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| Clockwise from top left: Downtown Owl, Bucky F*cking Dent, First Time Female Director and Eric LaRue Photo: Courtesy of Tribeca Film Festival |
The programme includes 109 features from 36 countries, including 93 world premieres. There are 43 first-time directors, 41% have been directed by women and 36% are by BIPOC filmmakers.
Among the notable names this year is Mad Men star John Slattery, who will bring Maggie Moore(s) - his first feature as a director since 2014's God's Pocket. David Duchovny's Bucky F*cking Dent will also have its world premiere along with Michael Shannon's directorial debut Eric LaRue. Other actors stepping behind the camera, include Parks and Recreation's Chelsea Peretti with the aptly named First Time Female Director and Jennifer Esposito, who makes her debut with organised crime-oriented Fresh Kills. Dowtown Owl, directed by Lily Rabe and Hamish Linklater, will also have its world premiere.
Among the documentary premieres is David Gelb's Stan Lee and We Dare To Dream about the refuge Olympic team, directed by For Sama's Waad al-Kateab.
For the third year, the Tribeca Festival will mark Juneteenth - which commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans - through the Expressions of Black Freedom programme. It includes a festival-wide celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, the world premiere of All Up in the Biz, a documentary about New York hip-hop legend Biz Markie, and the world premiere of Cinnamon, directed by Bryian Keith Montgomery Jr. and starring Damon Wayans and Pam Grier.
Tribeca co-founder Jane Rosenthal said: “The Tribeca Festival is a celebratory event that honors artists and uplifts attendees, and this year is no exception with a lineup of 109 feature films from 127 filmmakers. Over the course of 12 thrilling days, we invite audiences to explore the magic of storytelling as a powerful tool of democracy, activism, and social awareness.
“We’re also proud to highlight the 50th anniversary of hip-hop as a culture-defining genre that originated right here in New York City, with insightful world premieres about beat-boxing legends and live performances from today’s top-charting musicians.”
The 2023 “Spotlight+” category includes a series of live events after each premiere. A performance from She Is The Music artists, curated by Alicia Keys, will follow the world premiere of Uncharted; Sara Bareilles will give a special performance following the world premiere of Waitress, the Musical - Live on Broadway!; Gloria Gaynor will perform following the world premiere of Gloria Gaynor: I Will Survive; a conversation with Peabody Award-winning news anchor Dan Rather and director Frank Marshall will follow the world premiere of Rather; Gogol Bordello will perform following the world premiere of Scream of My Blood: A Gogol Bordello Story; a songwriting masterclass by Indigo Girls will follow the New York premiere of It’s Only Life After All; a musical Q&A with Marc Rebillet will follow the world premiere of Songs About Fucking; and a group of dancehall legends will perform following the world premiere of Bad Like Brooklyn Dancehall.
Tribeca Festival director and VP of programming Cara Cusuamno said: “This year's slate of films is a joyful celebration of everything we love about the big screen experience.
“We are bringing to New York eye-popping 3D films and rousing music docs, white-knuckle thrillers and knee-slapping comedies, independent edge and old Hollywood glamour. And as potent as the work is on-screen, we are equally excited to ‘plus up’ the moviegoing experience off-screen with an incredible lineup of live experiences in ‘Spotlight+’.”
The Tribeca Festival is expanding its “Midnight” offering with the introduction of “Escape from Tribeca,” a psychotronic sidebar presenting genre movies from across the globe, including the world premiere of India’s big-budget visual feast Adipurush, directed by Om Raut and starring Prabhas and Kriti Sanon. Festival-goers are also invited to a 50th anniversary screening of Enter The Dragon followed by a talk with co-star Angela Mao and producer Andre Morgan about superstar performer and choreographer Bruce Lee and the production of the film.
Selections from the festival will be available from June 19 to July 2 via the 'Tribeca at Home' online platform.
