Tribeca Film Festival

by Morgan Davies

The Tribeca Film Festival kicks off in downtown Manhattan this week, and while movies with big stars like The English Teacher (with Julianne Moore and Nathan Lane) and Almost Christmas (with Paul Giamatti and Paul Rudd) may get most of the attention from the press, many of the festival’s best films are likely to be less-seen documentaries. Here are five to look out for.

Mistaken for Strangers 

Unlike previous festivals, which have opened with the likes of Spider-Man 3 and The Avengers, Tribeca will officially begin this year with Mistaken for Strangers (see main image), a documentary (or mock-documentary) by Tom Berninger, brother of Matt Berninger, the frontman of Brooklyn-based indie rock band The National. Described as “embodying the wherewithal of a Christopher Guest character” in the official description of the film, Tom went on tour with his brother’s band as a roadie-cum-documentarian, and what started out as a mockumentary project grew into something more. In a recent interview with Pitchfork, Matt said the film kept getting closer and closer to reality: “We crafted some of it to tell that story, and we’re not calling it a pure documentary, but it’s a very honest, personal narrative that we started chasing.”

http://youtu.be/FUjBue7XggQ

Bridegroom

With the Supreme Court set to make a ruling on the constitutionality on California’s Prop 8 this summer, same-sex marriage is on everybody’s mind these days. Bridegroom, the debut documentary feature by Linda Bloodworth Thomason, is right on the zeitgeist: it focuses on Tom, a young man who must “fac[e] the failure of same sex marriage protections that leave him completely shut out and ostracized” in the wake of his partner Shane’s untimely death.

Gasland Part II

Gasland, Josh Fox’s 2010 Oscar-nominated documentary, was instrumental in starting the national conversation about the effects of hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) on the land and the people living on it. In his follow-up, Fox once again “examines the long-run impact of the controversial process, including poisonous water, earthquakes and neurological damage, placing his focus on the people whose lives have been irreparably changed.” By looking at anti-fracking protesters and movements and the corporations on the other side of the battle, Gaslands Part II promises to expand and deepen the conversation even further.

Oxyana

Funded by Kickstarter, Oxyana is Sean Dunne’s debut documentary feature, focusing on the small town of Oceana, West Virginia, which has become plagued by rampant prescription drug addiction in the wake of the vanishing coal industry. With a score by alt-country band Deer Tick and beautiful photography as seen in the film’s haunting trailer, the film – described as “unflinchingly intimate” – promises to be something special.

Flex is Kings

All dance aficionados owe it to themselves to watch the captivating film above, which features footage of twenty-one “flex” dancers from East New York in Brooklyn. Flex is a rapidly-growing style of dance native to Brooklyn that is unlike anything you’ve ever seen. In this documentary, filmmakers Deirdre Schoo and Michael Beach Nichols combine “majestic choreographed set pieces” with a focus on three central characters: Reem, Flizzo, and Jay Donn. Billed as “a sparkling testament to the freeing power of art and a powerful visual celebration of the beauty born when raw energy is directed toward the creative process,” this isn’t one to miss.

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Bryce Dallas-Howard, Whoopi Goldberg, Paul Haggis, Taraji P. Henson, Riley Keough, Kenny Lonergan, Eva Longoria, Sheila Nevins, Josh Radnor and Evan Rachel Wood are among the diverse group of 42 industry leaders, including award-winning filmmakers, writers, producers, acclaimed actors, respected journalists and entrepreneurs, who will serve as the jurors of the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival (TFF).

The jury will be divided among the seven competitive Festival categories. The winning films, filmmakers and actors in each category will be announced at the TFF Awards Night ceremony, streamed live on TribecaFilm.com on April 25. The 2013 Festival runs from April 17 –28.

Following is a list of all 2013 Festival and Tribeca Film Institute jurors and their respective categories.

World Competition Categories

The jurors for the 2013 World Narrative Competition are:

Kenny Lonergan:  Academy Award^®-nominated playwright, filmmaker and screenwriter. Credits include You Can Count On Me, Gangs of New York, and Margaret. His stage credits include Lobby Hero, The Waverly Gallery and This is Our Youth. He is a member of the Naked Angels Theater Company in New York.

Bryce Dallas-Howard: Multi-award nominated actress, director, writer and producer. Acting credits include The Help, 50/50, The Twilight Saga, Hereafter, Restless, Lady in the Water, The Village and the HBO adaptation of Shakespeare’s As You Like It. She directed the short film When You Find Me as part of Canon’s innovative and inaugural “Project Imagin8ion” campaign and directed one of five short films included in The Lifetime Original Movie event “Call Me Crazy: A Five Film.”

Paul Haggis:  Academy Award^®-winning filmmaker whose credits include Crash, Million Dollar Baby, Flags of Our Fathers, Letters to Iwo Jima, Casino Royale, In the Valley of Elah and television including Thirtysomething and The Tracey Ullman Show.

Blythe Danner: Tony and Emmy Award-winning actress. Stage credits include A Streetcar Named Desire, Betrayal, Stephen Sondheim’s Follies, The Miser and The Seagull. Film work includes The Great Santini, Mr. and Mrs. Bridge and Meet the Parents. 

Jessica Winter: Senior editor at Time magazine, directing coverage of the arts and culture. Her writing has appeared in Time, The New York Times, Slate, The Guardian and many others. Previously served as a juror at the London and Vancouver International Film Festivals.

 

The jurors for the 2013 World Documentary Competition are:

Whoopi Goldberg: Makes her directorial debut at in the 2013 TFF with the documentary I Got Somethin’ To Tell You. One of an elite group of artists who have won an Academy, Grammy, Emmy and Tony Awards.

Sandi Dubowski: Director and producer whose award-winning work has screened at Tribeca, Sundance, Berlin and Toronto Film Festivals; BBC, PBS, and ZDF-Arte; and in cinema release globally. Credits include Trembling Before G-d, A Jihad For Love and Budrus.

Joe Berlinger: Academy Award^® nominated filmmaker and two-time Emmy Award-winning television producer and director. Films include Brother’s Keeper, Paradise Lost and Metallica: Some Kind of Monster and Crude.

Evan Rachel Wood: Critically acclaimed actress who has garnered Emmy, SAG and Golden Globe nominations. Credits include The Wrestler and HBO’s Mildred Pierce. Stars in the 2013 TFF selection A Case of You.

Mira Sorvino: Academy Award^®-winning actress best known for Woody Allen’s Mighty Aphrodite, Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion, The Replacement Killers, Mimic and Norma Jean and Marilyn.

 

Emerging Competition Categories

 

The jurors for the 2013 Best New Narrative Director are:

Stu Zicherman: New York-based screenwriter, producer and director. Co-created the ABC’s Six Degrees and wrote and produced ABC’sWhat About Brian and FX’s Lights Out. Has written feature scripts for several major studios and made his feature directorial debut at the 2013 Sundance Film festival with the comedy A.C.O.D.

Ari Graynor: Film, stage and television actress and producer. Credits include the films For a Good Time Call, Celeste and Jesse Forever,10 Years, Holy Rollers, Conviction and Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist and the television series The Sopranos and Fringe. Broadway credits include The Performers, Relatively Speaking and The Little Dog Laughed.

Naomi Foner: Academy Award^®-nominated and Golden Globe-winning screenwriter, producer and director. Writing credits includeRunning on Empty, Losing Isaiah and Very Good Girls.

Radha Mitchell: Australian actress, Radha Mitchell who currently stars on the ABC series Red Widow is best known for her work in past feature films such as High Art, Man on Fire, Finding Neverland and Woody Allen’s Melinda & Melinda.

Tony Gilroy: Academy Award^®-nominated screenwriter and director whose credits include Dolores Claiborne, Michael Clayton and the Jason Bourne series.

 

The jurors for the 2013 Best New Documentary Director are:

Taraji P. Henson: Academy Award^® nominee for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Hustle & Flow, Date Night,Karate Kid, and Think Like a Man. Currently stars in the CBS hit Person of Interest.

Josh Radnor: Actor, writer and director best known for the Emmy Award-winning television series How I Met Your Mother. He wrote, directed and starred in Happythankyoumoreplease and Liberal Arts and next appears in Jill Soloway’sAfternoon Delight.

Jared Cohen: Founder and director of Google Ideas, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and an author. His books include: The New Digital Age: Reshaping the Future of People, Nations and Business; Children of Jihad; andOne Hundred Days of Silence. Previously served as a member of the U.S. Secretary of State’s Policy Planning Staff and a close advisor to Condoleezza Rice and later Hillary Clinton.

Riley Keough: Actress whose film credits include The Runaways, The Good Doctor, Jack and Diane and Magic Mike.

 

Short Film Competition Categories

 

The jurors for the 2013 Narrative Short Film Competition are:

Sheila Nevins: President of HBO Documentary Films, is responsible for overseeing the development and production of all documentaries for HBO, HBO2 and Cinemax. She has overseen the creation of more than 500 documentaries and has earned dozens of awards, including, Primetime Emmys, News and Documentary Emmys, and Peabody Awards.

Kassem Garaibeh: Actor, comedian, and co-founding talent of Maker Studios, a network that includes over 10,000 channels on YouTube. Credits include his award-winning YouTube series California On and Going Deep.

Jessica Hecht: Stage and screen actress known for roles on Breaking Bad, Bored to Death, Friends and Law and Order. She appears in 2012 selections The English Teacher and Space Cadet, and is starring on Broadway in The Assembled Parties.

Chris Milk: Artist, music video director and photographer. Credits include Wilderness Downtown, Last Day Dream, The Johnny Cash Project and videos for Kanye West, U2, Arcade Fire and Gnarls Barkley. Co-creator of the 2013 TFF Storyscapes selection This Exquisite Forest.

Christine Baranski: Tony, Emmy, SAG and American Comedy Award-winning actress. Stage credits include The Real Thing, Rumors, Lips Together Teeth Apart, Boeing-Boeing, Hurlyburly and The House of Blue Leaves. Screen and television credits include The Good Wife, Cybill, Frasier, The Big Bang Theory, Chicago, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Cruel Intentions, The Ref, Reversal of Fortune and Mamma Mia!

 

The jurors for the 2013 Documentary and Student Short Film Competitions are:

John Skipper: President of ESPN Inc. and co-chairman of Disney Media Networks. Frequently appears on “most influential” lists in such outlets as Sports Business Journal, CableFAX Magazine, Business Week and The Sporting News. 

Eva Longoria: Golden Globe-nominated and SAG and ALMA Award-winning actress, producer, businesswoman and philanthropist best known for ABC’s Desperate Housewives.

Bobby Flay: Acclaimed chef, restaurateur, Food Network star and cookbook author. Hosted and produced 3 Days to Open with Bobby Flay, The Next Food Network Star and is an Iron Chef on Iron Chef America.

Jason Silva: Television personality, media artist, filmmaker and techno-philosopher who has presented at TED Global, Google, The Economist Ideas Festival and at keynote events for Microsoft and IBM on the evolution of technology and its effect on humanity.

Danny Strong: Emmy Award-winning writer of HBO’s Game Change and is currently writing the two-part finale of The Hunger Games. Also an actor on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Gilmore Girls and Mad Men.

Abigail Breslin: Academy Award^®-nominated actress best known for Little Miss Sunshine. . Other credits include M. Night Shyamalan’s Signs, New Year’s Eve, My Sister’s Keeper,  Zombieland, Rango and The Call. Forthcoming films include Haunter, Ender’s Game, Final Girl and August: Osage County.

 

Storyscapes

 

The jurors for the 2013 BOMBAY SAPPHIRE Award for Transmedia:

Jeff Gomez: CEO of Starlight Runner Entertainment, the world’s leading expert at expanding entertainment properties, premium brands and socio-political themes into highly successful transmedia franchises and international campaigns.

Frank Rose: Bestselling author, speaker and digital anthropologist known for his books The Art of Immersion: How the Digital Generation Is Remaking Hollywood, Madison Avenue, and the Way We Tell Stories and Into the Heart of the Mind. Contributing editor to Wired magazine.

Thomas Allen Harris: Filmmaker whose videos and installations have been featured at the Museum of Modern Art, Whitney, Corcoran Gallery and the London Institute of the Arts.

 

TAA Creative Promise Awards

The jurors for the 2013 TAA Creative Promise Award—Narrative are:

Rubén Blades:  Panamanian-born musician, recorded over 20 albums, won eleven Grammys, acted in over 30 films. Ran for the Panamanian presidency in 1994. Was Minister of tourism there from 2004 through 2009. Holds degrees from Panama’s Universidad Nacional, Harvard Graduate Law School and received an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music.

John Forte: Grammy-nominated recording artist, composer, music producer, educator and activist. Former Fugees. Co-producer of the 2013 TFF selection The Project.

Tea Leoni: New York-native and actress whose credits include Flirting with Disaster, Spanglish, You Kill Me, Bad Boys, Family Man and Tower Heist.

 

The jurors for the 2013 TAA Creative Promise Award—Documentary are:

Shola Lynch: Director, Producer and Writer whose documentary credits include Chisholm ’72 – Unbought & Unbossed, and the recently released in theaters, Free Angela & All Political Prisoners. 

Sol Guy: Culture ninja and social entrepreneur who has worked with Lauryn Hill, Outkast and P. Diddy. Co-creator and host of the series 4REAL and currently developing a new TV series, The Talent Show.

Rachel Dratch: Funny-lady best known as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, creating the characters Boston Teen Denise, Debbie Downer, Denise and Sheldon. Credits include Down with Love, Click and 30 Rock.

 

TFI Latin America Media Arts Fund

The jurors for the TFI Latin America Media Arts Fund, including the Heineken VOCES awards are:

Julia Bacha: Brazilian media strategist and award-winning documentary filmmaker who highlights under-documented stories from the Middle East. Most recently directed and produced the short My Neighborhood, winner of a 2013 Peabody Award.

Carlos Gutierrez: Co-founder and executive director of Cinema Tropical.

Leonardo Zimbron: Latin producer best known for his films Efectos Secundarios, Bajo la Sal, Viento en Contra and Nosotros los Nobles. 

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Trailer for 2013 Tribeca Film Festival world premiere GORE VIDAL: THE UNITED STATES OF AMNESIA was released.

Directed by Nicholas Wrathall (Abandoned: The Betrayal of America’s Immigrants), the film features the final interviews with the iconic American writer, essayist, and singular intellectual.  Featuring interviews with Gore Vidal, Burr Steers, Christopher Hitchens, Jodie Evans, Tim Robbins, Mikhail Gorbachev, Sting, David Mamet, Bob Scheer, William F. Buckley, Jay Parini, Norman Mailer, Nina Straight and Dick Cavett.

No twentieth-century figure has had a more profound effect on the worlds of literature, film, politics, historical debate, and the culture wars than Gore Vidal.  Anchored by intimate one-on-one interviews with the man himself, Nicholas Wrathall’s new documentary is a fascinating and wholly entertaining portrait of the last lion of the age of American liberalism. 

Commentary by those who knew him best—including filmmaker/nephew Burr Steers and the late Christopher Hitchens—blends with footage from Vidal’s legendary on-air career to remind us why he will forever stand as one of the most brilliant and fearless critics of our time.

GORE VIDAL: THE UNITED STATES OF AMNESIA is playing in the Spotlight Section of the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival, and will world premiere on Thursday, April 18th at 8:30pm at the AMC Loews Village 7.  Additional public screenings are Saturday, April 20th, 2:30pm at the AMC Loews Village 7, and Friday, April 26th at 5:30pm at the Clearview Cinemas Chelsea.

http://youtu.be/INW6i6K1NmQ

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[caption id="attachment_3411" align="alignnone" width="550"]Fresh Meat[/caption]

The Tribeca Film Festival (TFF) which runs April 17-28, 2013 in lower Manhattan, New York, announced the lineup and programming for the Tribeca Online Festival.  The Tribeca Online Festival (TOF) will provide free streaming of Festival films.

Seven titles including features Alias Ruby Blade: A Story of Love and Revolution, Lil Bub & Friendz, and Farah Goes Bang (which will be streamed just after their Festival theatrical premieres), and short films RPG OKC, Delicacy, The Exit Room, and A Short Film About Guns will be accessible on tribecaonlinefestival.com . Via TribecaOnlineFestival.com audiences can vote on the best online feature and short, with the winners receiving a total of $16,000 in prize money.  

The Tribeca Online Festival will also stream a number of highly anticipated conversations during the Festival as well as the 2013 TFF awards show on Thursday April 25, 2013.  

Tribeca Film will also release 2013 TFF selections What Richard Did, Greetings from Tim Buckley, Fresh Meat andThe English Teacher nationwide via on demand during the Festival window. The titles will be available in more than 50 million homes in the U.S. and Canada through all major cable video-on-demand providers, as well as iTunes, Amazon Watch Instantly, VUDU, Xbox, Google Play and YouTube.

New this year is the launch of Tribeca Film Festival’s #6SECFILMS Vine Competition, an online juried competition using the six-second, micro-movie making app. Filmmakers can  submit in one of four categories — #genre, #auteur, #animate and #series – using both the category hashtag and #6SECFILMS . Shortlists in each category will be viewable for the public on April 17 and will compete for cash prizes of $600. Submissions are now open through midnight on April 7. Winners will be announced by the Tribeca Online Festival on April 26.

Details on the VOD and Tribeca Online Festival offerings follow:

TRIBECA ONLINE FESTIVAL

FREE STREAMING OF OFFICIAL FESTIVAL SELECTIONS:

Three feature titles and four short films from the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival will be available on TOF. Each film will have limited screening windows and capacity. Online viewers will be able to vote for the Best Tribeca Online Feature Film, a prize of $10,000, and the Best Tribeca Online Short Film, a prize of $5,000. Winners will be announced at the Tribeca Film Festival Awards on April 25.

The full list of feature films streamed on the Tribeca Online Festival is as follows:

[caption id="attachment_3412" align="alignnone" width="550"]ALIAS RUBY BLADE: A Story of Love and Revolution[/caption]

Alias Ruby Blade: A Story of Love and Revolution, directed by Alex Meillier, written by Tanya Ager Meillier and Meillier. (USA) – North American Premiere. Kirsty Sword Gusmão went to Timor-Leste to document injustice in an area closed to Western journalists. Over the next decade, she became the lynchpin that sustained the nation’s harrowing struggle for independence and met the man who would redefine the cause for which she was fighting. Using astonishing footage of the years-long resistance, director Alex Meillier presents a highly personal account of the courage needed to create a new democracy in modern times.

[caption id="attachment_3413" align="alignnone" width="550"]LIL BUB & FRIENDZ[/caption]

Lil Bub & Friendz, directed by Andy Capper and Juliette Eisner. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Called “the most famous cat on the Internet,” the wide-eyed perma-kitten Lil Bub is the adorable embodiment of the Web’s fascination with all things cats. Join Lil Bub and her owner on a wild cross-country romp as they meet the Internet’s most famous cat-lebrities. Chock full of adorable kitties, hilarious videos and the dedicated cat enthusiasts who love them, Lil Bub & Friendz is a fun and hip peek behind the memes we know and love. Includes Mike “The Dude” Bridavsky, Ben Lashes, Grumpy Cat, Nyan Cat, Keyboard Cat.

Farah Goes Bang, directed by Meera Menon, written by Laura Goode and Menon. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. Farah hits the road with her buddies to stump for John Kerry in the 2004 presidential election, hoping the trip will be her opportunity to finally shed her unwanted virginity. She soon finds her efforts on both political and sexual fronts continuously thwarted. Comically balancing that moment’s climate of intolerance with a universal coming-of-age tale, Farah Goes Bang paints a comic portrait of the overdue growing pains of a group of girlfriends and the country itself.

 

The full list of short films streamed on the Tribeca Online Festival is as follows:

RPG OKC, Directed and written by Emily Carmichael, (USA), World Premiere. Two video game characters forge an unlikely romance.

Delicacy, Directed by Jason Mann, written by Frieda Luk and Jason Mann, (USA), New York Premiere. A culinary connoisseur and a chef go on a hunt for a rare animal.

The Exit Room, Directed and written by Todd Wiseman Jr, (USA), World Premiere. It is 2021, and imprisoned journalist Joseph Michaels faces government execution and contemplates a desperate escape attempt in order to return to his young family.

A Short Film About Guns, Directed by Minos Papas, (Cyprus), (U.K.), (USA), World Premiere. Four experts on arms trafficking recount first-hand experiences with the black market and how the illegal flow of weapons facilitates loss of life and devastation.

 

TRIBECA FILM VIDEO-ON-DEMAND

[caption id="attachment_3415" align="alignnone" width="550"]WHAT RICHARD DID[/caption]

What Richard Did, directed by Lenny Abrahamson, written by Malcolm Campbell. (Ireland) – U.S. Premiere, Narrative. Charismatic Richard leads a group of devoted friends through the rituals of their final summer break together: partying on the beach, hazing younger students, hooking up. But the good times will not last forever. When jealousy leads to a senseless act, Richard’s perfect life unravels amid self-doubt, shame, grief and guilt. What Richard Did is a gripping dissection of an action and its consequences, featuring a stellar lead performance by Jack Reynor.  A Tribeca Film release.

[caption id="attachment_3416" align="alignnone" width="550"]Greetings from Tim Buckley[/caption]

Greetings from Tim Buckley, directed by Daniel Algrant, written by David Brendel, Emma Sheanshang and  Algrant. (USA) – U.S. Premiere, Narrative. “Like father, like son” is a demanding expression for someone who never knew his dad. When young Jeff Buckley (Penn Badgley) is asked to participate in a tribute concert for his late musician father Tim, music opens his eyes to the artistic legacy that he is destined to follow. Imogen Poots co-stars in this quiet and powerful tribute to those legends sustained by admiration, love and, in this case, beautiful music.  A Focus World and Tribeca Film release.

[caption id="attachment_3411" align="alignnone" width="550"]Fresh Meat[/caption]

Fresh Meat, directed by Danny Mulheron, written by Briar Grace-Smith. (New Zealand) – New York Premiere, Narrative. After a poorly executed escape from the police, a gang of dysfunctional criminals flees to the suburbs and gets more than it bargained for when it crash lands in the garage of an upper-class Maori family whose refined palates have developed a taste for human flesh. This action-packed horror comedy tells a blood-spattered tale of basement butchery and shifting allegiances as these unlikely adversaries enter a deadly showdown. A Tribeca Film release.

[caption id="attachment_3417" align="alignnone" width="550"]THE ENGLISH TEACHER[/caption]

The English Teacher, directed by Craig Zisk, written by Dan Chariton and Stacy Chariton. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. Teacher Linda Sinclair (Julianne Moore) balances her staid home life with an incredible passion for her subject, but her routine is forever altered when a former star pupil and his unsupportive father reenter her life. Go-to television director Craig Zisk, whose credits include Scrubs, Weeds and United States of Tara, takes a turn on the big screen with this insightful comedy about self-discovery co-starring Greg Kinnear, Nathan Lane, Michael Angarano and Lily Collins. A Cinedigm and Tribeca Film release.

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[caption id="attachment_3400" align="alignnone" width="550"]Jerry Lewis and Robert De Niro in The King of Comedy directed by Martin Scorsese.[/caption]

The Tribeca Film Festival (TFF), has chosen the 30th Anniversary of Martin Scorsese’s The King of Comedy, restored in association with The Film Foundation, Regency Enterprises and Twentieth Century Fox, to close its 12th edition on Saturday, April 27. 

The King of Comedy – directed by Martin Scorsese, written by Paul D. Zimmerman, produced by Arnon Milchan, and starring Robert De Niro, Jerry Lewis, Diahnne Abbott and Sandra Bernhard –was originally released in 1983. Lauded as “shockingly prescient” by Moviefone, the film is recognized for its groundbreaking foresight into reality-TV culture and lack of distinction between renown and notoriety. It also holds up as the finest dramatic work of Lewis’ career, one of Martin Scorsese’s most underrated movies and a darkly funny film that features Robert De Niro playing the scary and fascinating character, Rupert Pupkin.

The King of Comedy is being restored digitally in 4K from the original camera negatives at Sony Colorworks; John Polito at Audio Mechanics is digitally restoring the soundtrack.

“Twelve years ago when we announced the first Festival, it was Marty’s idea for us to feature Restored and Rediscovered films. This year we are proud to close our 12th Festival with a restoration of his The King of Comedy,” said Jane Rosenthal, co-founder, Tribeca Film Festival. “The King of Comedy was so ahead of its time; it seems more relevant today than it was 30 years ago. We are so grateful to Jim Gianopulos and Regency for helping to restore such an iconic film and ensuring it remains a part of our cultural heritage.”

In this unforgettable film, a funny thing happens to talk show host Jerry Langford (Lewis) on his way to the studio. Kidnapped by stand-up comedian Rupert Pupkin (De Niro) and his wacky sidekick (Bernhard), Langford is forced to give Pupkin a shot at the big time by allowing the struggling comic to perform his routine on Langford’s show. What unfolds is an incredibly funny and poignant story about the darker side of comedy.

“I was a big fan of the script and was very excited to do it with Marty and happy that we finally made it. The fact that it’s been restored (hard to believe so many years have passed) is even all the better, and I can’t wait to see it on our closing night,” said Robert De Niro, co-founder, Tribeca Film Festival.      

Scorsese said, “I’ve always been partial to comedians – the irreverence, the absurdity, the hostility, all the feelings under the surface – and to the old world of late night variety shows hosted by Steve Allen and Jack Paar and, of course, Johnny Carson, to the familiarity and the camaraderie between the guests. You had the feeling that they were there with you, in your living room. Robert De Niro and I were both drawn to Paul Zimmerman’s script for The King of Comedy, which really captured the show business atmosphere and the desperate attachments that some of the people on the other side of the screen could form, the ones that in certain cases turned dangerous.

“Making the picture was quite an experience. We had Sandra Bernhard in her debut. We had New York in summer. We had the beautiful Diahnne Abbott. We had all those wonderful guest stars like Tony Randall and Victor Borge and Ed Herlihy and Dr. Joyce Brothers, and the people who were really in the business, like Freddy De Cordova and Ed Scherick. We had my mother, and my father, and my daughter Cathy. We even had The Clash in a couple of shots, in the role of ‘street trash.’ And, we had a living legend, the great Jerry Lewis.

“I’m so happy that after all this time, The King of Comedy is finally getting a restoration, from our wonderful friends at Fox.”

The 12th annual Tribeca Film Festival will take place from April 17-28, 2013.

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The 2013 Tribeca Film Festival (TFF) announced its lineup for the 2013 Tribeca Talks® panel series. This year’s programs include the “Tribeca Talks: Directors Series”; “Tribeca Talks: After the Movie;” “Tribeca Talks: After the Movie, Beyond the Screens: The Artist’s Angle,”; “Tribeca Talks: Industry;” and “Tribeca Talks: Pen to Paper, hosted by Barnes & Noble.” Tribeca Talks will featurqe conversations with some of the most influential and creative minds in the film industry.  Those participating in the “Tribeca Talks: Directors Series” events include Academy Award®-winner Clint Eastwood with Academy Award®-nominee Darren Aronofsky, Academy Award®-nominee Richard Linklater with fellow nominees Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, director Mira Nair with actress Bryce Dallas Howard, and Emmy Award®-winner Jay Roach with actor Ben Stiller.  Among the “Tribeca Talks: After the Movie” event panelists are Academy Award®-winner Whoopi Goldberg, Academy Award®-nominee Ellen Page, legendary author and activist Gloria Steinem and actor Adrian Grenier. The Tribeca Talks panel series is open to the public and will take place throughout TFF, which will run from April 17 to April 28, 2013, at locations around New York City. Each year we seek to provide audiences with diverse opportunities to connect with some the most accomplished and innovative minds in film with the Tribeca Talks series, ” said Geoff Gilmore, Chief Creative Officer of Tribeca Enterprises. “We are excited to present this year’s lineup, featuring visionary industry leaders who are sure to engage audiences with thoughtful discussions on topics inspired by films and filmmakers participating in the Festival.” TFF also unveiled four new titles that will screen at this year’s Festival, all followed by conversations with the respective filmmakers and topical experts.  Paul Verhoeven’s groundbreaking film Tricked, whose script was crowd-sourced, will screen as part of the “Tribeca Talks: After the Movie” series, as will documentaries How to Make Money Selling Drugsand Out of Print, along with the world premiere screening of footage from the highly anticipatedBeyond: Two Souls, a new interactive videogame currently in development by Quantic Dream and scheduled for release in October on PlayStation 3.  Further, TFF announced that the world premiere of Eastwood Directs: The Untold Story will be followed by a conversation with legendary director Clint Eastwood as part of the “Tribeca Talks: Directors Series,” which features intimate discussions with acclaimed directors. Also part of “Tribeca Talks: After the Movie” is the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation’s 20^th anniversary retrospective screening and discussion of the internationally acclaimed made-for-television filmAnd the Band Played On from director Roger Spottiswoode. TFF’s conversation series is rounded out by the “Tribeca Talks: After the Movie, Beyond the Screens: The Artist’s Angle” program which gives viewers an inside look at the lives of iconic artists and those they impact; the free “Tribeca Talks: Industry” panels designed for industry professionals to explore the evolving film business; and finally, the free “Tribeca Talks: Pen to Paper” panels, hosted by Barnes & Noble, which focus on the creative writers and re-writers in the filmmaking industry. “Tribeca Talks: Directors Series,” sponsored by OppenheimerFunds, will include intimate conversations with:

• Academy Award®-winning director Clint Eastwood in conversation with Academy Award^®-nominee Darren Aronofsky following the world premiere of Eastwood Directs: The Untold Story.

• Director and Academy Award®-nominated screenwriter Richard Linklater in conversation with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy about their Before Sunrise series collaboration and most recent installment, Before Midnight.

• Emmy Award®-winning director Jay Roach (“Game Change”) in conversation with actor Ben Stiller.

• Acclaimed writer, director and producer Mira Nair (The Namesake, Monsoon Wedding), in conversation with actress Bryce Dallas Howard.

“Tribeca Talks: After the Movie” will include:

• The North American premiere of Tricked, the revolutionary film whose narrative was created by crowd sourcing; followed by a conversation with director Paul Verhoeven who will discuss the process of making an audience-created film.

• The US premiere of How to Make Money Selling Drugs, a shockingly candid examination of the entrenched, corrupt and violent drug industry, from street dealer to kingpin; followed by a conversation with director Matthew Cooke, producers Adrian Grenier and Bert Marcus, executive director of Law Enforcement Against ProhibitionNeill Franklin, president of the Criminal Justice Policy Foundation Eric Sterling and author of HIGH: Confessions of an International Drug Smuggler Brian O’Dea in a conversation about the grim underbelly of the oft-glamorized drug trade. Moderated by Huffington Post contributor Keith Rushing.

• Out of Print, an exploration of the future of the publishing industry in a digital age; followed by a conservation with director Vivienne Roumani, president and CEO of the New York Public Library Tony Marx, CEO and co-founder of Open Road Integrated Media Jane Friedman and science writer Annie Murphy Paul who will discuss our shifting relationship with books and a glimpse into our future learning.  Moderated by The New Yorker’s Ken Auletta.

• Inequality for All, follows Clinton-era Labor secretary Robert Reich as he examines the consolidation of wealth, the stagnation in wages and elasticity of the American economy; followed by a conversation with producers Jen Chaiken and Sebastian Dungan and political economist, professor and author Robert Reich who will discuss the widening income gap and deterioration of the USA’s economic health.

• The world premiere screening of footage from Beyond: Two Souls, a new interactive videogame developed by Quantic Dream that examines the supernatural and afterlife; followed by a conversation with actress Ellen Page and game creator David Cage exploring the cinematic elements of filmmaking that have crossed over into interactive entertainment.

• The world premiere of I Got Somethin’ to Tell You, Whoopi Goldberg’s directorial debut about comedic legend and pioneer Moms Mabley; followed by a conversation with Whoopi Goldberg and The Hollywood Reporter’s David Rooney.

• The US premiere of Wadjda, the first feature film shot entirely in Saudi Arabia and the first by a female Saudi filmmaker which follows a determined young girl who refuses to submit to her surrounding social norms. The premiere will be followed by a conversation with filmmaker Haifaa Al-Mansour and founder of Women for Women International Zainab Salbi who will discuss the individuals and movements that are breaking gender boundaries. Moderated by journalist and social and political activistGloria Steinem.

• A 20th anniversary retrospective screening sponsored by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, a long standing partner of Tribeca Film Festival and Tribeca Film Institute, of the internationally acclaimed made-for-TV film And the Band Played On. Directed by Roger Spottiswoode, the film examines the scientific facts and myths surrounding AIDS during the early stages of the epidemic. The screening will be followed by a conversation with industry leaders in film and science about the science of AIDS and the social politics surrounding the AIDS epidemic from the 1980s to the present.  The panel includes will be moderated by filmmaker Tom Kalin.

“Tribeca Talks: After the Movie, Beyond the Screens: The Artist’s Angle,” sponsored by OppenheimerFunds, will feature:

• The world premiere of Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me, a documentary that blends archival footage and cinema vérité to reach beyond Broadway legend Elaine Stritch’s brassy exterior, revealing a multi-dimensional portrait of a complex woman and inspiring artist; followed by a conversation with filmmaker Chiemi Karasawa andElaine Stritch who will share her stories and tricks of the trade from her illustrious career.  Moderated by The New York Times’ Charles Isherwood.

• The world premiere of Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic, a documentary that chronicles legendary comedian Richard Pryor’s meteoric rise as well as his personal struggles; followed by a conversation with Emmy Award®-winning director Marina Zenovich, author Walter Mosley and comedian Wyatt Cenac about the making of the film and the impact of one of Hollywood’s most controversial comedians.

“Tribeca Talks: Industry” are free events and will feature:

• Look Who’s Talking, a conversation with film industry professionals about race, authorship and authenticity in today’s filmmaking scene. The panelists will explore the marked lack of diversity behind the camera in major box office hits and how the ethnicity of film artists and filmmakers play into public perception of a movie about people of color.  Panelists include critic and filmmaker Nelson George, actor and playwright Anna Deavere Smith, Indiewire’s Shadow & Act Chief Editor TambayObenson, producer and Braven Films President and CEO Frida Torresblanco and filmmaker Terence Nance.  Moderated by Executive Director of the Tribeca Film Institute Beth Janson.

• Brand New Studios, a discussion about partnerships and projects that are stretching the traditional sponsor role and creating new opportunities for filmmakers. Meet successful brands producing original shorts, feature-length films and episodic series. Panelists include ESPN Films Director of Development Dan Silver, GE Executive Director of Global Digital Marketing Linda Boff, VICE Media, Inc. Executive Creative Director Danny Gabai and Red Bull Media House Head of Distribution Greg Jacobs  Moderated by strategic consultant Nancy Schafer.

• The Business of Entertainment: Truth, Persuasion and Bias in Documentaries, sponsored by Bloomberg, a conversation with documentarians about navigating the choices filmmakers make between journalistic precision and creative nonfiction, including how the business of entertainment shapes those decisions.  Panelists include Executive Vice President American Documentary | POV Cynthia López and leading documentary filmmakers Dan Krauss (The Kill Team), Morgan Spurlock, Kristi Jacobson and Shola Lynch. Moderated by Bloomberg Chief Content Officer Norman Pearlstine.

• Big Data and the Movies, sponsored by SAP, a conversation with industry experts to consider the effect and implications of strategically developed content and social sentiment to explore the latest ways audience data analysts and distributors are retooling the what, when and how of filmgoing. Panelists include Rentrak CEO Bill Livek, FilmTrack Co-Founder and CEO Jason Kassin, MoviePass Co-Founder and CEOStacy Spikes, Mashable’s Senior Tech Analyst Christina Warren and Director of Digital Strategy at Film Society of Lincoln Center Eugene Hernandez. Moderated by SAP Labs SVP/GM of Media Industry Solutions Richard Whittington.

• New Filmmakers in the Digital Age, sponsored by Panavision, is a discussion among new filmmakers about how they navigated the world of digital filmmaking to grow a festival feature.  Panelists include director Lance Edmands (Bluebird), filmmaker/actor Alex Karpovsky, director Jenée LaMarque (The Pretty One), directorRob Meyer (A Birder’s Guide to Everything) and producer Tamara Anghie (Run and Jump).  Moderated by Panavision’s Peter Brogna.

“Tribeca Talks: Pen to Paper hosted by Barnes & Noble” are free events and will include:

• New Chick Flicks, a discussion exploring how and why being a female in the film industry requires rewriting the typecast model and how our panelists are challenging traditional associations of what makes a movie by or for women.  Panelists include producer of the ESPN Nine for IX series Libby Geist, director Rachel Boynton (Big Men), producer Tanya Ager Meillier (Alias Ruby Blade) and writer/producer Laura Goode (Farah Goes Bang).  Moderated by producer Abigail Disney.

• Putting the “I” in “Film,” a conversation with filmmakers who reflect on their very personal experiences writing themselves into the filmmaking process.  Panelists include director Banker White (The Genius of Marian), director Tom Berninger(Mistaken for Strangers), writer /actress Amy Grantham (Lily) and director Josh Fox(Gasland Part II).  Moderated by Screen International’s Mark Adams.

• Whose Credit Is It Anyway? A group of filmmakers debate the emergence of the controversial writing credit in documentary films.  Panelists include writer/directorFahad Mustafa (Powerless), writer/director Warwick Ross (Red Obsession), directorJason Osder (Let the Fire Burn), editor Nels Bangerter (Let the Fire Burn) and director Sean Dunne (Oxyana).  Moderated by director Julia Bacha (Budrus).

The full schedule for the 2013 Tribeca Talks series follows: “Tribeca Talks: Directors Series” Sponsored by OppenheimerFunds Mira Nair with Bryce Dallas Howard Acclaimed writer, director and producer Mira Nair (The Namesake, Monsoon Wedding) in conversation with actress Bryce Dallas Howard. DATE: Saturday, April 20 TIME: 3:30 PM LOCATION: SVA Theater 1 Jay Roach with Ben Stiller Emmy Award^®-winning director Jay Roach (“Game Change”) in conversation with actor Ben Stiller. DATE: Sunday, April 21 TIME: 3:00 PM LOCATION: BMCC Richard Linklater with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy Director and Academy Award^®-nominated screenwriter Richard Linklater in conversation with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy about their Before Sunrise series collaboration and most recent installment, Before Midnight. DATE: Monday, April 22 TIME: 3:30 PM LOCATION: SVA Theater 1 Clint Eastwood Academy Award^®-winning director Clint Eastwood will be in conversation with Academy Award^®-nominee Darren Aronofsky following the world premiere of Eastwood Directs: The Untold Story. Eastwood Directs: The Untold Story Directed by Richard Schickel. (USA) – World Premiere. This unprecedented new film focuses on Eastwood’s directorial method thanks to producing partners and fellow actors sharing never-before-told stories of working with Clint.  It explores Eastwood’s signature style, dissecting the skills that have ensured his four decades of success.  Bringing together the insights of Martin Scorsese, Meryl Streep, Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman and many others, the film creates the complete picture of the man, the colleague, the creator.  Courtesy of Warner Bros. © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. DATE: Saturday, April 27 TIME: 2:30 PM LOCATION: BMCC “Tribeca Talks: After the Movie” Wadjda Directed by Haifaa Al-Mansour.  (Saudi Arabia, Germany) – US Premiere. Meet Wadjda (Waad Mohammed), a feisty, funny and wholly unconventional ten-year-old girl determined to scrounge up enough money to buy a bicycle, despite the societal repercussions sure to follow.  The groundbreaking first feature film shot entirely in Saudi Arabia and the first by a female Saudi filmmaker, Wadjda offers a moving, rarely seen picture of everyday life in Riyadh: through the eyes of a girl unwilling to surrender what she wants. After the Movie: Stay for a conversation with filmmaker Haifaa Al-Mansour and founder of Women for Women International Zainab Salbi to discuss the brave individuals and grassroots movements that are breaking gender boundaries and creating lasting change. Moderated by journalist and social and political activist Gloria Steinem. DATE: Sunday, April 21 TIME: 5:30 PM LOCATION: SVA Theater 2 I Got Somethin’ to Tell You Directed by Whoopi Goldberg. (USA) – World Premiere. Having broken racial and sexual boundaries as a pioneering comic talent, the late Moms Mabley has long been an icon in the comedy world. Now Whoopi Goldberg takes a deep dive into Mabley’s legacy via recently unearthed photography, rediscovered performance footage and the words of numerous celebrated comedians. A true passion project for Goldberg, I Got Somethin’ to Tell You shows Mabley’s profound influence as a performer vastly ahead of her time. After the Movie: Stay for a conversation with Whoopi Goldberg, who will discuss her directorial debut.  She will explain, through the work of comedian Moms Mabley, why we laugh, who we think is funny and what comedy is really all about.  Moderated by The Hollywood Reporter’s David Rooney. SPECIAL EVENT exclusively for American Express® Cardmembers DATE: Monday, April 22 TIME: 6:00 PM LOCATION: SVA Theater 1 Tricked Directed by Paul Verhoeven. (Netherlands) – North American Premiere. Join acclaimed director Paul Verhoeven (Total Recall, Basic Instinct) as he steps into the creative unknown to test a brand new style and structure of crowd-sourced filmmaking. Having established only the first four minutes of the script for a new feature, Verhoeven asks the public to complete the story. Tricked follows Verhoeven as he gathers ideas, hunts for an intriguing narrative and turns his craft into one of the more unlikely experiments in democratic art. After the Movie: Stay for a conversation with director Paul Verhoeven as he takes us through the uncharted process of making an audience-created film – his ups, his downs and his unexpected creative breakthroughs. DATE: Tuesday, April 23 TIME: 6:30 PM LOCATION: SVA Theater 1 How to Make Money Selling Drugs Directed by Matthew Cooke. (USA) – US Premiere. Moving from desperate street dealers to millionaire kingpins, from well-funded DEA agents to politicians who ensure reelection through egregious drug laws, Matthew Cooke’s debut feature is a captivating, shockingly candid guide to the entrenched, corrupt and violent drug industry in which these players each inhabit a vital role. 50 Cent, Eminem, Susan Sarandon, Woody Harrelson and a wealth of inside voices color this outstanding, detailed documentary. After the Movie: Stay for a conversation with director Matthew Cooke, producers Adrian Grenier and Bert Marcus, executive director of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Neill Franklin, president of the Criminal Justice Policy Foundation Eric Sterling and the author ofHIGH: Confessions of an International Drug Smuggler Brian O’Dea to discuss the grim underbelly of the oft-glamorized drug trade.. Moderated by Huffington Post contributor Keith Rushing. DATE: Thursday, April 25 TIME: 6:00 PM LOCATION: SVA Theater 1 And the Band Played On Directed by Roger Spottiswoode. (USA). Celebrating its twentieth anniversary, And the Band Played On aired at the height of the AIDS epidemic in the early ‘90s, examining the facts surrounding the deadly disease and debunking many of its myths.  The film won three Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Made for Television Movie. Topping the incredible ensemble cast is Matthew Modine, who received Emmy and Golden Globe-nominations for his poignant portrayal of a doctor who heads an American research team.  Sponsored by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. After the Movie: Exploring the Science of AIDS and the Arts.  Join us for a panel conversation featuring leading figures from film and science about the science of AIDS and the social politics surrounding the AIDS epidemic from the 1980s until now. The panel will explore how the AIDS crisis has activated a cross section of storytelling amongst scientists, artists and politicians. Moderated by filmmaker Tom Kalin. DATE: Saturday, April 27 TIME: 3:30 PM LOCATION: SVA Theater 1 Beyond: Two Souls Directed by David Cage. (USA) – World Premiere. From Quantic Dream and David Cage, visionary director of Heavy Rain, comes an emotionally charged interactive thriller starring Academy Award®-nominees Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe.  Jodie Holmes (Page) has always been a little different.  Aided by scientist Nathan Dawkins (Dafoe), she discovers a connection to a mysterious entity, setting off a thrilling, globe-spanning journey to discover the truth about who she is.  Join us for an exclusive look at this breathtaking gaming experience fused with a classical film style.  Beyond: Two Souls releases on October 8, 2013 and is made exclusively for the PlayStation 3® System. After the Screening: Join game creator David Cage and actress Ellen Page for a behind-the-scenes look at this breakthrough in interactive storytelling.  Moderated by video game journalistHarold Goldberg. DATE: Saturday, April 27 TIME: 7:00 PM LOCATION: SVA Theater 1 Out of Print Directed by Vivienne Roumani. (USA) – World Premiere. Dive into the riveting debate over the future of ideas, as documentarian Vivienne Roumani tackles the questions confronting the modern word industry and proves that more is at stake than how quickly we can access the latest bestseller. Featuring interviews with Scott Turow, Ray Bradbury, Amazon.com founder and CEO Jeff Bezos and many more, Out of Print is a fascinating, in-depth look at publishing’s milestones and what it means to adapt that history to the information age.  Narrated by Meryl Streep. After the Movie: Join president and CEO of the New York Public Library Tony Marx, CEO of Open Road Integrated Media Jane Friedman, filmmaker Vivienne Roumani and science writerAnnie Murphy Paul for an exploration of our shifting relationship with books and a glimpse into our future learning. Moderated by The New Yorker’s Ken Auletta. DATE: Sunday, April 28 TIME: 1:30 PM LOCATION: SVA Theater 2 Inequality for All Directed by Jacob Kornbluth. (USA) – New York Premiere. Robert Reich is your guide in this no-holds-barred assessment of the U.S. economy.  With winningly approachable finesse, the Clinton-era Labor secretary and current Berkeley professor covers the consolidation of wealth, the stagnation in wages and the elasticity of our economy.  Director Jacob Kornbluth builds a rigorous and engaging overview of where the economy stands and the risks that will become reality if we fail to act. After the Movie: Stay for a conversation with producers Jen Chaiken and Sebastian Dunganas well as political economist, professor and author Robert Reich who will discuss the widening income gap and deterioration of the USA’s economic health. DATE: Sunday, April 28 TIME: 4:30 PM LOCATION: SVA Theater 2 “Tribeca Talks: After the Movie, Beyond the Screens: The Artist’s Angle” Sponsored by OppenheimerFunds Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me Directed by Chiemi Karasawa. (USA) – World Premiere. Broadway legend Elaine Stritch remains in the spotlight at eighty-seven years old. Join the uncompromising Tony and Emmy Award-winner both on and off stage in this revealing documentary. With interviews from Tina Fey, Nathan Lane, Alec Baldwin and others, Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me blends rare archival footage and intimate cinema vérité to reach beyond Stritch’s brassy exterior, revealing a multi-dimensional portrait of a complex woman and an inspiring artist. After the Movie: Stay for a fun and lively conversation with filmmaker Chiemi Karasawa and the high-kicking Elaine Stritch, who shares her stories, tricks of the trade and the industry dish that you just won’t want to miss.  Moderated by The New York Times’ Charles Isherwood. DATE: Monday, April 22 TIME: 5:30 PM LOCATION: SVA Theater 2 Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic Directed by Marina Zenovich. (USA) – World Premiere. This moving portrait of legendary comedian Richard Pryor chronicles his life from his troubled youth in Peoria, Illinois, to his meteoric rise as one of the most respected comic actors of the 20th century. Often misunderstood during the height of his celebrity, the late superstar has never been profiled this extensively. Marina Zenovich’s revealing and entertaining film lays bare the demons with which he struggled and reminds us just how daring and dangerous artistic freedom can be. After the Movie: Stay for a conversation with Emmy Award®-winning director Marina Zenovich, author Walter Mosley and comedian Wyatt Cenac to discuss the making of the documentary and the impact of one of Hollywood’s most controversial comedians. DATE: Wednesday, April 24 TIME: 6:00 PM LOCATION: SVA Theater 1 “Tribeca Talks: Industry” (Free event: Reserve tickets in advance at www.tribecafilm.com/film guide) Look Who’s Talking Now celebrating its tenth anniversary, the Tribeca Film Institute’s Tribeca All Access® program has supported several projects whose crews included at least one writer or director from a community statistically underrepresented in the film industry. When it comes to major box office hits, narratives featuring a diversity of characters on screen are finding increased success despite a marked lack of diversity behind the camera. Join our film industry professionals for a dynamic debate on race, authorship and authenticity in today’s filmmaking scene.  Panelists include author, critic and filmmaker Nelson George, actor and playwright Anna Deavere Smith, Indiewire’s Shadow & Act Chief Editor Tambay Obenson, producer and Braven Films President and CEO Frida Torresblanco and filmmaker Terence Nance.  Moderated by Tribeca Film Institute Executive Director Beth Janson. DATE: Friday, April 19 TIME: 2:30 PM LOCATION: SVA Theater 2 Brand New Studios What happens to film when brands become producers? Filmmakers and brand managers are uniting like never before to make everything from shorts to feature-length films to episodic series.  The results of these partnerships are stretching the traditional sponsor role and creating new opportunities for filmmakers.  Hear from successful brands that are vying to take on the role of producer.  Panelists include ESPN Films Director of Development Dan Silver; GE Executive Director of Global Digital Marketing Linda Boff; VICE Media, Inc. Executive Creative Director Danny Gabai and Red Bull Media House Head of Distribution Greg Jacobs.  Moderated by strategic consultant Nancy Schafer. DATE: Sunday, April 21 TIME: 2:30 PM LOCATION: SVA Theater 2 The Business of Entertainment: Truth, Persuasion and Bias in Documentaries Sponsored by Bloomberg. Documentarians, like journalists, make use of a full range of storytelling conventions. Some prefer to observe and report events as they happen, while others gravitate more toward opinion, commentary or in-depth personal narrative. How do filmmakers navigate between journalistic precision and creative nonfiction – and are these choices shaped by financial demands in the business of entertainment? Hear from leading voices in the documentary world to examine choices of style and approach to telling their stories. Panelists include Executive Vice President American Documentary | POV Cynthia López and leading documentary filmmakers Dan Krauss (The Kill Team) Morgan Spurlock, Kristi Jacobson andShola Lynch. Moderated by Bloomberg Chief Content Officer Norman Pearlstine. DATE: Monday, April 22 TIME: 2:30 PM LOCATION: SVA Theater 2 Big Data and the Movies Sponsored by SAP. Big Data presents new methods for testing the production and distribution of films both big and small.  Join our panel of industry experts to consider the effect and implications of strategically developed content and social sentiment to explore the latest ways audience data analysts and distributors are retooling the what, when and how of filmgoing.  Whether you are creating or consuming film on small screens or in IMAX theaters, learn what Big Data will mean to you.  Panelists include Rentrak CEO Bill Livek, FilmTrack Co-Founder and CEO Jason Kassin, MoviePass Co-Founder and CEO Stacy Spikes, Mashable’s Senior Tech Analyst Christina Warren and Director of Digital Strategy at Film Society of Lincoln CenterEugene Hernandez.  Moderated by SAP Labs SVP/GM of Media Industry Solutions Richard Whittington. DATE: Tuesday, April 23 TIME: 2:30 PM LOCATION: SVA Theater 2 New Filmmakers in the Digital Age Sponsored by Panavision.  Learn from doing.  With expanding options in digital cameras and lens combinations, along with a transparency of production workflow strategies and processes, directors, producers and cinematographers are learning more from each other than ever before.  Panavision’s New Filmmaker Program supports filmmakers by providing grants for camera packages.  Come and hear from new filmmakers on how they navigated the world of digital filmmaking.  Panelists include director Lance Edmands (Bluebird), filmmaker/actor Alex Karpovsky, director Jenée LaMarque (The Pretty One), director Rob Meyer (A Birder’s Guide to Everything) and producer Tamara Anghie (Run and Jump).  Moderated by Panavision’s Peter Brogna. DATE: Thursday, April 25 TIME: 2:30 PM LOCATION: SVA Theater 2 “Tribeca Talks: Pen to Paper” (Free) Hosted by Barnes & Noble New Chick Flicks From sports films to comedies, action flicks to war documentaries, female filmmakers, writers and actors are challenging traditional associations of what makes a movie for or by women. Join us for this dynamic exploration why being a female in the film industry requires re-writing the typecast model.  Panelists include producer of the ESPN Nine for IX series Libby Geist, directorRachel Boynton (Big Men), producer Tanya Ager Meillier (Alias Ruby Blade) andwriter/producer Laura Goode (Farah Goes Bang). Moderated by producer Abigail Disney. DATE: Friday, April 19 TIME: 1:00 PM LOCATION: Barnes & Noble 33 E 17^th Street at Union Square Putting the “I” in “Film” “Write what you know” has always been a mantra, but “film what you know”? How can direct personal experiences translate to audience-friendly, relatable pieces on screen? How much of our “all” should we bare? Hear from filmmakers, writers and actors who have written more than a piece of themselves into the filmmaking process.  Panelists include director Banker White (The Genius of Marian), director Tom Berninger (Mistaken for Strangers), writer/actressAmy Grantham (Lily), director Josh Fox (Gasland Part II).  Moderated by Screen International’sMark Adams. DATE: Saturday, April 20 TIME: 1:00 PM LOCATION: Barnes & Noble 33 E 17^th Street at Union Square Whose Credit is it Anyway? Documentaries continue to evolve over the years into ever more complex, multi-format storytelling features. One recent development is a new credit: the writer. As filmmakers embrace or fight this controversial title, our panelists discuss when taking the credit is appropriate. Panelists include writer/director Fahad Mustafa (Powerless), writer/directorWarwick Ross (Red Obsession), director Jason Osder (Let the Fire Burn), editor Nels Bangerter(Let the Fire Burn) and director Sean Dunne (Oxyana).  Moderated by director Julia Bacha(Budrus). DATE: Sunday, April 21 TIME: 1:00 PM LOCATION: Barnes & Noble 33 E 17^th Street at Union Square Special “Tribeca Talks” Events A Special Shorts Event: The Battle of amfAR Directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman.  (USA) – New York Premiere. In the darkest days of the AIDS pandemic, two women from very different walks of life unite to take a stand.  Two-time Academy Award^®-winner Rob Epstein and his longtime collaborator Jeffrey Friedman, the creative forces behind The Celluloid Closet, tell the story of the extraordinary moment when Dr. Mathilde Krim and Hollywood icon Elizabeth Taylor launched the country’s first AIDS research foundation.  The fight against HIV/AIDS would never be the same.  An HBO Documentary Films release. After the Screening: Stay for a conversation with special guests Dr. Mathilde Krim, global health consultant and activist Regan Hofmann and amfAR CEO Kevin Robert Frost to discuss the new strides medicine has taken in AIDS research development.  Moderated by amfAR chairman Kenneth Cole. DATE: Wednesday, April 24 TIME: 5:30 PM LOCATION: SVA Theater 2 source: Tribeca Film Festival

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[caption id="attachment_3289" align="alignnone" width="550"]Big Shot[/caption]

The Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival,  which has become the a great showcase for independent films about sports and competition is back for the 2013 Festival.  The festival announced the lineup for the seventh annual Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival, consisting of nine films, including four titles from ESPN Films’ highly anticipated “Nine for IX” series which celebrates the fortieth anniversary of Title IX with nine documentary films about women in sports directed by outstanding female filmmakers. The 2013 Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival will run during the 12th TFF, April 17 – April 28 in New York City. 

The world premiere of Big Shot, directed by Kevin Connolly, will serve as the gala premiere of the program on Friday, April 19. Connolly is returning to Tribeca having debuted his feature film Gardener of Eden in 2007. In Big Shot, Connolly chronicles John Spano’s fraudulent purchase of the New York Islanders.  In 1997, Spano bought the New York Islanders for a staggering $165 million. The scheme behind Spano’s acquisition of the team is revealed as Big Shot takes viewers behind the scenes of the biggest fraud in hockey history.

The other films include documentary films that explore stories of an extreme skiing legend; the world’s top professional skateboarders; an overhyped high school basketball player; the battle in the ring and the courts of the greatest boxing legend; the personal struggles of college sports’ most successful coach ever; the largely unknown history of an Olympic gold medalist and her link with East Germany’s secret police; the unyielding quest of a world-class diver to reach new depths; and the gender politics of post-game locker room interviews.

All of this year’s Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival films will screen at Tribeca Cinemas on Saturday, April 27. The films also screen prior to April 27 throughout the Festival. In addition to the film series, the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival will present the free Sports Day as part of the Tribeca Family Festival Street Fair. Sports Day, will also take place on Saturday, April 27, offerring fans an opportunity to engage in a variety of free, sports-related games and activities.  

The following are the films featured in the 2013 Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival.  

TRIBECA/ESPN SPORTS FILM FESTIVAL LINE-UP 

Gala

Big Shot, directed by Kevin Connolly. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary.  In 1997, John Spano, a previously unknown Dallas business mogul, bought the New York Islanders for a whopping $165 million. The future looked bright for the once-legendary team. Then Spano took his seat in the front office. Entourage’s Kevin Connolly takes us behind the scenes of the biggest fraud in hockey history, as Spano’s wealth is revealed to be a lie and his rise to power a brilliantly concocted scheme.

The following Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival titles have been announced in their respective sections as part of the 2013 TFF film program:

McConkey, directed and written by Steve Winter, Murray Wais, Scott Gaffney, David Zieff, and Rob Bruce. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. An all-star roster of sports movie-making talent directs this heartfelt biography of extreme ski trailblazer Shane McConkey, once described as “the most influential skier ever.”McConkey covers forty years and countless high places to track Shane’s conversion from downhill racer to freeskiing marvel to pioneer of a hair-raising new discipline—ski BASE jumping—giving new meaning to the question, how do you live your life to the fullest?

Lenny Cooke, directed by Benny Safdie and Joshua Safdie. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. In 2001, Lenny Cooke was the most hyped high school basketball player in the country, ranked above future greats LeBron James, Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony. A decade later, Lenny has never played a minute in the NBA. In this quintessentially American documentary, filmmaking brothers Joshua and Benny Safdie track the unfulfilled destiny of a man for whom superstardom was only just out of reach.

The Trials of Muhammad Ali, directed by Bill Siegel. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Brash boxer Cassius Clay burst into the American consciousness in the early 1960s, just ahead of the Civil Rights movement. His transformation into the spiritually enlightened heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali is legendary, but this religious awakening also led to a bitter legal battle with the U.S. government after he refused to serve in the Vietnam War. This film reveals the perfect storm of race, religion and politics that shaped one of the most recognizable figures in sports history.

The Motivation, directed by Adam Bhala Lough. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Go inside the lives and training regimes of eight of the world’s gutsiest professional skateboarders. These fearless stars face unique obstacles on the way to the Street League Championship and the coveted title of best street skateboarder in the world. Adam Bhala Lough, creator of the independent hit Bomb the System (TFF 2003), directs this fresh, energetic documentary search for that elusive quality that separates winners from the pack. In English, Portuguese with subtitles.

Special Screenings from the “Nine for IX” series

Pat XO, directed by Lisa Lax and Nancy Stern Winters. Produced by Robin Roberts. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. In August 2011, Pat Summitt, NCAA basketball’s winningest coach, made the stunning announcement that she had early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.  Before and after resigning in April 2012, the legendary coach and her son, Tyler, have set out to beat this challenge as they had every other—with grace, humor and, most of all, each other. Pat XO tells the remarkable story of this incomparable coach as it has never been told before, straight from the people who knew her best. 

The Diplomat, directed by Senain Kheshgi and Jennifer Arnold. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. At the height of the Cold War, Katarina Witt became one of East Germany’s most famous athletes, winning six European titles, four world championships and back-to-back Olympic gold medals. Known as “the most beautiful face of socialism,” she earned unique benefits in East Germany but also constant surveillance from the Stasi, the notorious secret police force.

No Limits, directed by Alison Ellwood. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Suffering from scoliosis as a teenager, Audrey Mestre found freedom in the ocean. Years later, she discovered another reason to love the water: the elusive, often raucous free diver Pipin Ferreras. As Mestre follows Ferreras’s almost spiritual quest to push his limits underwater, she moves from supporter to ardent free diver to world-class competitor. Then a challenge from a rival pushes the couple to the brink of what is possible, both above and below the surface.

Let Them Wear Towels, directed by Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. During the 1977 World Series, Sports Illustrated reporter Melissa Ludtke was denied access to the players’ locker room. After a very public fight, the door was opened, but the debate about female journalists in the male sanctum of the clubhouse remained. Through interviews with pioneering female sports writers, Let Them Wear Towels captures the raw behavior, humorous retaliation, angry lawsuits and remarkable resolve that went into the struggle for equal access for women reporters.

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[caption id="attachment_3282" align="alignnone" width="550"]Grandma’s Not A Toaster[/caption]

The 2013 Tribeca Film Festival (TFF) today announced its lineup of 60 short films.  The winner of the Tribeca Film Festival’s Best Narrative Short award and Best Documentary Short award will qualify for consideration in the Short Films category of the Annual Academy Awards®. The 2012 TFF Narrative Short Winner Asad and competition short Curfew were nominated for best Live Action Short at this year’s Annual Academy Awards, with Curfew taking home the coveted honor.

The lineup features performances by a range of emerging and established talent such as Lauren Ambrose, Kevin Corrigan, Elle Fanning, Jessica Hecht, Nastassja Kinski, Julian Sands, Jay O. Sanders, Dominic West and Elijah Wood. Shawn Christensen, Academy Award-winning director of Curfew, returns to TFF with Grandma’s Not a Toaster.

The 2013 shorts program will be presented in 8 thematic programs — 5 narrative categories, 2 documentary categories and 1 experimental category. 

The short film selections within the eight programs are as follows:

CHARACTER WITNESS – Documentary program

These documentaries present first-person perspectives that ponder events affecting life, death and in-between. In Yamamoto, Japan, eighteen months after the Tohoku disaster, survivors left with nothing hold onto their existence through pictures found and restored from tsunami rubble in Recollections. Grave Goods explores the fetishism of the “beautiful things” collected by a grandmother during her lifetime and what happens to these prized possessions after she is gone. When the Song Dies weaves a captive spell of stories, songs and memories from across Scotland, in counterpoint to the country’s richly evocative landscape. Wilt Chamberlain: Borscht Belt Bellhop reveals a chapter in the life of one of basketball’s greatest players when a different era of the sport met the borscht belt at the peak of its Dirty Dancing-style fame. A slot machine junkie records his psychotherapy sessions and confronts the consequences of his twelve-year addiction in Lapse: Confessions of a Slot Machine Junkie. We Will Live Again looks at the unusual operations and caretakers of the Cryonics Institute, a mom-and-pop style warehouse that maintains ninety-nine deceased human bodies stored at below-freezing temperatures in cryopreservation. Timmy Brennan, a Freedom Tower ironworker and surfer who lost everything in the Breezy Point fires during Hurricane Sandy, is given a new board by strangers and finds hope riding the same ocean that shattered his community in The Rider and the Storm. 

Recollections, Directed and written by Nathanael Carton, (Japan), New York Premiere

Grave Goods, Directed and written by Leslie Tai, (USA), World Premiere

When The Song Dies, Directed by Jamie Chambers, (Scotland), North American Premiere

Wilt Chamberlain: Borscht Belt Bellhop, Directed by Caroline Laskow and Ian Rosenberg, (USA), World Premiere

Lapse: Confessions of a Slot Machine Junkie, Directed and written by Jonathan VanBallenberghe, (USA), World Premiere

We Will Live Again, Directed by Josh Koury and Myles Kane, (USA), World Premiere

The Rider and the Storm, Directed and written by David Darg and Bryn Mooser, (USA), World Premiere

 

DEADBOLT – Narrative program

Robots and vampires and werewolves, oh my, roam these short films as we call for a lockdown with our late-night genre program.In The Girl with the Mechanical Maiden, an inventor takes an unorthodox approach to childrearing after the death of his wife. A young girl who lives in a remote wrecking yard confronts the town bullies when they torment her father in Yardbird. It is 2021, and imprisoned journalist Joseph Michaels faces government execution and contemplates a desperate escape attempt in order to return to his young family in The Exit Room. Following a gruesome accident, a man finds himself stuck and injured on a remote road in the dead of winter waiting for first responders in AB-. As a young runaway heads to Harlem, where her father is a low-level drug dealer, she is assaulted by a mysterious creature and left for dead in Peanut Butter & Jelly. A special American guest is coming to a hotel in Beijing to stay in the Honeymoon Suite, but the new guest services manager soon learns that the visitor is not quite what he appears to be. A culinary connoisseur and a chef go on a hunt for a rare animal in Delicacy. Set in the candy-colored world of 1950s suburbia,The Root of the Problem follows a reluctant young housewife who suspects that the friendly neighborhood dentist is hiding a horrible secret. 

The Girl with the Mechanical Maiden, Directed and written by Andrew Legge, (Ireland), New York Premiere

Yardbird, Directed by Michael Spiccia, written by Julius Avery, (Australia), New York Premiere

The Exit Room, Directed and written by Todd Wiseman Jr, (USA), World Premiere

AB-, Directed and written by Daniel Klein, (USA), World Premiere

Peanut Butter & Jelly, Directed and written by David Winkfield, (USA), World Premiere

Honeymoon Suite (蜜月套房), Directed by Zao Wang, written by Zao Wang and Tom Toro, (China), World Premiere

Delicacy, Directed by Jason Mann, written by Frieda Luk and Jason Mann, (USA), New York Premiere

The Root Of The Problem, Directed and written by Ryan Spindell and Mark E. Davidson, (USA), New York Premiere

 

THE END IS NEAR — Narrative program

The Mayans were wrong. We’re still here, but endings both apocalyptic and personal confront the characters in these short films.Every forty seconds a person commits suicide, and The Acrobat is the story of one of them. Two friends who work as luggage rack attendants on a bus take a road trip filled with reality and mysticism in Murk Light. Snow In Paradise is a snapshot of life on a remote island in the South Pacific through the eyes of a young girl unaware of the power beyond the ocean reef. Grace follows a dozen interconnected lives as they experience loss and understanding in the pivotal hours before a global event occurs. On a stormy night in Long Island, three siblings fight over their grandmother’s fortune, but no one realized that Grandma was ready to fight back in Grandma’s Not a Toaster. Skillman has vanquished his nemesis, recovered the artifact and saved his latest lover from certain doom, but wait until you see what happens when his greatest adventure is over in Epilogue. 

The Acrobat, Directed and written by Gerardo Herrero, (Spain), New York Premiere

Murk Light (ضوء دامس), Directed by Yasir Al-Yasiri, written by Mohammed A. Al Hammadi, (Iraq), North American Premiere

Snow in Paradise, Directed by Justine Simei-Barton and Nikki Si’ulepa, written by Nikki Si’ulepa, (New Zealand), New York Premiere

Grace, Directed and written by Keir Burrows, (U.K.), International Premiere

Grandma’s Not a Toaster, Directed by Andrew Napier, written by Shawn Christensen, (USA), World Premiere

Epilogue, Directed and written by Dylan Allen, (USA), World Premiere

 

HISTORY LESSONS — Documentary program

The past is brought into the present through these personal and social documentaries offering a wide range of insights on shaping our world. Four experts on arms trafficking recount first-hand experiences with the black market and how the illegal flow of weapons facilitates loss of life and devastation in A Short Film About Guns. Reporting on The Times: The New York Times and The Holocaust explores why The New York Times, a Jewish-owned newspaper, buried reports of The Holocaust during World War II.Coach Vivian Stringer is one of the most prolific coaches in the history of college basketball, and also a perfect example of grace under fire. Royal American features a love triangle between a found typewriter from the 1930s, the streets of Manhattan and the lost art of letter writing. Who Shot Rock & Roll explores the groundbreaking collaborations between the photographers and musicians who created some of the most enduring images in rock history.

A Short Film About Guns, Directed by Minos Papas, (Cyprus), (U.K.), (USA), World Premiere

Reporting on The Times: The New York Times and The Holocaust , Directed by Emily Harrold, (USA),World Premiere

Coach, Directed by Bess Kargman, (USA), World Premiere

Royal American, Directed and written by Michael Scalisi, (USA), World Premiere

Who Shot Rock & Roll, Directed and written by Steven Kochones, (USA), World Premiere

 

LET THERE BE LIGHT: THE CYCLES OF LIFE — Experimental program

This selection of experimental short films showcases the profound artistic influence of light. In their artistic practice, experimental filmmakers are acutely aware of the quality of light that informs their work. This selection highlights the unique manner in which they seek inspiration from the power of the sun, the reflections of the moon and the luminosity emitted by artificial light sources. In linking their own vision directly to that of the eye of the camera, these artists create brilliant moving works that both illuminate the human condition and reflect the cycles of life. Films include Sight, Star Light No. 5 Bis, Depart, Lunatic, Parallel North, Hermeneutics, Light Plate, The Moon Has Its Reasons, Corn Mother, The Last Time, Two Islands, Dead World Order andLook Inside the Ghost Machine.

Sight, Directed and written by Thirza Cuthand, (Canada), U.S. Premiere

Star Light No.5 Bis, Directed and written by Cécile Fontaine, (France), North American Premiere

Depart, Directed by Blake Williams, (Canada), U.S. Premiere

Lunatic, Directed and written by Aasa Ersmark, (Sweden), International Premiere

Parallel North (Parallèle Nord), Directed and written by Félix Dufour-Laperrière, (Canada), World Premiere

Hermeneutics, Directed by Alexei Dmitriev, (Russia), New York Premiere

Light Plate, Directed and written by Josh Gibson, (Italy), (USA), New York Premiere

The Moon Has Its Reasons, Directed and written by Lewis Klahr, (U.K.), North American Premiere

Corn Mother, Directed and written by Taylor Dunne, (USA), New York Premiere

The Last Time, Directed and written by Candy Kugel, (USA), World Premiere

Two Islands, Directed and written by Jan Ijäs, (Finland), North American Premiere

Dead World Order, Directed by Dana Levy, (France), International Premiere

Look Inside The Ghost Machine, Directed and written by Peter Lichter, (Hungary), North American Premiere

 

SKIN DEEP — Narrative program

We expose our more sensitive side to delve into issues of self-image and self-discovery. A young girl battles with body image and enters the world of eating disorders, where worth rises as weight falls, in Likeness. Fifteen-year-old Klara is Eating Lunch with four others at the Eating Disorder Clinic under the supervision of nurses, but they have only thirty minutes to finish their meal. In Wings, Christopher prepares for one of the most important concerts of his career knowing that he cannot make any mistake. On a sweltering hot day, pregnant Maria’s loving-kindness practice is tested by work schedules, mechanical failures and complex human relationships conspiring against a desperately needed cooling dip in The River. The Cup Reader follows a woman renowned for her mystical seeing and matchmaking as she reads the fortunes of clients who must choose between love or marriage. Tonight, Sophie will play the violin in the school concert and wants desperately for her mother to be there to see her shine in Ina Litovski. A vow to climb a summit in the Italian Alps becomes the challenge of a lifetime for a man and a woman recovering from open-heart surgery inThe Nightshift Belongs to the Stars.

Likeness , Directed and written by Rodrigo Prieto, (USA), World Premiere

Eating Lunch (Äta Lunch), Directed and written by Sanna Lenken, (Sweden), International Premiere

Wings, Directed and written by José Villalobos, (USA), (Spain), International Premiere

The River, Directed and written by Sam Handel, (USA), New York Premiere

The Cup Reader (Qariat il Finjan), Directed and written by Suha Araj, (Occupied Palestinian Territory), World Premiere

Ina Litovski, Directed by Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette and André Turpin, written by André Turpin and Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette, (Canada), U.S. Premiere

The Nightshift Belongs to the Stars (Il Turno di Notte lo Fanno le Stelle), Directed by Edoardo Ponti, written by Erri De Luca, (Italy), North American Premiere

 

UNLIMITED RIDE — Narrative program

This year our New York shorts program takes you on a journey through Manhattan and into the boroughs to meet some unique individuals trying to survive in the city we call home. Henry and Lucy sleepwalk through New York City in the middle of the night and experience sights and sounds that most people slumber through in ZZZZZZZ. Visually impaired Imani has dreams of college acceptance and love despite her over-protective mother’s objections to both in Close Your Eyes. Ronnie is an existential enforcer for a Brooklyn crime boss  conflicted by his life and the pointlessness around him, as he sculpts in ICE and searches for life’s meaning. A seventeen-year-old girl in a wheelchair and a young antisocial male prostitute living on the streets have an unexpected encounter inAtlantic Avenue. Paul and Kate excitedly arrive for dinner at the home of a cool couple from their kids’ school, only to discover an interloping third couple already in attendance, as playground politics boil over in Playdate. In Fortune House, a butterfly romance takes flight with a twist of fate and fortune cookies. When his hippie parents suggest he see a shrink, a dreamy fifteen-year-old goes into a tailspin of self-doubt before his confidence is restored thanks to some quick thinking in Space Cadet. 

ZZZZZZZ, Directed and written by Tarik Karam, (USA), World Premiere

Close Your Eyes, Directed and written by Sonia Malfa, (USA), World Premiere

ICE, Directed and written by Anthony Tarsitano, (USA), World Premiere

Atlantic Avenue, Directed and written by Laure de Clermont, (France), International Premiere

Playdate, Directed and written by David Shane and Scott Organ, (USA), World Premiere

Fortune House, Directed by Matthew Bonifacio, written by Bob Linton, (USA), World Premiere

Space Cadet , Directed by Paul Riccio, written by Michael Gambino, (USA), World Premiere

 

WORST DAY EVER — Narrative program

If you are having a bad day, we are betting that these short films will make you feel a wee bit better about things. Three friends go to a housewarming in a Paris apartment, but when some uninvited guests try to crash, the tension mounts in The Hounds. Set in the late 1950s at California’s iconic Madonna Inn, a despondent father struggles with the decision to end his own life and the life of his young son in What’s Left, What’s Lost. On the eve of her thirteenth birthday, Esther Weary must come to terms with the realities of becoming a woman through her clueless grandfather and his pet pug in Life Doesn’t Frighten Me. Two video game characters forge an unlikely romance in RPG OKC. Showing that there is always a reason to laugh, stand-up comic Reuben Stein does the most daring set of his life in Setup, Punch. A small bird with a Fear of Flying tries to avoid heading south for the winter. A third-grade class pulls an innocent prank on its teacher with disastrous results in Fool’s Day.

The Hounds (Les Meutes), Directed and written by Manuel Shapira, (France), North American Premiere

What’s Left, What’s Lost, Directed and written by Katie Rose, (USA), World Premiere

Life Doesn’t Frighten Me, Directed and written by Stephen Dunn, (Canada), New York Premiere

RPG OKC, Directed and written by Emily Carmichael, (USA), World Premiere

Setup, Punch., Directed and written by David Schlussel, (USA), World Premiere

Fear of Flying, Directed and written by Conor Finnegan, (Ireland), New York Premiere

Fool’s Day, Directed by Cody Blue Snider, written by Cody Blue Snider and Shane Snider, (USA), World Premiere

 

SPECIAL SCREENING

The Battle of amfAR, Directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, written by Sharon Wood.  (USA), New York Premiere, Documentary. In the darkest days of the AIDS pandemic, two women from very different walks of life unite to take a stand. Two-time Academy Award®-winner Rob Epstein and his longtime collaborator Jeffrey Friedman, the creative forces behind The Celluloid Closet, tell the story of the extraordinary moment when Dr. Mathilde Krim and Hollywood icon Elizabeth Taylor launched the country’s first AIDS research foundation. The fight against HIV/AIDS would never be the same. An HBO Documentary Films release.

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The 12th Tribeca Film Festival (TFF), taking place from April 17 to April 28, 2013, in New York City today announced its feature film selections in the Spotlight and Midnight sections, projects in the new Storyscapes section and Special Screenings. 

Tribeca’s Spotlight section features documentaries profiling famous and influential figures abound, from comedians like Moms Mabley in Whoopi Goldberg’s I Got Somethin’ To Tell You, Broadway legend Elaine Stritch in Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me and icon Richard Pryor in Richard Pryor: Omit The Logic, to sports stars (McConkey), artists (Inside Out: The People’s Art Project), designers (The Director), intellectuals (Gore Vidal:  United States Of Amnesia) and even criminal masterminds (In God We Trust). 

Narrative films in the Spotlight section include the identical twins at the center of romantic comedy The Pretty One, the indie buddy comedies Prince Avalanche and Almost Christmas or the immersive drama taking place between couples in Richard Linklater’s final chapter to his trilogy, Before Midnight, and sexy two-hander Some Velvet Morning. 

Kicking off the Midnight section is Marina de Van’s stylish Dark Touch, the disturbing story of a traumatized young girl whose subconscious begins to lash out at those who have wronged her. The festival introduces the Storyscapes section,  a new juried section to showcase innovative, interactive, transmedia work across genres.

The complete list of films selected for Spotlight, Midnight, Special Screenings and projects in Storyscapes follows:

SPOTLIGHT

Adult World, directed by Scott Coffey, written by Andy Cochran. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. Amy (Emma Roberts) is naïve, awkward and anxious to get her poetry career off of the ground. She begrudgingly accepts a job at the local sex shop, Adult World, while pursuing a surefire kick-start for her success: a mentorship with reclusive writer Rat Billings (the hilarious John Cusack). As Amy’s world melds with that of Adult World, she slowly learns that inspiration can be found in the most improbable places.

Almost Christmas, directed by Phil Morrison, written by Melissa James Gibson. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. Two French Canadian ne’er-do-wells travel to New York City with a scheme to a get rich quick selling Christmas trees. Easygoing charmer Rene (Paul Rudd) clashes with misanthropic ex-con Dennis (Paul Giamatti), whose wife Rene just stole. Still, this odd couple must make an honest go of it in this fresh buddy comedy co-starring Sally Hawkins, by the director of the indie breakout hit Junebug.

At Any Price, directed by Ramin Bahrani, written by Hallie Elizabeth Newton and Bahrani. (USA) – New York Premiere, Narrative. The robust farming industry of Iowa is the backdrop for this father-and-son story. Dean Wipple (Zac Efron) longs to be a professional racecar driver. His father Henry (Dennis Quaid) plans to make him the heir to their family farming empire. When Henry’s ethics and expansion practices come under fire, the family must unify or risk losing everything. Temptation, ambition and competition are the driving forces behind this modern-day drama co-starring Heather Graham and Clancy Brown. A Sony Pictures Classics release.

Before Midnight, directed by Richard Linklater, written by Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke and Linklater. (USA) – New York Premiere, Narrative. In the eagerly anticipated third chapter in the star-crossed tale of Jesse and Celine, director and co-writer Richard Linklater fast-forwards to nine years after their last meeting. Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy deliver powerfully authentic performances as the companions who find themselves at yet another crossroads in their twisting but passionate relationship. The picturesque streets of Greece serve as the latest backdrop to this beautifully crafted love story. A Sony Pictures Classics release.

 Big Bad Wolves, directed and written by Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado. (Israel) – World Premiere, Narrative. A vigilante cop and a vengeful father capture and interrogate an accused serial killer. Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado’s brutal follow-up to Rabies (TFF 2011) examines a horror that most would not want to imagine: what would you do if someone hurt the one you loved most? A revenge thriller with teeth,Big Bad Wolves delivers on its raw tension and operatic drama. In Hebrew with subtitles. 

Bottled Up, directed and written by Enid Zentelis. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. In this modern-day drama, Oscar®-winner Melissa Leo beautifully conveys the heart-wrenching struggle that comes with loving an addict. Complaining of back pain months after a car accident, Sylvie’s (Marin Ireland) addiction to painkillers is clear to everyone except her mother, Faye (Leo). A promising solution appears in Becket (Josh Hamilton), but relationships and loyalty are soon tested when his feelings fall in an unexpected place.

 Byzantium, directed by Neil Jordan, written by Moira Buffini. (U.K., Ireland) – U.S. Premiere, Narrative. Neil Jordan’s exploration of vampirism began with Interview with the Vampire. Now he returns to this lurid, malevolent realm through Clara (Gemma Arterton) and her daughter Eleanor (Saoirse Ronan). Creatures from Clara’s past come calling, and these immortals are forced to relocate. Dire consequences follow anyway when Eleanor makes a connection with a local boy (Caleb Landry Jones) and slowly reveals the truth of who they are and how they survive. An IFC Films release.

 A Case of You, directed by Kat Coiro, written by Justin Long, Keir O’Donnel, and Christian Long. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. A young writer (Justin Long) woos a cute and quirky barista (Evan Rachel Wood) by creating an embellished online profile. When she falls for his alter ego, he must keep up the act or lose his dream girl. Directed by TFF alumna Kat Coiro and featuring a cast of hilarious cameo performers including Peter Dinklage, Sam Rockwell, Vince Vaughn and Sienna Miller, A Case of You is a winning romantic comedy for the social media age.

Cycling with Moliere (Alceste à bicyclette), directed and written by Philippe Le Guay. (France) – International Premiere, Narrative. Once-great actor Serge Tanneur (Fabrice Luchini) now spends his days alone, cycling through the windblown landscape of France’s Île de Ré. Even an offer from his old friend Gauthier (Lambert Wilson) to return to the stage in Molière’s The Misanthrope fails to draw his interest. At least, at first. Phillippe Le Guay’s charming comedy of egos colliding on the French seaside turns into a neatly crafted, wonderfully performed search for the creative spark.

The Director, directed by Christina Voros. (Italy) – World Premiere, Documentary. How do you make one of the world’s most revered fashion brands your own? That is the task facing creative director Frida Giannini in this authoritative look at the past, present and future of The House of Gucci, directed by director/cinematographer Christina Voros (Kink) and co-produced by James Franco. Taking advantage of rare, behind-the-scenes access, Voros shows how the Florentine trendsetter has been reimagined in the past few years. 

Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me, directed by Chiemi Karasawa. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Broadway legend Elaine Stritch remains in the spotlight at eighty-seven years old. Join the uncompromising Tony and Emmy Award-winner both on and off stage in this revealing documentary. With interviews from Tina Fey, Nathan Lane, Hal Prince and others, Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me blends rare archival footage and intimate cinema vérité to reach beyond Stritch’s brassy exterior, revealing a multi-dimensional portrait of a complex woman and an inspiring artist.

The English Teacher, directed by Craig Zisk, written by Dan Chariton and Stacy Chariton. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. Teacher Linda Sinclair (Julianne Moore) balances her staid home life with an incredible passion for her subject, but her routine is forever altered when a former star pupil and his unsupportive father reenter her life. Go-to television director Craig Zisk, whose credits include Scrubs, Weeds and United States of Tara, takes a turn on the big screen with this insightful comedy about self-discovery co-starring Greg Kinnear, Nathan Lane, Michael Angarano and Lily Collins. A Cinedigm and Tribeca Film co-release.

Gasland Part II, directed and written by Josh Fox. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Two years ago, Josh Fox introduced us to hydraulic fracturing with his Oscar®-nominated exposé Gasland. Now this once-touted energy source has become a widely discussed, contentious topic. In his follow-up, Fox reveals the extreme circumstances facing those affected by fracking, from earthquakes to the use of federal anti-terror psychological operations tactics. Gasland Part II is the definitive proof that issues raised by fracking cannot be ignored for long. 

G.B.F., directed by Darren Stein, written by George Northy. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. The bitter fight for supremacy between a school’s most popular girls takes an unexpected turn when Tanner (Michael J. Willett) becomes its first openly gay student. As they race to bag the big trend in fashion accessories, the Gay Best Friend, Tanner must choose between skyrocketing popularity and the friends he is leaving behind. Darren Stein (Jawbreaker) returns with another comic send-up of high school clique culture, including memorable cameos by Megan Mullally and Natasha Lyonne. 

Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia, directed and written by Nicholas Wrathall. (USA) – International Premiere, Documentary. Anchored by intimate, one-on-one interviews with the man himself, Nicholas Wrathall’s new documentary is a fascinating and wholly entertaining tribute to the iconic Gore Vidal. Commentary by those who knew him best—including filmmaker/nephew Burr Steers and the late Christopher Hitchens—blends with footage from Vidal’s legendary on-air career to remind us why he will forever stand as one of the most brilliant and fearless critics of our time.

Greetings from Tim Buckley, directed by Daniel Algrant, written by David Brendel, Emma Sheanshang and  Algrant. (USA) – U.S. Premiere, Narrative. “Like father, like son” is a demanding expression for someone who never knew his dad. When young Jeff Buckley (Penn Badgley) is asked to participate in a tribute concert for his late musician father Tim, music opens his eyes to the artistic legacy that he is destined to follow. Imogen Poots co-stars in this quiet and powerful tribute to those legends sustained by admiration, love and, in this case, beautiful music. A Tribeca Film release.

Haute Cuisine, directed by Christian Vincent, written by Etienne Comar and Vincent. (France) – North American Premiere, Narrative. Chef Hortense Laborie (Catherine Frot) is plucked from relative obscurity to whip up classic French dishes for the most powerful man in the nation. Based on the real-life story of the personal chef to former French president François Mitterand, Haute Cuisine uses the politically charged kitchen and corridors of the Élysée Palace as an exquisite backdrop for a nonstop parade of mouthwatering dishes in this deliciously French comedy. In English, French with subtitles. The Weinstein Company release. 

I Got Somethin’ to Tell You, directed by Whoopi Goldberg. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Having broken racial and sexual boundaries as a pioneering comic talent, the late Moms Mabley has long been an icon in the comedy world. Now Whoopi Goldberg takes a deep dive into Mabley’s legacy via recently unearthed photography, rediscovered performance footage and the words of numerous celebrated comedians. A true passion project for Goldberg, I Got Somethin’ to Tell You shows Mabley’s historical significance and profound influence as a performer vastly ahead of her time.

In God We Trust, directed and written by Victor Kubicek and Derek Anderson. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Bernie Madoff ruined many lives before his arrest in 2008. Perhaps no one was so personally affected as his longtime personal secretary, Eleanor Squillari. Meet Squillari in the days and months after the arrest, as her obsession with the case grows into her own unique search for clues. In God We Trust follows Squillari on her personal journey for justice, exposing previously unknown facts about the greatest financial crime ever committed.

Inside Out: The People’s Art Project, directed by Alastair Siddons. (France, U.K.) – World Premiere, Documentary. This fascinating documentary tracks the evolution of the world’s largest participatory art project, the wildly popular “Inside Out.” Travel the globe with French artist JR as he motivates communities to define their most important causes by pasting giant portraits in the street, testing the limits of what they thought possible. In capturing the process, Alastair Siddons creates a glowing testament to the power of the image and the role that art can play in transforming lives. In Arabic, Creole, English, French, Spanish with subtitles.

Lil Bub & Friendz, directed by Andy Capper and Juliette Eisner. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Called “the most famous cat on the Internet,” the wide-eyed perma-kitten Lil Bub is the adorable embodiment of the Web’s fascination with all things cats. Join Lil Bub and her owner on wild cross-country romp as they meet the Internet’s most famous cat-lebrities. Chock full of adorable kitties, hilarious videos and the dedicated cat enthusiasts who love them, Lil Bub & Friendz is a fun and hip peek behind the memes we know and love. Includes Mike “The Dude” Bridavsky, Ben Lashes, Grumpy Cat, Nyan Cat, Keyboard Cat.

McConkey, directed and written by Steve Winter, Murray Wais, Scott Gaffney, David Zieff, and Rob Bruce. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. An all-star roster of sports movie-making talent directs this heartfelt biography of extreme ski trailblazer Shane McConkey, once described as “the most influential skier ever.” McConkey covers forty years and countless high places to track Shane’s conversion from downhill racer to freeskiing marvel to pioneer of a hair-raising new discipline—ski BASE jumping—giving alarming new meaning to the question, how far would you go to be the next big thing?

The Motivation, directed by Adam Bhala Lough. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Go inside the lives and training regimes of eight of the world’s gutsiest professional skateboarders. These fearless stars face unique obstacles on the way to the Street League Championship and the coveted title of best skateboarder in the world. Adam Bhala Lough, creator of the 2003 independent hit Bomb the System (TFF 2003), directs this fresh, energetic documentary in search of the elusive quality that separates the winners from the pack. Features Nyjah Huston, Ryan Sheckler, Chris Cole, Paul Rodriguez, Sean Malto, Rob Dyrdek, Chaz Ortiz, Luan Oliveira, and Bastien Salabanzi. In English, Portuguese with subtitles.

The Pretty One, directed and written by Jenée LaMarque. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. Audrey has all of the qualities that her twin sister Laurel wishes she possessed: confidence, style, independence. When tragedy strikes, Laurel has the opportunity to reinvent herself. In a complex performance, Zoe Kazan poignantly captures Laurel’s complex mix of loss and awakening, especially as she begins a new relationship with her neighbor (Jake Johnson). Jeneìe LaMarque’s first feature film is a quirky, lovely tale of identity and the eternal bond between two sisters.

Prince Avalanche, directed and written by David Gordon Green. (USA) – New York Premiere, Narrative. Alvin (Paul Rudd) and Lance (Emile Hirsch) spend the summer of 1988 repainting a highway in a fire-damaged forest. The isolation quickly wears thin on Lance, yet an unlikely friendship emerges within their cutting jibes and forced reconciliations to meet the long road that lies ahead. David Gordon Green returns to the lyrical tenor of his earliest films in this potent blend of comedy and road-movie stoicism, based on the 2011 Icelandic film Either Way.  A Magnolia Pictures release.

The Project, directed and written by Shawn Efran and Adam Ciralsky. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. The Project profiles the precarious, real-life story of the Puntland Maritime Police Force, a group of Somali pirate hunters. Taking the hijacking of the African waterways and the kidnapping of innocent citizens into their under-trained hands, the PMPF face mutiny, death and a loss of corporate funding in their dangerous quest to free the Middle East shipping industry from terror. The mercenaries’ epic battle makes for an intense, gripping and disarming ride.

Reaching for the Moon (Flores Raras), directed by Bruno Barreto, written by Matthew Chapman and Carolina Kotscho. (Brazil) – North American Premiere, Narrative. Frustrated poet Elizabeth Bishop travels to Brazil and encounters the beguiling architect Lota de Macedo Soares. Initial hostilities make way for a complicated yet long-lasting love affair that dramatically alters Bishop’s relationship to the world around her. Anchored by magnificent lead performances from Miranda Otto and Glória Pires, Reaching for the Moon is an intimate snapshot of the search for inspiration, wherever and however you find it. In English, Portuguese with subtitles.

The Reluctant Fundamentalist, directed by Mira Nair, written by Mohsin Hamid, William Wheeler, Ami Boghani. (India, Pakistan, USA) – U.S. Premiere, Narrative. Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding, The Namesake) returns with another spellbinding adaptation of a celebrated bestseller. Pakistan-born Changez (Riz Ahmed) turns a Princeton degree into a cushy life on Wall Street with a gorgeous girlfriend (Kate Hudson). Then the Twin Towers fall, and his American dream shatters amid interrogations and overwhelming national distrust. He soon questions his allegiances, as this thriller exposes the dangers of being a stranger in your own land.Kiefer Sutherland, Liev Schreiber and Om Puri also star. An IFC Films release.

Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic, directed by Marina Zenovich, written by Peter Morgan. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. This moving portrait of legendary comedian Richard Pryor chronicles his life from his troubled youth in Peoria, Illinois, to his meteoric rise as one of the most respected comic actors of the 20th century. Often misunderstood during the height of his celebrity, the late superstar has never been profiled this extensively. Marina Zenovich’s revealing and entertaining film lays bare the demons with which he struggled and reminds us just how daring and dangerous artistic freedom can be. Includes interviews with Whoopi Goldberg, Robin Williams, Mel Brooks, Quincy Jones, Lily Tomlin, Jesse Jackson.

A Single Shot, directed by David M. Rosenthal, written by Matthew F. Jones. (U.K., USA, Canada) – North American Premiere, Narrative. A Single Shot brings together a wealth of indie stalwarts, including Sam Rockwell, William H. Macy, Melissa Leo and Jeffrey Wright, to paint a tense portrait of John Moon, a man attempting to win back his estranged family while desperately outrunning an accidental crime. Director David M. Rosenthal returns to the Festival with this ominously atmospheric and suspenseful backwoods tale of circumstance, based on Matthew F. Jones’s 1996 novel.

Some Velvet Morning, directed and written by Neil LaBute. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. Fred arrives at Velvet’s doorstep, suitcases in tow. He tells her that he has finally left his wife to be with her, news to Velvet since she has not seen him in years and is now with Fred’s recently married son. As Fred’s hopes crash to earth during a conversation brimming with passion, remorse, humor and anger, the twisted heart of a fascinating relationship is revealed. Stanley Tucci and Alice Eve star in this spirited living room drama.

Trust Me, directed and written by Clark Gregg. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. Directed by and starring Clark Gregg and featuring Sam Rockwell, William H. Macy, Felicity Huffman, Allison Janney and Amanda Peet,Trust Me follows flailing Hollywood agent Howard, who seemingly strikes gold after signing the next big child star. What results is an unexpected ride through the nasty inner workings of Hollywood, as Howard desperately tries to make it in an industry that has no interest in recognizing his bumbling but ultimately genuine nature.

Whitewash, directed by Emanuel  Hoss-Desmarais, written by Marc Tulin and Hoss-Desmarais. (Canada) – World Premiere, Narrative. The brutality of winter and the power of the mind are aptly portrayed in this dark comedy set in Northern Quebec. Bruce (Thomas Haden Church) is merely trying to survive a harsh winter when he meets Jean. Conflict leads to an accidental death, and Bruce finds himself in a complicated and unexpected place. Grappling with his guilt, Bruce creates a prison from which he cannot escape. Haden Church perfectly utilizes his comic talent in this wry, well-crafted film.

 

MIDNIGHT

Dark Touch, directed and written by Marina de Van. (France) – World Premiere, Narrative. Niamh is the lone survivor of a bloody massacre after the furniture and objects in her family’s isolated house take on a monstrous life of their own. The police ignore her wild stories and the family friends and social worker who take her in try to introduce a new life. But in this psychological thriller, Niamh is unable to leave her violent past behind her, endangering everyone who crosses her path.

Frankenstein’s Army, directed by Richard Raaphorst, written by Chris W. Mitchell and Miguel Tejada-Flores. (Netherlands) – International Premiere, Narrative. In the waning days of World War II, a team of Russian soldiers finds itself on a mysterious mission to the lab of one Dr. Victor Frankenstein. They unearth a terrifying Nazi plan to resurrect fallen soldiers as an army of unstoppable freaks and are soon trapped in a veritable haunted house of cobbled-together monstrosities. Frankenstein’s Army is the wild steampunk Nazi found-footage zombie mad scientist film you’ve always wanted.

Fresh Meat, directed by Danny Mulheron, written by Briar Grace-Smith. (New Zealand) – New York Premiere, Narrative. After a poorly executed escape from the police, a gang of dysfunctional criminals flees to the suburbs and gets more than it bargained for when it crash lands in the garage of an upper-class Maori family whose refined palates have developed a taste for human flesh. This action-packed horror comedy tells a blood-spattered tale of basement butchery and shifting allegiances as these unlikely adversaries enter a deadly showdown. A Tribeca Film release.

The Machine, directed and written by Caradog James. (U.K.) –World Premiere, Narrative. Caradog James adds another layer to the Frankenstein story in the latest gripping sci-fi adventure to come out of the U.K.. Already deep into a second Cold War, Britain’s Ministry of Defence seeks a game-changing weapon. Programmer Vincent McCarthy unwittingly provides an answer in The Machine, a super-strong human cyborg played by the impressive Caity Lotz (The Pact). When a programming bug causes the prototype to decimate his lab, McCarthy takes his obsessive efforts underground, far away from inquisitive eyes.

Mr. Jones, directed and written by Karl Mueller. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. Scott (Jon Foster) is a filmmaker in need of inspiration. He and his girlfriend Penny move into a desolate house hoping to make a breakthrough. Then they discover their neighbor, the elusive Mr. Jones. Famous for his haunting sculptures, Mr. Jones has remained a mystery to the world. Scott and Penny, convinced that they have found the perfect film subject, sneak into his workshop and realize that their curiosity may have chilling consequences. Who is Mr. Jones?

Raze, directed by Josh Waller, written by Robert Beaucage. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. Stuntwoman Zoe Bell (Inglorious Basterds, Kill Bill 1&2) headlines this sly subversion of the women-in-prison genre. After Sabrina (Bell) is abducted, she finds herself in an underground lair, forced to do battle with other innocent women for the amusement of unseen spectators. Each of these reluctant warriors has something to lose, but only one will remain when the game is done. Violent and relentless, Raze takes its video game aesthetic to the deepest and darkest places, rarely surfacing for air. Includes Rachel Nichols and Tracie Thoms.

V/H/S/2, directed by Simon Barrett, Adam Wingard, Eduardo Sanchez, Gregg Hale, Timo Tjahjanto, Gareth Evans, Jason Eisener, written by Barrett, Jamie Nash, Tjahjanto, Evans, Eisener, and John Davies (USA, Indonesia) – New York Premiere, Narrative. Investigators break into a house, find a vast collection of VHS tapes and play them one by one. The videos include visions of the paranormal, flesh-eating zombies, a shockingly genuine scene of hell on earth and a slumber party gone horribly awry. This highly anticipated sequel to last year’s horror breakout V/H/S features contributions from contemporary genre filmmaking’s leading talents, including the creators of Hobo with a Shotgun, The Raid, You’re Next and The Blair Witch Project. In English, Indonesian with subtitles. A Magnet Release.

 

STORYSCAPES

A Journal of Insomnia, Project creators: Bruno Choiniere, Philippe Lambert, and Guillaume Braun. (Canada). Insomniacs are both spectators and actors in this large, interactive fresco that combines hundreds of personal reflections on sleepless nights, gathered online from insomniacs around the world since fall 2012. This work, produced by The National Film Board of Canada, provides a cutting portrait of insomnia as a universal and peculiarly wide-ranging affliction and challenges visitors to experience the condition for themselves.

Robots in Residence, Project Creators: Brent Hoff and Alexander Reben. (USA). Robots in Residence challenges Alfred Hitchcock’s claim that “in feature films the director is God; in documentary films God is the director.” Here there is no god, as pre-programmed robots collaborate with festival audiences to direct and shoot a documentary in its entirety. Robot artist Alexander Reben and filmmaker Brent Hoff forge a provocative new form of documentary storytelling by using robots as a lens through which we take a new look at humanity.

Sandy Storyline, Project Creators: Rachel Falcone, Laura Gottesdiener, and Michael Premo. (USA). Using audio, photography, text and video, Sandy Storyline is an ever-growing documentary narrative as community members and volunteers offer their accounts of the storm and the efforts to recover and rebuild local neighborhoods. The project forges a new type of media in time of crisis, one that is participatory, interactive and designed for community empowerment.

Star Wars Uncut, Project Creator: Casey Pugh. (USA). Love Star Wars but think you would have done it differently? Then this fun, creative and wonderfully nostalgic interactive media project is for you. Using everything from hand-drawn animations to intricate reenactments, fans and series novices created short alternatives to the Star Wars storyline and went online to piece them all together. Discover a whole new approach to Star Wars, one fifteen-second burst at a time.

This Exquisite Forest, Project Creators:  Aaron Koblin and Chris Milk (USA). Conceived by Chris Milk and Aaron Koblin and produced by Google and Tate Modern, This Exquisite Forest was inspired by the surrealist game “exquisite corpse” and its idea of collaborative creation. The project, hosted at exquisiteforest.com, allows visitors to create short animations right in their web browser. Other users may build on the animation at any point, creating a collection of navigable, branching narratives resembling trees that grow bigger as more artists contribute.

 

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

Alberi, directed by Michaelangelo Frammartino. (Italy) –World Premiere, Documentary. Wrapping the audience in waves of sound, Alberi takes us on a circular journey through the Italian countryside. The marvelous natural music at the tops of the eponymous trees makes way for the rhythmic cadence of civilization—men baring axes and the natural clatter of daily life—before their unforgettable return home from the forest. The singular artistry of director Michelangelo Frammartino (Le quatro volte) is beautifully displayed in this mesmerizing homage to nature. Italian with subtitles.

Alberi will run as an installation in the VW Dome at MoMA PS1 from April 18th through the end of the month, with a special event celebrating the world premiere on the evening of Saturday, April 20th.

Sidewalk Stories, directed and written by Charles Lane. (USA) –Narrative. The low-budget, New York-in-the-’80s movie that proves that silence is not all that golden, Charles Lane’s magnetic Sidewalk Stories is long overdue for rediscovery. Lane plays a sidewalk chalk artist whose efforts to care for an abandoned toddler are confounded by the oddball homeless characters he meets. Black-and-white and mostly silent, the film is an ingenious and whimsical effort by a black artist to give a voice to those who have none.

Herblock – The Black & The White, directed by Michael Stevens, written by Sara Lukinson and Stevens. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Herbert Block’s career at The Washington Post spanned fifty-five years and thirteen presidents, a timeframe in which he claimed three Pulitzer Prizes, the Medal of Freedom and a significant role in President Nixon’s resignation. Ben Bradlee, Tom Brokaw, Bob Woodward, Carl Bernstein, Jules Feiffer, Ted Koppel and Jon Stewart are among the many commentators bearing witness to Block’s life, work and indelible contribution to American satire in this inviting documentary. Herbert Block to attend. 

The Trials of Muhammad Ali, directed by Bill Siegel. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Brash boxer Cassius Clay burst into the American consciousness in the early 1960s, just ahead of the Civil Rights movement. His transformation into the spiritually enlightened heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali is legendary, but this religious awakening also led to a bitter legal battle with the U.S. government after he refused to serve in the Vietnam War. This film reveals the perfect storm of race, religion and politics that shaped one of the most recognizable figures in sports history.

Running From Crazy, directed by Barbara Kopple. (USA) – New York Premiere, Documentary. Join actress Mariel Hemingway, granddaughter of legendary author Ernest Hemingway, as she examines the mental illness and suicide that colors her family’s history and tries to avert that fate for herself and her daughters. By mixing in remarkable archival footage of the three Hemingway sisters, two-time Academy Award®-winner Barbara Kopple expands one famous family’s deeply embedded truths into a broad picture of the courage it takes to face the past and change your future.

Möbius, directed and written by Eric Rochant. (France) – International Premiere,  Narrative. Set in the incomparable beauty of Monaco, Eric Rochant’s first feature in seven years follows undercover Russian FSB officer Gregory Lioubov (Jean Dujardin, The Artist) and international trader Alice Redmond (Cécile De France, Hereafter), who has her own secrets to hide. Their relationship sparks a deadly chase to snag Lioubov’s real target, business magnate Ivan Rostovsky (Tim Roth). Also starring Émilie Dequenne, Möbius is a twisting, sexy spy thriller that fittingly leaves you guessing which way is up. Featuring special guest appearances from director Eric Rochant and main actress Cécile de France.

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The 2013 Tribeca Film Festival (TFF) announced the World Narrative and Documentary Competition film selections, along with selections for the out-of-competition Viewpoints section. The 12th edition of the Festival will take place from April 17 to April 28 at locations around New York City and open with the film Mistaken for Strangers.

The Festival also announced opening films for all categories.  Big Men will screen as opening night for the World Documentary competition, Bluebird will open the World Narrative competition, and the documentary Flex is Kings will open the Viewpoints section. All three films will premiere on April 18.    

WORLD NARRATIVE AND DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION, AND VIEWPOINTS

World Narrative and Documentary Competition

The complete list of films selected for the World Narrative Feature and World Documentary Competition is as follows:

World Narrative Feature Competition

Alì Blue Eyes (Alì ha gli occhi azzurri), directed by Claudio Giovannesi, written by Filippo Gravino and Giovannesi. (Italy) – International Premiere. Claudio Giovannesi’s award-winning second dramatic feature captures one week in the life of sixteen-year-old troublemaker Nader, who, despite his mother’s threats and family’s insistence that he respect his Muslim roots, fights, steals and pursues an Italian girlfriend. A stunning example of contemporary Italian neo-realism, Alì Blue Eyes is an engrossing coming-of-age story about an immigrant who will stop at nothing to fit in. In Italian with subtitles. 

Before Snowfall (Før snøen faller), directed by Hisham Zaman, written by Kjell Ola Dahl and Zaman. (Norway, Germany, Iraqi Kurdistan Region) – International Premiere. Director Hisham Zaman brings the moral crisis of honor killing front and center in this dazzling, international drama. When his older sister Nermin flees an arranged marriage, Siyar must atone for the slight. He tracks her from Kurdistan to Istanbul, where a fateful encounter with a street girl creates cracks in his resolve. Then Nermin escapes into Europe, and Siyar must continue a search that will forever change his notions of loyalty, dignity, honor and love. In Kurdish with subtitles. 

Bluebird, directed and written by Lance Edmands. (USA)  – World Premiere. On a freezing January evening, school bus driver Lesley (Amy Morton) completes her route, but her final inspection abruptly ends when a bluebird comes into view. What happens next shakes her small Maine logging town, proving that even the slightest actions have enormous consequences. Co-starring Adam Driver, Margo Martindale, John Slattery, Louisa Krause and Emily Meade, Lance Edmands’s absorbing feature debut is a perfect encapsulation of the interconnectedness of life.

The Broken Circle Breakdown, directed by Felix van Groeningen, written by Carl Joos and van Groeningen. (Belgium, Netherlands) – North American Premiere. Elise runs a tattoo shop. Didier plays in a bluegrass band. When their daughter Maybelle is born, their happiness is complete, until a tangle of complications forces these two very different lovers to fight to save their marriage. Belgian director Felix van Groeningen follows his acclaimed Cannes entry The Misfortunates with this powerhouse melodrama of star-crossed lovers laced with emotional bluegrass performances. In Dutch with subtitles.

Hide Your Smiling Faces, directed and written by Daniel Patrick Carbone. (USA) – North American Premiere. During a hot summer in rural America, brothers Tommy (Ryan Jones) and Eric (Nathan Varnson) are confronted with devastation as death forces its way into their young lives. This stunning debut feature explores the nature of the relationship between boys, as both violence and support is encapsulated in quiet storytelling and breathtaking photography. With incredibly sensitive performances by its two leads, Hide Your Smiling Facespacks a subtle but powerful punch.

Just a Sigh (Le temps de l’aventure), directed and written by Jérôme Bonnell. (France) – International Premiere. In the short break between performances in Calais, stage actress Alix (the stunning Emmanuelle Devos) makes a quick escape to Paris. On the train she meets a mysterious English stranger (Gabriel Byrne) and, for the most fleeting of afternoons, imagines what the future could hold down a different road. With masterful performances by its two acclaimed stars, Just a Sigh is an imaginative, lushly filmed Parisian romance from young and versatile director Jérôme Bonnell. In English, French with subtitles.

Lily, directed by Matt Creed, written by Amy Grantham and Creed. (USA) – World Premiere. Nearing the end of her treatment for breast cancer, Lily focuses on life with newfound clarity, reevaluating her relationship with an older man and her feelings about her long-absent father. In wandering through atmospheric New York City streets and lingering in intimate, charged moments with Lily during this vulnerable period, first-time director Matt Creed and actress Amy Grantham create a mature, stylish character piece reminiscent of classic French New Wave.

The Rocket, directed and written by Kim Mordaunt. (Australia) – North American Premiere. Set against the lush backdrop of rural Laos, this spirited drama tells the story of scrappy ten-year-old Ahlo, who yearns to break free from his ill-fated destiny. After his village is displaced to make way for a massive dam, Ahlo escapes with his father and grandmother through the Laotian outback in search of a new home. Along the way, they come across a rocket festival that offers Ahlo a lucrative but dangerous chance to prove his worth. In Lao with subtitles.

Six Acts (Shesh Peamim), directed by Jonathan Gurfinkel, written by Rona Segal. (Israel) – North American Premiere. Naïve teen Gili is determined to improve her social status by hooking up with her new school’s coolest guy. Afterwards, he passes her off to his friend. Happy at first for the attention, Gili soon finds her situation deteriorating, as this average girl is increasingly consumed by a culture of oversexed teenhood. Director Jonathan Gurfinkel questions conventional ideas of consent, exploitation and complicity in this edgy and perceptive feature debut. In Hebrew with subtitles.

Stand Clear of the Closing Doors, directed by Sam Fleischner, written by Rose Lichter-Marck and Micah Bloomber. (USA) – World Premiere. When autistic teen Ricky is scolded for skipping class, he escapes into the subway for a days-long odyssey among the subway’s disparate denizens. Meanwhile, his mother wages an escalating search effort above ground. Based on a true story and set in Far Rockaway, Queens, in the days leading up to Hurricane Sandy, these parallel stories of mother and son take the viewer on a touching journey of community and connection in and below New York City.

Sunlight Jr., directed and written by Laurie Collyer. (USA)  – World Premiere. Quickie-mart employee Melissa (Naomi Watts) and paraplegic Richie (Matt Dillon) are very much in love. Supported only by Melissa’s small hourly wage, they are nevertheless thrilled to learn that Melissa is pregnant. Then their situation deteriorates, and their tenuous financial situation threatens to bring their happy life crashing down. Norman Reedus also stars in this a moving romantic drama from Laurie Collyer, director of the Golden Globe-nominated Sherrybaby.

Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?, directed and written by Arvin Chen. (Taiwan R.O.C.) – North American Premiere. Straitlaced optometrist Weichung is finding the typical married life difficult. Then he bumps into an old flame, setting off an unexpected array of dormant emotions. Meanwhile, his sister Mandy flees her sad sack fiancé, coping via food and the fantastical appearance of a daytime soaps star on her couch. Arvin Chen’s sophomore feature is a fresh and playful comedy about the odd realities of desire in a traditional society and what happens when you seek a big change. In Korean, Mandarin with subtitles.

 

World Documentary Feature Competition

Aatsinki: The Story of Arctic Cowboys, directed and written by Jessica Oreck. (Finland)  – World Premiere. In the forests of Finnish Lapland, brothers Aarne and Lasse Aatsinki carry on the generations-old tradition of reindeer herding. These modern cowboys maintain an intricate bond with the environment that has allowed them to preserve their lifestyle in one of the harshest climates imaginable. Jessica Oreck’s intimate, gorgeously lensed documentary follows the brothers for a year, sharing in the hard work, daily rituals and small joys that make up life above the Arctic Circle. In Finnish with subtitles.

Alias Ruby Blade: A Story of Love and Revolution, directed by Alex Meillier, written by Tanya Ager Meillier and Meillier. (USA) – North American Premiere. Kirsty Sword Gusmão went to Timor-Leste to document injustice in an area closed to Western journalists. Over the next decade, she became the lynchpin that sustained the nation’s harrowing struggle for independence and met the man who would redefine the cause for which she was fighting. Using astonishing footage of the years-long resistance, director Alex Meillier presents a highly personal account of the courage needed to create a new democracy in modern times.

[caption id="attachment_3265" align="alignnone" width="550"]Big Men[/caption]

Big Men, directed by Rachel Boynton, written by Rachel Boynton. (USA) – World Premiere. For her latest industrial exposé, Rachel Boynton (Our Brand Is Crisis) gained unprecedented access to Africa’s oil companies. The result is a gripping account of the costly personal tolls levied when American corporate interests pursue oil in places like Ghana and the Niger River Delta. Executive produced by Steven Shainberg and Brad Pitt, Big Men investigates the caustic blend of ambition, corruption and greed that threatens to exacerbate Africa’s resource curse. In English, Other, Twi with subtitles.

The Genius of Marian, directed by Banker White and Anna Fitch. (USA) – World Premiere. Weaving past into present, filmmakers Banker White (Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars) and Anna Fitch immerse the audience in the daily life of White’s mother, Pam. Her Alzheimer’s threatens to wipe out the memory of her own mother, Marian, a celebrated artist who died of the same disease. Beautifully edited, The Genius of Marian retraces both women’s lives to paint a complex and powerful contemporary portrait of motherhood, chronic illness and legacy.

The Kill Team, directed by Dan Krauss, written by Lawrence Lerew, Linda Davis and Krauss. (USA) – World Premiere. In 2010, the media branded a platoon of U.S. Army infantry soldiers “The Kill Team” following reports of its killing for sport in Afghanistan. Now, one of the accused must fight the government he defended on the battlefield, while grappling with his own role in the alleged murders. Dan Krauss’s absorbing documentary examines the stories of four men implicated in heinous war crimes in a stark reminder that, in war, innocence may be relative to the insanity around you.

Let the Fire Burn, directed by Jason Osder. (USA) – World Premiere. Jason Osder makes an impressive feature film debut through his unbiased and thorough account of the incidents leading up to and during the 1985 standoff between the extremist African-American organization MOVE and Philadelphia authorities. The dramatic clash claimed eleven lives and literally and figuratively devastated an entire community. Let the Fire Burn is a real-life Wild West story absent the luxury of identifying its heroes by the color of their hats.

Michael H. Profession: Director, directed and written by Yves Montmayeur. (Austria, France) – World Premiere. Over the past twenty-five years, director Michael Haneke has established himself as a towering figure in modern cinema whose rigorous focus on the craft of filmmaking has produced works of profound artistry. This career-spanning documentary (gives unprecedented access and) covers the body of Haneke’s work, offering insight into his creative process through on-set footage and interviews with the man himself and collaborators including Emmanuelle Riva, Isabelle Huppert and Juliette Binoche. In French, German with subtitles.

Oxyana, directed by Sean Dunne. (USA) – World Premiere. Oceana, West Virginia—known as “Oxyana” after its residents’ epidemic abuse of OxyContin—is a tragically real example of the insidious spread of drug dependency throughout the country. Set against an abandoned coal mining landscape to the melodies of Deer Tick’s haunting score, this unflinchingly intimate documentary probes the lives of Oceana’s afflicted and exposes the day-to-day experience of a town living in the harsh grip of addiction.

Powerless (Katiyabaaz), directed by Fahad Mustafa, Deepti Kakkar, written by Mustafa. (India) – North American Premiere. Would you risk your life to flip a switch? In Kanpur, India, putting oneself in harm’s way to deliver electrical power is all too common. Powerless sheds light on the opposing corners of this political ring, from an electrical Robin Hood tapping wires for neighbors to the myopic utility company whose failure to understand economics forces it deeper into financial disarray. This vibrant exposé gives a whole new meaning to the words “power struggle.” In English, Hindi with subtitles.

Raw Herring (Hollandse Nieuwe), directed by Leonard Retel Helmrich and Hetty Naaijkens-Retel Helmrich. (Netherlands) – World Premiere. Every year millions of people look forward to the first preparation of Hollandse Nieuwe, the popular snack of raw herring from the North Sea’s spring catch. But how do you find glory in the grueling pursuit of a once-iconic fish that even the queen no longer accepts as definitively Dutch? Raw Herringcelebrates the cultural legacy maintained by Holland’s last great herring fishers even as new trends and foreign competition threaten their way of life. In Dutch with subtitles.

Red Obsession, directed and written by David Roach and Warwick Ross. (Australia) – North American Premiere. France’s Bordeaux region has long commanded respect for its coveted wine, but shifts in the global marketplace mean that a new, voracious consumer base in China is buying up this finite product. Bordeaux both struggles with and courts the spike in demand, sending prices skyrocketing. Narrated by Russell Crowe, Red Obsession is a fascinating look at our changing international economy and how an obsession in Shanghai affects the most illustrious vineyards in France. In English, Mandarin with subtitles.

Teenage, directed by Matt Wolf, written by Jon Savage and Wolf. (USA) – World Premiere. Teenagers did not exist before the 20th century. Not until the early 1950s did the term gain widespread recognition, but withTeenage, Matt Wolf offers compelling evidence that “teenagers” had a tumultuous effect on the previous half-decade. Narrated by actors Jena Malone, Ben Whishaw, Julia Hummer and Jesse Usher, this fascinating documentary repositions the historical origin of teenagers and shows why those years are more than just a stepping-stone to adulthood. In English, German with subtitles.

Viewpoints

A Birder’s Guide to Everything, directed by Rob Meyer, written by Luke Matheny and Meyer. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. On the eve of his widowed father’s second wedding, fifteen-year-old David Portnoy (Kodi Smit-McPhee) leads the stalwart members of his local Young Birders Society on rollicking, interstate search for an extremely rare duck. Marvelous supporting performances by Ben Kingsley and James LeGros color Rob Meyer’s feature film debut, a poignant, funny and ultimately winning look at the moments that change even the most intensely focused lives.

Bending Steel, directed by Dave Carroll, written by Ryan Scafuro and Carroll. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. The Cyclone, The Freakshow, The Mermaid Parade: all Coney Island icons. But Chris “Wonder” Schoeck has always preferred the Coney Island Strongman. Bending Steel follows the sweet, unassuming Schoeck as he parlays his extraordinary strength into the pursuit of his lifelong dream. Training with an elite group of men whose hands bend, drag, twist and shred metal, he tackles an enormous physical and mental challenge, taking a surprisingly emotional journey as a result.

BIG JOY: The Adventures of James Broughton, directed by Stephen Silha, Eric Slade, and Dawn Logsdon. (USA) – New York Premiere, Documentary. A charismatic and visionary poet and filmmaker who emerged in the artistic renaissance of post-WWII San Francisco, James Broughton led a completely unconventional existence in his lifelong quest for creative artistry, sexual and spiritual love and an evolved state of happiness. BIG JOY is a celebratory mosaic of Broughton¹s deeply intertwined creative and personal lives, vividly depicted through his involvement with a wide array of artists, activists and spiritual guides.

Bridegroom, directed and written by Linda Bloodworth Thomason. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Bridegroom gives an intensely personal edge to the ongoing debate over the legal rights of same-sex couples. Interviews, photos and video footage all testify to the uncommon connection that drew together Shane and Tom. For six years they remained united despite extreme challenges from both family and society, until a tragic accident tears apart their dreams. Now one must fight to be recognized as his soulmate’s legitimate counterpart.

Cutie and the Boxer, directed by Zachary Heinzerling, written by Ada Bligaard Søby. (USA) – New York Premiere, Documentary. Once a rising if unruly star in the ’70s art scene, eighty-year-old “boxing” painter Ushio Shinohara now struggles to establish his artistic legacy. His wife Noriko is now widely renowned for her “Cutie” drawings, depicting their chaotic, forty-year marriage. Under Zachary Heinzerling’s guidance, this candid New York story about troubled lives united by a dedication to art becomes a touching portrait on the eternal themes of love, sacrifice, disappointment and aging. A RADiUS release.

Dancing in Jaffa, directed by Hilla Medalia, written by Philip Shane and Medalia. (Israel, USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Renowned ballroom dancer Pierre Dulain stars in this charming documentary that offers a unique perspective on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Three diverse Jaffa-based schools host Dulain’s Dancing Classrooms program. Ballroom basics are taught to an ethnically mixed group of children, the most passionate members of which are trained for a citywide competition. What results is a sweet and incredibly moving tale filled with moments of truth, poignancy and hope. In Arabic, English, Hebrew with subtitles.

Deep Powder, directed by Mo Ogrodnik. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. Natasha is a reckless boarding school senior tabbed by her exclusive club to make its yearly cocaine run to Ecuador. Coming along for the ride is Danny, a twenty-year-old aspiring hockey player from the other side of the tracks, who may just discover that he has fallen for the wrong girl. Starring up-and-comers Haley Bennett and Shiloh Fernandez, this ’80s-set love story based on true events is a sexy, fast-paced and intense drama.

Farah Goes Bang, directed by Meera Menon, written by Laura Goode and Menon. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. Farah hits the road with her buddies to stump for John Kerry in the 2004 presidential election, hoping the trip will be her opportunity to finally shed her unwanted virginity. She soon finds her efforts on both political and sexual fronts continuously thwarted. Comically balancing that moment’s climate of intolerance with a universal coming-of-age tale, Farah Goes Bang paints a comic portrait of the overdue growing pains of a group of girlfriends and the country itself.

Flex Is Kings, directed by Deidre Schoo and Michael Nichols. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Journey to the edge of Brooklyn and of street performance itself in this sparkling portrait of the freeing power of art. Reem is the savvy promoter, Flizzo the undefeated local legend, Jay Don the innovator with the talent to carry him far away from home. Uniting them is a competitive dance form of dramatic contortions, simulated violence, flowing footsteps and the occasional humorous touch. Welcome to the world of Flex.

Floating Skyscrapers (Płynące wieżowce), directed and written by Tomasz Wasilewski. (Poland) – World Premiere, Narrative. Kuba attends an art opening with his girlfriend of two years and bumps into Mikal. The connection between these two young men is instantaneous and intoxicating, and despite opposition from all sides, he allows Mikal into his life. The results go beyond anything he could have imagined. This intimate and bold second feature from Polish director Tomasz Wasilewski captures the often-complicated consequences of finding love where others do not want it. In Polish with subtitles.

Harmony Lessons (Uroki Garmonii), directed and written by Emir Baigazin. (Kazakhstan, Germany, France) – North American Premiere, Narrative. Symbolism and striking cinematography help us navigate the complicated landscape of a teenager’s mind in this insightful Kazakh film about violence among children. After enduring frequent humiliation at the hands of the class bully, thirteen-year old Aslan snaps, triggering an intense psychological reaction. Emir Baigazin artfully explores the strength of the survival instinct when public life pushes us beyond our limits. In Kazakh with subtitles.

Jîn, directed and written by Reha Erdem. (Turkey) – North American Premiere, Narrative. Reha Erdem relays in radiant detail the effects of the decades-long Turkish-Kurdish conflict. Seventeen-year-old freedom fighter Jîn abandons her post and crosses between the opposing forces, navigating a beautiful mountain range made brutal by gunfire and random bombings. Her courage is repeatedly tested, until she finds comfort among unexpected allies. Erdem creates a soul-stirring odyssey that reflects on the permanent damage to humanity and the natural world caused by unremitting war. In Turkish with subtitles.

Kiss The Water, directed by Eric Steel (USA, U.K.) – World Premiere, Documentary. Travel to Scotland’s far northern highlands and explore the life and remarkable influence of Megan Boyd, fishing fly-maker extraordinaire. Self-taught in this enigmatic, artful craft, Boyd became an internationally renowned artisan and supplier to, among others, Prince Charles. Interviews, animations and images of the stunning Scottish countryside define Eric Steel’s lyrical tale of solitary celebrity and the joy of making your mark, even when it was the last thing you planned to do.

Lenny Cooke, directed by Benny Safdie and Joshua Safdie. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. In 2001, Lenny Cooke was the most hyped high school basketball player in the country, ranked above future greats LeBron James, Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony. A decade later, Lenny has never played a minute in the NBA. In this quintessentially American documentary, filmmaking brothers Joshua and Benny Safdie track the unfulfilled destiny of a man for whom superstardom was only just out of reach.

The Moment, directed by Jane Weinstock, written by Jane Gloria Norris and Weinstock. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. After a tumultuous affair between international photojournalist Lee (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and troubled artist John (Martin Henderson) ends in John’s disappearance, Lee lands in a mental hospital to recuperate. She strikes up a friendship with a fellow patient bearing an uncanny resemblance to her missing lover. The pair works to uncover the truth behind the disappearance, but Lee’s precarious sanity comes under threat when the clues lead to the last place she would ever expect.

Northwest (Nordvest), directed by Michael Noer, written by Rasmus Heisterberg and Noer. (Denmark) – North American Premiere, Narrative. Territory, power and pride are the seismic forces in this adrenaline-fueled crime thriller. Living in one of the most impoverished areas of Copenhagen, Casper does what he must to survive. When organized crime grabs hold of the community, life becomes even more desperate. Casper digs in or risks being run over by gangsters sure to remove anyone in their way. From one of Denmark’s most celebrated directors comes a complex tale of criminal psychology and survival. In Danish with subtitles.

Odayaka, directed and written by Nobuteru Uchida. (Japan) – North American Premiere, Narrative. The Great East Japan Earthquake has just struck, the waters of the ensuing tsunami finally rolling back into the sea. In the comparative safety of Tokyo, two wives and a child living in the same apartment building have nothing to do but wait for their husbands’ return. Nobuteru Uchida finds a striking emotional core to the shock of March 11, 2011, crafting a tender and intelligent narrative on the internal effects of an unspeakable national tragedy. In Japanese with subtitles.

[caption id="attachment_3266" align="alignnone" width="550"]The Patience Stone[/caption]

The Patience Stone (Syngué Sabour), directed by Atiq Rahimi, written by Jean-Claude Carrère and Atiq Rahimi. (Afghanistan, France, Germany) – New York Premiere, Narrative. A woman tends to her comatose husband, an injured rebel fighter in an unnamed, war-torn village, only whispering of her fear for their two young daughters’ lives. Weeks go by, and as her desperation grows, she gives voice to previously unuttered thoughts and memories without regard for anyone’s reaction. In a mesmerizing performance, Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani portrays a woman who, under the most extreme circumstances, discovers the core of her identity. In Farsi with subtitles. A Sony Pictures Classics release. 

Run and Jump, directed by Steph Green, written by Ailbhe Keogan. (Ireland, Germany) – World Premiere, Narrative. After a stroke leaves her husband disabled and fundamentally changed, a spirited Irish wife struggles to keep her family members together. All the while they are under the microscope of an American researcher documenting their recovery process. From Academy Award®-nominated director and TFF alumna Steph Green comes an emotional journey of family and recovery featuring Saturday Night Live star Will Forte in an impressive dramatic debut.

Taboor, directed and written by Vahid Vakilifar. (Iran) – U.S. Premiere, Narrative. A lone motorcyclist travels the empty streets of Tehran at night. He wears an aluminum suit to guard against the electromagnetic waves that raise his body temperature. Yet he is determined to make his appointments to kill cockroaches and fumigate factories, the night placing many strange encounters along his route. Artfully shot cityscapes expound on the man’s solitude in this atmospheric take on science fiction from the heart of Iran. In Farsi with subtitles.

Wadjda, directed and written by Haifaa  Al-Mansour. (Saudi Arabia, Germany) – U.S. Premiere, Narrative. Meet Wadjda (Waad Mohammed), a feisty, funny and wholly unconventional ten-year-old girl determined to scrounge up enough money to buy a bicycle, despite the societal repercussions sure to follow. The groundbreaking first feature film shot entirely in Saudi Arabia and the first by a female Saudi filmmaker, Wadjda offers a moving, rarely seen picture of everyday life in Riyadh: through the eyes of a girl unwilling to surrender what she wants. A Sony Pictures Classics release. 

What Richard Did, directed by Lenny Abrahamson, written by Malcolm Campbell. (Ireland) – U.S. Premiere, Narrative. Charismatic Richard leads a group of devoted friends through the rituals of their final summer break together: partying on the beach, hazing younger students, hooking up. But the good times will not last forever. When jealousy leads to a senseless act, Richard’s perfect life unravels amid self-doubt, shame, grief and guilt.What Richard Did is a gripping dissection of an action and its consequences, featuring a stellar lead performance by Jack Reynor. A Tribeca Film Release.

The remaining feature film lineup in the main sections will be announced on March 6, 2013.

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The world premiere of Mistaken for Strangers  will open the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival.  Director Tom Berninger chronicles his experience on tour with his brother, The National’s frontman Matt Berninger, in what the festival describes as a “funny and affecting film.” which will also play during the Festival’s 12th edition. The premiere, taking place on Wednesday, April 17, will be followed by a special performance by The National. The Festival will run through April 28.

Mistaken for Strangers follows The National on its biggest tour to date. Newbie roadie Tom (lead singer Matt Berninger’s younger brother) is a heavy metal and horror movie enthusiast, and can’t help but put his own spin on the experience. Inevitably, Tom’s moonlighting as an irreverent documentarian creates some drama for the band on the road. The film is a hilarious and touching look at two very different brothers and an entertaining story of artistic aspiration.

The National band members include Matt Berninger, Bryce Dessner, Aaron Dessner, Bryan Devendorf and Scott Devendorf. In 2010 the band released High Violet, which sold more than half a million copies worldwide. A brand new studio album from The National is slated for a May release on 4AD with a world tour to follow.

The 2013 Tribeca Film Festival will announce its feature film slate on March 5 and 6, 2013. 

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