No need to start spreading the news, New Yorkers already know what film festival is king of the hill, top of the heap. Tribeca, they contend, trumps them all. Come see if they’re right, you’ve still got time to book a flight. This year’s festival began today and runs through April 29.
Although there’s nothing like being in the Big Apple to imbibe it all, if you can’t make it in the flesh, select slices of the festival are available online. No fee. They’re free. Vote for the best online feature and short films. Results come out April 26.
Digital doings may not dominate Tribeca, but they’re important. April 23 is TFI Interactive Day, when industry players explore the future of storytelling in this digital age we inhabit. Among other things, there’s an interactive case study of the multi-platform rollout of HBO’s hit Game of Thrones.
Then, of course, there are the films – in this case, the shorts. This year alone filmmakers from 25 countries and territories submitted some 2,800 entries. Sixty made the cut.
Film aficionados love short subjects, love to delve deep in a comparatively quick snatches of time. They also like to listen to insiders. Tribeca Talks® gathers just those sort of folks to discuss and dissect their craft. Among the better-knowns: Robert De Niro, Judd Apatow, Susan Sarandon, Rob Lowe and Christian Slater. These talks are open to us all, and are laced throughout the festival.
In search of mainstream entertainment, traditional movies? They’re here too. Marvel’s The Avengers closes out Tribeca this year on April 28. Invited guests include a roster of real live heroes, the kind that make a difference in our everyday lives: firefighters, police, first responders and the United States military.
Story by Jerry Chandler
