U.S.A., directed by Andrea Meller & Marisa Pearl. (USA) – New York Premiere. For refugee families, the very first night in the U.S. can be an exciting and bewildering experience.

 N.O.W. SHOWCASE (and Creators Market Participants)

A curated selection of 10 independent, online creators invited to showcase their latest work on TribecaFilm.com and at two public screenings as official Tribeca selections.

SHOWCASE A

The Holdouts, directed by Ramon Campos Iriarte (Colombia) – World Premiere. The Western hemisphere’s oldest civil war is still going strong in the jungles of Colombia. The National Liberation Army (ELN) —a Marxist military organization— has been fighting for revolution since 1964, and with the FARC having declared a ceasefire, the ELN is today the last active guerrilla army in the Americas. In Spanish, English with subtitles. Ramon Campos Iriarte is a producer and filmmaker with a photography and journalism background, and extensive experience working in the field. He started his career working on commercial television, and then specialized in documentary production, focusing on environmental and social subjects mainly in the Americas Midnight Service, directed by Dean Colin Marcial and produced by Brett Potter (USA) – World Premiere. Midnight Service is a true-crime series about urban legends, notorious criminals, occult pop culture, and first-hand accounts of the unknown. Dean Colin Marcial is an international filmmaker working in New York and Manila. In 2009, he apprenticed under Antonio Campos, Josh Mond, and Sean Durkin of Borderline Films. In 2010, he co-founded Calavera USA, an award-winning production company. In 2014 he co-directed Sea Devil with Brett Potter, a Vimeo Staff-Picked short that went on to play festivals worldwide, garnering prizes at Fantasia and Slamdance. Brett Potter is a filmmaker and producer. He co-founded production services company Meadow Street Films and is also chairman of the board at Borscht, a film and arts non-profit. As a narrative producer, his films have premiered and won jury prizes at Sundance, SXSW, AFI, Rotterdam and more. Brett was a 2014 fellow at the Sundance Creative Producing Institute. Most recently he directed a raunchy game show pilot for Time Warner 150. New Deep South, created by Lauren Cioffi and Rosie Haber (USA) – World Premiere. This series explores the vibrant and multifaceted queer culture emerging in the American South. Playing against old stereotypes of Mississippi as a state of social conservatism and stagnation, we follow the lives of queer youth to explore the tangled and complex nature of sexual identity in the New Deep South. Lauren Cioffi is a documentary producer and shooter who has worked with award winning directors Margaret Brown, Liza Mandelup, and Amber Fares. In her free time, she programs for Sundance. Their film Instababy took home the audience award at LAFF after their digital series New Deep South was hailed by Jill Soloway as her favorite show. Rosie Haber is a graduate of Film Independent’s Project Involve, the Outfest Screenwriting lab, and AFI’s Directing Workshop for Women. She has won the Jury prize for dramatic shorts at Outfest and the audience award at LAFF. She is the writer of the screenplay adaptation of the iconic transgender novel, “Stone Butch Blues.” New York is Dead, produced by Jenn Harris, Matthew Wilkas, and Randy Harrison and directed by Matthew Wilkas (USA) – World Premiere. A darkly hilarious webseries about two broke NYC artists who become hitmen to make ends meet. Bio: Jenn Harris is an actress/writer/producer best known for her co-starring role in the film Gayby and playing Jodi Foster in the hit Off-Broadway musical “Silence! The Musical.” She has written and performed her solo show in NYC and was a writer for CNE and “Billy on the Street.” Matthew Wilkas is an actor/playwright/screenwriter also known for his co-starring role in the film Gayby. His play “Big Babies” was at the Vineyard Arts Project and Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre. His play “Pageant Play” was published by Dramatist Play Services after its production at the Berkshire Theatre Festival. New York is Dead is Randy Harrison’s directorial debut. He is best known for playing Justin Taylor for five seasons on Showtime’s acclaimed series Queer as Folk. Woman of a Certain Age, created, written by, and starring Kate Dearing, co-directed by Amanda Cowper and Sami Kriegstein and co-produced by Dearing, Cowper and Kriegstein- (USA) World Premiere. Kate confronts the daily challenges of being an adult, she is spontaneously visited by versions of herself at different ages – each offering their “best” advice. Like “A Christmas Carol” but without the pesky morals, Woman of a Certain Age explores what happens when we actually listen to the voices in our head. Kate Dearing is an actor/writer who has worked on numerous series, including High Maintenance, Good Neighbor Presents  and The Outs. Recently, she won Best Actress at LA Comedy Fest for,Starting Out. Dearing is also the co-creator of Doin’ Everythin’ a sketch series that has been featured on JASH, CollegeHumor, and Huffington Post Comedy. Sami Kriegstein is a creative EP who made her mark at Maker Studios, Fullscreen Media, Caviar Content, Astronauts Wanted, and most recently, Refinery29. In 2010 she founded the Los Angeles Music Video Festival and in 2016 produced her first feature length documentary, Figures of Speech. Amanda Cowper is a producer and director who is currently the Associate Producer on NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers. Cowper previously worked at Peacock Productions.

SHOWCASE B

HEROIN, directed by Jessica Beshir (USA) – World Premiere. For an artist, free will is just an illusion. Heroin explores the creative process, inspiration and alternative reality of an artist. Jessica Beshir is a first-time filmmaker. Raised in Mexico and Ethiopia by parents from each country, Beshir’s multi-cultural heritage and perspective makes her a perfect fit for the diverse New York filmmaking community.  I LIVED: Brooklyn, directed by Jonathan Nelson and produced by Danielle Andersen (USA) – World Premiere. I LIVED: Brooklyn was created by director/cinematographer Jonathan Nelson and audio producer Danielle Andersen. Nelson and Andersen both live in Brooklyn and I LIVED was born from a desire to investigate the intricacies of place and identity in the borough’s distinct neighborhoods. Jonathan Nelson has worked in the New York film industry for the past ten years and has credits on prominent documentaries such as Twenty Feet From Stardom and last year’s The Witness. Danielle Andersen works as a field producer and outreach coordinator for the national oral history non-profit StoryCorps. Phone Calls, co-directed by Bonnie Wright and Martin Cohn (USA) – World Premiere. Phone Calls is an anthology series of conversations exploring the way people speak to each other when not face to face. Free of physical proximity, a space is born in which personal truths and, often times, ugliness is unleashed by those closest to you as well as those most foreign.   Bonnie Wright’s directorial debut, Separate We Come, Separate We Go premiered at Cannes. She went on to direct a music video for Sophie Lowe and wrote and directed the short film, Know Thyself, which develops Wright’s fascination with landscape and feeling. Wright is currently developing an exhibition, SEXTANT. Martin Cohn, primarily an actor, found his way into screenwriting as an extension of his love for storytelling. He is a core member of London-based performance company, Theo Adams Company.Phone Calls marks his first foray into screenwriting. Shiva, Bankrukt Productions (Jeff Seal, Shaina Feinberg, Chris Roberti, Chris Manley) (USA) – World Premiere. Improvised vignettes from an Upper West Side Shiva, exploring the absurd, mundane, sad and spiritual. There will be lox. Jeff Seal is a comedian and filmmaker. His videos on dumpster diving and train hopping both made it to the front page of Reddit. Seal is a graduate of the Clown Conservatory and studied mime in Paris. Shaina Feinberg’s award-winning feature film, The Babymooners, blurred the lines between documentary and fiction. She made a cha cha album called “Everyday I Cha Cha Cha.” Chris Roberti is an actor and writer who can be seen in Broad City (Comedy Central), and High Maintenance (HBO). He performs throughout the city in places such as the Peoples Improv Theater and UCB. Chris Manley made an award winning film, The Babymooners. He is a founder at Bankrukt Productions and has had a hand in making over 150 short films as part of the creative team. The Show About The Show, directed by Caveh Zahedi (USA) – World Premiere. The Show About The Show is Caveh Zahedi’s self-referential scripted meta-series about a Brooklyn filmmaker trying to make a TV show. Co-starring Alex Karpovsky, Eleonore Hendricks, Dustin Defa, and a who’s who of Brooklyn’s independent filmmaking community, it tells the story of everything that can and does go wrong in trying to get a television series funded, produced, and distributed. Caveh Zahedi is an autobiographical American independent filmmaker whose films include I Am A Sex Addict (2005), In The Bathtub of the World (2001), I Don’t Hate Las Vegas Anymore (1994), andA Little Stiff (1991).

N.O.W. CREATORS MARKET

A daylong, private industry market that brings together leading online creators/talent looking to pitch new projects with a curated group of industry (distributors, brands, MCNs) with particular interest in engaging up-and-coming online talent. Azie Mira Dungey After graduating from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Azie Mira Dungey moved to LA and created her critically acclaimed comedy web series Ask A Slave; this sparked her career in television. Dungey is currently an Executive Story Editor on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and she recently closed the deal to write her first book “How I Survived the 18th Century.” Arkasha Stevenson Arkasha Stevenson is a Los Angeles–based writer and director, and a recent graduate from the American Film Institute. Her thesis film, Vessels, was awarded the 2015 Iris Prize. Prior to attending film school, Stevenson worked as a photojournalist at the Los Angeles Times, which greatly informs her narrative filmmaking. Christian Larrave Christian Larrave is a filmmaker, musician, and artist from Dallas, TX whose work has screened at over 70 festivals and galleries across the world, and often involves a mixture of comedy and existential unease. He has a BFA in Animation from the Rhode Island School of Design and currently resides in New York City, where he works as a production artist. Dom Fera Dom Fera is a writer, director, actor, and composer raised in New Jersey and living in Los Angeles. Fera graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts for Film & TV in 2014, and has run his YouTube channel since 2006. The channel has picked up over 82 million video views thanks to a varied collection of short films, sketches, and animations. Hazel Hayes Hazel Hayes is a director, writer, actor and vlogger. She has a thriving community of over 230,000 subscribers on her YouTube channel. As an independent filmmaker, she has written, directed and starred in a number of sketches and short films. Hayes is heavily inspired by science fiction and horror. Hye Yun Park Hye Yun Park is an actor, writer, filmmaker, who has written and performed in several short films and created 2 seasons of the award winning web series, Hey Yun. When not making videos, Park is clowning around town or acting in other people’s films. Her new web series BKPI is a comedy about 3 female private investigators in Brooklyn. Jacquelyn Ryan, Kyle Brown, Katie Micay Jacquelyn Ryan is currently production supervisor on Pretty Little Liars and Famous In Love, and production coordinator on the John Wells production American Woman. Jacquelyn produced the digital series Hers and History and the indie web series Slave 4U. She is also the founder of a nonprofit called Wide Angle Film Center, a 501(c)(3) organization that supports a more sustainable and diverse media industry. Kyle Bown is a writer/producer who began his career moving from show to show, putting in time at hits such as The Mentalist, Heroes and Scrubs. He found a home when he landed on Pretty Little Liars, where he has been fortunate enough to co-write two episodes. He also co-wrote the short film The Firefly Girls and is a Creative Executive at Long Lake Media. Katie Micay graduated from Loyola Marymount University’s film production program. Her short film Limited Engagement was an Official Selection of the Los Angeles Women’s International Film Festival.  Her second film My So Called Family was an Official Selection of the Bel Air Film Festival. Her third short film, Flirt, was an Official Selection of the Reality Bytes Film Festival. Lisa Ebersole Lisa Ebersole is an award-winning playwright and filmmaker. Her plays have been produced Off-Broadway and regionally: “Baby” (Best of The Fringe Festival), “Mother” (starring Buck Henry and Holland Taylor), “Brother” (published by Samuel French). Ebersole’s films include the feature film Brother (Tribeca Cinemas), the short Puddin’ (Palm Springs Film Festival), and the web series 37 Problems (Austin Film Festival). Lyle Friedman Lyle Friedman is currently an Executive Story Editor for Darren Star’s hit TV show, Younger. She is an alumni of UCB and the LAByrinth Theatre Company in New York. Friedman co-created the web series #hotmessmoves. Patrick Starrr Patrick Starrr is a beauty guru and LGBTQ activist. He has over 2.9 million Instagram followers and 2 million YouTube subscribers. Starrr recently attended New York Fashion Week as a backstage correspondent for Time Inc. (People, EW, InStyle) and hosted NBC’s Hairspray Live’s live stream alongside Manny Mua and Glee’s Darren Criss. Starrr has collaborated with countless celebrities such as Jessie J, Tyra Banks, Shay Mitchell and more. Paul Gale Paul Gale is an NYC-based comedic filmmaker whose work has been featured on the front pages of Reddit, BuzzFeed, and USA Today. He’s made content for companies like Broadway Video, MTV and The Huffington Post, and, if you’re in from out of town, he’s happy to make restaurant recommendations. Smaranda Luna, Michelle Flanagan Smaranda Luna is an Eastern-European actress, stand up comedian, writer, and improviser. She immigrated to the U.S on a Fulbright scholarship after graduating from the National Drama Conservatory in Bucharest, Romania. After getting her MFA in Acting from UT Austin, she relocated to Los Angeles. Her credits include Closer to the Moon, Harley and the Davidsons and numerous theatre productions. Michelle Flanagan is a performer and writer originally from Austin, where she worked with a number of theatre companies and received a degree in Theatre from the University of Texas. Since moving to Los Angeles, her voice work has been featured on Adult Swim’s China, IL, and she performs improv and character sketches at UCB, iO West, and Second City. Starsha Gill Starsha Gill is a Chicago-based filmmaker. The writer, star, and director of Jon and Starsha are Having a Baby (Official Selection, Los Angeles Film Festival 2015), also co-starred and co-wrote the feature film Cat Scratch Fever which premiered at the Brooklyn Film Festival. Gill’s most recent project, a web series entitled The Elephant in the Room, draws on her experience as a young mother in Brooklyn. Vera Miao Vera Miao is a child of Chinese immigrants and the writer/director/EP of Two Sentence Horror Stories. Her feature, Best Friends Forever, premiered at Slamdance. At First was part of the Film Independent Screenwriting Lab and Sundance/WIF Financing Intensive. Miao was a fellow of the 2016 Tribeca Chanel Women’s Filmmaker Program. Zane Rubin Zane Rubin is a nineteen year-old filmmaker from Los Angeles. Getting her start at the age of fifteen, Zane has written, directed, and acted in six shorts and a feature. Her work has been featured on Huffington Post, Wifey.tv, BUST, as well as a few festivals. It showcases the perspective of a teenage girl without the presence of curfews, parents, and homework, while addressing her debilitating anxiety and aversion to “the system.”

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[caption id="attachment_21690" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Tituss Burgess as Titus Andromedon in UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT.[/caption] The 2017 Tribeca Film Festival today announced the lineup for the television festival, Tribeca TV, featuring a mix of world premieres of some of the most talked-about new series, including The Handmaid’s Tale and Genius, season debuts of audience favorites such as Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Episodes, as well as documentary special previews, and indie pilots. Premiere screenings will be followed by dynamic conversations with some of the most creative and well-known actors, directors, writers, and producers in the business. Tribeca TV, which will run during the festival’s 16th edition, features 15 shows including five series premieres, four season premieres, three independent pilots, one feature documentary, and one very special sneak peek. The Tribeca Film Festival takes place April 19-30. Tribeca TV debuted last year and launched a diverse selection of shows that went on to critical acclaim and commercial success, including HBO’s The Night Of and AMC’s The Night Manager. This year’s lineup includes series premieres of: Hulu’s highly anticipated The Handmaid’s Tale, followed by a conversation with the dynamic cast of Elisabeth Moss, Joseph Fiennes, Alexis Bledel, Samira Wiley, and Max Minghella; NatGeo’s first scripted series Genius about the fascinating life of Albert Einstein, followed by a conversation with executive producers Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, who also directs the first episode, and stars Emily Watson and Geoffrey Rush; USA’s crime thriller anthology series The Sinner, followed by a conversation with stars Jessica Biel and Bill Pullman, and director Antonio Campos; and There’s … Johnny!, from NBC’s new comedy service SeeSo, followed by a conversation with showrunners and cast including executive producers Paul Reiser and David Gordon Green, and star Tony Danza. “Coming off of a very successful first year of Tribeca TV, we curated this year’s program to include an expanded, exceptional lineup of top-notch shows and dynamic storytellers both in front of and behind the camera,” said Cara Cusumano, Director of Programming at the Tribeca Film Festival. “As the TV landscape continues to evolve in exciting, cinematic directions, the festival creates a unique opportunity for audiences to discover together on a big screen what everyone else will eventually be talking about from their couches at home.” Highlights also include season premieres of audience favorites including: season three premiere of the Netflix original series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, followed by a conversation with executive producers Tina Fey and Robert Carlock and stars Ellie Kemper, Tituss Burgess, Jane Krakowski and Carol Kane; the premiere of Showtime’s Episodes’ final season, followed by a conversation between Matt LeBlanc and creators David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik; season three premiere of Hulu’s family comedy Casual, followed by a conversation with creator Zander Lehmann, as well as executive producers and cast members; and season three premiere of Comedy Central’s Another Period, followed by a conversation with creators, writers, and stars Natasha Leggero and Riki Lindhome. Tribeca TV will also host a special event for CNN’s new series Soundtracks: Songs That Defined History, executive produced by Dwayne Johnson, which explores music as a driving force behind social change, with the premiere of the series’ 9/11 episode at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. SpikeTV will premiere a new installment of their feature documentary series I Am, an inside look at the life of Heath Ledger, as told by his inner circle. Additionally, the new independent variety show from the mastermind behind collective: unconscious, The Eyeslicer will premiere at the Festival, bringing together the next generation of alternative Americans under one strange roof. This year Tribeca TV will highlight the work of independent productions for the first time, as part of the Festival’s mission of creator discovery. These three original new pilots will premiere together during a special event followed by a conversation with the creators: Black Magic for White Boys, Lost & Found, and Manic. Ken Burns will be honored for his unparalleled work as one of the most influential and celebrated historical documentarians with the Festival’s new Citizen Filmmaker Award. Following the presentation, audience members will screen a special sneak-peek created especially for Tribeca of The Vietnam War, the unprecedented 10-part, 18 hour documentary film series about the Vietnam War directed by Burns and Lynn Novick, which will air on PBS this fall.

The TRIBECA TV Lineup:

Another Period (Comedy Central) – Season 3 World Premiere Executive Producers: Natasha Leggero, Riki Lindhome, Jeremy Konner, Debbie Liebling, Stuart Cornfeld, Mike Rosenstein, Ben Stiller. Another Period tells the incredible story of the Bellacourt sisters, Lillian and Beatrice (played by Leggero and Lindhome). Defined by their family’s wealth, they care only about becoming super famous — which is a lot harder in 1902. The show follows the insanely decadent and outrageous life of the Bellacourt coterie. Before others claimed their fame, they were the one American family who epitomized all that was spoiled, shameless and stupid. The Bellacourts have more servants than relatives and days filled with money, sex, drugs…and more money. Casual (Hulu) – Season 3 World Premiere Executive Producers: Zander Lehmann, Liz Tigelaar, Helen Estabrook, Jason Reitman. Season 3 returns with everyone’s favorite co-dependent siblings Valerie and Alex. They continue to live deep in each other’s emotional lives as they raise Valerie’s daughter Laura. Following dramatic life changes at the end of the last season, Valerie and Alex are adjusting to a new normal while continuing to struggle to maintain boundaries with each other. Episodes (Showtime) – Final Season Premiere Executive Producer: Jimmy Mulville. Episodes, the award-winning, razor-sharp comedy about the insanity of making a television show, returns for its fifth and final season. Lauded English television writers Sean and Beverly Lincoln were lured to Hollywood to adapt their much-loved British boarding-school comedy, Lyman’s Boys. Their American network has mangled the show into Pucks!, a sitcom about a high school hockey coach starring Matt LeBlanc (played brilliantly by himself). After a dismal run, the sitcom was finally put out of its misery. Now Sean and Beverly struggle to create a successful new project in this country without completely losing their integrity, while Matt desperately attempts to revitalize his disappearing acting career. The Eyeslicer – New Series Premiere Executive Producers: Dan Schoenbrun, Vanessa McDonnell. The Eyeslicer is a new variety TV show that brings the next generation of alternative American filmmakers together under one strange roof. The hour-long show will slice, dice, and then mince your eyeballs into delicious ceviche. Each episode is a handcrafted mixtape, blending boundary-pushing short form work into a weird, wild, uninterrupted whole. The Eyeslicer premieres at Tribeca with the episode “Facial Reconstruction”, featuring work from acclaimed indie filmmakers Lauren Wolkstein, Erin Vassilopoulos, Shaka King, Danny Madden, and Leah Shore. Genius (National Geographic) – New Series World Premiere Executive Producers: Ken Biller, Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Gigi Pritzker, Sam Sokolow. Genius charts how Albert Einstein (Geoffrey Rush), an imaginative, rebellious patent clerk who struggled to land an academic post in his early years, went on to become the greatest scientific mind of the 20th century. The show explores his rise as he juggles his volatile, passionate and complex personal relationships. Based on Walter Isaacson’s acclaimed biography. The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu, MGM) – New Series World Premiere Executive Producer: Bruce Miller. Based on Margaret Atwood’s acclaimed novel, The Handmaid’s Tale is the story of Gilead, a modern-day totalitarian society facing environmental disasters and a plunging birthrate, ruled by a fundamentalist regime that treats women as property. As one of the few fertile women, Offred is forced into sexual servitude in a desperate attempt to repopulate the world. In a society where one wrong word could end her life, Offred has one goal: survive and find the daughter taken from her. I Am Heath Ledger (Spike TV) – World Premiere Producer/Co-Director: Derik Murray. Co-Director: Adrian Buitenhuis. Told through excerpts of his greatest performances, interviews with friends and family (including Ben Mendelsohn, Naomi Watts, Ang Lee, and Ben Harper), and the lens of his own camera, I Am Heath Ledger is an intimate celebration of the actor, artist, and icon. An artist of exceptional depth and courage, Ledger was equally talented behind the camera. This stirring documentary paints a rich portrait of one of the great artists of his generation. The Sinner (USA/Universal Cable Productions) – New Series World Premiere Executive Producers: Derek Simonds, Jessica Biel, Michelle Purple, Charlie Gogolak. A young mother is overcome by an inexplicable fit of rage and commits a startling act of violence. The event launches an inverted and utterly surprising crime thriller whose driving force is not the “who” or the “what,”—but the “why.” Soon the investigator finds himself obsessed with uncovering the woman’s buried motive. From Universal Cable Productions, The Sinner is a riveting psychological thriller, with a pilot stylishly directed by acclaimed filmmaker Antonio Campos (Afterschool, Christine). After the episode: A conversation with executive producer and director of the pilot Antonio Campos, executive producer Derek Simonds, executive producer and cast member Jessica Biel, and cast members Christopher Abbott and Bill Pullman. Soundtracks: Songs That Defined History (CNN) Executive Producers: Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia, Maro Chermayeff, Jeff Dupre. Soundtracks explores seminal moments in history through the music that defines them. Featuring original interviews with legendary musicians as well as celebrated journalists, historians, and writers, the series reveals how music has been a driving force behind social change. In a Tribeca screening at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York, the show will explore how songs like Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind” took on new and heightened meaning, as music took center stage for a country fighting to heal. Co-hosted by the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. After the episode: A conversation with CNN anchor of New Day, Chris Cuomo, and professor at NYU’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, Jason King. Moderated by Executive Vice President and Deputy Director for Museum Programs at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, Clifford Chanin. There’s… Johnny! (Seeso) – New Series World Premiere Executive Producers: Paul Reiser, David Steven Simon, David Gordon Green, Jeff Sotzing, Brian Volk-Weiss, Craig Knizek, Cisco Henson, Michael Pelmont, Matt Ochacher, Evan Shapiro, Kelsey Balance. It’s 1972, and everyone goes to bed together… with Johnny Carson, TV’s biggest star. 19 year old Nebraskan Andy Klavin stumbles his way into a gig as a gofer at Carson’s “The Tonight Show” and into a world that will change his life. There’s… Johnny! takes a fictional comedic trip back in time, to go behind the man in front of the curtain, and look at the lives and loves of the people who make all of America laugh. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix) – Season 3 World Premiere Executive Producers: Tina Fey, Robert Carlock, Jeff Richmond, David Miner​. After living in a cult for fifteen years, Kimmy (Ellie Kemper) decides to reclaim her life and start over in New York City. Season 3 opens with Kimmy in an unfamiliar position with the Reverend back in her life. Meanwhile, Titus returns from his cruise and auditions for an exciting new role, and Lillian has to break up with her boyfriend Robert Durst.​​ The Vietnam War (PBS) – Special Sneak Peek Producers: Sarah Botstein, Ken Burns, Lynn Novick. Ken Burns and Lynn Novick’s ten-part, 18-hour documentary series tells the epic story of the Vietnam War as it has never been told before. Featuring testimony from nearly 100 witnesses, including Americans who fought in the war,those who opposed it, and Vietnamese combatants and civilians from both the winning and losing sides. The Vietnam War is an immersive, 360 degree narrative of a seminal period of history Pilot Season For the first time in 2017, Tribeca opened submissions to independently produced TV pilots. This showcase program represents the strongest new voices bringing their talents to the episodic space. Black Magic for White Boys – World Premiere Executive Producers: Jamie Block, Ronald Guttman. An aging magician is about to lose his small New York theater, but has a devilish plan to save it. A middle-aged man finds his sovereignty in jeopardy when he impregnates a woman he barely knows. A real estate mogul is frustrated that he can’t raise the rent on this tenants. These characters converge in Tribeca alum Onur Tukel’s bizarre comic tale about testing boundaries, gentrification, and how old New York is fading away. With: Onur Tukel, Ronald Guttman, Jamie Block. Lost & Found – World Premiere Executive Producers: Haroula Rose, Melonie Diaz. Stella and Ian are separating. But for this modern LA couple, that’s nothing to be sad or ashamed about. They decide to host an “un-wedding” party to celebrate. As friends and family descend on their home for the occasion, secrets are revealed and loyalties tested in this comedy-drama about family, friendship, and marriage. With: Melonie Diaz, Will Janowitz, Jennifer LeFleur, Terence Nance, Avi Rothman, Laura Lee Botsacos, Abby Wathen, Nick Thurston, Haroula Rose, Ethan Gold. Manic – World Premiere Executive Producers: Kimberley Browning, Kate Marks. Aurora Carter, an Ivy League-bound, AP Exam enthusiast finds that her over-achieving obsessiveness lands her in a boarding school for kids with mental illnesses. Now she has a singular goal: prove she doesn’t belong with the rest of the freaks. Determined to fight the system, Aurora makes alliances with the other girls one by one and inspires them to take control of their lives. With: Shanice Williams, Dot-Marie Jones, Russell Andrews, Nicki Micheaux, VyVy Nguyen.

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