Jane Rosenthal, co-founder of the Tribeca Festival, doesn’t follow a North Star as she and her team review tens of thousands of submissions each year. But as they narrow these candidates down to the hundred or so films making up the final lineup, themes tend to emerge.
“It’s not like we decided to say, ‘This is what we want to do.’ As an activist film festival, we’re always looking for (political) films,” says Rosenthal, who created the Tribeca Festival with Robert De Niro in the aftermath of 9/11. “This year there is a story about mental health. I don’t know if this is a post-COVID thing.
Tribeca, now in its 23rd year, will take place June 5-16 and highlight films led by Kristen Stewart, Lily Gladstone and Jenna Ortega. “Diane von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge,” a look at the fashion icon and entrepreneur, will open the festival, followed by anticipated documentaries on Prince, Liza Minnelli and Dolly Parton. There are also lively discussions and reunions with Steven Spielberg as “The Sugarland Express” turns 50, Kevin Bacon with “Footloose” celebrating its 40th anniversary, and David Chase and “Sopranos” cast members Edie Falco, Michael Imperioli and Jamie-Lynn Sigler as the popular TV show celebrates its 25th anniversary.
And forget Comic-Con. The hottest convention this summer will be the first De Niro Con. The celebration, tied to the actor’s 80th birthday, will feature 14 of his best-known performances, as well as conversations with collaborators Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese and Billy Crystal, themed trivia and even a sandwich-making competition.
He doesn’t object to the fanfare, but De Niro insists he wanted nothing to do with planning the event that bears his name. “It was Jane’s idea,” he said. “I stayed out of it. (Otherwise) it looks like I’m doing it for myself. It’s a weird thing.
Since the pandemic, Tribeca has experimented with hosting premieres in all five boroughs of New York City. But don’t expect the festival’s branding to stray far from the Lower Manhattan neighborhood where it all began.
“What are we going to call it,” Rosenthal cracks. “Hoboken?”
Here are 10 films we’ll see without having to cross Jersey.
Antidote
DIRECTOR James Jones
WHY IT’S ON OUR RADAR The death in early 2024 of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny – whose previous assassination attempt was detailed in the Oscar-winning documentary “Navalny” – gives new importance to the brutal price of being an adversary of Poutine. “Antidote” follows three individuals who, like Navalny, risked their lives to expose and disrupt Putin’s murderous regime. In “Navalny,” the whistleblower tells his followers: “If they decide to kill me, it means we are incredibly strong. » “Antidote” convincingly demonstrates that Navalny’s death was not in vain.
Bad Actor: A Hollywood Ponzi Scheme
DIRECTOR Joslyn Jensen
WHY IT’S ON OUR RADAR Zachary Horwitz has taken the adage “Fake it till you make it” a little too much to heart. The aspiring movie star and producer was Hollywood’s version of Bernie Madoff, defrauding investors out of $227 million so he could enjoy the high life. His reward: unforgettable film credits and a 20-year prison sentence.
Kids
DIRECTOR Andrew McCarthy
WHY IT’S ON OUR RADAR They went to the coolest parties, met the most beautiful girls, and were at the top of every Hollywood casting director’s list. For a while, McCarthy and a generation of twenty-something stars who came of age in the mid-’80s were the hottest actors in cinema. But after an unflattering article in New York Magazine referred to this group of party-loving siblings as the “Brat Pack,” it became impossible to survive the nickname. In “Brats,” McCarthy reconnects with other “members” like Emilio Estevez and Rob Lowe to reflect on how this article reshaped — and sometimes eclipsed — their lives and careers.
Champions of the Golden Valley
DIRECTOR Ben Sturgulewski
WHY IT’S ON OUR RADAR It’s the ultimate underdog story. “Champions” documents a former Olympic hopeful’s efforts to bring ski racing to a remote mountain village in Afghanistan. However, when the country falls to the Taliban, many athletes who took up the sport are displaced across the world as refugees and face an uncertain future. Sturgulewski paints an inspiring portrait of people who remain resilient and joyful as they navigate a profound political and social transition.
Diane von Furstenberg: woman in charge
DIRECTORS Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Trish Dalton
WHY IT’S ON OUR RADAR The fashion designer opens up about her personal struggles and professional triumphs in this moving and surprisingly candid look at the man who broke barriers and introduced the wrap dress. Not only does the film benefit from access to von Furstenberg and her husband, Barry Diller, but it also features interviews with friends and admirers like Oprah Winfrey, Marc Jacobs and Hillary Clinton.
Griffin in summer
DIRECTOR Nicolas Colia
CASTING Everett Blunck, Melanie Lynskey, Owen Teague, Kathryn Newton, Abby Ryder Fortson
WHY IT’S ON OUR RADAR This coming-of-age story about a 14-year-old playwright who bonds with a handyman draws comparisons to “Little Miss Sunshine.” Watch for Blunck, who plays the title character, to burst out in spectacular fashion.
Jazzy
DIRECTOR Morrisa Maltz
CASTING Jasmine Bearkiller Shangreaux, Sérieh Fool Head Means, Raymond Lee, Lily Gladstone
WHY IT’S ON OUR RADAR “The Unknown Country,” Maltz and Gladstone’s previous collaboration, impressed critics with its lyrical examination of grief and family. “Jazzy” addresses childhood, in all its beauty and intensity, following a young Oglala Lakota girl as she grows up in South Dakota.
The knife
DIRECTOR Nnamdi Asomugha
CASTING Nnamdi Asomugha, Melissa Leo, Aja Naomi King, Manny Jacinto
WHY IT’S ON OUR RADAR The former NFL star turned actor does it all in this stylish thriller: Asomugha not only has the lead role, but co-wrote the screenplay, produced it and makes his directorial debut. “The Knife” follows a black family whose lives are turned upside down when a mysterious stranger appears at their door. Indie auteur Mark Duplass collaborated on the screenplay and co-produced the film with his brother Jay, which piques our interest.
Sacramento
DIRECTOR Michael Angarano
CASTING Michael Angarano, Michael Cera, Kristen Stewart, Maya Erskine
WHY IT’S ON OUR RADAR The buddy comedy follows two friends as they reluctantly enter a new phase of adulthood, one that comes with children and additional responsibilities. Angarano, best known for his work on “Will & Grace” and “Oppenheimer,” made an accomplished directorial debut with “Avenues” in 2017. We’re curious to see his sequel.
Winter Spring Summer or Autumn
DIRECTOR Tiffany Paulsen
CASTING Jenna Ortega, Percy Hynes White, Marisol Nichols
WHY IT’S ON OUR RADAR A romantic comedy for the Gen Z set. Ortega plays a teenage prodigy who falls in love with a music-loving underachiever (Hynes White), proving once again that opposites attract (at least in the movies). A summer of young love ensues, but the good times might end once Ortega’s character prepares to leave his hometown for Harvard. Trust us, Jenna, these Cambridge boys are nothing like a handsome slacker.