Sometimes it’s hard to remember that the Tribeca Film Festival was born out of the desire to help economically and culturally revitalize Lower Manhattan following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The festival just wrapped its sixth year, and for at least a week and a half, plenty seems to be going on in the downtown neighborhood.The festival, which ran from April 25 to May 6, included 157 features and 88 short films from 47 countries; panels, special events, a street fair, and concerts; the addition of five new signature sponsors, including Target, Yahoo, and the AARP; and further expansion of festival territory into Chinatown. The exact numbers on how much money the festival brought in to the city are still to be determined, but Tribeca did lure some high-profile premieres (you may have heard of this spider movie that held its North American debut as part of the fest) and special guests such as Al Gore, who was on hand for Tribeca’s opening night.
—Mimi O’Connor
Photos: Courtesy of Dalzell Productions (DJ Spooky, awards, Drive-In), BizBash (all others
—Mimi O’Connor
Photos: Courtesy of Dalzell Productions (DJ Spooky, awards, Drive-In), BizBash (all others
The popular Tribeca Drive-In returned, with three nights of free movies riverside.
Photo: Courtesy of Dalzell Productions
The popular Tribeca Drive-In returned, with three nights of free movies riverside. Events included a 20th-anniversary screening of Dirty Dancing (with couples in costumes like those featured in the film mingling in the crowd), movie trivia games, and a 3,000-person karaoke sing-along.
Prior to the premiere of Planet B-Boy, Fab 5 Freddy hosted a break-dance battle. Twice the Drive-In’s capacity—6,400 people—took in the hip-hop documentary. (Those who couldn’t snag a seat stood to watch.)
The Tribeca Film Festival hosted 400 guests at its documentary filmmaker party at the Broad Street Ballroom. Last year’s event was held at the Bubble Lounge; this year’s swelling attendance dictated a move to a larger venue.
More than 1,750 guests turned up at the Winter Garden & Plaza for DJ Spooky’s two-night performance of Rebirth of a Nation, during which he mixed the visuals and sounds of the controversial movie Birth of a Nation. London-based act D-Fuse opened the night with an hourlong video and music piece.
At the Family Festival street fair, Delta Airlines sponsored a kite-making area where children could craft their own high-flying toys.
New this year was ESPN’s partnership with the festival, which included “Sports Saturday”—a sports section of the Family Festival with live stunts from the New York Red Bulls soccer team, a variety of activities, and appearances from local team mascots.
The fest oozed eastward to Chinatown this year. Chinese restaurant Jing Fong hosted the festival awards, which bestow individually created pieces of art (and often, cash) to winners. Artists including Chuck Close, Nan Goldin, Kiki Smith, and Bruce Weber contributed pieces.
Tribeca co-founders Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal were on hand to present the Founders Award for best narrative feature, which went to David Volach’s My Father My Lord.
