#Tribeca2017: The Short Film Festival and V.R. Reality Series Animated Shorts Curated by Whoopi Goldberg

April 20, 2017 Art Shrian & Lapacazo Sandoval

The Short Film Festival and V.R. Reality Series Animated Shorts Curated by Whoopi Goldberg “Dear Basketball,” directed by Glen Keane, written by Kobe Bryant Salma Hayek Jiménez de Pinault in “11th Hour”

There was a record 4,385 short films submitted for the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival, presented by AT&T; and only 57 were chosen including 36 world premieres. The sheer amount of inclusion is enough to make those champions stand up and cheer. Of the selected shorts, 40% were directed by women and include filmmakers from every corner of the globe. There are 10 distinct competition programs, consisting of five narrative, four documentary, and, for the second year, one animated program. In addition, there is the Sports Shorts program as part of the 11th annual Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival, sponsored by Mohegan Sun. The Shorts program, is sponsored by Nutella Originals and runs April 19-30.

“It’s wonderful to have shorts from such diverse countries like Iran, Venezuela, and South Korea to complement the American short films,” said Sharon Badal, Vice President of Filmmaker Relations and Shorts Programming. “This year’s shorts programs are evidence that storytelling has no boundaries, and creativity is global.”

Some of the celebrity talent in front and behind the camera are Bobby Cannavale, Salma Hayek, John Tuturro, Jim Sheridan, two-time Academy Award winner for Visual Effects Paul Franklin (“Interstellar”), Elisabeth Moss, marine life artist Wyland, and visual artist Chris Burkard.

Here are our selections that should not be missed at the 16th annual Tribeca Film Festival Short Film Festival.

“11th Hour,” directed by Jim Sheridan, written by Jim Sheridan, Oskar Slingerland. Based on a true story, 11th Hour recounts how, on the evening of 9/11, Maria José's bar is heaving with locals united in grief and a building rage; a cop pulls his gun and when a surprise visitor enters. In English, Spanish with subtitles. Starring Salma Hayek Jiménez de Pinault.

“Joy Joy Nails,” directed and written by Joey Ally. Sarah manages Joy Joy Nails with a cheerful iron fist – but she gets her manicured claws out when Chinese Mia, a manicurist trainee, looks to be stealing the boss's son's affections. In English, Korean, Mandarin with subtitles.

“The World In Your Window,” directed and written by Zoe McIntosh. Squeezed into a tiny caravan, eight-year-old Jesse and his grief-stricken father are in limbo until an accidental friendship with a V8-driving transsexual unlocks the means for Jesse to liberate his father and himself.

“Big City,” directed by Jordan Bond, Lachlan Ryan, written by Jordan Bond. Vijay, a lonely taxi driver picks up Chris, a stray drunk who befriends him, and over the course of the night, Chris experiences some of Vijay's troubles and Vijay learns to see the city in a new light.

“The Suitcase,” directed and written by Abi Damaris Corbin. The ordinary life of a Boston bred baggage handler is turned upside down when he steals a suitcase that contains terrorist plans. Inspired by true events on 9/11.

“For Flint, “ directed by Brian Schulz, written by Brian Schulz, Sharika Ajaikumar, Katharina Stroh. In the face of a federal emergency deeming its drinking water unsafe for consumption, Flint's resilient citizens rally together to forge a new narrative that is hopeful and optimistic.

“Blues Planet: Triptych,” directed and written by Wyland. Explores the Gulf Oil Spill disaster and its aftermath through environmental artist Wyland who, along with 30 of today's pre-eminent artists, recorded a new genre of global blues on the catastrophe's anniversary.

Animated Shorts Curated by Whoopi Goldberg returns with a selection ofimaginative storytelling in animation

Screening this year:

“Dear Basketball,” directed by Glen Keane, written by Kobe Bryant.

“Curpigeon,” directed and written by Dmitry Milkin.

“Summer Camp Island,” directed and written by Julia Pott.

“Odd is an Egg”, directed by Kristin Ulseth, written by Maria Avramova, Kristin Ulseth.

“Angel “, directed and written by Gregory Casares.

“The Talk: True Stories About The Birds & The Bees,” directed and written by Alain Delannoy.

“Second to None,” directed and written by Vincent Gallagher.

“Escape,” directed by Limbert Fabian, Brandon Oldenburg, written by Limbert Fabian, Brandon Oldenburg, Angus McGilpin

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#Tribeca2017: CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED FILMMAKERS, AWARD-WINNING ACTORS, AND CULTURAL LEADERS MAKE UP 2017 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL JURIES

April 12, 2017 @ArtShrian

CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED FILMMAKERS, AWARD-WINNING ACTORS, AND CULTURAL LEADERS MAKE UP 2017 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL JURIES

Jurors include Priyanka Chopra, R.J. Cutler, Willem Dafoe, Peter Fonda,

Diane Lane, Barbara Kopple, Tavi Gevinson, Josh Lucas, Alessandro Nivola, Sheila Nevins, Michael Pitt, Zachary Quinto, Christina Ricci, Ruth Wilson, and more

New York, NY [April 12, 2017] –The Tribeca Film Festival, presented by AT&T, today announced its jurors for the 16th edition, comprised of a group of critically acclaimed filmmakers, award-winning actors working across film, television, and stage, accomplished producers, and cultural leaders. Divided among the competitive Festival categories, the jury reflects the diversity of Tribeca’s program, which showcases storytelling in all forms, including film, television, virtual reality, and music. The winning films, filmmakers, actors, and storytellers in each category will be announced at the Tribeca Film Festival Awards ceremony at BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center on Thursday, April 27 beginning at 5:30 pm and hosted by Michael Rapaport. The 2017 Tribeca Film Festival runs from April 19 –30.

The nine Tribeca juries for the film and immersive storytelling categories will award cash and prizes. Ten of the winners will also receive a work of original art by a renowned contemporary artist as part of the Tribeca Film Festival Artists Awards program, sponsored by CHANEL.

“This year’s jury reflects the diverse artistry represented in our Festival program, which has evolved over the past 15 years to showcase the breadth of storytelling across all mediums,” said Jane Rosenthal, co-founder, Tribeca Film Festival, and Executive Chair, Tribeca Enterprises. “Selecting winners in each category is no easy task, and we look forward to the thoughtful perspective and spirited debate our jurors will bring to the job.”

In addition to the main competition juries, the Festival also announced the all-female jury for the 2017 Nora Ephron Prize, which was founded four years ago to honor a woman filmmaker whose work embodies the spirit and vision of the legendary filmmaker and writer Nora Ephron. Tribeca previously announced five jurors for the second annual Tribeca X Award, which celebrates branded storytelling at the intersection of advertising and entertainment.

Following is a list of all 2017 Festival jurors and their respective categories.

Feature Film Competition Categories

The jurors for the 2017 US Narrative Competition section are:

· Josh Lucas: Actor Josh Lucas is best known for his roles in the films A Beautiful Mind, Sweet Home Alabama, Poseidon, and Clint Eastwood’s J. Edgar, as well as on stage in “The Glass Menagerie” and “Spalding Gray: Stories Left to Tell.” He can currently be seen in Netflix’s The Most Hated Woman In America. Lucas is based in NYC.

Melanie Lynskey: New Zealand born Melanie Lynskey's first role came in 1994 with her award winning performance in Peter Jackson's Heavenly Creatures opposite Kate Winslet. Since then, she has amassed a number of credits both in features and television. Her credits include Steven Soderbergh's The Informant, Tom McCarthy's Win Win, Billy Ray's Shattered Glass, Sam Mendes' Away We Go, and Jason Reitman's Up in the Air.
Denis O’Hare: Denis O’Hare is a Tony Award winning and Emmy-nominated actor. Screen credits include Charlie Wilson’s War, Milk, Dallas Buyers Club, and American Horror Story.
Alex Orlovsky: Alex Orlovsky has been working as a producer for 15 years. In that time, he has produced The Discovery, The Wolfpack, I Origins, The Place Beyond the Pines, Blue Valentine, and Half Nelson, among others. Orlovsky’s films have been nominated for Academy Awards, Golden Globes, Independent Spirit Awards, and Gotham Awards, and have played in a number of major film festivals including Berlin, Cannes, Sundance, Toronto, Tribeca, and Venice.
Stephanie Zacharek: Stephanie Zacharek is the film critic for Time magazine. She was previously chief film critic for the Village Voice and Salon.com, and was a finalist for the 2015 Pulitzer Prize in criticism.

The jurors for the 2017 International Narrative Competition section are:

· Willem Dafoe: Two-time Academy Award nominee Willem Dafoe is one of today’s most highly accomplished and versatile American film actors. He has performed in over 100 films in Hollywood and abroad.

· Peter Fonda: Peter Fonda is an award-winning actor who co-wrote, produced, and starred in the iconic film Easy Rider. Since his legendary role, he has continued to deliver impressive performances seen in films such as Ulee's Gold, The Tempest, 3:10 to Yuma, and Ghost Rider.

· Tavi Gevinson: Tavi Gevinson is an actress, writer, and the editor-in-chief of “Rookie”, a website for teenage girls which she founded in 2011. She can soon be seen opposite Michael Cera and Abbi Jacobson in the upcoming film Person To Person, which follows a variety of New York characters as they navigate personal relationships and unexpected problems over the course of one day.

· Alessandro Nivola: Alessandro Nivola is a Tony Award nominated film and stage actor and television producer. Film credits include American Hustle, Junebug, Coco Before Chanel, A Most Violent Year, and Selma.

· Ruth Wilson: Two-time Olivier Award-winner, Golden Globe winner and Tony Award nominated actress Ruth Wilson has paved her way in theatre, television and film. Best known for her portrayal of the character Alison in The Affair and of Alice in Luther, and for her work on the London stage, Wilson has become one of Britain’s most lauded young actresses.

The jurors for the 2017 World Documentary Competition section are:

R.J. Cutler: R.J. Cutler is an award-winning director and producer. His work includes the feature film If I Stay, the documentaries Listen to Me Marlon, The World According to Dick Cheney,The September Issue, A Perfect Candidate, and The War Room, and the television series Nashville, American High, Freshman Diaries, Black/White, and 30 Days.
Alma Har’el: Alma Har’el’s award winning, visionary work plunges deep into the heart of imagination and produces genre-redefining and fearless work that artistically blurs the line between documentary and fiction. In 2016, Har'el founded Free The Bid, an initiative designed to fight gender bias in the advertisement industry.
Barbara Kopple: Barbara Kopple is a two-time Academy Award winning filmmaker. She has produced and directed over 35 films, and counting.
Anne Thompson: Anne Thompson is Editor at Large at Indiewire, founder of Thompson on Hollywood, author of “The $11 Billion Year” and cohost of the weekly Screen Talk podcast.
David Wilson: David Wilson is a filmmaker and co-founder of the True/False Film Fest in Columbia, Missouri.

The jurors for the 2017 Best New Narrative Director Competition are:

· Bryan Buckley: Bryan Buckley is the director of the films Asad, The Bronze, and upcoming release, Dabka. He is known for his extensive commercial work, directing more than 50 Super Bowl spots.

· Clea Duvall: Clea DuVall is an actress and filmmaker. She currently stars in the Emmy award winning HBO series Veep, and recurs in AMC’s Better Call Saul. She starred in many award winning films including Argo, Passengers, Zodiac, Girl, Interrupted, and the cult favorites But I’m A Cheerleader and The Faculty.

· Michael Pitt: Michael Pitt is an American actor, writer, director, producer, and musician. Credits include Boardwalk Empire, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, The Dreamers, I Origins, Funny Games, and Last Days. His most recent role was Kuze in Ghost in the Shell. In 2015, Michael Pitt made his directorial debut with The Driver.

The jurors for the 2017 Albert Maysles Award (Best New Documentary Director Award) are:

· Amy Berg: Amy Berg is a critically acclaimed, Emmy-award winning and Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker whose company, Disarming Films, writes and produces docuseries for television and long-form documentaries focusing on social justice.

· Alice Eve: Alice Eve is an acclaimed British actress known for her roles in Star Trek into Darkness and Before We Go opposite Chris Evans. She can soon be seen in upcoming feature Please Stand By opposite Dakota Fanning and Toni Collette and Replicas opposite Keanu Reeves.

· Marilyn Ness: Marilyn Ness is a two-time Emmy®, DuPont, and Peabody Award-winning documentary producer and director best known for her work producing Cameraperson, Trapped, E-Team, and 1971 (Tribeca Film Festival 2014).

· Zachary Quinto: Zachary Quinto is a film, stage and television actor as well as a producer. His credits include Star Trek, Snowden, The Glass Menagerie, Heroes and two seasons of American Horror Story. In 2008, he began his production company Before the Door Pictures, which has gone on to produce such films as Margin Call, All Is Lost, Banshee Chapter, Breakup At a Wedding, A Most Violent Year, and the upcoming film Aardvark.

· Shaul Schwarz: Shaul Schwarz is a conflict photojournalist turned filmmaker. He's the director of the feature documentaries Narco Cultura (2013) and Trophy (2017).

Short Film Competition Categories

The jurors for the 2017 Narrative Short Film Competition are:

· Udi Aloni: Udi Aloni is a filmmaker and writer whose works frequently explore the interrelationships between art, theory, and activism. His most recent film, Junction 48, won the Best International Narrative Feature award at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival and the Audience Award at the Berlinale, among other awards.

· Brennan Brown: Brennan Brown can be currently seen as Robert Childan on the hit Amazon series The Man in the High Castle, as Dr. Sam Abrams on Chicago Med, and Edward Biben onMozart in the Jungle. A graduate of Yale School of Drama, his many film credits include I Love You Phillip Morris, Focus, and State of Play.

· Gilbert Gottfried: As a famed comic’s comic, Gilbert Gottfried puts aside political correctness for his live performance and fires an onslaught of jokes that know no boundaries. Credits include: a cast member on SNL, Beverly Hills Cop II, The Cosby Show, Late Night with David Letterman, The Howard Stern Show, and Aladdin, as the voice of the wise cracking parrot Iago.

· Amy Heckerling: Amy Heckerling came from the Bronx and wrote Clueless.

· Sheila Nevins: Sheila Nevins is President, HBO Documentary Films. She has been responsible for overseeing the development and production of more than 1,000 documentaries for HBO, HBO2, and Cinemax. As an executive producer or producer, she has received 32 Primetime Emmy® Awards, 7 News and Documentary Emmys®, and 42 George Foster Peabody Awards. During her tenure, HBO’s critically-acclaimed documentaries have gone on to win 26 Academy Awards®.

· Mark O’Brien: Mark O’Brien is an award-winning actor and filmmaker, best known for his roles in the Academy-Award nominated film Arrival and the AMC series Halt & Catch Fire. He can next be seen in the upcoming Sony/Amazon series The Last Tycoon, and a number of feature films including Kin, State Like Sleep, and Parallel.

· Jesse Plemons: Jesse Plemons is an actor. Credits include: Friday Night Lights, Breaking Bad, Fargo, Black Mass, Bridge of Spies, The Master, and Other People. He will next appear in American Made, Hostiles, Black Mirror, and The Discovery.

The jurors for the 2017 Documentary and Student Visionary Competitions are:

· Priyanka Chopra: Priyanka Chopra is a multifaceted personality and one of the most recognized and applauded talents in the world. With more than 50 film credits, Priyanka currently stars in ABC's hit show Quantico and can be seen in the upcoming Baywatch movie, premiering on May 26th.

· Olivia Thirlby: A native New Yorker, Olivia Thirlby is best known for her work in features such as Juno, United 93, The Wackness, 2012 Tribeca film Being Flynn, The Stanford Prison Experiment, Between Us, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2016, and the Amazon/David E. Kelly series Goliath.

· Ryan Eggold: Ryan Eggold is an actor, writer, director, producer, and composer. He currently stars as the male lead in NBC’s The Blacklist: Redemption, the spinoff from the thriller drama, The Blacklist in which he also stars. Ryan has starred in various acclaimed film, TV, and theatre projects, and is also an accomplished musician, singer, and playwright.

· Brendan Fraser: Brendan Fraser is an award-winning actor. Credits include the Mummy franchise, The Quiet American, and Crash. He recently starred in the third season of Showtime’s award-winning TV show, The Affair.

· Ileen Gallagher: Ileen Gallagher produces memorable experiences and destinations, in projects ranging from new museums, corporate attractions, and citywide film/media celebrations to exhibitions, special events, the organization of archives, and beyond.

Storyscapes

The jurors for the 2017 Storyscapes Competition are:

· Lily Baldwin: Lily Baldwin is an NYC/LA-based filmmaker and dancer, whose directing work has appeared at SXSW, Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, the V&A Museum London, Art Basel Miami, ShortsHD, Filmmaker Magazine, NOWNESS, Fandor, and BitTorrent.

· Charlotte Cook: Charlotte Cook is a Co-Creator and Executive Producer of Field of Vision, and a programmer at CPH:DOX.

· Julia Kaganskiy: Julia Kaganskiy is the founding Director of NEW INC, the New Museum’s incubator for art, design and technology.

· Michael Premo: Michael Premo is an artist, journalist, and filmmaker.

· Sarah Wolozin: Sarah Wolozin is director of the MIT Open Documentary Lab.

Nora Ephron Prize

The jurors for the 2017 Nora Ephron Prize are:

· Dianna Agron: Dianna Agron was last seen in Luc Besson’s The Family opposite Robert DeNiro and Michelle Pfeiffer. She will next be seen Sony Pictures Classics Novitiate which recently screened at the Sundance Film Festival. Agron is previously known for her roles on Glee and the feature film I Am Number Four.

· Joy Bryant: Award-winning actress Joy Bryant is best known as the star of NBC’s Parenthood. A former model, Bryant most recently portrayed civil rights activist Eleanor Holmes Norton in the Amazon series Good Girls Revolt and has a memorable cameo in the final season of HBO's Girls.

· Diane Lane: Diane Lane has been hailed as Best Actress by the New York Film Critics and National Society of Film Critics, and received Academy Award®, Screen Actors Guild, Golden Globe® and Emmy® nominations for her career work-to-date. Her next film, Paris Can Wait, directed by Eleanor Coppola will be released on May 12.

· Zoe Lister-Jones: Zoe Lister-Jones is an actor, writer, producer and director, currently starring on CBS’ Life in Pieces and in the indie comedy Band Aid, in which she also makes her directorial debut.

· Christina Ricci: Christina Ricci can currently be seen in the Amazon original series Z: The Beginning of Everything, in which she plays Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald.

Visit www.tribecafilm.com/festival for more information about the 2017 Festival programs and the full line-up.

Passes and tickets for the 2017 Festival

Single ticket are on sale and cost $21.00 for evening and weekend screenings, $12.00 for weekday matinee screenings, $40.00 for Tribeca Talks panels and special screenings, $30.00 for Tribeca TV, and $40.00 for Tribeca Immersive. Tickets can be purchased:

· Online at tribecafilm.com/festival/tickets

· Telephone at (646) 502-5296 or toll free at (866) 941-FEST (3378),

· Ticket outlets located at Cinepolis Chelsea (260 W. 23rd Street), or at the Oculus Westfield World Trade Center (185 Greenwich Street, located at Concierge Desk)

· The 2017 Tribeca Film Festival App, available on iTunes and Google Play

· Tickets to special events at Radio City Music Hall and Beacon Theatre are available at Ticketmaster via tribecafilm.com

Also available for purchase now is The Hudson Pass, an all access pass to screenings and talks taking place at BMCC, Regal, Cinepolis Chelsea, and SVA as well as full access to all events at the Festival Hub at Spring Studios, which includes VR and immersive projects, special screenings with music performances, and access to the lounges.

The 2017 Festival will offer ticket discounts on general screenings and Tribeca Talks panels for students, seniors and select downtown Manhattan residents. Discounted tickets are available at Ticket Outlet locations only.

Stills are available at www.image.net. If you are not an image.net media user yet, please register using referral code 2604. If you have any issues or your need is time sensitive, please contactblin@TribecaFilmFestival.org

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About the Tribeca Film Festival

The Tribeca Film Festival is a cultural event for the new age of storytelling that brings together visionaries across industries and diverse audiences. It celebrates the power of storytelling in a variety of forms – from film to TV, VR to online work, and music to gaming. As a platform for creative expression, independent filmmaking, and immersive entertainment, Tribeca champions emerging and established voices, discovers award-winning filmmakers and creators, curates innovative experiences, and introduces new technology and ideas through premieres, exhibitions, talks, and live performances.

The Festival was founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff in 2001 to spur the economic and cultural revitalization of lower Manhattan following the attacks on the World Trade Center. With strong roots in independent film, the annual event has evolved into a destination for creativity, reimagines the cinematic experience, and explores how art can unite communities.

About the 2017 Partners

As Presenting Sponsor of the Tribeca Film Festival, AT&T is committed to supporting the Festival and the art of filmmaking through access and innovation, while expanding opportunities to diverse creators around the globe. As one of the largest communications and entertainment companies, AT&T helps millions connect to their passions – no matter where they are.

The Tribeca Film Festival is pleased to announce its 2017 Signature Partners: Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Bai Beverages, Bloomberg Philanthropies', Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC), CHANEL, EFFEN® Vodka, ESPN, IWC Schaffhausen, The Lincoln Motor Company, National CineMedia, Nespresso, New York Magazine, Nexxus Salon Hair Care, Nutella, NYC Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment, Spring Studios New York, and United Airlines.

TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL® APRIL 19-30

April 10, 2017 Art Shrian & Lapacazo Sandoval

It is time for the annual TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL® when die-hard cinefiles get that wild, giddy expression. The selection continues to grow and the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival, presented by AT&T, experienceda high record number of submissions. Cara Cusumano, in her new role as Director of Programming along with Artistic Director Frédéric Boyer narrowed down the selection to 32 films in competition section features: 12 documentaries, 10 U.S. narratives and 10 international narratives. The Spotlight Narrative section features 15 fiction films, while 16 nonfiction films will premiere in the Spotlight Documentary section. The Midnight section features five heart-stopping narratives and one documentary premiere.

In this current political climate — where the Presidential administration is attempting to use fear and division to help push their racist and sexist agendas to the people, the need for artist to express their opinions and present truth has never been more needed.

"It’s uncertain and tumultuous times like these that we need artists and storytellers the most, and this year's program is a testament to the unending capacity of film for impact, empathy, and even much needed escapism,” said Cara Cusumano, Tribeca’s new Director of Programming.

“In the current climate, both in the literal and political sense, it is more important than ever to elevate stories about the moments we are going through as a nation and as global citizens,” said Paula Weinstein, Executive Vice President of Tribeca Enterprises. “We were really moved by this group of projects that reflect our world and the critical tipping point we have reached.”

“This year’s film slate is perhaps our most varied yet in both the generosity in the stories told and the diversity of the styles of filmmaking, with the international films transcending geographical boundaries,” said Frédéric Boyer, Tribeca’s Artistic Director.

Some not to be missed highlights include:

“The Wedding Plan,” directed and written by Rama Burshtein. Spirited bride-to-be Michal is dumped by her fiancé a month before their wedding. Undeterred, she keeps her wedding date. Highly recommend!

“Saturday Church,” directed and written by Damon Cardasis. 14-year-old Ulysses is a shy and effeminate teen being raised in the Bronx by his strict Aunt Rose. With Regina Taylor.

“Holy Air,” directed and written by Shady Srour. Desperate to care for his pregnant wife and ailing father, Adam (writer/director Shady Srour) embarks on his latest, riskiest business venture: selling bottled holy air.

“King of Peking,” directed and written by Sam Voutas. Big Wong and his son Little Wong are traveling film projectionists, screening Hollywood movies for local villagers. A love letter to cinema.

“Newton,”, directed by Amit V Masurkar. India, the world’s largest democracy, is preparing for an election—and with more than 800 million voters, this is a logistical puzzle of epic proportions.

“Sambá,” directed by Laura Amelia Guzmán and Israel Cárdenas. Cisco has his back against the ropes. After spending 15 years in an American jail, he’s returned to the Dominican Republic yet is unable to get a job.

“Copwatch,” directed by Camilla Hall. The true story of We Copwatch, an organization that films police activity as a non-violent form of protest and deterrent to police brutality.

“The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson,” directed by David France. Featuring never-before-seen footage following a new investigation into the mysterious death of self-described “street queen” Marsha P. Johnson, one of the courageous black transgender activists who spearheaded the modern gay civil rights movement.

“Dabka,” directed and written by Bryan Buckley. A rookie journalist has an inspiring chance encounter with his idol (Al Pacino), uproots his life and moves to Somalia. Based on the true story an unprecedented first-person account of the pirates of Somalia.

“Frank Serpico,” directed and written by Antonino D'Ambrosio. With unprecedented access to a notoriously reclusive subject, D’Ambrosio creates a powerful portrait of Frank Serpico, the former NYPD officer who in the 1970s blew the whistle on the corruption and payoffs running rampant in the department.

“A Thousand Junkies,” directed by Tommy Swerdlow. Three heroin addicts crisscross Los Angeles in search of relief in this comedy balanced on the fine line between reliance and dependence.

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Tribeca Film Festival Announces Tribeca TV 2017 Lineup

March 24, 2017 #ArtReports

16th ANNUAL TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES SECOND ANNUAL TRIBECA TV PROGRAM FEATURING WORLD PREMIERES OF HIGHLY ANTICIPATED NEW SHOWS AND FAN FAVORITE RETURNING SERIES, AND A SLATE OF INDEPENDENT PILOTS

Premieres Include Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale, NatGeo’s First Scripted Series Genius, USA Network’s The Sinner and Season Debuts of Audience Favorites Including Showtime’s Episode and Netflix’s Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Legendary Documentarian Ken Burns to Receive the Citizens Filmmaker Award and Present a Special Sneak Peek of His Upcoming Documentary The Vietnam War

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New York, NY [March 23, 2017] – The 2017 Tribeca Film Festival, presented by AT&T, today announced the lineup for the second annual television festival, Tribeca TV, featuring a mix of world premieres of some of the most talked-about new series, including The Handmaid’s Tale and Genius, season debuts of audience favorites such as Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Episodes, as well as documentary special previews, and indie pilots. Premiere screenings will be followed by dynamic conversations with some of the most creative and well-known actors, directors, writers, and producers in the business. Tribeca TV, which will run during the festival’s 16th edition, features 15 shows including five series premieres, four season premieres, three independent pilots, one feature documentary, and one very special sneak peek. The Tribeca Film Festival takes place April 19-30.

Tribeca TV debuted last year and launched a diverse selection of shows that went on to critical acclaim and commercial success, including HBO’s The Night Of and AMC’s The Night Manager. This year’s lineup includes series premieres of: Hulu’s highly anticipated The Handmaid’s Tale, followed by a conversation with the dynamic cast of Elisabeth Moss, Joseph Fiennes, Alexis Bledel, Samira Wiley, and Max Minghella; NatGeo’s first scripted series Genius about the fascinating life of Albert Einstein, followed by a conversation with executive producers Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, who also directs the first episode, and stars Emily Watson and Geoffrey Rush; USA’s crime thriller anthology series The Sinner, followed by a conversation with stars Jessica Biel and Bill Pullman, and director Antonio Campos; and There’s … Johnny!, from NBC’s new comedy service SeeSo, followed by a conversation with showrunners and cast including executive producers Paul Reiser and David Gordon Green, and star Tony Danza.

“Coming off of a very successful first year of Tribeca TV, we curated this year’s program to include an expanded, exceptional lineup of top-notch shows and dynamic storytellers both in front of and behind the camera,” said Cara Cusumano, Director of Programming at the Tribeca Film Festival. “As the TV landscape continues to evolve in exciting, cinematic directions, the festival creates a unique opportunity for audiences to discover together on a big screen what everyone else will eventually be talking about from their couches at home.”

Highlights also include season premieres of audience favorites including: season three premiere of the Netflix original series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, followed by a conversation with executive producers Tina Fey and Robert Carlock and stars Ellie Kemper, Tituss Burgess, Jane Krakowski and Carol Kane; the premiere of Showtime’sEpisodes’ final season, followed by a conversation between Matt LeBlanc and creators David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik; season three premiere of Hulu’s family comedyCasual, followed by a conversation with creator Zander Lehmann, as well as executive producers and cast members; and season three premiere of Comedy Central’s Another Period, followed by a conversation with creators, writers, and stars Natasha Leggero and Riki Lindhome.

Tribeca TV will also host a special event for CNN’s new series Soundtracks: Songs That Defined History, executive produced by Dwayne Johnson, which explores music as a driving force behind social change, with the premiere of the series’ 9/11 episode at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. SpikeTV will premiere a new installment of their feature documentary series I Am, an inside look at the life of Heath Ledger, as told by his inner circle. Additionally, the new independent variety show from the mastermind behindcollective: unconscious, The Eyeslicer will premiere at the Festival, bringing together the next generation of alternative Americans under one strange roof.

This year Tribeca TV will highlight the work of independent productions for the first time, as part of the Festival’s mission of creator discovery. These three original new pilots will premiere together during a special event followed by a conversation with the creators: Black Magic for White Boys, Lost & Found, and Manic.

Ken Burns will be honored for his unparalleled work as one of the most influential and celebrated historical documentarians with the Festival’s new Citizen Filmmaker Award. Following the presentation, audience members will screen a special sneak-peek created especially for Tribeca of The Vietnam War, the unprecedented 10-part, 18 hour documentary film series about the Vietnam War directed by Burns and Lynn Novick, which will air on PBS this fall.

The TRIBECA TV Lineup:

With media support from Vulture the entertainment and culture site from New York Magazine

Another Period (Comedy Central) - Season 3 World Premiere

Executive Producers: Natasha Leggero, Riki Lindhome, Jeremy Konner, Debbie Liebling, Stuart Cornfeld, Mike Rosenstein, Ben Stiller.

Another Period tells the incredible story of the Bellacourt sisters, Lillian and Beatrice (played by Leggero and Lindhome). Defined by their family’s wealth, they care only about becoming super famous — which is a lot harder in 1902. The show follows the insanely decadent and outrageous life of the Bellacourt coterie. Before others claimed their fame, they were the one American family who epitomized all that was spoiled, shameless and stupid. The Bellacourts have more servants than relatives and days filled with money, sex, drugs…and more money.

After the episode: A conversation with creators, writers, and stars Natasha Leggero and Riki Lindhome, and cast members Paget Brewster and Brett Gelman.

Screening time: Wednesday, April 26, 6:15 PM, SVA-2

Casual (Hulu) - Season 3 World Premiere

Executive Producers: Zander Lehmann, Liz Tigelaar, Helen Estabrook, Jason Reitman.

Season 3 returns with everyone's favorite co-dependent siblings Valerie and Alex. They continue to live deep in each other’s emotional lives as they raise Valerie's daughter Laura. Following dramatic life changes at the end of the last season, Valerie and Alex are adjusting to a new normal while continuing to struggle to maintain boundaries with each other.

After the episode: A conversation with creator and executive producer Zander Lehmann, executive producers, Liz Tigelaar, Helen Estabrook, and cast members Michaela Watkins, Tommy Dewey, and Tara Lynne Barr. Moderated by editor for New York Magazine and Vulture, Stacey Wilson Hunt.

Screening time: Saturday, April 29, 6:15PM, SVA-2

Episodes (Showtime) - Final Season Premiere

Executive Producer: Jimmy Mulville.

Episodes, the award-winning, razor-sharp comedy about the insanity of making a television show, returns for its fifth and final season. Lauded English television writers Sean and Beverly Lincoln were lured to Hollywood to adapt their much-loved British boarding-school comedy, Lyman’s Boys. Their American network has mangled the show into Pucks!, a sitcom about a high school hockey coach starring Matt LeBlanc (played brilliantly by himself). After a dismal run, the sitcom was finally put out of its misery. Now Sean and Beverly struggle to create a successful new project in this country without completely losing their integrity, while Matt desperately attempts to revitalize his disappearing acting career.

After the episode: A conversation with creators David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik, and cast member Matt LeBlanc. Moderated by editor for New York Magazine and Vulture,Stacey Wilson Hunt.

Screening time: Sunday, April 30, 5:30 PM, SVA-1

The Eyeslicer - New Series Premiere

Executive Producers: Dan Schoenbrun, Vanessa McDonnell.

The Eyeslicer is a new variety TV show that brings the next generation of alternative American filmmakers together under one strange roof. The hour-long show will slice, dice, and then mince your eyeballs into delicious ceviche. Each episode is a handcrafted mixtape, blending boundary-pushing short form work into a weird, wild, uninterrupted whole.The Eyeslicer premieres at Tribeca with the episode "Facial Reconstruction", featuring work from acclaimed indie filmmakers Lauren Wolkstein, Erin Vassilopoulos, Shaka King, Danny Madden, and Leah Shore.

After the episode: A conversation with co-creators Dan Schoenbrun and Vanessa McDonnell, and filmmakers Lauren Wolkstein, Erin Vassilopoulos, Shaka King, Danny Madden, and Leah Shore.

Screening time: Friday, April 28, 9:00 PM, SVA-2

Genius (National Geographic) - New Series World Premiere

Executive Producers: Ken Biller, Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Gigi Pritzker, Sam Sokolow.

Genius charts how Albert Einstein (Geoffrey Rush), an imaginative, rebellious patent clerk who struggled to land an academic post in his early years, went on to become the greatest scientific mind of the 20th century. The show explores his rise as he juggles his volatile, passionate and complex personal relationships. Based on Walter Isaacson’s acclaimed biography.

After the episode: A conversation with director and executive producer Ron Howard, executive producers Brian Grazer and Gigi Pritzker, showrunner Ken Biller, and cast members Geoffrey Rush, Johnny Flynn, Emily Watson, and Samantha Colley.

Screening time: Thursday, April 20, 6:00 PM, BMCC

The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu, MGM) - New Series World Premiere

Executive Producer: Bruce Miller.

Based on Margaret Atwood's acclaimed novel, The Handmaid’s Tale is the story of Gilead, a modern-day totalitarian society facing environmental disasters and a plunging birthrate, ruled by a fundamentalist regime that treats women as property. As one of the few fertile women, Offred is forced into sexual servitude in a desperate attempt to repopulate the world. In a society where one wrong word could end her life, Offred has one goal: survive and find the daughter taken from her.

After the episode: A conversation with executive producers Bruce Miller, Warren Littlefield, and cast members Elisabeth Moss, Joseph Fiennes, Yvonne Strahovski, Samira Wiley, Alexis Bledel, Madeline Brewer, Ann Dowd, O.T. Fagbenle, and Max Minghella. Moderated by writer for The New York Times Magazine, Jenna Wortham.

Screening time: Friday, April 21, 6:00 PM, BMCC

I Am Heath Ledger (Spike TV) - World Premiere

Producer/Co-Director: Derik Murray. Co-Director: Adrian Buitenhuis.

Told through excerpts of his greatest performances, interviews with friends and family (including Ben Mendelsohn, Naomi Watts, Ang Lee, and Ben Harper), and the lens of his own camera, I Am Heath Ledger is an intimate celebration of the actor, artist, and icon. An artist of exceptional depth and courage, Ledger was equally talented behind the camera. This stirring documentary paints a rich portrait of one of the great artists of his generation.

Screening times:

Sunday, April 23, 5:00 PM, Tribeca Festival Hub

Monday, April 24, 6:45 PM, RGL-9

Wednesday, April 26, 8:00 PM, CIN-6

Thursday, April 27, 8:00 PM, CIN-6

The Sinner (USA/Universal Cable Productions) - New Series World Premiere

Executive Producers: Derek Simonds, Jessica Biel, Michelle Purple, Charlie Gogolak.

A young mother is overcome by an inexplicable fit of rage and commits a startling act of violence. The event launches an inverted and utterly surprising crime thriller whose driving force is not the “who” or the “what,”—but the “why.” Soon the investigator finds himself obsessed with uncovering the woman's buried motive. From Universal Cable Productions, The Sinner is a riveting psychological thriller, with a pilot stylishly directed by acclaimed filmmaker Antonio Campos (Afterschool, Christine).

After the episode: A conversation with executive producer and director of the pilot Antonio Campos, executive producer Derek Simonds, executive producer and cast memberJessica Biel, and cast members Christopher Abbott and Bill Pullman.

Screening time: Tuesday, April 25, 6:15 PM, SVA-1

Soundtracks: Songs That Defined History (CNN)

Executive Producers: Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia, Maro Chermayeff, Jeff Dupre.

Soundtracks explores seminal moments in history through the music that defines them. Featuring original interviews with legendary musicians as well as celebrated journalists, historians, and writers, the series reveals how music has been a driving force behind social change. In a Tribeca screening at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York, the show will explore how songs like Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind” took on new and heightened meaning, as music took center stage for a country fighting to heal. Co-hosted by the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.

After the episode: A conversation with CNN anchor of New Day, Chris Cuomo, and professor at NYU’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, Jason King. Moderated by Executive Vice President and Deputy Director for Museum Programs at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, Clifford Chanin.

Screening times: Tuesday, April 25, 7:00PM, 9/11 Memorial & Museum

Wednesday, April 26, 3:00 PM, SVA-2

After the episode: A conversation with executive producers Maro Chermayeff and Jeff Dupree

There’s… Johnny! (Seeso) - New Series World Premiere

Executive Producers: Paul Reiser, David Steven Simon, David Gordon Green, Jeff Sotzing, Brian Volk-Weiss, Craig Knizek, Cisco Henson, Michael Pelmont, Matt Ochacher, Evan Shapiro, Kelsey Balance.

It's 1972, and everyone goes to bed together... with Johnny Carson, TV's biggest star. 19 year old Nebraskan Andy Klavin stumbles his way into a gig as a gofer at Carson's "The Tonight Show" and into a world that will change his life. There's… Johnny! takes a fictional comedic trip back in time, to go behind the man in front of the curtain, and look at the lives and loves of the people who make all of America laugh.

After the episode: A conversation with creator Paul Reiser, executive producers David Steven Simon and David Gordon Green, and cast members Tony Danza, Ian Nelson,and Jane Levy.

Screening time: Thursday April 27, 6:15 PM, SVA-2

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix) - Season 3 World Premiere

Executive Producers: Tina Fey, Robert Carlock, Jeff Richmond, David Mine.

After living in a cult for fifteen years, Kimmy (Ellie Kemper) decides to reclaim her life and start over in New York City. Season 3 opens with Kimmy in an unfamiliar position with the Reverend back in her life. Meanwhile, Titus returns from his cruise and auditions for an exciting new role, and Lillian has to break up with her boyfriend Robert Durst.

After the episode: A conversation with co-creators and executive producers Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, and cast members Ellie Kemper, Tituss Burgess, Jane Krakowski, and Carol Kane. Moderated by co-host of Morning Joe, Willie Geist.

Screening time: Friday, April 28, 6:00 PM, BMCC

The Vietnam War (PBS) - Special Sneak Peek

Producers: Sarah Botstein, Ken Burns, Lynn Novick.

Ken Burns and Lynn Novick’s ten-part, 18-hour documentary series tells the epic story of the Vietnam War as it has never been told before. Featuring testimony from nearly 100 witnesses, including Americans who fought in the war, those who opposed it, and Vietnamese combatants and civilians from both the winning and losing sides. The Vietnam Waris an immersive, 360 degree narrative of a seminal period of history.

After the episode: A conversation with filmmakers Ken Burns and Lynn Novick.

Screening time: Friday, April 28, 5:30 PM, SVA-1

Pilot Season

For the first time in 2017, Tribeca opened submissions to independently produced TV pilots. This showcase program represents the strongest new voices bringing their talents to the episodic space.

After the screening: Join us for a conversation with the creators.

Screening times: Sunday, April 23, 9:00PM, CIN-07

Monday, April 24, 4:45 PM, CIN-01

Friday, April 28, 10:45 PM, CIN-01

Saturday, April 29, 3:15 PM, RGL-01

· Black Magic for White Boys - World Premiere

Executive Producers: Jamie Block, Ronald Guttman. An aging magician is about to lose his small New York theater, but has a devilish plan to save it. A middle-aged man finds his sovereignty in jeopardy when he impregnates a woman he barely knows. A real estate mogul is frustrated that he can't raise the rent on this tenants. These characters converge in Tribeca alum Onur Tukel’s bizarre comic tale about testing boundaries, gentrification, and how old New York is fading away. With: Onur Tukel, Ronald Guttman, Jamie Block.

· Lost & Found - World Premiere

Executive Producers: Haroula Rose, Melonie Diaz.

Stella and Ian are separating. But for this modern LA couple, that’s nothing to be sad or ashamed about. They decide to host an “un-wedding” party to celebrate. As friends and family descend on their home for the occasion, secrets are revealed and loyalties tested in this comedy-drama about family, friendship, and marriage. With: Melonie Diaz, Will Janowitz, Jennifer LeFleur, Terence Nance, Avi Rothman, Laura Lee Botsacos, Abby Wathen, Nick Thurston, Haroula Rose, Ethan Gold.

· Manic - World Premiere

Executive Producers: Kimberley Browning, Kate Marks.

Aurora Carter, an Ivy League-bound, AP Exam enthusiast finds that her over-achieving obsessiveness lands her in a boarding school for kids with mental illnesses. Now she has a singular goal: prove she doesn’t belong with the rest of the freaks. Determined to fight the system, Aurora makes alliances with the other girls one by one and inspires them to take control of their lives. With: Shanice Williams, Dot-Marie Jones, Russell Andrews, Nicki Micheaux, VyVy Nguyen.

Passes and tickets for the 2017 Festival

Single ticket sales begin Tuesday, March 28 and cost $21.00 for evening and weekend screenings, $12.00 for weekday matinee screenings, $40.00 for Tribeca Talks panels and special screenings, $30.00 for Tribeca TV, and $40.00 for Tribeca Immersive. Tickets can be purchased online at tribecafilm.com/festival/tickets, or by telephone at (646) 502-5296 or toll free at (866) 941-FEST (3378) or at the ticket outlet located at Cinepolis Chelsea (260 W. 23rd Street).

Packages and passes are now available for purchase on the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival App, on:

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tribeca-2017/id1208189515?mt=8

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tff2017.android

Tickets for events at the Beacon Theatre and at Radio City Music Hall are available for purchase online only at www.ticketmaster.com

###

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About the Tribeca Film Festival

About the 2017 Partners

Tribeca Film Festival Announces Tribeca Talks Series

March 21, 2017 #ArtReports

TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES TRIBECA TALKS® LINEUP

FEATURING ENGAGING CONVERSATIONS WITH NOAH BAUMBACH, KATHRYN BIGELOW, KOBE BRYANT, COMMON, LENA DUNHAM, JON FAVREAU, GLEN KEANE, JENNI KONNER, BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, AND MORE

Celebrated Artists Paired with Notable Creatives Including Nelson George,

Tom Hanks, Dustin Hoffman, Scarlett Johansson, Robert Rodriguez, and More

for Intimate One-on-One Conversations

Audiences can Experience Live Podcasts Throughout Festival

New York, NY [March 20, 2017] – Be a fly on the wall of intimate, once-in-a-lifetime conversations between some of today’s most sought-after creative forces at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival, presented by AT&T. The exciting, eclectic lineup of panels and discussions announced today feature the industry’s most critically and commercially successful filmmakers, artists, and entertainers, including: Noah Baumbach, Kathryn Bigelow, Kobe Bryant, Common, Lena Dunham, Jon Favreau, and Bruce Springsteen, as well as previously announced participantsAlejandro González Iñárritu and Barbra Streisand. The Tribeca Talks® program will run throughout the 16th annual Tribeca Film Festival, taking place April 19-30.

Intimate one-on-one discussions are a hallmark of the Tribeca Talks: Directors Series and Tribeca Talks: Storytellers Series. Acclaimed directors participating in the Tribeca Talks: Directors Series include Jon Favreau in conversation with Scarlett Johansson, Noah Baumbach with Dustin Hoffman, and a conversation with Alejandro González Iñárritu. Now in its second year, Tribeca Talks: Storytellers, which spotlights pioneering creators who work across mediums to tell their stories, will feature Common in conversation with Nelson George, Kobe Bryant and legendary animator Glen Keane with Michael Strahan, a conversation with Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner, Bruce Springsteen with Tom Hanks, and Barbra Streisand in conversationwith Robert Rodriguez. For the first time, the Festival will feature a Virtual Reality Premiere Talk Event with Kathryn Bigelow and Imraan Ismail. The popular Tribeca Talks: Master Class conversations return with a focus on specific sectors of the filmmaking process, including cinematography with Ellen Kuras, production and costume design, and creating sound and music for film.

“It is an incredible privilege to get a glimpse into the creative process of some of the most brilliant figures in film, music, and culture – and one of my favorite parts of the festival experience,” said Tribeca’s Paula Weinstein. “The Tribeca Talks series allows audiences to join the discussions, and offers a chance to peek into the minds of their favorite entertainers to better understand their creative journeys.”

Tickets for the Bruce Springsteen/Tom Hanks talk taking place at the Beacon Theatre go on sale tomorrow, March 21 at Ticketmaster via www.tribecafilm.com. Tickets for all other Tribeca Talks go on sale Tuesday, March 28, and can be purchased online at www.tribecafilm.com, by telephone (866) 941-FEST (3378), or at the ticket outlet located at Cinepolis Chelsea (260 W. 23rd Street). Also visit the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival App on iTunes and Google Play.

The 2017 Tribeca Talks series schedule follows:

Tribeca Talks: Directors Series

With media support from Entertainment Weekly

Today’s most groundbreaking filmmakers discuss their careers and highlights.

Jon Favreau with Scarlett Johansson

Filmmaker Jon Favreau will talk to actress Scarlett Johansson about his distinguished and diverse career as a director, successful across both indie and blockbuster franchises, ranging from the indie hit Swingers to the blockbuster Iron Man eries. He will also discuss his initiation into virtual reality with Gnomes & Goblins nd the landmark live action effort, The Jungle Book, truly embodying the spirit of a director who knows no bounds.

DATE: Friday, April 21

TIME: 5:00PM

LOCATION: SVA 1

Alejandro González Iñárritu

Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu, one of only three directors to ever win consecutive Oscars and the first to do so in 65 years, will talk about his beautifully varied work on films such as Amores Perros, 21 Grams, Biutiful, Babel, and most recently, The Revenant. Iñárritu is the first Mexican filmmaker to have been nominated for Best Director and Best Producer in the history of the Academy Awards.

DATE: Saturday, April 22

TIME: 2:30PM

LOCATION: SVA 1

Noah Baumbach with Dustin Hoffman

Dustin Hoffman will speak with director and writer Noah Baumbach about his career, which includes his Academy Award®-nominated film The Squid and the Whale and the groundbreakingFrances Ha.

DATE: Monday, April 24

TIME: 6:00PM

LOCATION: BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center

Tribeca Talks: Virtual Reality

Kathryn Bigelow and Imraan Ismail - The Protectors

At a special VR premiere, Academy Award®-winning director Kathryn Bigelow and co-creator Imraan Ismail discuss their collaboration on Virtual Reality documentary The Protectors: A Walk in the Ranger’s Shoes. The experience, from National Geographic, Here Be Dragons, Annapurna Pictures, and African Parks chronicles a day in the life of the rangers in Garamba National Park. Conversation to be followed by the VR premiere.

DATE: Saturday, April 22

TIME: 8:15PM

LOCATION: The Tribeca Festival Hub, located at Spring Studies – 50 Varick Street

Tribeca Talks: Storytellers

With media support from Entertainment Weekly

Some of today’s most innovative creators broke from traditional roles and pioneered their own forms of storytelling, often mastering multiple mediums. This series will celebrate the illustrious careers of those individuals who have broken from the mold.

Kobe Bryant and Glen Keane with Michael Strahan

Basketball great Kobe Bryant collaborated with visionary animator Glen Keane on an animated short film that explores what it is like to say goodbye to something you love. In an onstage conversation led by Hall of Famer, NFL analyst on Fox and co-host of Good Morning America, Michael Strahan, Bryant and Keane focus on what story means to them and what it is like to truly step out of your own lane.

After the Movie: Bryant and Keane’s conversation with Michael Strahan will follow a screening of Dear Basketball, Kobe Bryant's inspiring poem, stunningly drawn to life by veteran animation director Glen Keane and set to the music of legendary composer John Williams.

DATE: Sunday, April 23

TIME: 4:30PM

LOCATION: BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center

Common with Nelson George

Beginning as a rapper in Chicago, Academy Award®, Golden Globe, and three time Grammy winner Common has crafted an impressive career as a renowned hip-hop artist and notable actor. Director/screenwriter Nelson George joins Common to discuss the power of the combination of film and music.

After the Movie: This conversation will begin with a screening of a never-before-seen extended version of Letter to the Free, followed by a conversation with Nelson George and a live performance by Common.

DATE: Sunday, April 23

TIME: 8:00PM

LOCATION: The Tribeca Festival Hub, located at Spring Studies – 50 Varick Street

Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner

Initially discovered for her original voice in breakout film Tiny Furniture, Lena Dunham has since gone on to win a Golden Globe for her performance in Girls, which was created by Dunham and is helmed by Jenni Konner, whose other work includes the series Help Me Help You. The duo also co-founded the media brand Lenny, home of the feminist weekly newsletter Lenny Letter (LennyLetter.com). In a can’t miss conversation, Dunham and Konner will discuss Girls, the industry, and the highs and lows of their careers.

DATE: Tuesday, April 25

TIME: 6:00PM

LOCATION: The Tribeca Festival Hub, located at Spring Studies – 50 Varick Street

Bruce Springsteen with Tom Hanks

Bruce Springsteen has had an illustrious career spanning over 40 years of unforgettable cultural achievements. The musician sits down with celebrated actor and longtime friend Tom Hanks to discuss Springsteen's unique place in American musical history and look forward to the future.

DATE: Friday, April 28

TIME: 5:00PM

LOCATION: Beacon Theatre

Barbra Streisand with Robert Rodriguez

Widely recognized as an icon in multiple entertainment fields, Barbra Streisand has attained unprecedented achievements as a recording artist, actor, director, producer, concert performer, author and songwriter. Streisand has been awarded two Oscars®, five Emmys, ten Golden Globes, eight Grammys plus two special Grammys, a special Tony award in 1970, and two CableACE Awards – the only artist to receive honors in all of those fields of endeavor. She will converse on her unparalleled career and force field of creativity with filmmaker Robert Rodriguez.

DATE: Saturday, April 29

TIME: 6:00PM

LOCATION: BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center

Tribeca Talks: Master Class (Free events)

Tribeca Talks: Master Class are free events featuring conversations focusing on a specific sector of the filmmaking process.

Dolby: Image and Sound Master Class with Imogen Heap

The new animated short film Escape utilizes exciting new imaging and sound technologies, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, to present a euphoric vision of the future. Join composer/sound designer Imogen Heap, directors Limbert Fabian and Brandon Oldenburg, and other members of the film’s creative team as they discuss how they used audio technologies to tell this compelling story

DATE: Sunday, April 23

TIME: 12:00PM

LOCATION: Dolby Cinema at AMC Empire 25, 234 W 42 St

Production and Costume Design Master Class

Kristi Zea, the venerated production designer who has collaborated with directors such as Martin Scorsese and Jonathan Demme, sits down with a prominent costume designer for a conversation about creating the overall look and feel of film.

DATE: Saturday, April 29

TIME: 3:00PM

LOCATION: SVA 2

Cinematography Master Class

Acclaimed cinematographer Ellen Kuras, frequent collaborator with directors Michel Gondry and Spike Lee, takes you behind the camera, from choosing the right lenses to crafting a specific vision. Academy Award-nominated for her directorial debut documentary film, The Betrayal – Nerakhoon, she will offer tips and provide examples from her work on films including Blow andEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

DATE: Sunday, April 30

TIME: 3:00 PM

LOCATION: SVA 2

Tribeca Talks: Podcasts

This year the Tribeca Film Festival partners with Slate to offer access to podcasts covering culture and political humor, as well as the popular Gilbert Gottfried comedy podcast.

Live from The Tribeca Film Festival: Slate’s Represent

Slate’s Represent is a space for discussion about culture created by women, people of color, and those in the LGBTQ community. Host Aisha Harris dives deep into conversations with critics about the latest pop cultural news, and filmmakers in the industry about what they do and how they do it.

DATE: Monday, April 24

TIME: 6:45 PM

LOCATION: SVA2

Live from The Tribeca Film Festival: Slate’s Trumpcast

Get a dose of politics and comedy with Slate’s Trumpcast Live. Host Jacob Weisberg is joined by Slate Chief Political Correspondent Jamelle Bouie, author Virginia Heffernan, and more for a frank conversation on the first 100 days of the Trump administration.

DATE: Sunday, April 30

TIME: 8:15 PM

LOCATION: SVA1

Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast! Live

Acclaimed comedian and actor Gilbert Gottfried and cohost Frank Santopadre are joined by special celebrity guests for a live recording of their hilarious and informative podcast. Vanity Faircalled "Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast!" "gripping" and the Village Voice named it 2015's "Best Podcast of the Year."

DATE: Sunday, April 23

TIME: 5:30 PM

LOCATION: Regal

Panelists, moderators and podcasts are subject to change. For the most updated schedule, visit www.tribecafilm.com

About the Tribeca Film Festival

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About the 2017 Partners

Passes and tickets for the 2017 Festival

Advance selection ticket packages are now on sale through the end of day on March 20th. All advance selection packages can be purchased online at tribecafilm.com/festival/tickets, or by telephone at (646) 502-5296 or toll free at (866) 941-FEST (3378).

Single tickets cost $21.00 for evening and weekend screenings, $12.00 for weekday matinee screenings, $40.00 for Tribeca Talks panels and special screenings, $30.00 for Tribeca TV, and $40.00 for Tribeca Immersive. Single ticket sales begin Tuesday, March 28 and can be purchased online, by telephone, or at the ticket outlet located at Cinepolis Chelsea (260 W. 23rd Street). The 2017 Festival will offer ticket discounts on general screenings and Tribeca Talks panels for students, seniors and select downtown Manhattan residents. Discounted tickets are available at Ticket Outlet locations only.

Packages and passes are now available for purchase on the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival App, on:

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tribeca-2017/id1208189515?mt=8

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tff2017.android

Tickets for events at the Beacon Theatre and at Radio City Music Hall are available for purchase online only beginning March 21.

Tribeca Film Festival Closing, Galas, and Specials Announcement Release

March 9, 2017 #ArtReports

16th ANNUAL TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES EPIC BACK-TO-BACK SCREENINGS OF THE GODFATHER AND THE GODFATHER PART II TO CLOSE FESTIVAL,

ALONG WITH EXCITING GALAS AND SPECIAL SCREENINGS

Announced Galas Include: Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: The Bad Boy Story,

The Circle starring Tom Hanks and Emma Watson,

and the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Gala Mike and the Mad Dog

Along with Special Anniversary Screenings of Michael Moore’s Bowling for Columbine, Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs, and Disney’s Aladdin

New York, NY [March 8, 2017] – Unprecedented screenings and once-in-a-lifetime experiences, including the reunion of talent and creators from iconic films and musical acts, will be showcased at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival, presented by AT&T. The 16th edition of the annual cultural festival today announced the program’s Closing Night, Galas, Special Screenings, as well as the titles premiering under the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival banner. The Tribeca Film Festival takes place from April 19 to April 30 and opens with the world premiere of the feature documentary Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives at Radio City Music Hall, followed by a special concert featuring performances by Aretha Franklin, Jennifer Hudson, Earth, Wind & Fire, and more.

To close the Festival, Tribeca will celebrate the 45th anniversary of The Godfather’s theatrical release with an epic screening of the legendary crime saga’s first two parts. The Godfather and The Godfather Part II will play back-to-back at Radio City Music Hall on Saturday, April 29, followed by a once-in-a-lifetime panel discussion with Academy Award®-winning director Francis Ford Coppola and actors Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, and Robert De Niro.

This year’s Galas section features larger-than-life figures from the worlds of music and sports, including Sean “Diddy" Combs’ Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: The Bad Boy Story documentary celebrating the first 20 years of Bad Boy Entertainment record label; the World Premiere of James Ponsoldt’s The Circle, starring Tom Hanks and Emma Watson; and the World Premiere of Mike and the Mad Dog, which kicks off The Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival, sponsored by Mohegan Sun.

“From Clive Davis, to Sean Combs, to Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival is brimming with exciting and can’t miss special screenings and events,” said Tribeca’s Paula Weinstein. “With the lineup of film, music, and sports legends who are coming together to entertain and inform, this could be the most memorable year of Tribeca yet.”

Special Screenings are a Tribeca tradition, offering audiences the opportunity to continue the cinematic experience with a deeper dive into a topic, either through a conversation or performance after the premiere screening. This year, the special screenings include the world premieres of House of Z, a documentary that follows fashion superstar Zac Posen; The Public Image is Rotten, a documentary about Sex Pistols’ lead singer Johnny Rotten (AKA John Lydon); and Dare to be Different, the story of 1980’s rebel Long Island radio station WLIR, which will include live performances by Flock of Seagulls, The Alarm, and The English Beat.

“From cinema to music, sports to virtual reality, we pride ourselves on curating experiences that you won’t find anywhere else,” said Tribeca’s Director of Programming Cara Cusumano. “The very nature of a festival is for people to come together to be moved by stories. This year’s selection of special screenings provides that and more, paired with talks, performances, and commemorative reunions that take the experience off the screen and into the audience.”

Tribeca will also give a nod to the past with a series of anniversary retrospectives, including: the 25th anniversary of Aladdin with a special sing-along; the 15th anniversary of Bowling for Columbine followed by a critical conversation with Academy Award®-winning director Michael Moore; and the 25th anniversary of Quentin Tarantino’s influential and celebrated classic, Reservoir Dogs. Tarantino and members of the cast will participate in a conversation following the film.

The complete film selections for Closing Night, Galas, Special Screenings, and Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival sections are as follows:

CLOSING NIGHT

The 45th anniversary of The Godfather screening followed by The Godfather Part II and conversation

The Godfather & The Godfather: Part II, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, written by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola. (USA). Arguably two of the best films ever made, and winners of nine Academy Awards between them, Coppola’s epic masterpieces paint a chilling, multigenerational portrait of the Corleone crime family's rise and near fall from power in America. Tribeca celebrates the legacy of one of the most influential film sagas of all time with this anniversary screening and reunion event. Part I: With Marlon Brando, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Al Pacino, Talia Shire, John Cazale, Abe Vigoda. In English, Italian, Latin with subtitles. Part II: With Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, William Bowers, James Caan, John Cazale, Giuseppe Sillato, Lee Strasberg. In English, Italian, Latin, Sicilian, Spanish with subtitles.

After the Movie: A 45th anniversary conversation with Francis Ford Coppola, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, and Robert De Niro.

GALAS

Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: The Bad Boy Story, directed by Daniel Kaufman. (USA) - World Premiere, Documentary. A raw and exclusive look behind the scenes at the history and legacy of Bad Boy through a complex portrait of the label’s mastermind, Sean “Diddy” Combs aka Puff Daddy, as he tries to reunite his Bad Boy Family in the course of a frantic three-week rehearsal period. This Live Nation Productions documentary finds him reuniting with the biggest names from Bad Boy’s history for a wildly successful pair of concerts at Brooklyn’s Barclay Center. With Notorious B.I.G., Ma$e, Lil' Kim, Faith Evans, Total.

The Circle, directed by James Ponsoldt, written by James Ponsoldt and Dave Eggers. (USA) - World Premiere, Narrative. When Mae (Emma Watson) is hired to work for the world’s largest and most powerful tech and social media company, she sees it as an opportunity of a lifetime. As she rises through the ranks, she is encouraged by the company’s founder, Eamon Bailey (Tom Hanks), to engage in a groundbreaking experiment that pushes the boundaries of privacy, ethics and ultimately her personal freedom. Her participation in the experiment, and every decision she makes begin to affect the lives and future of her friends, family and that of humanity. With Emma Watson, Tom Hanks, John Boyega, Karen Gillan, Ellar Coltrane, Patton Oswalt, Glenne Headly, Bill Paxton. An STXfilms release.

TRIBECA/ESPN SPORTS FILM FESTIVAL GALA

Sponsored by Mohegan Sun

Mike and the Mad Dog, directed by Daniel H. Forer. (USA) - World Premiere, Documentary. Dive into the inner workings of one of the sports world's most unlikely partnerships: Mike Francesa and Chris “Mad Dog” Russo, the voices that launched a thousand sports radio imitators. The hosts, their colleagues, and a who's-who of sports heavyweights tell the story of their surprise rise to stardom and 19 years as the iconic voices of New York sports. An ESPN Films release.

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

Blues Planet: Triptych, directed and written by Wyland. (USA) - World Premiere. Blues Planet: Triptych explores the Gulf Oil Spill disaster and its aftermath through environmental artist Wyland who, along with 30 of today's pre-eminent artists, recorded a new genre of global blues on the catastrophe's anniversary.

After the Movie: Taj Mahal and the Wyland Blues Planet Ban will perform.

Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story, directed and written by Alexandra Dean. (USA) - World Premiere, Documentary. Known for her unmatched beauty, Hedy Lamarr’s fans never knew she also possessed a beautiful mind. Immigrating to Hollywood in the 1940s, Lamarr acted by day and sketched inventions by night, even devising a “secret communication system” for the Allies to beat the Nazis. Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story reveals how Lamarr gave her patent away to the Army, receiving no credit for her engineering innovations, even as she was immortalized as a legend of the silver screen. Executive produced by Susan Sarandon. With Mel Brooks, Diane Kruger, Peter Bogdanovich, Denise Loder DeLuca, Anthony Loder, Richard Rhodes.

After the Movie: Tribeca Film Institute and Alfred P. Sloan Foundation will host an exclusive panel with director Alexandra Dean and prominent women in both entertainment and STEM, focusing on how both groups have been historically underrepresented in their respective fields.

Chris Gethard: Career Suicide, directed by Kimberly Senior, written by Chris Gethard. (USA) - World Premiere, Narrative. In this deeply personal and profoundly funny one man show, comedian Chris Gethard dives deep into his own personal struggles with mental health issues. He will have you laughing at stories of Barb his therapist one minute, then revealing incredibly personal experiences the next, using comedy to lend insight in a way that only humor can. An HBO release.

After the Movie: A conversation with comedian/actor/writer Chris Gethard and fellow comedians.

Dare to be Different, directed by Ellen Goldfarb, written by Jay Reiss. (USA) - World Premiere, Documentary. Featuring interviews and rare footage of U2, Blondie, Duran Duran, Joan Jett, The Cure, Billy Idol, and Depeche Mode, Dare to Be Different is a nostalgic look at WLIR 92.7, the radio station that introduced these bands to a US audience. Director Ellen Goldfarb tells the story of the rise and fall of this institution, and the birth of the punk and new wave communities. With Joan Jett, Debbie Harry, Billy Idol, and others.

After the movie: A live music tribute to WLIR from A Flock of Seagulls, The English Beat, and The Alarm.

The Exception, directed by David Leveaux, written by Simon Burke. (U.K., USA) - US Premiere, Narrative. A riveting World War II thriller, The Exception follows German soldier Stefan Brandt, tasked with investigating exiled German Monarch Kaiser Wilhelm II, only to find himself drawn into an unexpected and passionate romance with mysterious housemaid Mieke. When Heinrich Himmler, head of the SS, comes for an unexpected visit, secrets are revealed, allegiances tested, and Brandt is forced to make the ultimate choice between honoring his country and following his heart. With Christopher Plummer, Jai Courtney, Lily James, Janet McTeer, Eddie Marsan, Ben Daniels. A DirecTV/A24 release.

After the movie: A conversation with director David Leveaux and actor Christopher Plummer.

From The Ashes, directed by Michael Bonfiglio. (USA) - World Premiere, Documentary. From the Ashes captures Americans in communities across the country as they wrestle with the legacy of the coal industry and what its future should be under the Trump Administration. From Appalachia to the West’s Powder River Basin, the film goes beyond the rhetoric of the “war on coal” to present compelling and often heartbreaking stories about what’s at stake for our economy, health, and climate. From the Ashes invites audiences to learn more about an industry on the edge and what it means for their lives.

Before the movie: Special introduction by three-term Mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg.

After the movie: A conversation with director Michael Bonfiglio and special guests to discuss the state of the American coal industry.

House of Z, directed by Sandy Chronopoulos, written by Sandy Chronopoulos, Sherien Barsoum. (USA) - World Premiere, Documentary. Zac Posen rocketed to fashion stardom at a young age with his unique design aesthetic and charismatic presence, becoming one the most recognizable faces in the business today. But like any journey to great success it hasn't come without cost. Sandy Chronopoulos’ film looks past the glamor of the red carpet and the runway to shine a light on the trials and tribulations of running one of the country’s most successful fashion houses. With Naomi Campbell, Sean Diddy Combs aka Puff Daddy, André Leon Talley, Paz de la Huerta.

After the movie: A conversation with director Sandy Chronopoulos and the film’s subject Zac Posen.

Intent to Destroy, directed by Joe Berlinger, written by Joe Berlinger, Cy Christiansen. (USA) - World Premiere, Documentary. Embedding himself on the epic film set of Terry George’s The Promise (starring Oscar Isaac and Christian Bale), Academy Award®-nominated director Joe Berlinger takes an unwavering look at the Armenian genocide after a century of denial by the Turkish government and its strategic allies. A cinematic window into the historical and emotional web of responsibility.

After the movie: A conversation with director/screenwriter Joe Berlinger, poet and nonfiction writer Peter Balakian, composer Serj Tankian, and producer Eric Esrailian.

Julian Schnabel: A Private Portrait, directed and written by Pappi Corsicato. (Italy) - World Premiere, Documentary. A titan of painting and filmmaking, Julian Schnabel’s art is among the most important work of the late 20th and early 21st century. Julian Schnabel: A Private Portrait captures the artist in the studio and at home, incorporates archival footage and private home videos, and interviews family and friends to build a complex image of the man and his work. With Al Pacino, Willem Dafoe, Bono, Emmanuelle Seigner, Vito Schnabel. A Cohen Media release.

After the movie: A conversation with director Pappi Corsicato and the film’s subject Julian Schnabel.

Paris Can Wait, directed and written by Eleanor Coppola. (USA) - New York Premiere, Narrative. Long married to a successful but inattentive film producer, Anne is at a crossroads in her life. Enter Jacques, a French bon vivant, who offers to drive Anne from Cannes to Paris. What begins as an innocent favor quickly turns into an unexpectedly wandering road trip filled with fine cuisine and looming romance. Eleanor Coppola’s elegant journey takes us to the heart of a woman surprised to find long-buried memories resurface and unforeseen attraction arise. With Diane Lane, Alec Baldwin, Arnaud Viard. A Sony Pictures Classics release.

After the movie: A food and film experience inspired by Paris Can Wait.

The Public Image is Rotten, directed by Tabbert Fiiller. (USA) - World Premiere. Within months of the demise of the Sex Pistols in 1978, lead singer Johnny Rotten (aka John Lydon) formed post-punk outfit Public Image Ltd., an innovative and influential band which has accumulated a legion of fans since its founding. In this incisive, entertaining doc, Lydon opens up the book on his decades as a music provocateur, while past and present band members fill in the gaps and add their perspectives. With Thurston Moore, Flea, Adam Horovitz, Moby.

After the movie: A conversation with director Tabbert Fiiller and the film’s subject John Lydon a.k.a. Johnny Rotten.

The Third Industrial Revolution, directed by Oliver Ressler, Eddy Moretti. (USA) - World Premiere, Documentary. The global economy is in crisis. Economists warn that we face 20 more years of declining productivity, slow growth, rising unemployment, and steep inequality. And now, climate change is ravaging the planet. Where do we go from here? Economic theorist Jeremy Rifkin outlines a journey into the Third Industrial Revolution — a new era of sustainable development, accompanied by vast new economic opportunities in a smart green digital global economy.

"After the Movie: A conversation with director Eddy Moretti and economic and social theorist Jeremy Rifkin.”

Warning: This Drug May Kill You, directed by Perri Peltz. (USA) - World Premiere, Documentary. Warning: This Drug May Kill You takes an unflinching look at the devastating effects of opioid addiction in the U.S., profiling four families whose lives have been decimated by addictions that all began with legitimate prescriptions to dangerous painkillers. Through the personal and emotional stories of people on the front lines of this epidemic, this film is an eye-opening look at a terrifying epidemic that is devastating communities across this country, and the toll it has taken on its victims and their families. An HBO Documentary release.

After the Movie: A conversation with Dr. Nora Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Dr. Andrew Kolodny, Co-Director of Opioid Policy Research Collaborative Brandeis University, Gail Cole, film subject and co-founder, Hope and Healing After an Addiction Death, and producer Sascha Weiss. Moderated by the film’s director Perri Peltz.

RETROSPECTIVES

Tribeca will provide a nod to the past with these three special screenings:

Aladdin, directed by Ron Clements and John Musker, written by Ron Clements & John Musker and Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio. (USA). Disney’s beloved animated masterpiece will make your heart race and your spirit soar. Experience the laughter, adventure and Academy Award-winning music (1992: Best Music, Original Song, “A Whole New World,” Original Score) on the big screen at Tribeca’s 25th anniversary celebration for the whole family. With Scott Weinger, Robin Williams, Linda Larkin, Jonathan Freeman, Frank Welker, Gilbert Gottfried.

Before the Movie: Join Brad Kane, the singing voice of Aladdin, for a special 25th anniversary performance of a soundtrack favorite before the screening.

Bowling for Columbine, directed by Michael Moore. (USA). In 2002, Michael Moore explored the roots of America’s relationships with guns and the firearms industry following the devastating mass shooting at Columbine High School. The film went on to win the Academy Award for Best Documentary. In the current moment of frequent mass shootings and ongoing legislative battles, 15 years after the film’s release, Moore’s confrontational documentary remains relevant as ever.

After the Movie: On the 15th anniversary of the documentary, and on the exact day of the massacre 18 years ago, a conversation with director Michael Moore and others on the timeliness of the film today.

Reservoir Dogs, directed and written by Quentin Tarantino. (USA). They were perfect strangers, assembled to pull off the perfect crime. Then their simple robbery explodes into a bloody ambush and the ruthless killers realize one of them is a police informant. But which one? Twenty-five years ago, auteur filmmaker Quentin Tarantino reinvigorated cinema with his singular voice in his canonical feature Reservoir Dogs. He has generously provided a 35mm print from his archive for this special 25th anniversary screening. With Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn, Steve Buscemi, Lawrence Tierney, Edward Bunker, Quentin Tarantino.

After the Movie: A 25th anniversary conversation with director Quentin Tarantino and cast from the film.

TRIBECA/ESPN SPORTS FILM FESTIVAL

Sponsored by Mohegan Sun

The 11th annual Tribecas/ESPN Sports Film Festival, the premier showcase of sports and competition films, offers sports fans and film buffs alike the opportunity to screen new films that are changing the sports landscape. The section features stories about some of the greatest, and in some cases unknown teams, competitions, and superior athletes.

Features:

Chuck, directed by Philippe Falardeau, written by Jeff Feuerzeig, Jerry Stahl. (USA) - US Premiere. Chuck is the true story of Chuck Wepner (Liev Schreiber), the man who inspired the billion-dollar film series Rocky—a liquor salesman from New Jersey who went 15 rounds with Muhammad Ali. Wepner suffered numerous losses, knockouts, and broken noses in his ten years in the ring, and lived an epic life of drugs, booze, and wild women outside of it. With Elisabeth Moss, Ron Perlman, Naomi Watts, Jim Gaffigan, Michael Rapaport. An IFC Films release.

No Stone Unturned, directed by Alex Gibney. (USA, Northern Ireland) - World Premiere. In 1994, six men were gunned down and five wounded in a pub while watching a World Cup soccer match in Loughinisland, Northern Ireland. With a police investigation that was perfunctory at best, the case remained unsolved. In this non-fiction murder mystery, Academy Award-winning documentarian Alex Gibney reopens the original case to investigate why no culprit was ever brought to justice.

Sambá, directed by Laura Amelia Guzmán and Israel Cárdenas, written by Ettore D'Alessandro, Carolina Encarnacion. (Dominican Republic) - World Premiere. Cisco has his back against the ropes. After spending 15 years in an American jail, he’s returned to the Dominican Republic yet is unable to get a job, a problem compounded by his mother’s ailing health and his younger brother’s delinquent habits. To make money, he’s resorted to illegal street fighting. But Cisco finds a possible salvation in Nichi, an Italian ex-boxer who sees dollar signs in Cisco’s gritty fighting skills. With Algenis Pérez Soto, Ettore D'Alessandro, Laura Gómez, Ricardo A. Toribio. In Spanish with subtitles.

Year of the Scab, directed by John Dorsey. (USA) - World Premiere. During the 1987 NFL strike, teams scrambled to assemble temporary replacements to fill in for their boycotting players. The Washington Redskins were notable for their "scabs," a collection of cast-offs who nonetheless rode a surprising wave of momentum against all odds. “Year of the Scab” revisits this ultimate underdog story and the men whose ordinary lives were interrupted. Those so-called “scabs” helped break the strike and bring their team to victory, only to struggle for their place in the sports history books.

An ESPN Films release.

Shorts:

The Amazing Adventures of Wally and the Worm, directed by Colin Hanks. (USA) - New York Premiere. When Dennis Rodman hurts his knee with four weeks to go in the Chicago Bulls '96-'97 NBA championship season, young assistant trainer Wally Blasé is assigned to oversee his rehab, and the two forge a close friendship over 10 wild days of fast living recounted by director Colin Hanks through animation and first-person confessions. Short Program: Sports Shorts

Bump & Spike, directed by Michael Jacobs. (USA) - World Premiere. The spectacular rise and fall of the International Professional Volleyball Association, which existed between 1975–1980 complete with "party lifestyle," rocking arena matches and stars on the court and in the stands, is chronicled in this Michael Jacobs-directed film. Short Program: Sports Shorts

The Counterfeiter, directed by Brian Biegel. (USA) - World Premiere. Featuring actual wiretapped phone calls and surveillance video, this film explores how the FBI brought down the largest counterfeit operation in U.S. history during the summer of 1998, thanks to the help of some major league baseball players. Short Program: Sports Shorts

Resurface, directed by Josh Izenberg, Wynn Padula. (USA) - New York Premiere. Struggling with trauma and depression after his military service, Iraq war veteran Bobby Lane wants to cross surfing off his bucket list before taking his life. Short Program: Surf’s Up

Revolution in the Ring, directed by Jason Sklaver. (USA) - World Premiere. The story of Cuban boxer Teofilo Stevenson, who in 1962 chose to stay in his home country rather than defect, this film examines through the lens of Cuban-American politics how his life and the life of the Cuban people were dramatically altered by the embargo. In English, Spanish with subtitles. Short Program: Sports Shorts

Run Mama Run, directed by Daniele Anastasion. (USA) - World Premiere. Run Mama Run is an examination of motherhood and athleticism through the eyes of Sarah Brown, an elite track athlete who will continue to train through pregnancy and postpartum with help of her trainer and husband Darren Brown. Short Program: Sports Shorts

Under an Arctic Sky, directed by Chris Burkard, written by Ben Weiland, Chris Burkard. (USA) - World Premiere. A group of surfers along with photographer Chris Burkard journey to Iceland’s north coast in search of perfect waves during the largest storm to make landfall in 25 years. Short Program: Surf’s Up

Passes and tickets for the 2017 Festival

Advance selection ticket packages are now on sale. All advance selection packages can be purchased online at www.tribecafilm.com/festival/tickets or by telephone at (646) 502-5296 or toll free at (866) 941-FEST (3378).

Packages and passes are now available for purchase on the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival App, on:

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tribeca-2017/id1208189515?mt=8

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tff2017.android

Tickets for events at The Beacon Theatre and at Radio City Music Hall are available for purchase online only beginning March 21.

Images for the film and Festival can be accessed at:

Film stills for the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival are available at www.image.net. If you are not an image.net media user yet, please register using referral code 2604. If you have any issues or your need is time sensitive, please contact blin@TribecaFilmFestival.org.

Twitter: @Tribeca

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Hashtag: #Tribeca2017

About the Tribeca Film Festival

About the 2017 Partners

Hank Chen embodies INCLUSION! #Sundance

February 5, 2017 @ArtShrian

Hank Chen is a very talented actor and comedian who can be seen next in Jacza Bravo’s directorial debut, Lemon, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival 2017. The film has a talented cast that includes Michael Cera, Nia Long, Megan Mullally, and Shiri Appleby. Hank can also be seen in the web series “Strangers" and “The Chances," both also premiering at the Sundance Film Festival 2017.

We had a chance to talk to him at Sundance. Here it is:

What did you enjoy most about this project? Why should audience watch it?

- The film I'm lucky enough to be in, Lemon, is a labor of love that took the producers, Janicza Bravo, the director, and her husband, Brett Gelman, the star of the film over 5 years to get made. Because of that, I was on a set where everyone cared so much and it showed in the environment, and the work. The audience should definitely watch it if they've ever felt weird or like an underdog. When you watch the ordeal Brett's character goes through, trust me when I say you won't feel so alone anymore. Oh, and if you're Jewish. There are some moments where I felt like only someone truly Jewish could understand and appreciate, and all I could do was smile and clap along.

What's your most favorite memory of Sundance?

- I attended the SAG Indie actors brunch and literally in the course of half an hour, met a ton of my acting heroes and simultaneously reconnected with 10 people I had worked with or known back in New York and Los Angeles. None of whom I knew would be attending Sundance, and some I'm back in touch with now. I have a few coffees and lunches lined up that I'm really looking forward to. Moments like that are terrific because it makes you realize just how small and inter-connected the artistic community is.

Hank Chen at Sundance 2017 with film Lemon. He loves Gambit, but not sure if he wants to play it LOL. Wonderful actor & wonderful guy!

What do you think about state of inclusion in Hollywood?

- I think Hollywood has done an okay job. There's always more and never enough, so you can't lose sight. But it's important to acknowledge and commend people when change is being made in the right direction - even if it's incremental. Because, hey, at least it's still forward movement.

What's your experience and what do you think we all can do to improve the situation?

- Like every actor, my experience is going to be unique because no two careers are alike. But what I can say is that as a member of two minority groups, there are advantages and disadvantages. For instance, it might be easier for me to get through a door to get seen because my line isn't as long as, say, the young blonde ingenue line. But on the other hand, that door I'm walking through... the roles available to me are limited in their size and influence. I've played waiters more times that I can count and not interested in doing that anymore.

What do you like about being a storyteller and artist? What's your message to other aspiring storytellers?

- If I'm doing my job correctly, I love getting to reflect the human condition. When a performer moves you, it's because the audience sees in them something they see in themselves - whether you're willing to admit it to yourself or not. For me, art helped me come out, and ultimately influence my identity as a gay man. Was I terrified to watch shows with queer themes like, Six Feet Under? Absolutely. But I also felt that show speak to me and understand me in a way no one in my current world was able to, so I couldn't look away.

- My message to other storytellers is to tell a story that is uniquely yours and don’t try to be anyone else. Sundance is all about films with strong single visions and new perspectives. Don't water it down for a mass audience. Make it your voice, and make it heard.

What's your most favorite and least favorite thing about NYC?

Favorite: that there's variety in New York - it doesn't seem like everyone is in show business. New York is the pinnacle of finance, art, fashion, media, food, museums, you name it. You run into (literally and figuratively) a lot more people doing different things in New York and that keeps things, life, and your circle of friends interesting.
Least favorite: the weather. Only 4 good months out of the year. Two in the spring, and two in the fall.

---------------

Hank will be seen in season 2 of "Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders,” later this March, and the feature film directorial debut of Hallie Meyers-Shyer's Home Again, produced by Nancy Meyers, starring Reese Witherspoon, Michael Sheen, and Candice Bergen and is set for a wide holiday release fall of 2017. Hank is known for Amazon’s “Transparent," TV Land's “Lopez,” and CBS's "NCIS: Los Angeles." Other television roles include Netflix’s "Grace and Frankie,” ABC Family’s “Baby Daddy,” and CBS’s “Blue Bloods." One of Hank’s favorite roles to date is working alongside Robin Williams in his final theatrical release, The Angriest Man in Brooklyn.

Ben Milken, director of "Lake Alice" #Sundance

February 4, 2017 @ArtShrian

Ben Milliken directs the film Lake Alice, which will premiere at Sundance in January 2017. The English-born actor starred in the independent feature film, “Newcastle,” which made its world premiere at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival. Ben’s other roles include “Melrose Place” (CW) and “Gigantic” (Teen Nick), “CSI- Miami” (CBS) and was the male lead in the TV movie, Deadly Sibling Rivalry (Lifetime). He also played the lead male role in Blue Crush 2 (Universal Pictures). Ben’s passion for storytelling and filmmaking led him into the role of producer as he went on to produce the single take romantic comedy Somebody Marry Me. Ben then made his directorial debut with the thriller Lake Alice in early 2015. In 2016, Ben returned to the silver screen landing a role in the feature film Emerald Run.

We had a chance to catch up with him at Sundance 2017. here are the excerpts:

What's your most favorite memory of Sundance?
The buzz of the place. there is so much excitement and anticipation that fills the air.
What did you enjoy most about this project? Why should audience watch it?
All the actors were such a joy to work with. It felt like a collaborative journey we were all on together.
What do you like about being a storyteller and artist? What's your message to other aspiring storytellers?
To be able to bring ideas to life, for an audience to see. I would say, don't focus on money or fame, it's always about the work.
What was your experience of being behind the camera? What was most painful and most satisfying aspect?
It was a very rewarding experience to be able to take something from an idea to a finished product. To be able to bring a story to life visually. The most painful part of this project was the extreme cold we faced while shooting. -30 degrees.
What's your most favorite and least favorite thing about NYC?
Favorite thing - the city is alive, there is always something to do, somewhere to go, something new to see. My least favorite - winter. too cold.

Viola Davis's JuVee brings "NIGHT SHIFT" @ #Sundance

January 30, 2017 @ArtShrian

Executive produced by Viola Davis and Juvee Productions, Marshall Tyler's NIGHT SHIFT was selected for the 2017 Sundance Film Festival Shorts program. It's definitely one of the best short films at Sundance 2017, and the competition is tough there. It's not only an intriguing and interesting story that's beautifully acted and shot. But it's also a movie that showcases diversity & inclusion, in a truly entertaining way. The film brings several new voices to Hollywood. It's a wonderful time for black art, with Black History Month approaching in February. NIGHT SHIFT explores uncharted ground and is a part of a new millenium of the black art movement epitomized by films like Moonlight.

With NIGHT SHIFT, director Marshall Tyler makes his transition from the documentary world to narrative film with a richly-textured piece that zooms in on one man's last chance to change his life. Starring famed musician Tunde Adebimpe (TV on the Radio) and with new original compositions from producer Michael Uzowuru ( Nights, the stand out track from Frank Ocean's acclaimed 2016 album blond). The film also stars CHINA SHAVERS, a native New Yorker who grew up in Spanish Harlem.

We had a chance to talk to Marshall, Tunde, China and rest of the amazing cast. Here it is:

Director Marshall Tyler and the cast of wonderful short NIGHT SHIFT, talk to Art Shrian at Sundance 2017

“Marshall has such a unique voice and, with JuVee, we're always looking for ways to support the next wave of up-and-coming artists and filmmakers like him." - Viola Davis

Written, Produced and Directed by Marshall Tyler
Presented by JuVee Productions, New Bumper & Paint and Flourishing Films
Exec-Producers: Viola Davis, Julius Tennon, John Evangelista, Bryan H Carroll
Producers: Moira Griffin, Efuru Flowers

Get a glimpse into one night in the life of a bathroom attendant in a Los Angeles nightclub. Starring Tunde Adebimpe and China Shavers. Written & Directed by Marshall Tyler. Featuring music from Michael Uzowuru, Tunde Adebimpe and Timo Chen. A New Bumper and Paint Production in association with Juvee Productions & Flourishing Films. Executive Producers Viola Davis, Julius Tennon, John Evangelista and Bryan H Carroll.

SYNOPSIS:

OLLY JEFFRIES (Tunde Adebimpe - Nasty Baby) is an on-again off-again actor whose stagnant career leads him to a long-term gig as a bathroom attendant in an LA nightclub called “The Fix.” At first, it was quick, easy, tax-free money to hold him over between jobs. But it didn't take long for him to realize that the strange solitude of the job agreed with him. Olly has always found joy in being invisible, it's something he calls the art of disappearing and besides this, working in close quarters with random strangers gives him the perfect opportunity to study human behavior in its purest, unadulterated form...bathroom habits. Even as the attendant part of him eclipsed the actor part of him, he never stopped telling himself that this is something he can use to create believable performances if ever cast in something again.

But on this particular night, a series of random and sometimes degrading encounters become too much to bear and Olly is forced to overcome the disrespect of his customers and confront the specter of his failed marriage and his soon-to-be ex-wife TRACEY (China Shavers- Mulignans) in a bid for another shot at the visible side of life.

Amanda Kernell, director of SAMI BLOOD #Sundance

January 28, 2017 @ArtShrian

Following strong premieres at TIFF, Venice and Dubai, Amanda Kernell's striking drama SAMI BLOOD (SAMEBLOD) screened at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival in the Spotlight section. The film will be released in the US in May 2017 by Synergetic Distribution. We had a chance to talk to the wonderful director, Amanda. Here it is:

Amanda Kernell talks w/ Art Shrian, about her film SAMI BLOOD, cultural identity, women in films & more at Sundance 2017

SAMI BLOOD is a compelling coming-of-age story set in the 1930s about a young girl who makes a radical and brave decision to abandon her culture and tradition, leave her family behind, and pass herself off as Swedish, after facing prejudice at school due to her Lapland heritage. The film is a unique and intimate perspective on the history of the Lapland people, and tells a story of oppression that resonates across borders, generations and genders.

SAMI BLOOD features a breakthrough performance from its young lead actress Lene Cecilia Sparrok, and is a strong debut from writer/director Amanda Kernell, who based the narrative off of her own Grandmother's life.

Elle Marja går på samisk internatskola med sin lillasyster och ska snart ta över som renskötare I familjen. Samtidigt drömmer hon om ett annat liv, långt borta från bybornas blickar/hårda ord/förakt och skolans regler och kolttvång. Allt faller samman efter de rasbiologiska undersökningarna som hålls på skolan och Elle Marja bestämmer sig för att lämna allt och bli svensk.

Directed by: Amanda Kernell
Cast: Lene Cecilia Sparrok, Mia Sparrok, Maj Doris Rimpi, Olle Sarri

Synopsis:
Elle Marja, 14, is a reindeer-herding Sámi girl. Exposed to the racism of the 1930s and race biology examinations at her boarding school she starts dreaming of another life. To achieve this other life she has to become someone else and break all ties with her family and culture.

Live, from Park City, Utah: It’s the 2017 Sundance Film Festival! Watch 13 Festival Panels, Three Short Films and One Special Event Online

January 18, 2017 #ArtReports

Watch 13 Festival Panels, Three Short Films and One Special Event Online

Full Music and Panels Lineup Announced Today, Including Art of Film Weekend (January 26-28)

Special Edition of Annual Celebration of Music and Film on January 21

Live Stream Events with Former Vice President Al Gore, Jon Hamm, Sam Elliott, Common, Ava DuVernay, Jenny Slate, Kumail Nanjiani, Issa Rae, John Cho, Nick Offerman and More at sundance.org/festival

Park City, UT — The excitement of the 2017 Sundance Film Festival happens both on-screen and off, with a robust slate of panels and music performances, many of which are free and live streamed so independent film and music fans can tune in from anywhere.

John Cooper, Director of the Sundance Film Festival, said, “The conversations that start at the Festival and spread well beyond the mountain can now do so in realtime. Thanks to our live streams, fans of independent film and the latest in storytelling can connect with creative minds, get stories from behind the screen, and add context to the work we showcase.”

The Festival will live stream both panels in its longstanding Power of Story series. Power of Story: The New Climate, announced previously, will convene former Vice President of the United States Al Gore, global entrepreneur and philanthropist Jeff Skoll, scientist and broadcaster Dr. David Suzuki, former President of the Maldives Mohamed Nasheed, filmmaker Heather Rae, and moderator Amy Goodman.

As part of the Festival’s Art of Film Weekend (January 26-28), which celebrates the art and craft of creative storytelling, Power of Story: Art of Episodic Writing will gather Gina Prince-Bythewood and Reggie Rock Bythewood (Shots Fired), Larry Karaszewski (The People v. O.J. Simpson), Marti Noxon (To the Bone), Issa Rae (Insecure), Jill Soloway (Transparent), and moderator Michelle Satter (Founding Director, Sundance Institute Feature Film Program). Also in the Art of Film Weekend, the live-streamed Creative Tensions: Empathy will explore the forces that shape how and why we say we care for others.

A Celebration of Music and Film, hosted annually by the Sundance Institute Film Music Program as the centerpiece of its music programming at the Festival, returns this year with a special edition centered around the theme “There is a Crack In Everything / That's How the Light Gets In,” based on lyrics by Leonard Cohen. The evening will feature music and readings that celebrate free speech, diverse voices, and the power of art to unite us and propel us forward. Featuring a wide range of artists, including Common, Jim James, Andra Day, Jenny Slate, Nick Offerman, Hunter Hayes, Ava DuVernay and Gael Garcia Bernal, the event will be streamed in 360-degree virtual reality from Festival Base Camp presented by Canada Goose to Festival Village presented by Acura.

Live music at the Festival includes performances at the Sundance ASCAP Music Café (free and open to all Festival credential holders 21 and older) by Michael Franti, Rooney, Clare Bowen, Josh Kelley and Andy Shauf, and performances at Festival Base Camp presented by Canada Goose by Thundercat, R.LUM.R, Chrome Canyon and live DJ set by Elijah Wood, Samora Pinderhughes, Lalah Hathaway, Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal as well as the first-ever local music showcase, featuring Talia Keys, Joshy Soul & The Cool, Bboy Federation Performers. The annual BMI Snowball Showcase will feature Angela McCluskey, Paul Cantelon , Sean McConnell , The National Parks, Rachel Crow, and The Hearings .

Other noteworthy live streamed conversations at the Festival include the Cinema Café daily series of informal chats, which this year will include conversations between Jon Hamm and Sam Elliott, Kumail Nanjiani and John Cho and others; more conversations will appear on sundance.org/program shortly.

Three short films from the 2017 Festival are available online: Dear Mr Shakespeare, an exploration of Shakespeare's intentions when writing Othello; Deer Squad: The Movie, one filmmaker’s story of going viral after befriending a group of wild deer in his backyard; and Project X, an undercover journey to the site of a hidden partnership, based on NSA documents. From the Special Events section, the pilot of I Love Dick is available on Amazon.

For dates, times, locations and ticket information for these and other offscreen events, including panels and live music hosted by our sponsors, visit sundance.org/festival.

Day One Press Conference (streaming live)
Thursday, January 19, noon PT / 1:00 p.m. MT / 3:00 p.m. ET
Sundance Institute President & Founder Robert Redford will participate in a conversation with Institute-supported artists Sydney Freeland (Deidre and Laney Rob a Train) and David Lowery (A Ghost Story), moderated by John Horn of KPCC-FM “The Frame,” followed by a Q&A with press in attendance with Redford, Institute Executive Director Keri Putnam and Sundance Film Festival Director John Cooper.

Cinema Cafe: Jon Hamm and Sam Elliott (streaming live)
Saturday, January 21, 10:30 a.m. PT / 11:30 a.m. MT / 1:30 p.m. ET

Post-Truth and Consequences (streaming live)
Saturday, January 21, 1:30 p.m. PT / 2:30 p.m. MT / 4:30 p.m. ET
The film community shares a basic tenet of journalism in questioning society and challenging political orthodoxies. But how do we contend with a post-truth society? Lacking a fact-based shared reality, can media speak across the divide? Journalist David Folkenflik (NPR), filmmaker Peter Nicks (The Force), filmmaker Laura Poitras (Project X) and journalist James Risen (New York Times) explore how we re-legitimize truth.

A Celebration of Music and Film
Saturday, January 21, 6:00-9:00 p.m. PT / 7:00-10:00 p.m. MT / 9:00 p.m.-midnight ET
Centered on the theme “There is a Crack in Everything / That’s How the Light Gets In” based on lyrics by Leonard Cohen, join us for an evening of music and readings celebrating free speech, diverse voices, and the the power of art to unite us and propel us forward. Musical performances from Common, Andra Day, Hunter Hayes, Jim James (My Morning Jacket) and Rotana Tarazbouni with speakers including Gael Garcia Bernal, Ava DuVernay, Jenny Slate, Rory Kennedy, Nick Offerman and more to be announced.

Power of Story: The New Climate (streaming live)
Sunday, January 22, 1:30 p.m. PT / 2:30 p.m. MT / 4:30 p.m. ET
We are living in a new climate, and not just the one created by global warming. As our political outlook shifts toward deeper denial, and corporate interests work to obscure the story and the science, how can visual storytellers create new narratives that change the conversation, the culture, and possibly the world? Former Vice President Al Gore, global entrepreneur and philanthropist Jeff Skoll, scientist and broadcaster Dr. David Suzuki, former President of the Maldives Mohamed Nasheed, filmmaker Heather Rae, and moderator Amy Goodman discuss how filmmakers can elevate understanding and urgency among policymakers and the public alike.

Cinema Cafe: Kumail Nanjiani and John Cho (streaming live)
Monday, January 23, 10:30 a.m. PT / 11:30 a.m. MT / 1:30 p.m. ET

Women in Science (streaming live)
Tuesday, January 24, 1:00 p.m. PT / 2:00 p.m. MT / 4:00 p.m. ET
Although women have conducted pioneering scientific work for centuries, their stories are too seldom told. Why are there still relatively few female scientists, in the real world and on screen? How are they depicted in film? Join cognitive neuroscientist Heather Berlin (Science Goes to the Movies), systems engineer Tracy Drain (NASA Jet Propulsion Lab), screenwriter Nicole Perlman (Guardians of the Galaxy), filmmaker Jennifer Phang (Advantageous), and moderator Nell Greenfieldboyce (NPR). Supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

Power of Story: Art of Episodic Writing (streaming live) — ART OF FILM WEEKEND
Thursday, January 26, 1:30 p.m. PT / 2:30 p.m. MT / 4:30 p.m. ET
The episodic storytelling landscape continues to evolve, inspiring groundbreaking work populated by unforgettable characters. No longer limited by traditional production or distribution platforms, independent artists and media outlets are exploring how to reach and sustain audiences in changing times. Join Gina Prince-Bythewood and Reggie Rock Bythewood (Shots Fired), Larry Karaszewski (The People v. O.J. Simpson), Marti Noxon (To the Bone), Issa Rae (Insecure), Jill Soloway (I Love Dick), and moderator Michelle Satter (Sundance Institute) in conversation about creating and navigating the future of episodic storytelling.

Look Over Here: Crafting VR Narratives — ART OF FILM WEEKEND
Thursday, January 26, 3:30 p.m. PT / 4:30 p.m. MT / 6:30 p.m. ET
Lynette Wallworth (Collisions) and Saschka Unseld (Dear Angelica) are at the forefront of an emerging medium. Wallworth frequently explores environmental and social justice themes in her work, and Unseld is creating a collection of VR films with emotions at their core. In this fireside chat, the filmmakers will compare notes on writing and directing for a 360-degree screen.

Creative Tensions: Empathy (streaming live) — ART OF FILM WEEKEND
Friday, January 27, 2017, 9:00 a.m. PT / 10:00 a.m. MT / noon ET
This is not your typical panel. Join us for Creative Tensions: Empathy to explore the forces that shape how and why we say we care for others. In a conversation expressed through movement, participants reveal their stance on issues by where they stand in the room. Can art make people more tolerant? Is it possible to empathize with those who don’t share our core values? Where do you "stand" on the purpose of art? Presented by the Sundance Institute Theatre Program, in partnership with IDEO.

Producers Confidential — ART OF FILM WEEKEND
Friday, January 27, 1:00 p.m. PT / 2:00 p.m. MT / 4:00 p.m. ET
Producers are often seen as a film’s construction foreman—asked to find financing and to stay on budget and on time. But rarely are they recognized as artists. Join producers Alix Madigan-Yorkin (L.A. Times) and Joslyn Barnes (Strong Island) in an intimate conversation with moderator Anne Lai (Sundance Institute) to hear about their toughest failures, their proudest moments, and what continues to inspire each of them as a creative force.

Vision Builders: The Art of Production Design — ART OF FILM WEEKEND
Saturday, January 28, 1:00 p.m. PT / 2:00 p.m. MT / 4:00 p.m. ET
Production designers' work extends far beyond building sets. They shapestoryworlds, creating intricate environments that unfold narratives, develop characters, and articulate themes. But how do you build an entire world (on a budget)—and incorporate emotion, psychology, and other intangibles? Production designers David Gropman (Fences), Jeannine Oppewall (L.A. Confidential) andInbal Weinberg (Blue Valentine) explore how concepts become reality.

The Sundance Film Festival®
The Sundance Film Festival has introduced global audiences to some of the most groundbreaking films of the past three decades, including Boyhood, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Fruitvale Station, Whiplash, Brooklyn, Twenty Feet from Stardom, Life Itself, The Cove, The End of the Tour, Blackfish, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, Super Size Me, Dope, Little Miss Sunshine, sex, lies, and videotape, Reservoir Dogs, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, An Inconvenient Truth, Precious and Napoleon Dynamite. The Festival is a program of the non-profit Sundance Institute®. 2017 Festival sponsors include: Presenting Sponsors – Acura, SundanceTV, Chase Sapphire®, and Canada Goose; Leadership Sponsors – Adobe, AT&T, DIRECTV, Omnicom, Stella Artois® and YouTube; Sustaining Sponsors – American Airlines, Canon U.S.A., Inc., Creators League Studio, Daydream, Francis Ford Coppola Winery, GEICO, The Hollywood Reporter, IMDb, Jaunt, Kickstarter, Oculus and the University of Utah Health. Sundance Institute recognizes critical support from the Utah Governor's Office of Economic Development, and the State of Utah as Festival Host State. The support of these organizations helps offset the Festival’s costs and sustain the Institute's year-round programs for independent artists. Look for the Official Sponsor seal at their venues at the Festival. sundance.org/festival

Sundance Institute
Founded in 1981 by Robert Redford, Sundance Institute is a nonprofit organization that provides and preserves the space for artists in film, theatre, and new media to create and thrive. The Institute's signature Labs, granting, and mentorship programs, dedicated to developing new work, take place throughout the year in the U.S. and internationally. The Sundance Film Festival and other public programs connect audiences to artists in igniting new ideas, discovering original voices, and building a community dedicated to independent storytelling. Sundance Institute has supported such projects as Beasts of the Southern Wild, Fruitvale Station, Sin Nombre, The Invisible War, The Square, Dirty Wars, Spring Awakening, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder and Fun Home. Join Sundance Institute on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

THE AFRICAN DIASPORA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL: Nov 25 - Dec 11

December 5, 2016 @ArtShrian

The African Diaspora International Film Festival (ADIFF) is back for its 24th edition from Nov. 25 to Dec. 11 with a total of 66 films from 30 countries including 34 US and NY Premieres. You still have an entire week of screenings left, of some wonderful films, right here in NYC. The Festival - which runs until Dec. 11 - will present quite a few very strong and exciting New York and US Premieres over the next few days at Teachers College, Columbia University, Cinepolis Chelsea Cinemas and MIST Harlem.

The films in ADIFF 2016 – some coming directly from important international film festivals such as Toronto, Cannes, Vancouver, Montreal or Rotterdam - illustrate the diversification of the global film industry, from impressive epic dramas (93 days, 76) to intimate stories that will touch the audience in many ways (While We Live, Sins of the Flesh, Montreal White City, Jerusa’s Day).

National and international celebrities as well as award-winning filmmakers are celebrated in ADIFF this year including Zeinabu Irene Davis, Jimmy Jean Louis, Dani Kouyaté, Eugene Corr, Danny Glover, O.C. Ukeje, Ramsey Nouah, Rita Dominic, Khaled El Hagar and Darlene Jonhson.

As shared with myNewYorkeye by Dr. and Mrs. Spech, Co-Directors of ADIFF

"It is always very satisfying for us to be able to showcase new films that are both very entertaining and revealing. Our goal is for our audience to come out of the theater richer with knowledge, understanding and well being than when they come in. We think the selection of ADIFF 2016 is a crowd pleaser! "

SOME OF ADIFF 2016 HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

Spotlight on Nigerian Cinema
Directly from TIFF comes a selection of four Nigerian films (93 days, 76, the Arbitration & Taxi Driver) by a new generation of filmmakers who both advance and challenge Nollywood with bigger budgets and greater artistic ambition. In 93 Days by Steve Gukas, Danny Glover leads a team of doctors fighting a potential Ebola outbreak in Nigeria. In historic drama 76 by Izu Ojukwu the pregnant wife of a young soldier accused of complicity in the abortive coup of 1976 helps him prove his innocence.

Aboriginal Australian filmmaker Darlene Johnson in NY for ADIFF
The Aboriginal Australian experience is at the center of Ms. Johnson’s work. She will attend the festival to present seven of her films and discuss with the audience Australia’s colonial past and how arts and culture are agents of change in the life of Australian Aboriginal people.

Jimmy Jean-Louis, an International Actor
Jimmy Jean Louis is well known for his role as the Haitian in the Heroes series. With a rich acting career domestically and internationally, Mr. Jean-Louis is a guest of the festival in his capacity of actor, producer and Ambassador at large of his native country, Haiti. Jimmy Jean-Louis will present Opening Night romantic comedy Everything But a Man by Nnegest Likké.

Also part of ADIFF 2016 Double Feature Opening Night event is Black British romantic comedy The Naked Poet by Jason Barret, a sharp, witty, sexy, deep and quite emotional exploration of the complexities of love presented from a Black male’s perspective in contemporary London.

Zeinabu Irene Davis, filmmaker of the “L.A. Rebellion”
The need to have an alternative voice is the aim of Closing Night film Spirits of Rebellion, black cinema from UCLA, a documentary that tells the story of a small group of critically acclaimed, but relatively unknown black filmmakers who wanted to change the black film narrative in the USA.

ADIFF Gala Screening While We Live
Sweden based Burkinabe filmmaker Dani Kouyaté (Keita, The Heritage of the Griot, Sia, The Dream of the Python) will present his latest fiction film While We Live, an entertaining and thoughtful family drama that travels between Sweden and Gambia to explores issues of family dynamics and identity.

ADIFF Centerpiece Screening Gang of the French Caribbean / Le Gang des Antillais
Jean-Claude Barny, a French director originally from Guadeloupe and Trinidad & Tobago will attend the Red Carpet Centerpiece screening of his hot new crime-drama Gang of the French Caribbean.

USA/Cuban documentary Ghost Town to Havana
There is much talk about Cuba lately. However, the films coming out of this new interaction between Cuba and the USA are still limited and often plagued by clichés. Not so with Ghost Town to Havana by Eugene Corr, an incredible social commentary that explore through the game of baseball how both Cuba and the USA nurture their youths.

Sneak preview screening of TIFF 2016 selection Mali Blues
This musical documentary by Lutz Gregor follows Malian Global Pop stars Fatoumata Diawara, Bassekou Kouyaté Master Soumy and Ahmed Ag Kaedi fighting against Radical Islamists in Mali with music. Other highlights include Khaled El Hagar’s Sins of the Flesh, a love story set in the backdrop of the Egyptian Revolution; Paul Sapiano’s Driving While Black, a dark comedy about the troubles and tribulations of a young Black pizza delivery man; Death by a Thousand Cuts by Jake Kheel and Juan Mejia Botero, a suspenseful documentary that explores the tensions at the Dominican/Haitian border; the first fiction film by documentarian Jawad Rhalib Rebel / Insoumise about a young woman seeking social justice in Morocco and Belgium; the identity documentary Invisible Roots: Afro-Mexicans in Southern California by Tiffany Walton and Montreal White City by Bachir Bensaddek about an Algerian taxi driver in Montreal who picks up a former pop star whom he thought was dead.

ABOUT THE AFRICAN DIASPORA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Described by film critic Armond White as “a festival that symbolizes diaspora as more than just anthropology,” ADIFF has managed to increase the presence of independent Afrocentric films from all over the world in the general American specialty movie scene by launching films such as The Tracker by Rolf de Heer (Australia), Kirikou and the Sorceress by Michel Ocelot (France), Gospel Hill by Giancarlo Esposito (USA), Darrat/Dry Season by Mahamat-Saleh Haroun (Chad), The First Rasta by Helene Lee (France/Jamaica), The Story of Lovers Rock by Menelik Shabazz (UK) Scheherazade, Tell Me a Story by Yousry Nasrallah (Egypt), and The Pirogue by Moussa Touré among others.

Attracting a wide cross-section of cinephiles and audiences of African-American, Caribbean, African, Latino and European ethnic backgrounds who share a common interest for thought provoking, well crafted, intelligent and entertaining stories about the human experience of people of color, ADIFF is now a national and international event with festivals held in New York City, Chicago, Washington DC, and Paris, France.

ADIFF 2016 FACT SHEET

WHAT: 24th Annual African Diaspora International Film Festival
WHEN: November 25 to December 11, 2016
WHERE:
* MILBANK CHAPEL, TEACHERS COLLEGE, CU - 525 W 120th St.- 125 Zankel
* COWIN CENTER, TEACHERS COLLEGE, CU - Entrance between 120th and 121th St. On Broadway
* CINEPOLIS CHELSEA CINEMAS - 260 W 23rd St. (Betw. 7th and 8th Aves.)
* MIST HARLEM - at 46 W 116th St (at Malcolm X Blvd)
TICKETS: From $11 to $65 depending on screening/event.
4 GALA SCREENINGS:
Opening, Gala, Centerpiece, Closing
10 PROGRAMS:
Meet Jimmy Jean-Louis; Black Australia; Spotlight on Nigerian Cinema; Meet David Dontoh; Senegal Connection; Dancing While Black; ADIFF Cinematheque; Afro-Latino Program; Public Award for the Best Film Directed by a Woman of Color; ADIFF School Program.
66 FILMS IN 30 COUNTRIES:
Algeria, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Gambia, Ghana, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Morocco, New Zealand, Nigeria, Peru, Senegal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, Uruguay, USA.
34 PREMIERES
20 SPECIAL GUESTS
17 DAYS

http://www.nyadiff.org/

2017 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL: COMPETITION AND NEXT LINEUP ANNOUNCED

December 1, 2016 #ArtReports

2017 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL: COMPETITION AND NEXT LINEUP ANNOUNCED

66 Provocative, Bold Feature Films From 22 Countries

‘New Climate’ Program Showcases Stories and Conversations on the Environment and Climate Change

Sundance Institute convenes a full slate of provocative and agenda-setting independent films at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, beginning with today’s announcement of the 66 films selected for U.S. Competition, World Competition and NEXT, as well as a slate of environmentally focused programming under the Festival’s New Climate program. The Festival hosts screenings in Park City, Salt Lake City and at Sundance Mountain Resort January 19-29.

The Festival celebrates creativity and independence at the summit of the Institute’s year-round public programming, which also includes festivals in London, Hong Kong and Los Angeles. Sundance Institute programs support artists year-round, with more than $2.5 million in grants and 25 global residency Labs across theatre, film, New Frontier and episodic content.

Robert Redford, President and Founder of Sundance Institute, said, "From the passion and chaos of creativity, independent filmmakers make decisions to harness that energy, break new ground and tell their stories. This year’s Festival reflects every step of that journey, and shows how art can engage, provoke and connect people all over the world."

Keri Putnam, Executive Director of Sundance Institute, said, "It’s more crucial now than ever to have storytellers illuminating the world around us. Artists help us better understand one another and recognize what we have in common. We are proud to champion and amplify original independent work through the Festival and our year-round programs."

John Cooper, Director of the Sundance Film Festival, said, "The films in this year’s Festival show the human sides of issues, people and places we don’t often see. Independent filmmakers, with their fearless, bold perspectives, are challenging us to witness our world's whole story. These artists, armed with their films, will lead us into the future."

For the first time, the Festival is focusing its programming efforts to drive attention and action around a specific theme: climate change and environmental preservation. The New Climate program builds on the Institute’s longstanding commitment to showcasing environmental films and projects, including An Inconvenient Truth, Blackfish, The Cove, Gasland, Chasing Ice, Racing Extinction and Collisions. The program includes Chasing Coral, which follows a team of divers, photographers and scientists documenting the world's changing coral reefs; Trophy, an in-depth look at the controversial, multi-billion-dollar big-game hunting industry; Water & Power: A California Heist, an investigation of California's convoluted water system; Plastic China, an examination of employee life at a Chinese recycling plant; and Machines, a portrait of the rhythm of life and work in a gigantic textile factory in Gujarat, India.

About New Climate, Redford said, "My own engagement on climate change began more than 40 years ago, and the urgency I felt then has only grown stronger given its very real and increasingly severe consequences. If we’re going to avoid the worst-case scenario, then we must act boldly and immediately, even in the face of indifference, apathy and opposition."

For the 2017 Festival, 113 feature-length films were selected, representing 32 countries and 37 first-time filmmakers, including 20 in competition. These films were selected from 13,782 submissions including 4,068 feature-length films and 8,985 short films. Of the feature film submissions, 2,005 were from the U.S. and 2,063 were international. Ninety-eight feature films at the Festival will be world premieres. In 2016, the Festival drew 46,600 attendees, generated $143.3 million in economic activity for the state of Utah and supported 1,400 local jobs.

Recent films that have premiered in the sections announced today include Morris From America, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Swiss Army Man, City of Gold, Fruitvale Station, The Diary of A Teenage Girl, Whiplash, Blackfish, Life, Animated, All These Sleepless Nights, Weiner and First Girl I Loved.

More films, including additional New Climate programming, will be announced soon; watch sundance.org/festival.

U.S. DRAMATIC COMPETITION
Presenting the world premieres of 16 narrative feature films, the Dramatic Competition offers Festivalgoers a first look at groundbreaking new voices in American independent film.

Band Aid / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Zoe Lister-Jones) — A couple who can't stop fighting embark on a last-ditch effort to save their marriage: turning their fights into songs and starting a band. Cast: Zoe Lister-Jones, Adam Pally, Fred Armisen, Susie Essman, Hannah Simone, Ravi Patel. World Premiere

Beach Rats / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Eliza Hittman) — An aimless teenager on the outer edges of Brooklyn struggles to escape his bleak home life and navigate questions of self-identity, as he balances his time between his delinquent friends, a potential new girlfriend, and older men he meets online. Cast: Harris Dickinson, Madeline Weinstein, Kate Hodge, Neal Huff. World Premiere

Brigsby Bear / U.S.A. (Director: Dave McCary, Screenwriters: Kevin Costello, Kyle Mooney) — Brigsby Bear Adventures is a children's TV show produced for an audience of one: James. When the show abruptly ends, James's life changes forever, and he sets out to finish the story himself. Cast: Kyle Mooney, Claire Danes, Mark Hamill, Greg Kinnear, Matt Walsh, Michaela Watkins. World Premiere

Burning Sands / U.S.A. (Director: Gerard McMurray, Screenwriters: Christine Berg, Gerard McMurray) — Deep into a fraternity's Hell Week, a favored pledge is torn between honoring a code of silence or standing up against the intensifying violence of underground hazing. Cast: Trevor Jackson, Alfre Woodard, Steve Harris, Tosin Cole, DeRon Horton, Trevante Rhodes. World Premiere

Crown Heights / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Matt Ruskin) — When Colin Warner is wrongfully convicted of murder, his best friend, Carl King, devotes his life to proving Colin's innocence. Adapted from This American Life, this is the incredible true story of their harrowing quest for justice. Cast: Keith Stanfield, Nnamdi Asomugha, Natalie Paul, Bill Camp, Nestor Carbonell, Amari Cheatom. World Premiere

Golden Exits / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Alex Ross Perry) — The arrival of a young foreign girl disrupts the lives and emotional balances of two Brooklyn families. Cast: Emily Browning, Adam Horovitz, Mary-Louise Parker, Lily Rabe, Jason Schwartzman, Chloë Sevigny. World Premiere

The Hero / U.S.A. (Director: Brett Haley, Screenwriters: Brett Haley, Marc Basch) — Lee, a former Western film icon, is living a comfortable existence lending his golden voice to advertisements and smoking weed. After receiving a lifetime achievement award and unexpected news, Lee reexamines his past, while a chance meeting with a sardonic comic has him looking to the future. Cast: Sam Elliott, Laura Prepon, Krysten Ritter, Nick Offerman, Katherine Ross. World Premierem looking to the future. Cast: Sam Elliott, Laura Prepon, Krysten Ritter, Nick Offerman, Katherine Ross. World Premiere

I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Macon Blair) — When a depressed woman is burglarized, she finds a new sense of purpose by tracking down the thieves, alongside her obnoxious neighbor. But they soon find themselves dangerously out of their depth against a pack of degenerate criminals. Cast: Melanie Lynskey, Elijah Wood, David Yow, Jane Levy, Devon Graye. World Premiere. DAY ONE

Ingrid Goes West / U.S.A. (Director: Matt Spicer, Screenwriters: Matt Spicer, David Branson Smith) — A young woman becomes obsessed with an Instagram lifestyle blogger and moves to Los Angeles to try and befriend her in real life. Cast: Aubrey Plaza, Elizabeth Olsen, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Wyatt Russell, Billy Magnussen. World Premiere

Landline / U.S.A. (Director: Gillian Robespierre, Screenwriters: Elisabeth Holm, Gillian Robespierre) — Two sisters come of age in ’90s New York when they discover their dad’s affair—and it turns out he’s not the only cheater in the family. Everyone still smokes inside, no one has a cell phone and the Jacobs finally connect through lying, cheating and hibachi. Cast: Jenny Slate, John Turturro, Edie Falco, Abby Quinn, Jay Duplass, Finn Wittrock. World Premiere

Novitiate / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Maggie Betts) — In the early 1960s, during the Vatican II era, a young woman training to become a nun struggles with issues of faith, sexuality and the changing church. Cast: Margaret Qualley, Melissa Leo, Julianne Nicholson, Dianna Agron, Morgan Saylor. World Premiere

Patti Cake$ / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Geremy Jasper) — Straight out of Jersey comes Patricia Dombrowski, a.k.a. Killa P, a.k.a. Patti Cake$, an aspiring rapper fighting through a world of strip malls and strip clubs on an unlikely quest for glory. Cast: Danielle Macdonald, Bridget Everett, Siddharth Dhananjay, Mamoudou Athie, Cathy Moriarty. World Premiere

Roxanne Roxanne / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Michael Larnell) — The most feared battle emcee in early-'80s NYC was a fierce teenager from the Queensbridge projects with the weight of the world on her shoulders. At age 14, hustling the streets to provide for her family, Roxanne Shanté was well on her way to becoming a hip-hop legend. Cast: Chanté Adams, Mahershala Ali, Nia Long, Elvis Nolasco, Kevin Phillips, Shenell Edmonds. World Premiere

To the Bone / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Marti Noxon) — In a last-ditch effort to battle her severe anorexia, 20-year-old Ellen enters a group recovery home. With the help of an unconventional doctor, Ellen and the other residents go on a sometimes-funny, sometimes-harrowing journey that leads to the ultimate question—is life worth living? Cast: Lily Collins, Keanu Reeves, Carrie Preston, Lili Taylor, Alex Sharp, Liana Liberato. World Premiere

Walking Out / U.S.A. (Directors and screenwriters: Alex Smith, Andrew Smith) — A father and son struggle to connect on any level until a brutal encounter with a predator in the heart of the wilderness leaves them both seriously injured. If they are to survive, the boy must carry his father to safety. Cast: Matt Bomer, Josh Wiggins, Bill Pullman, Alex Neustaedter, Lily Gladstone. World Premiere

The Yellow Birds / U.S.A. (Director: Alexandre Moors, Screenwriter: David Lowery) — Two young men enlist in the army and are deployed to fight in the Gulf War. After an unthinkable tragedy, the surviving soldier struggles to balance his promise of silence with the truth and a mourning mother’s search for peace. Cast: Tye Sheridan, Jack Huston, Alden Ehrenreich, Jason Patric, Toni Collette, Jennifer Aniston. World Premiere

U.S. DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
Sixteen world-premiere American documentaries that illuminate the ideas, people and events that shape the present day.

Casting JonBenet / U.S.A., Australia (Director: Kitty Green) — The unsolved death of six-year-old American beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey remains the world’s most sensational child murder case. Over 15 months, responses, reflections and performances were elicited from the Ramsey’s Colorado hometown community, creating a bold work of art from the collective memories and mythologies the crime inspired. World Premiere

Chasing Coral / U.S.A. (Director: Jeff Orlowski) — Coral reefs around the world are vanishing at an unprecedented rate. A team of divers, photographers and scientists set out on a thrilling ocean adventure to discover why and to reveal the underwater mystery to the world. World Premiere. NEW CLIMATE

City of Ghosts / U.S.A. (Director: Matthew Heineman) — With unprecedented access, this documentary follows the extraordinary journey of "Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently"—a group of anonymous citizen journalists who banded together after their homeland was overtaken by ISIS—as they risk their lives to stand up against one of the greatest evils in the world today. World Premiere

Dina / U.S.A. (Directors: Dan Sickles, Antonio Santini) — An eccentric suburban woman and a Walmart door-greeter navigate their evolving relationship in this unconventional love story. World Premiere

Dolores / U.S.A. (Director: Peter Bratt) — Dolores Huerta bucks 1950s gender conventions by co-founding the country’s first farmworkers' union. Wrestling with raising 11 children, gender bias, union defeat and victory, and nearly dying after a San Francisco Police beating, Dolores emerges with a vision that connects her newfound feminism with racial and class justice. World Premiere

The Force / U.S.A. (Director: Pete Nicks) — This cinema verité look at the long-troubled Oakland Police Department goes deep inside their struggles to confront federal demands for reform, a popular uprising following events in Ferguson and an explosive scandal. World Premiere

ICARUS / U.S.A. (Director: Bryan Fogel) — When Bryan Fogel sets out to uncover the truth about doping in sports, a chance meeting with a Russian scientist transforms his story from a personal experiment into a geopolitical thriller involving dirty urine, unexplained death and Olympic Gold—exposing the biggest scandal in sports history. World Premiere

The New Radical / U.S.A. (Director: Adam Bhala Lough) — Uncompromising millennial radicals from the United States and the United Kingdom attack the system through dangerous technological means, which evolves into a high-stakes game with world authorities in the midst of a dramatically changing political landscape. World Premiere

NOBODY SPEAK: Hulk Hogan, Gawker and Trials of a Free Press / U.S.A. (Director: Brian Knappenberger) — The trial between Hulk Hogan and Gawker Media pitted privacy rights against freedom of the press, and raised important questions about how big money can silence media. This film is an examination of the perils and duties of the free press in an age of inequality. World Premiere

Quest / U.S.A. (Director: Jonathan Olshefski) — For over a decade, this portrait of a North Philadelphia family and the creative sanctuary offered by their home music studio was filmed with vérité intimacy. The family's 10-year journey is an illumination of race and class in America, and it's a testament to love, healing and hope. World Premiere

STEP / U.S.A. (Director: Amanda Lipitz) — The senior year of a girls’ high school step team in inner-city Baltimore is documented, as they try to become the first in their families to attend college. The girls strive to make their dancing a success against the backdrop of social unrest in their troubled city. World Premiere

Strong Island / U.S.A., Denmark (Director: Yance Ford) — Examining the violent death of the filmmaker’s brother and the judicial system that allowed his killer to go free, this documentary interrogates murderous fear and racialized perception, and re-imagines the wreckage in catastrophe’s wake, challenging us to change. World Premiere

Trophy / U.S.A. (Director: Shaul Schwarz, Co-Director: Christina Clusiau) — This in-depth look into the powerhouse industries of big-game hunting, breeding and wildlife conservation in the U.S. and Africa unravels the complex consequences of treating animals as commodities. World Premiere. NEW CLIMATE

Unrest / U.S.A. (Director: Jennifer Brea) — When Harvard PhD student Jennifer Brea is struck down at 28 by a fever that leaves her bedridden, doctors tell her it’s "all in her head." Determined to live, she sets out on a virtual journey to document her story—and four other families' stories—fighting a disease medicine forgot. World Premiere

Water & Power: A California Heist / U.S.A. (Director: Marina Zenovich) — In California's convoluted water system, notorious water barons find ways to structure a state-engineered system to their own advantage. This examination into their centers of power shows small farmers and everyday citizens facing drought and a new, debilitating groundwater crisis. World Premiere. NEW CLIMATE

Whose Streets? / U.S.A. (Director: Sabaah Folayan, Co-Director: Damon Davis) — A nonfiction account of the Ferguson uprising told by the people who lived it, this is an unflinching look at how the killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown inspired a community to fight back—and sparked a global movement. World Premiere. DAY ONE

WORLD CINEMA DRAMATIC COMPETITION
Twelve films from emerging filmmaking talents around the world offer fresh perspectives and inventive styles.

Axolotl Overkill / Germany (Director and screenwriter: Helene Hegemann) — Mifti, age 16, lives in Berlin with a cast of characters including her half-siblings; their rich, self-involved father; and her junkie friend Ophelia. As she mourns her recently deceased mother, she begins to develop an obsession with Alice, an enigmatic, and much older, white-collar criminal. Cast: Jasna Fritzi Bauer, Arly Jover, Mavie Hörbiger, Laura Tonke, Hans Löw, Bernhard Schütz. World Premiere

Berlin Syndrome / Australia (Director: Cate Shortland, Screenwriter: Shaun Grant) — A passionate holiday romance takes an unexpected and sinister turn when an Australian photographer wakes one morning in a Berlin apartment and is unable to leave. Cast: Teresa Palmer, Max Riemelt. World Premiere

Carpinteros (Woodpeckers) / Dominican Republic (Director and screenwriter: José María Cabral) — Julián finds love and a reason for living in the last place imaginable: the Dominican Republic’s Najayo Prison. His romance with fellow prisoner Yanelly must develop through sign language and without the knowledge of dozens of guards. Cast: Jean Jean, Judith Rodriguez Perez, Ramón Emilio Candelario. World Premiere

Don't Swallow My Heart, Alligator Girl! / Brazil, Netherlands, France, Paraguay (Director and screenwriter: Felipe Bragança) — In this fable about love and memories, Joca is a 13-year-old Brazilian boy in love with an indigenous Paraguayan girl. To conquer her love, he must face the violent region's war-torn past and the secrets of his elder brother, Fernando, a motorcycle cowboy. Cast: Cauã Reymond, Eduardo Macedo, Adeli Gonzales, Zahy Guajajara, Claudia Assunção, Ney Matogrosso. World Premiere

Family Life / Chile (Directors: Alicia Scherson, Cristián Jiménez, Screenwriter: Alejandro Zambra) — While house-sitting for a distant cousin, a lonely man fabricates the existence of a vindictive ex-wife withholding his daughter, in order to gain the sympathy of the single mother he has just met. Cast: Jorge Becker, Gabriela Arancibia, Blanca Lewin, Cristián Carvajal. World Premiere

Free and Easy / Hong Kong (Director: Jun Geng, Screenwriters: Jun Geng, Yuhua Feng, Bing Liu) — When a traveling soap salesman arrives in a desolate Chinese town, a crime occurs, and sets the strange residents against each other with tragicomic results. Cast: Gang Xu, Zhiyong Zhang, Baohe Xue, Benshan Gu, Xun Zhang. World Premiere

God's Own Country / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Francis Lee) — Springtime in Yorkshire: isolated young sheep farmer Johnny Saxby numbs his daily frustrations with binge drinking and casual sex, until the arrival of a Romanian migrant worker, employed for the lambing season, ignites an intense relationship that sets Johnny on a new path. Cast: Josh O'Connor, Alec Secareanu, Ian Hart, Gemma Jones. World Premiere

My Happy Family / Georgia (Directors: Nana & Simon, Screenwriter: Nana Ekvtimishvili) — Tbilisi, Georgia, 2016: In a patriarchal society, an ordinary Georgian family lives with three generations under one roof. All are shocked when 52-year-old Manana decides to move out from her parents' home and live alone. Without her family and her husband, a journey into the unknown begins. Cast: Ia Shugliashvili, Merab Ninidze, Berta Khapava, Tsisia Qumsishvili, Giorgi Tabidze, Dimitri Oragvelidze. World Premiere

The Nile Hilton Incident / Sweden (Director and screenwriter: Tarik Saleh) — In Cairo, weeks before the 2011 revolution, Police Detective Noredin is working in the infamous Kasr el-Nil Police Station when he is handed the case of a murdered singer. He soon realizes that the investigation concerns the power elite, close to the President’s inner circle. Cast: Fares Fares, Mari Malek, Mohamed Yousry, Yasser Ali Maher, Ahmed Selim, Hania Amar. World Premiere

Pop Aye / Singapore, Thailand (Director and screenwriter: Kirsten Tan) — On a chance encounter, a disenchanted architect bumps into his long-lost elephant on the streets of Bangkok. Excited, he takes his elephant on a journey across Thailand in search of the farm where they grew up together. Cast: Thaneth Warakulnukroh, Penpak Sirikul, Bong. World Premiere. DAY ONE

Sueño en otro idioma (I Dream in Another Language) / Mexico (Director: Ernesto Contreras, Screenwriter: Carlos Contreras) — The last two speakers of a millennia-old language haven’t spoken in 50 years, when a young linguist tries to bring them together. Yet hidden in the past, in the heart of the jungle, lies a secret concerning the fate of the Zikril language. Cast: Fernando Álvarez Rebeil, Eligio Meléndez, Manuel Poncelis, Fátima Molina, Juan Pablo de Santiago, Hoze Meléndez. World Premiere

The Wound / South Africa (Director: John Trengove, Screenwriters: John Trengove, Thando Mgqolozana, Malusi Bengu) — Xolani, a lonely factory worker, travels to the rural mountains with the men of his community to initiate a group of teenage boys into manhood. When a defiant initiate from the city discovers his best-kept secret, a forbidden love, Xolani's entire existence begins to unravel. Cast: Nakhane Touré, Bongile Mantsai, Niza Jay Ncoyini. World Premiere

WORLD CINEMA DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
Twelve documentaries by some of the most courageous and extraordinary international filmmakers working today.

The Good Postman / Finland, Bulgaria (Director: Tonislav Hristov) — In a small Bulgarian village troubled by the ongoing refugee crisis, a local postman runs for mayor—and learns that even minor deeds can outweigh good intentions. North American Premiere

In Loco Parentis / Ireland, Spain (Directors: Neasa Ní Chianáin, David Rane) — John and Amanda teach Latin, English and guitar at a fantastical, stately home-turned-school. Nearly 50-year careers are drawing to a close for the pair who have become legends with the mantra: "Reading! ’Rithmetic! Rock ’n’ roll!" But for pupil and teacher alike, leaving is the hardest lesson. North American Premiere

It's Not Yet Dark / Ireland (Director: Frankie Fenton) — This is the incredible story of Simon Fitzmaurice, a young filmmaker who becomes completely paralyzed from motor neurone disease but goes on to direct an award-winning feature film through the use of his eyes. International Premiere

Joshua: Teenager vs. Superpower / U.S.A. (Director: Joe Piscatella) — When the Chinese Communist Party backtracks on its promise of autonomy to Hong Kong, teenager Joshua Wong decides to save his city. Rallying thousands of kids to skip school and occupy the streets, Joshua becomes an unlikely leader in Hong Kong and one of China’s most notorious dissidents. World Premiere

Last Men in Aleppo / Denmark (Directors: Feras Fayyad, Steen Johannessen) — After five years of war in Syria, Aleppo’s remaining residents prepare themselves for a siege. Khalid, Subhi and Mahmoud, founding members of The White Helmets, have remained in the city to help their fellow citizens—and experience daily life, death, struggle and triumph in a city under fire. World Premiere

Machines / India, Germany, Finland (Director: Rahul Jain) — This intimate, observant portrayal of the rhythm of life and work in a gigantic textile factory in Gujarat, India, moves through the corridors and bowels of the enormously disorienting structure—taking the viewer on a journey of dehumanizing physical labor and intense hardship. North American Premiere. NEW CLIMATE

Motherland / U.S.A., Philippines (Director: Ramona Diaz) — The planet's busiest maternity hospital is located in one of its poorest and most populous countries: the Philippines. There, poor women face devastating consequences as their country struggles with reproductive health policy and the politics of conservative Catholic ideologies. World Premiere

Plastic China / China (Director: Jiu-liang Wang) — Yi-Jie, an 11-year-old girl, works alongside her parents in a recycling facility while dreaming of attending school. Kun, the facility’s ambitious foreman, dreams of a better life. Through the eyes and hands of those who handle its refuse, comes an examination of global consumption and culture. International Premiere. NEW CLIMATE

RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked The World / Canada (Director: Catherine Bainbridge) — This powerful documentary about the role of Native Americans in contemporary music history—featuring some of the greatest music stars of our time—exposes a critical missing chapter, revealing how indigenous musicians helped shape the soundtracks of our lives and, through their contributions, influenced popular culture. World Premiere

Tokyo Idols / United Kingdom, Canada (Director: Kyoko Miyake) — This exploration of Japan’s fascination with girl bands and their music follows an aspiring pop singer and her fans, delving into the cultural obsession with young female sexuality and the growing disconnect between men and women in hypermodern societies. World Premiere

WINNIE / France (Director: Pascale Lamche) — While her husband served a life sentence, paradoxically kept safe and morally uncontaminated, Winnie Mandela rode the raw violence of apartheid, fighting on the front line and underground. This is the untold story of the mysterious forces that combined to take her down, labeling him a saint, her, a sinner. World Premiere

The Workers Cup / United Kingdom (Director: Adam Sobel) — Inside Qatar’s labor camps, African and Asian migrant workers building the facilities of the 2022 World Cup compete in a football tournament of their own. World Premiere. DAY ONE

NEXT
Pure, bold works distinguished by an innovative, forward-thinking approach to storytelling populate this program. Digital technology paired with unfettered creativity promises that the films in this section will shape a "greater" next wave in American cinema. Presented by Adobe.

Columbus / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Kogonada) — Casey lives with her mother in a little-known Midwestern town haunted by the promise of modernism. Jin, a visitor from the other side of the world, attends to his dying father. Burdened by the future, they find respite in one another and the architecture that surrounds them. Cast: John Cho, Haley Lu Richardson, Parker Posey, Rory Culkin, Michelle Forbes. World Premiere

Dayveon / U.S.A. (Director: Amman Abbasi, Screenwriters: Amman Abbasi, Steven Reneau) — In the wake of his older brother’s death, 13-year-old Dayveon spends the sweltering summer days roaming his rural Arkansas town. When he falls in with a local gang, he becomes drawn to the camaraderie and violence of their world. Cast: Devin Blackmon, Kordell "KD" Johnson, Dontrell Bright, Chasity Moore, Lachion Buckingham, Marquell Manning. World Premiere. DAY ONE

Deidra & Laney Rob a Train / U.S.A. (Director: Sydney Freeland, Screenwriter: Shelby Farrell) — Two teenage sisters start robbing trains to make ends meet after their single mother's emotional meltdown in an electronics store lands her in jail. Cast: Ashleigh Murray, Rachel Crow, Tim Blake Nelson, David Sullivan, Danielle Nicolet, Sasheer Zamata. World Premiere

A Ghost Story / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: David Lowery) — This is the story of a ghost and the house he haunts. Cast: Casey Affleck, Rooney Mara, Will Oldham, Sonia Acevedo, Rob Zabrecky, Liz Franke. World Premiere

Gook / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Justin Chon) — Eli and Daniel, two Korean American brothers who own a struggling women's shoe store, have an unlikely friendship with 11-year-old Kamilla. On the first day of the 1992 L.A. riots, the trio must defend their store—and contemplate the meaning of family, their personal dreams and the future. Cast: Justin Chon, Simone Baker, David So, Curtiss Cook Jr., Sang Chon, Ben Munoz. World Premiere

L.A. Times / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Michelle Morgan) — In this classically styled comedy of manners set in Los Angeles, sophisticated thirtysomethings try to determine whether ideal happiness exists in coupledom or if the perfectly suited couple is actually just an urban myth. Cast: Michelle Morgan, Dree Hemingway, Jorma Taccone, Kentucker Audley, Margarita Levieva, Adam Shapiro. World Premiere

Lemon / U.S.A. (Director: Janicza Bravo, Screenwriters: Janicza Bravo, Brett Gelman) — A man watches his life unravel after he is left by his blind girlfriend. Cast: Brett Gelman, Judy Greer, Michael Cera, Nia Long, Shiri Appleby, Fred Melamed. World Premiere

Menashe / U.S.A. (Director: Joshua Z Weinstein, Screenwriters: Joshua Z Weinstein, Alex Lipschultz, Musa Syeed) — Within Brooklyn’s ultra-orthodox Jewish community, a widower battles for custody of his son. A tender drama performed entirely in Yiddish, the film intimately explores the nature of faith and the price of parenthood. Cast: Menashe Lustig. World Premiere

Person to Person / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Dustin Guy Defa) — A record collector hustles for a big score while his heartbroken roommate tries to erase a terrible mistake, a teenager bears witness to her best friend’s new relationship and a rookie reporter, alongside her demanding supervisor, chases the clues of a murder case involving a life-weary clock shop owner. Cast: Abbi Jacobson, Michael Cera, Tavi Gevinson, Philip Baker Hall, Bene Coopersmith, George Sample III. World Premiere

Thoroughbred / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Cory Finley) — Two teenage girls in suburban Connecticut rekindle their unlikely friendship after years of growing apart. In the process, they learn that neither is what she seems to be—and that a murder might solve both of their problems. Cast: Olivia Cooke, Anya Taylor-Joy, Anton Yelchin, Paul Sparks, Francie Swift, Kaili Vernoff. World Premiere

Three films announced today were funded in part through Kickstarter campaigns: Dayveon, Gook and Unrest.

Sundance Institute
Founded in 1981 by Robert Redford, Sundance Institute is a nonprofit organization that provides and preserves the space for artists in film, theatre, and new media to create and thrive. The Institute's signature Labs, granting, and mentorship programs, dedicated to developing new work, take place throughout the year in the U.S. and internationally. The Sundance Film Festival and other public programs connect audiences to artists in igniting new ideas, discovering original voices, and building a community dedicated to independent storytelling. Sundance Institute has supported such projects as Beasts of the Southern Wild, Fruitvale Station, Sin Nombre, The Invisible War, The Square, Dirty Wars, Spring Awakening, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder and Fun Home. Join Sundance Institute on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

PERSON TO PERSON World Premiere at Sundance 2017

November 30, 2016 #ArtReports

PERSON TO PERSON to Make World Premiere at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival
Michael Cera, Tavi Gevinson, Abbi Jacobson, Bene Coopersmith and George Sample III Head up Ensemble Cast

PERSON TO PERSON, written and directed by Dustin Guy Defa, will make its World Premiere in the NEXT Section at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. The Sundance Film Festival takes place January 19-29 with screenings in Park City, Salt Lake City and at Sundance Mountain Resort, Utah.

In PERSON TO PERSON, a record collector hustles for a big score while his heartbroken roommate tries to erase a terrible mistake, a teenager bears witness to her best friend’s new relationship, and a rookie reporter, alongside her demanding supervisor, chases the clues of a murder case involving a life-weary clock shop owner. The film boasts a talented ensemble of actors including Abbi Jacobson (“Broad City”), Michael Cera (SUPERBAD, JUNO), Tavi Gevinson (ENOUGH SAID), Isiah Whitlock, (25TH HOUR), Michaela Watkins (Hulu’s “Casual”), Olivia Luccardi (IT FOLLOWS), Ben Rosenfield (6 YEARS), Buddy Durress (HEAVEN KNOWS WHAT), Bene Coopersmith (L FOR LEISURE),George Sample III (HUNTER GATHERER) and Philip Baker Hall (MAGNOLIA).

Dustin Guy Defa said, “I'm so proud of our talented cast and dedicated crew who collaborated to make this film. There’s no place I’d rather be presenting their hard work to its first audiences than at Sundance.”

Defa’s films have won critical raves and garnered him much attention on the film festival circuit and beyond; he was named one of Filmmaker Magazine’s “25 New Faces in Independent Film” in 2014. He directed the feature-length film BAD FEVER, which premiered at SXSW 2011, as well as several short films including “Person To Person” (winner, DAAD Short Film at Berlinale 2014; winner, Special Jury Award for Narrative short at SXSW 2014), “Lydia Hoffman Lydia Hoffman” (BAMcinemaFest 2013), “Declaration of War” (2013), and “Family Nightmare” (BAMcinemaFest 2011, Locarno Film Festival 2012). The Film Society of Lincoln Center screened a retrospective of his short films in 2015.

PERSON TO PERSON is produced by Sara Murphy, Toby Halbrooks, and James M. Johnston and co-produced by Allison Rose Carter and Jon Read. It is Executive Produced by Joe Swanberg, Eddie Linker and Peter Gilbert of Forager Films and Matthew Perniciaro and Michael Sherman of Bow and Arrow Entertainment, in association with Sailor Bear and Park Pictures.

Lin-Manuel Miranda urges all Hamilton fans & everyone else, VOTE!

October 7, 2016 @ArtShrian

Alexander Hamilton was just a founding father on the $10 bill for most, until Lin-Manuel Miranda made the broadway super hit "Hamilton: An American Musical". The show has become a phenomena, making Hamilton and Lin a household name all over the country. And here comes a documentary on PBS, "Hamilton's America" by Alex Horowitz. The film debut at the 54th New York Film Festival, on Oct 1, was attended by Alex and Lin himself, with Tony award winner forHamilton musical, Renee Elise Goldberg and Ron Chernow, the author of the book on Hamilton, that inspired Lin to create the hip-hop musical.

Alex is Lin's friend since they were 19. He started video recording Lin couple years before the show, to document his journey. It starts with Lin starting to move into his new apartment, up in the heights. He goes to Whitt house to perform his first song at the poetry slam, that went viral, And then goes through the process of him writing 2 songs in 2 yrs, to kicking it up on his directors push. The film reflects on Lin's struggles as a writer and artist to come up with his songs & story.

It shows the research Lin and the cast of the show had to go through different historic sites part ofHamilton's lie in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia. The film also features interviews with the team of Hamilton, Ron Chernow, Lin with The President Barrack Obama, President George W Bush, Senator ...

The screening was followed by Q&A with Alex, Lin, Renee and Ron. Lin thanked his father who is an immigrant from Puerto Rico, and shared how he's been inspiration for his characterization ofHamilton in the show. When Art Shrian asked Lin about "Immigrant's America", to reflect on what's going in the currently right now and what role we could play, his response was "VOTE". In his own words:

New York Film Festival: PBS documentary Hamilton's America panel discussion with Lin Manuel Miranada, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Ron Chernow and director Alex Horowitz.

“There is a long tradition of using the word ‘immigrant’ as an epithet of distrust of the latest group of people who have gotten here. It is a very easy thing to do for a politician — it happens every 20 years of so, usually happens around the election cycle where you point at the people who got here most recently and say, ‘They’re the reason you don’t have a job.'

"It happened with the Irish at the turn of the 19th century, it’s happening with Mexican-Americans right now, and this is about as virulent a form of this virus as I’ve seen in my lifetime,."

"We have to survive it. And if it bothers you, vote.”

Last, but not the least - The documentary will also feature several songs from the original broadway cast.

Hamilton's America airs Friday, Oct. 21, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on PBS.

Following the world premiere of the documentary Hamilton's America at the 54th New York Film Festival, director Alex Horwitz joined Lin-Manuel Miranda, Renée Elise Goldsberry, and more on stage for a Q&A. Lin-Manuel Miranda takes us inside the making of his groundbreaking American musical Hamilton, winner of eleven Tonys, as well as the Pulitzer Prize, and a Grammy Award.

Ava Duvernay's 13TH opens 54th New York Film Festival

October 1, 2016 Art Shrian & Lapacazo Sandoval

The 54th New York Film Festival started this September 30th, with opening night film, Ava Duvernay's 13TH, (coming on Netflix Oct 7th). The screening was followed by a Q&A with Ava herself, where she shared her heartfelt feelings about this film. Checkout the video here:

It's a wonderful and moving film, sharing the dark truth of American history and present. Ava's commitment to meaningful storytelling is very apparent with this film, which comes right after her Oscar nominated film Selma. Moving from History to present, this film shows how even after abolishing slavery, America has kept slavery love in a new form via mass incarceration. The film does not try to preach a solution, but gives a realistic picture of the facts and issue facing the society and this great country.

Ava DuVernay discusses the making of her new documentary 13TH at a press conference during the 54th New York Film Festival. The title of Ava DuVernay's extraordinary and galvanizing documentary refers to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which reads "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States."

The all day screenings were followed by the opening night party, which was held at the legendary Tavern On The Green to honor Ava DuVernay’s explosive and eye-opening documentary the “13th” —the first ever documentary to open NYFF. The swanky venue was packed which meant that we were elbow-to-elbow with celebrities, movers-and-shakers, influencers and the best-of-the-best of new storytellers.

On deck to celebrate: Ava DuVernay, actress Naturi Naughton, singer/songwriter/activist Angelique Kidjo, Jelani Cobb, Dave Chappell, Cindy Holland, Uzoamaka Nwanneka "Uzo" Aduba (ONB), Academy Award® winning director Roger Ross Williams (LIFE, ANIMATED) and Academy Award® winner (Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr.,) Common who tuned up the crowd with two songs. .

Before brother Common performed we chatted about the importance of voting and truly understanding what the documentary is showcasing in the “loop hole” that is modern slavery in this country. The 13th Amendment states, "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States...". The sobering truth is that 1 out of 4 people with “their hands on bars” — in the world — are located here, in the United States of America, the alleged “home of the free.”

At the party, at every table, was a copy of The Constitution of the United States and a bookmark that sums up the intelligent documentary like this: “From Slave to Criminal with one Amendment. The loophole that changed history.” Further down the details sharing that tahe documentary is available on Netflix starting October 7th and providing the twitter handle which is simply @13thfilm.

The title of Ava DuVernay's extraordinary and galvanizing documentary 13TH refers to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which reads "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States."

The title of Ava DuVernay’s extraordinary and galvanizing documentary refers to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which reads“Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States.” The progression from that second qualifying clause to the horrors of mass criminalization and the sprawling American prison industry is laid out by DuVernay with bracing lucidity. With a potent mixture of archival footage and testimony from a dazzling array of activists, politicians, historians, and formerly incarcerated women and men, DuVernay creates a work of grand historical synthesis. A Netflix original documentary.

The NYFF runs until October 16th.

Urbanworld Film Festival 2016: from the Red Carpet

September 26, 2016 @ArtShrian

The 20th Annual Urbanworld Film Festival (www.urbanworld.org), presented by REVOLT with founding sponsor HBO, ran from September 21-25. One of the largest competitive film festivals designed to advance the presence and impact of diverse content creators screened over 68 films and will took place at Manhattan's AMC Empire 25 on 234 West 42nd Street.

Here is what we saw and heard at Urbanworld 2016, from the red carpet:

Mira Nair at premiere of Queen Of Katwe, UrbanWorld Film Festival 2016, NYC

Mira Nair, Director of Disney’s “Queen Of Katwe”
“This film is very much, left & center, is the UrbanWorld, except set in Africa, my other home in Kampala, Uganda. So welcome to Queen of Katwe.”

Mira Nair & David Oyelowo introduce Queen of Katwe at UrbanWorld Film Festival 2016, in NYC

"Queen of Katwe" panel discussion with Mira Nair & David Oyelowo at UrbanWorld Film Festival 2016 in NYC. Recorded by Art Shrian, for MyNewYorkEye

David Oyelowo, star of Disney’s “Queen Of Katwe”
“This film is significant, because intolerance is something that’s very much at the front at thsi moment. And the way you breakdown intolerance is through understanding. If you can relate to a young black girl in Uganda, who goes through a journey that’s akin to yours, that breaks down prejudice.”

David Oyelowo, talks about Queen of Katwe, at UrbanWorld Film Festival 2016, NYC

Gina Prince-Bythewood, co-creator of FOX’s new show “Shots Fired”

“I have 2 boys and this issue is so urgent, I mean, every month there seems like there’s another hashtag. We just wanted to be part of the conversation, and try and spark change, because change is absolutely urgent right now.”

Gina Prince-Bythewood brings SHOTS FIRED to UrbanWorld FilmFest 2016 NYC, and talks to Art Shrian

Reggie Rock Bythewood, co-creator of FOX’s new show “Shots Fired”
“My son was with me, when a cop pulled us over and it was very awkward situation. But it was also an opportunity for him to see how dad handles it. Shortly afterwards, George Zimmerman verdict came out. And few years later, we put together Shots Fired, and here we are.”

Issa Rae, creator and star of HBO’s new show “Insecure”
"HBO pretty much left me alone when I was creating my series, and that's a great feeling.”

Prentice Penny, Executive Producer of HBO’s new show “Insecure”
"I can confirm that when it comes to casting her show, it's easy. She's like 'no, my home girl has this role; yo, my other homegirl has the role. Wait, I know the actor for this part. He's my homeboy."

Taunt Chopra, director and Sunkrish Bala, actor from "Chee and T"
"As brown or Indian people, we need to be able to tell our true stories."

Tanuj Chopra the director & Sunkrish Bala the star of "Chee and T", talk to Art Shrian, at UrbanWorld Film Festival 2016 in NYC

icky Judy, star of Netflix's "Orange Is the New Black"
"It's wonderful working with all my friends. It's a great group of people, and that's something I'm very grateful for."

Vicky Jeudy of Orange Is the New Black, talks to Art Shrian, at UrbanWorld Film Festival 2016, NYC

2016 Triumph Awards Presented by National Action Network & TV One; Hosted by Tichina Arnold (w/ Fantasia, Nick Cannon, JD, Kandi & More)

September 20, 2016 #ArtReports

Reverend Al Sharpton and the National Action Network along with TV One presented the2016 Triumph Awards at the Tabernacle Concert Hall in Atlanta. Hosted by actress and philanthropist Tichina Arnold, the Triumph Awards recognizes distinguished individuals and corporations in civil rights, the arts, entertainment, education, business and sports. The show was taped in front of a live audience and will air Sunday, October 2 at 7PM and 9PM ET on TV One.

Attorney Benjamin Crump was presented the “Chairman’s Award for Historic and Transformative Service” by Clifton Powell (Saints and Sinners); Larenz Tate (House of Lies) presented the “Triumphant Man of the Year” award to Jermaine Dupri; The “Triumphant Woman of the Year” went to FedEx executive Gina F. Adams, who was introduced by legendary singer Dionne Warwick; actor and recording artist Derek“Fonzworth Bentley” Watkins was on hand to present the “President’s Award for Service and Humanitarian Efforts” to Sean “Diddy” Combs (who was not in attendance); Tim Murphy of Mastercard accepted the honor of “Corporate Partner of the Year Award;” and the final award of the evening was the “Activism in the Arts Award” presented to Spike Lee by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Vietta Johnson, President of Spelman College Dr. Mary Schmidt Campbell and actress Teyonah Parris.

Performers included gospel artist Jekalyn Carr, V. Bozeman, Nick Cannon, BJ the Chicago Kid, the James Brown Academy of Music Pupils, Joe, Eric Benet, Juan and Deborah Joy Winans, and Fantasia. Tichina Arnold, JB Smoove, Carl Payne, Erica Ash and Teyonah Parris also joined forces to perform a “Spike Lee Joint Medley,” a hilarious musical tribute.

Additional appearances by Marc Lamont Hill, Dondre Whitfield, Kandi Burruss, Terri J. Vaughn, Pooch Hall, Denise Boutte, Ebony Steele, Angel McCoughtry; the “Mothers of the Movement;” Gwen Carr (mother of Eric Garner), Lesley McSpadden (mother of Mike Brown) andSybrina Fulton (mother of Trayvon Martin); and Georgia State House Representative Erica Thomas.

The 2016 Triumph Awards are produced by Bart Phillips of Sunseeker Entertainment. Eric Tomosunas and Keith Neal serve as Executive Producer for Swirl Films. Robyn Green Arrington is Executive in Charge of Production. Lamar Chase serves as Producer and D’Angela Proctor is Head of Original Programing and Production for TV One.

For more information about The Triumph Awards visit the network’s companion website at www.tvone.tv. TV One viewers can also join the conversation by connecting via social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (@tvonetv) using the hashtag #TriumphAwards and catch clips and promos on TV One’s YouTube Channel.

20TH ANNIVERSARY URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL adds "INSECURE" & "SHOTS FIRED"

September 14, 2016 #ArtReports

“INSECURE” and “SHOTS FIRED” ADDED TO 20TH ANNIVERSARY

URBANWORLD® FILM FESTIVAL IN NEW YORK Ava DuVernay, Issa Rae, David Oyelowo, Sanaa Lathan, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Stephan James, Reggie Rock Bythewood, Russell Simmons, Jonathan Demme and Many More Confirmed to Attend Events

The 20th Annual Urbanworld Film Festival (www.urbanworld.org), presented by REVOLT with founding sponsor HBO, announced additions to its schedule including HBO’s “Insecure” and Fox’s “Shots Fired” that will happen during the anniversary events that will take place from September 21-25, 2016 at Manhattan's AMC Empire 25 on 234 West 42nd Street.

HBO’s highly anticipated series “Insecure,” created by Issa Rae (“The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl”), is a comedy starring Rae, Yvonne Orji (“Love That Girl”), Jay Ellis (“The Game) and Lisa Joyce (“The Following”), that looks at the friendship of two black women, their uncomfortable experiences and racy tribulations. Melina Matsoukas (Beyonce’s “Formation”) directed the episode of the series that will be screened at Urbanworld on Friday, September 23, 2016 at 8:00 p.m. A Q&A with Rae, Ellis and Matsoukas, which will be moderated by Bevy Smith, will immediately follow.

Examining the dangerous aftermath of two racially charged shootings in a small Southern town, Fox’s “Shots Fired,” starring Sanaa Lathan (Best Man Holiday) and Stephan James (Selma), is a dramatic new event series that is a “why done it?” and a “who done it?” From creators and executive producers Gina Prince-Bythewood (Love & Basketball) and Reggie Rock Bythewood (“New York Undercover”), “Shots Fired” is an explosive look at the criminal justice system. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the showrunners and stars including Lathan, James, Tristan Mack Wilds (The Secret Life of Bees), Prince-Bythewood and Bythewood on Saturday, September 24, 2016 at 7:30 p.m. Academy Award® winning director Jonathan Demme (Silence of the Lambs) will moderate the panel.

Also confirmed to attend the 2016 events are festival ambassadors Ava DuVernay and David Oyelowo as well as actors Cory Hardict, Aisha Hinds, DeWanda Wise and LaLa Anthony. Tickets and passes are available now at www.urbanworld.org/films.

Urbanworld Digital, presented by HBO since 2010, will return to highlight industry experts sharing their insights on the evolving landscape of content creation, financing, distribution and marketing, all through the lens of digital opportunity. This year, Urbanworld Digital’s series of conversations and industry networking reception will begin on Thursday, September 22, 2016 at 1:00 p.m. at the HBO Theater on 1100 6th Avenue. The highlights include a conversation with HBO Chairman & CEO Richard Plepler and entertainment entrepreneur Russell Simmons, as well as a session featuring legendary DJ and audio engineer Young Guru introducing his new production company, Era of the Engineer Films, and its respective partnerships with Warner Bros. Films and Time Warner Inc.'s 150 Incubator. Festival filmmakers, digital influencers, executives, entrepreneurs and content creators attend annually. “HBO is thrilled to host the 6th annual Urbanworld Digital, which embodies the everchanging digital landscape’s impact on how we interact, communicate and consume entertainment. This medium of viewing further elevates the power of multicultural storytellers who skillfully use various digital platforms and social media outlets,” said Dennis Williams, Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility, HBO. Guests may RSVP on Urbanworld’s official website on September 7, 2016.

At Time Warner on Friday, September 23, 2016 at 3:30 p.m., Overstand, the premiere consultancy for advising diverse storytellers and financial partners, will launch The Stand, an intimate consultative financing event at Urbanworld. The company has vetted and selected two creative projects and their respective teams to pitch their projects to a curated roundtable of industry experts and investors.

Through this opportunity, investors and filmmakers benefit from introductory connections, relationship building and knowledge share. This year’s inaugural event will highlight scripted project D-Days (directed by Tamika Guishard and produced by Julius Pryor and Marttise Hill), interactive project The Art of Dying Young (directed by Shawn Peters and produced by Barry Cole) and a reception hosted by Ghetto Film School’s program The Roster. “Overstand is honored to partner with best in class creative leaders like Urbanworld and Ghetto Film School to launch a new system for diverse storytellers to connect with investors. This is the time to lift up excellent storytellers and diverse stories to engage audiences in new ways,” said Sharese Bulock-Bailey, Founder, Overstand.

Also to celebrate the 20th anniversary, Urbanworld has collaborated with genius visual artist and storyteller, Shantell Martin (www.urbanworld.org/shantell-martin), on an exclusive work of art encompassing the essence of the festival. “We are so proud to partner with Shantell Martin around this milestone year for the festival,” said Gabrielle Glore, Festival Director & Head of Programming,

Urbanworld. “Shantell’s vision and innovation around storytelling perfectly represent Urbanworld’s desire to convey the blurred lines of creativity and artistic expression that prevail in our world.”

Shantell’s unique work and wisdom will be highlighted across the festival in various ways, including her participation in a community event at BRIC in Brooklyn on Sunday, September 25, 2016.

REVOLT is the presenting partner of the 2016 Urbanworld Film Festival. Along with founding partner HBO, key supporters include prestige partner BET Networks, premiere partners Comcast NBCUniversal, Africa Creative Agency, Fox Audience Strategy and Time Warner. Industry partner supporters are AMC Independent, Directors Guild of America, MoviePass, Urban Movie Channel and Writers Guild of America East. Essence, The Mayor's Office of Media & Entertainment / Made in NY,

Power 105.1, Village Voice, Amsterdam News, Uptown Magazine and WNYC are the media partners for Urbanworld.

For additional announcements later this month, go to www.urbanworld.org. Follow @UWFilmFest and use #UW20 to join the conversation about Urbanworld on social media.

###

For more information, please visit:

Urbanworld Film Festival www.urbanworld.org.
REVOLT TV https://revolt.tv.

THE 2016 HARLEM INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL announces full schedule for its 11th edition (September 14-18)

September 11, 2016 #ArtReports

Opening Night features special tribute to Prince, including a screening of Christopher Kirkley’s African homage to PURPLE RAIN,
RAIN THE COLOR BLUE WITH A LITTLE RED IN IT

***
Closing Night features Marlene “Mo” Morris’s
A NEW COLOR: THE ART OF BEING EDYTHE BOONE

***
World Premieres include Janet Paxton Gardner’s
LOST CHILD-SAYON’S JOURNEY,
Jim Virga’s SWEET DILLARD, Margo Pelletier’s THIRSTY,
and Maciej Adamek’s TWO WORLDS

***
RAIN THE COLOR BLUE WITH A LITTLE RED IN IT

The 2016 Harlem International Film Festival has announced the official selections for the 11th edition of the film festival taking place on September 14-18 at MIST Harlem (41 West 116th Street). Opening with a tribute to Prince including a screening of Christopher Kirkely’s African homage to Prince’s PURPLE RAIN, RAIN THE COLOR BLUE WITH A LITTLE RED IN IT, and closing with Marlene “Mo” Morris’s A NEW COLOR: THE ART OF BEING EDYTHE BOONE, the five-day film festival will screen 99 films (31 features, and 68 short films). With a theme of “Around the world in 5 days,” the Harlem International Film Festival will screen films representing 35 countries, led by 14 world premieres, 1 North American Premiere, and 7 U.S. premieres.

“We are honored and ecstatic once again to be able to bring so many phenomenal works from around the world here to Harlem, while celebrating the work of some wonderful local filmmakers at the same time. What better way to launch our second decade than with a film from Saharan Africa inspired by Prince’s PURPLE RAIN, in a language that has no word for “purple” and represents the first narrative film ever in the Tuareg tongue. There will be unforgettable musical and dance performances as well - all inspired by Prince’s artistry on screen, stage and in the studio,” said Harlem International Film Festival Program Director Nasri Zacharia, “To bookend the 99 films, we are wrapping up with a crucial and necessary one because it is a Harlem Homecoming for a woman who lived in a housing project in Harlem and during the problems of the 80s when she decided to move to the San Francisco Bay Area. She became a famous muralist, activist and educator and is now returning to Harlem as an elder to have her East Coast Premiere with A NEW COLOR. The fact that Eric Garner (who was killed by NYPD in a chokehold) is Edythe’s nephew ties several important issues together for us, which makes it more than appropriate as a closing night film.”

Opening Night, on Wednesday, September 14, will be an exciting evening of live dance, musical performances and films from around the world including the Harlem Premiere of the Tuareg tribute to PURPLE RAIN, Christopher Kirkley’s (with Mdou Moctar and Jerome Fino) RAIN THE COLOR BLUE WITH A LITTLE RED IN IT (Akounak Tedalat Taha Tazoughai). Filmed in a language without a word for “purple,” the film is also the first fiction film in the Tuareg tongue. The story follows the struggle of a musician’s efforts to succeed, against all odds, in the winner-takes-all Tuareg guitar scene of Niger. The screening will be preceded by three short films, including; the East Coast premiere of Jacob Krupnick’s DOVE, about a woman’s efforts to retrieve her prize bird, which has been stolen by her estranged lover; the world premiere of Michael Fequiere’ KOJO, about child prodigy jazz drummer Kojo Odu Roney; and the New York premiere of Paul Szynol’s THRIVE, about 12-year-old blind piano player. Following the screenings, fest goers will enjoy a “purple party,” as the Prince-themed celebration continues.

Closing Night, on Sunday, September 18, will feature the New York premiere of the award-winning A NEW COLOR: THE ART OF BEING EDYTHE BOONE, about the celebrated muralist, educator and aunt of Eric Garner whose chokehold death and final words ignited a national outcry for racial justice. The evening will feature a Harlem Homecoming for the film’s subject, as Boone will attend and participate in a Q&A, following the film. The film received the Audience Favorite Special Mention at Mill Valley Film Festival, and won Best Documentary Short in Chicago. The screening will be preceded by three short films, including; Jamal Joseph’s STREETS, where the professor and former Chair of the Columbia University Film School takes a look at the streets of his home burg; and Mike De Caro’s BY JAMAL JOSEPH, which turns the camera on the man, himself.; The third short is Byron Harmon’s FOX 5 FILMS: YELLOW TAPE, which follows rap stars Maino and Uncle Murda, as they take the viewer on a tour on one of New York’s most notorious neighborhoods.

Highlights among the 14 world premieres populating the festival’s official selections are:Janet Paxton Gardner’s documentary LOST CHILD-SAYON’S JOURNEY, about the subject’s harrowing life and survival in Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge atrocities; Jim Virga’s SWEET DILLARD, which gives a fly-on-the-wall account of one of the nation’s best public high school jazz band’s efforts to reach the finals; Margo Pelletier’s THIRSTY, about drag queen sensation, Scott Townsend; and Maciej Adamek’s TWO WORLDS, where a 12-year-old girl serves as the audience’s guide through life with her deaf parents.

Additional festival highlights include the Saturday, September 17, East Coast premieres of Christina Kallas’s 42 SECONDS OF HAPPINESS, and Adam Kriitzer’s GOOD FUNK. Kallas’s 42 SECONDS OF HAPPINESS has echoes of Cassavetes in its ensemble dramatic comedy about a group of friends and family gathered for a same-sex wedding and a family intervention while under threat from Hurricane Sandy. The locally produced and shot film recently won Best Feature at the Women Texas Film Festival and will have the entire cast on hand for a post-screening Q&A. Set in Red Hook, Kritzer’s GOOD FUNK follows three generations of citizens whose lives intersect via acts of kindness in a neighborhood on the cusp of gentrification. Also making their East Coat premieres on Saturday will be Yoon-ha Chang’s I GO BACK HOME – JIMMY SCOTT, about the attempts of music producer Raif Kemper to record a record with the jazz legend, and Karmia Olutade’s THE REMNANT, about a group of orphaned child laborers struggling to escape the factory they are held and forced to work at in their drought-stricken world.

The Harlem International Film Festival will also feature a number of films in their annual Harlem Spotlight, which celebrates the work of Harlem and locally-based filmmakers in front of and behind the camera. Led by the Harlem Shortcuts short film program on Sunday, September 18, and including films screening throughout the other short film programs as well.

Closing Night will also feature the final stage of the Harlem International Film Festival’s Screenplay Showdown, where 6 finalists from this year’s competition will direct excepts from their scripts in a live read by actors for the film festival’s audience. Following the readings, the winner will be announced along with the other festival awards winners for best feature, best short, best Harlem Spotlight film, etc.

Film festival passes and tickets are on-sale now. To purchase tickets and for more information on the Harlem International Film Festival go to http://harlemfilmfestival.org/hi-lights//

Feature Films Presentations

OPENING NIGHT
RAIN THE COLOR BLUE WITH A LITTLE RED IN IT
(Akounak Tedalat Taha Tazoughai)
Director: Christopher Kirkley (in collaboration with Mdou Moctar and Jerome Fino)
Country: Niger, Running Time: 75 min
A revolutionary story of one musician’s struggle to make it, against all odds, in the winner-takes-all Tuareg guitar scene of Niger.
Preceded by
DOVE
Director: Jacob Krupnick
Country: Colombia, Running Time: 4:52 min
Desire and betrayal shot throughout the alleys and markets of Bogotá, Colombia. The story begins as our hero realizes her lover has left — and stolen her prize bird. With a seductive soundtrack by Pillar Point and featuring the sensational moves of Voguing artist Kia Labeija, what follows is an adventure through the city told through music and dance.
And
KOJO                                                                                     World Premiere
Director: Michael Fequiere
Country: USA, Running Time: 8:27 min
A short profile piece on child prodigy jazz drummer Kojo Odu Roney.
And
THRIVE
Director: Paul Szynol
Country: USA, Running Time: 13:15 min
A short documentary about the prodigious talent and irrepressible spirit of a musically precocious 12-year-old blind boy who plays the piano.

CLOSING NIGHT
A NEW COLOR: THE ART OF BEING EDYTHE BOONE
Director: Marlene “Mo” Morris
Country: USA, Running Time: 57 min
A joy-filled and yet heart-rending Harlem homecoming for this story about community, art and lives that matter. Spanning from Harlem to Berkeley and from Malcolm X to Eric Garner, Boone’s commitment to challenging inequality inspires hope. But when the death of her nephew ignites a national outcry, everything she has worked for so tirelessly is at stake.
Preceded by
BY JAMAL JOSEPH                                                              Harlem Spotlight
Director: Mike De Caro
Country: USA, Running Time: 13:28
A short portrait of the filmmaker, professor, activist, youth advocate, and Oscar Nominee, Jamal Joseph. Formerly a young leader in the 70’s Black Panther Party, Jamal changed his life through and with the arts and is now a well respected writer/director based in his beloved Harlem.
And
STREETS                                                                               Harlem Spotlight
Director: Jamal Joseph
Country: USA, Running Time: 5:00
A view of life on the streets in Harlem
And
FOX5 FILMS: YELLOW TAPE
Director: Byron Harmon
Country: US, Running Time: 15:33
Fox 5 Films’ Zachary Kiesch spent the day in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, and the Pink Houses with Maino and Uncle Murda, two of the biggest rap stars in the game right now. We take you inside two of the most notorious neighborhoods in New York City and show you a side rarely seen on local news.

42 SECONDS OF HAPPINESS                                             East Coast Premiere
Director: Christina Kallas
Country: USA, Running Time: 95 min
A circle of thirty-something friends reunite for a weekend away to celebrate the same sex wedding of a member of their group. Yet, despite their best efforts to behave themselves, a series of surprise plans, unexpected arrivals and exposed secrets lead to an explosion of drama that, coupled with the flammable combination of hurt feelings, unresolved tensions, and lots of wine cannot be contained.
Preceded by
BANGERS
Director: JD Ferenc
Country: USA, Running Time 3:45 min
Josh Wells’ music video takes a unique look at gun violence and police brutality.

CHILDREN OF THE MOUNTAIN
Director: Priscilla Anany
Countries: Ghana/USA, Running Time: 102 min
A woman gives birth to a son with cleft lip and other health complications. Her life becomes a nightmare as she’s accused of impairing the child because she carried and delivered it. While she endures bashing from her community, she does everything in her power to find cure for the child. When all fails she decides get rid of the child in favor of a clean slate with a new love interest.
Preceded by
HOW WAS YOUR DAY?                                                       East Coast Premiere
Director: Damien O’Donnell
Country: Ireland, Running Time: 13:30 min
A Woman is excited about the approaching birth of her first child.

CLARENCE                                                                            New York State Premiere
Director: Kristin Catalano
Country: USA, Running Time: 76 min
After fifty years away from academia, Clarence Garrett, an 85-year-old African-American WWII Vet, returns to the University of WI-Milwaukee to nullify his biggest regret–not earning his Bachelor’s Degree.
Preceded by
BEAUTIFUL LIES                                                                  World Premiere
Director: Tracey Anarella
Country: USA, Running Time: 10 min
Dementia serves as the vehicle for an 87-year-old artist to be able to talk about his life, his art and why he painted all through the alter ego he created in his head named “Charles.”
And
FISH
Director: Saman Hosseinpuor
Country: Iran, Running Time: 3:41
An old couple are in their apartment, the man is sleeping and the woman is doing housework. She wants to change the fishbowl water but it slips out of her hand and falls on the ground. They've ran out of water and there’s no water for the fish. But with the help of the sleeping man they find some.

COLD NIGHTS HOT SALSA                                                Manhattan Premiere
Director: Edwin Gailits
Country: Canada, Running Time: 61 min
The passionate story of two young salsa dancers from Montreal, Canada, in love with dancing and each other, who, over three ambitious years, set their sights on winning a World Salsa Championship.
Preceded by
BAILAR AMOR
Director: Corin Michalski
Country: USA, Running Time: 13 min
Gerardo, a Mexican immigrant living in New York, feels isolated after moving to the city. Exhausted and alone he works as a janitor for a small studio where he rediscovers his passion for dance and connects with the present and the daughter he left behind.

DADDY DON’T GO
Director: Emily Abt
Country: USA, Running Time: 88 min
Captured over two years, the feature length documentary about four disadvantaged fathers in New York City as they struggle to beat the odds and defy the deadbeat dad stereotype.
Preceded by
REDO
Director: Gine Therese Gronner
Country: Norway, Running Time: 15 min
Kim has been messing up his life. He lost his family on the way. Now, he wants one thing only: To spend some time with his ex-wife and their daughter. Like they used to before, if only for a few stolen moments.


DAUGHTER OF THE MAYA (Rigoberta Menchú Tum)    US Premiere
Director: Dawn Engle
Countries: Guatemala/USA, Running Time: 61 min
In 1959, a little girl is born into a poor family, in one of the most remote, mountainous areas of Guatemala. One year later, civil war breaks out and her tiny village is swept up in a tidal wave of violence. What can one family do to stand up for their rights, in a time of such great change? What can one young woman do, to tell the world what was happening, and to try to stop the suffering? What could the indigenous Maya people do, to gain a voice in the determination of their own future? This is a story about a family, a people, and a destiny. After more than five decades of political turmoil, the courage and tenacity of the indigenous Maya people of Guatemala shines through in this beautiful, tragic, and ultimately triumphant film, which tells their story of struggle and success, through the personal journey of 1992 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Rigoberta Menchú Tum.
Preceded by
SOY CUBANA
Director: Jeremy Ungar
Countries: Cuba/USA, Running Time: 16 min
Winners of the 2016 CUBADISCO Award for best vocal group, the Vocal Vidas are a female a cappella quartet from Santiago de Cuba — the cradle of Afro-Cuban music. This documentary explores their unique sound and tells the story of crafting a musical career in a society in which artistic merit is not measured solely by economic success.


DOGTOWN REDEMPTION                                                   New York City Premiere
Director: Amir Soltani
Country: USA, Running Time: 95 min
Set in Oakland, California, DOGTOWN REDEMPTION is a story about Americans who survive off trash. Jason, the Olympic titan of recycling, Landon, a former minister, and Miss Kay, formerly a punk rocker, introduce us to the art, science, economics and politics of recycling: what it offers, how it touches and why it matters to the poor. Their struggles with addiction, mental illness, homelessness, and their triumphs, provides a glimpse into the dynamics of economic inequality, racial discrimination and political disenfranchisement in Oakland and beyond.


FOR KIBERIA!                                                                       New York City Premiere
Director: Kati Juurus
Countries: Finland/Kenya, Running Time: 56 min
Self-taught radio journalist and cameraman, Boy Dallas, lives in one of Africa’s largest slums. One day he starts wondering why his native slum Kibera stays poor despite the many aid projects and NGOs that try to make life in Kibera better for its inhabitants.
Preceded by
THE VOICE OF THE KORA                                                  New York City Premiere
Directed by Claudine Pommier
Countries: Canada/Gambia/France/Mali/Senegal, Running Time: 45 min
The kora is a harp-lute originating in West Africa. Traditionally it is played by the “Griots”, who have been for centuries, from father to son, storytellers, diplomats, advisers, keepers of memories, poets. The Griot talks and sings while playing very elaborate music that gets enriched from generation to generation.

FROM MASS TO THE MOUNTAIN                                     US Premiere
Directors: Kurt Sensenbrenner, Colin Sytsma
Countries: USA/Panama, Running Time: 66 min
Film looks at Eastern Panama which has suffered decades of government corruption and neglect that has impoverished the region. However, thanks to the tireless efforts of one priest to build infrastructure, protect watersheds, and conserve the rainforest, life is looking up for the locals.
Preceded by
SERES VIVOS
Country: Cuba, Running Time: 9 min
A young girl in a Cuban pueblo leaves her school one afternoon with a secret.
Produced as part of the workshop of auteurs filming in Cuba with Abbas Kiarostami just months before his passing this Spring.

GOOD FUNK                                                                                     East Coast Premiere
Directed by Adam Kritzer
Country: USA, Running Time: 73 min
Set in Red Hook, a Brooklyn neighborhood on the verge of gentrification, is the story of three generations of citizens whose lives intersect through acts of kindness both big and small.
Preceded by
MBFF (MAN’S BEST FRIEND FOREVER)   New York Premiere
Director: Tony Ducret
Country: USA, Running Time: 17 min
An abused dog escapes its captor and embarks on a quest for love and glory.


GOOD GRIEF                                                                                    New York City Premiere
Director: Brandon Ford Green
Country: USA, Running Time: 103 min
Life pulled them apart. Cory drew them together. A film inspired by one of the world’s most beloved comics.
Preceded by
I’LL TEXT YOU   East Coast Premiere
Directed by David Lasdon
Country: USA, Running Time: 4 min
Two people meet on a blind date…Or is it?


LA GRADUA
Director: Adrian Manzano
Country: USA, Running Time: 85 min
When a young Latina graduate returns to her native Bronx, she struggles to find a job, a career, a love, and herself.
Preceded by
THE QUANTUM LIGHTER (L’Encenedor Quàntic)
Director: Pau Escribano
Country: Spain, Running Time: 5:12 min
She thought it was just another night out. She didn’t expect she would see another side of him.


THE GRANT GREEN STORY   World Premiere
Director: Sharony Green
Countries: USA, Canada, Running Time: 58 min
A son travels to several cities to learn more about his father, the late jazz guitarist Grant Green.
Preceded by
WORLD’S NOT FOR ME   World Premiere
Director: Greg Charles Royal
Country: USA, Running Time: 13:02
A jazz musician wakes up from a coma in 2016 to find the world he once knew is gone on every level. An up and coming jazz musician, whose career is cut short in 1987, wakes up from a near 30 year coma to find a world out of control, musically, economically and culturally. Featuring former Duke Ellington trombonist Gregory Charles Royal.
And
PEPSI, COLA, WATER   US Premiere
Director: Tom Bogaert
Countries: Belgium, Egypt, Switzerland, Running Time: 9:18 min
The video chapter of “1971, Sun Ra in Egypt” a visual arts project based on the life and work of the legendary American jazz pioneer, mystic, poet, and philosopher Sun Ra.

HEAR THE SILENCE (Höre die Stille)   US Premiere
Director: Ed Ehrenberg
Country: Germany, Running Time: 95 min
One could actually get lost in the breathtaking cinematography and set design of this piece if not for the riveting story of the men and women at the time of the German attack on the Soviet Union in 1941. A small, lost unit of German soldiers is looking for shelter in a remote, small, snowy village in the Ukraine. They get separated from their company during battle and wind up deep within enemy territory cut off from their fellow troops.
Preceded by
THE NIGHT WITCH
Director: Alison Klayman
Country: USA, Running time: 4 min
This animated New York Times Op-Doc explores the life of Nadezhda Popova, known as Nadia, who became a World War II hero as part of a Soviet all-female bombing regiment.

H.O.M.E.
Director: Daniel Maldonado
Country: USA, Running Time: 75 min
A meditation on urban communication that weaves two stories together, both inspired by true events in New York City. Part 1 is a lyrical tone poem concerning of a missing young man with Asperger’s Syndrome who wanders through the labyrinth-like subways, somehow unnoticed. Part 2 follows a gambling Ecuadorian livery driver who offers a ride to a stranded Chinese woman desperate to get home to her sick child. H.O.M.E. explores alienation & meaningful encounters through the lens of a “disconnected” city in constant motion.
Preceded by
HERE COMES THE TRAIN   World Premiere
Directed by Joie Lee
USA, Running Time: 8:08 min
A woman wrestles with honesty, integrity and two needy souls on the NY subway.
And
NYCHAPTERS: JERRY
Director: Alexander Hankoff
Country: USA, Running Time: 5:16 min
A day in the life of Jerry, a pet store owner in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn as he tends to his pigeons and shares his philosophies about NYC.


I GO BACK HOME – JIMMY SCOTT East Coast Premiere
Director: Yoon-ha Chang
Country: Germany, Running Time: 96 min
The story of jazz legend Jimmy Scott and disillusioned producer and composer Ralf Kemper who accepted the job to produce an album with the almost-forgotten icon. Jimmy Scott, friend of Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker and one of the last connections to the golden age of jazz, was described as “perhaps the most unjustly ignored American singer of the 20th century,” by the New York Times. Kemper becomes obsessed with the idea of bringing attention to his hero, but it takes a tragedy to put his thoughts into action. Ralf gathers some of the most important jazz musicians into the studio in tribute for Scott. Together with many of Scott’s old friends like Quincy Jones, Joe Pesci and James Moody, Kemper pursues his dream. He can’t give up. He spares no expense and reaches the limits of what can be done to capture Jimmy’s unique voice in a race against time. Winner of Best Musical Documentary at SXSW this past Spring.

JONAS AND THE BACKYARD CIRCUS       US Premiere
Director: Paula Gomes
Country: Brazil, Running Time: 83 min
Jonas is 13-years-old and his life dream is to maintain the circus that he created in his backyard. While he faces this challenge, he will live the adventure of growing up.
Preceded by
MARQUIS                                               World Premiere
Director: Maya Suchak
Country: USA, Running Time: 7:46 min
The story of Marquis Dixon who was sentenced to 9 years in state prison for stealing a pair of sneakers, told through the perspective of his mother Aisha.
And
GUILT TRIP World Premiere
Director: Majestic Tillman
Country: USA, Running Time: 3 min
Shot in one single take, GUILT TRIP is the story of two cousins dealing with the aftermath of a crime gone wrong.

LOST CHILD – SAYON’S JOURNEY World Premiere
Director: Janet Paxton Gardner
Countries: Cambodia/USA, Running Time: 57 min
Sayon Soeun was abducted at age six and exploited by Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge, and his family life and education were stolen. Breaking a 25-year silence, he takes us inside the Children’s Army as a witness to genocide. Footage from a lost archive reveals a war-torn country closed to Western media during the 1970s, and we follow Soeun’s remarkable recovery and redemption from painful childhood trauma. LOST CHILD celebrates the power of the human spirit to overcome oppression and make peace with an inconceivably difficult past.
Preceded by
THE TELEGRAM MAN (2011*)
Director: James Khehtie
Country: Australia, Running Time: 14 min
A man delivers telegrams to farming families during World War II in a rural community letting them know a husband or son was killed in action.

*Regarded as a film of artistic, cultural and historical significance by the OSCARS® | Academy Awards® Film Archive, THE TELEGRAM MAN is part of its permanent collection at the Pickford Center for Motion Picture Study in Hollywood. The Archive collects, preserves and provides access to moving images that represent significant contributions to the art and science of motion pictures. Starring Australian and international screen legends Jack Thompson, Gary Sweet and Sigrid Thornton.


NUCLEAR NEIGHBOR US Premiere
Director: Fredrik Oskarsson
Countries: Finland/Norway/Sweden, Running Time: 79 min
NUCLEAR NEIGHBOR isn’t just a film about a nuclear plant project, where the end justifies the means. It is also a story about a regular person’s mammoth task to overcome the powers that be.
Preceded by
JIM’S SOLUTION
Director: Stefan Beaumont
Country: USA, Running Time: 4:09 min
One man's trash is another man's treasure - a junk man's take on cleaning up our act.
And
MUIR SONG
Director: Janssen Powers   Manhattan Premiere
US, 2016 (3:18 min)
This film visually and emotionally captures the energy and attitude of exploring the Pacific Northwest through the eyes of people who do so religiously. Modern day explorers living and breathing the outdoors. Narrated by infamous Mountaineer Lou Whittaker who is a living example of explorer and environmentalist John Muir.

REDEMPTION SONG North American Premiere
Director: Cristina Mantis
Countries: Brazil/Guinea/Italy/Senegal, Running Time: 64 min
This film sings the song of redemption that the African refugee Cissoko, dreams for his people and his land. Having arrived in Italy, in the hottest time of migration, Cissoko decides to return home to convince his young brothers not to emigrate in search of false dreams. Back in Africa, he begins to make projections in schools and villages to inform the people about the precarious living conditions of many immigrants, often dramatically close to slavery.
Preceded by
ALL THEY KNOW IS SHOOT New York City Premiere
Director: Anike Bay
Country: USA, Running Time: 5:04 min
This is a civil rights Anti-Police Brutality protest music video for the artist Tripp Sticc for his new song of the same title.
And
OUT OF THE ASHES
Director: Susan Saltz
Countries: Congo, US, Running Time: 23:32 min
Out of the ashes of war torn Eastern Congo two boys emerge with an education, an adventure and a dream.

THE REMNANT   East Coast Premiere
Director: Karmia Olutade
Countries: China/USA, Running Time: 120 min
A group of orphaned child laborers in a second hand water factory struggle to escape and rediscover home in a drought-stricken world.


SEARCHING FOR SHANIQUA New York City Premiere
Director: Phil Branch
Country: USA, Running Time: 61 min
Searching for Shaniqua is a documentary that examines the impact that unique, Afrocentric, Islamic and so-called “ghetto” names have on people’s lives.

THE SISTER US Premiere
Director: Joseph Israel Laban
Country: Philippines, Running Time: 80 min
In the midst of the traditional moryonan rites observed every Holy Week in the island province of Marinduque, Mariana receives a devastating news from abroad – her sister, Magda, who was working as a domestic helper in Saudi Arabia is dead. Mariana and her mother then have to deal with the tedious and expensive process of repatriating the remains of Magda.
Preceded by
LOSTFOUND
Director: Shakti Bhagchandani
Country: USA, Running Time: 12 min
A day in the life of a woman in the Nation of Islam.

SWEET DILLARD World Premiere
Director: Jim Virga
Country: USA, Running Time: 54 min
From the first day of class to a national competition, SWEET DILLARD provides an inside look at one of the nation’s best public high school jazz bands.
Preceded by
BUSKERS: SOUND OF THE CITY   World Premiere
Director: Megan Zebrowski
Country: USA, Running Time: 10:27 min
Film looks at the people that play on the city streets and trains and their inspiration to perform.

THIRSTY                                                            World Premiere
Director: Margo Pelletier
Country: USA, Running Time: 97 min
Bullied, girly-boy Scott Townsend grows up to become drag queen sensation, Thirsty Burlington, known for her spot on impersonation of Cher. But is it enough? A true-life, musical adventure as dramatic as it is entertaining.

TRAVIS: THE TRUE STORY OF TRAVIS WALTON (DIRECTOR’S CUT)
Director: Jennifer W Stein World Premiere
Country: USA, Running Time: 80 min
The film recounts the now world-famous 1975 UFO abduction of Travis Walton and the impact it has had on his life over the intervening forty years — and on the lives of others who were also involved.
Preceded by
CIRCLE
Director: Alexander Heringer
Country: Germany, Running Time: 11 min
A grievous loss puts a young woman in an endless struggle of escaping the past.

TWO WORLDS   World Premiere
Director: Maciej Adamek
Country: Poland, Running Time: 51 min
In this inspiring family portrait, 12-year-old Laura serves as the audience’s guide through life with her deaf parents, which is unusual, challenging and surprisingly ordinary.
Preceded by
DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR?                    World Premiere
Director: Stephanie Mankins
Country: USA, Running Time: 43 min
A documentary about the filmmaker’s sister, deafened by spinal meningitis at age 3, and her decision to get a cochlear implant 38 years later.


WEST COAST
Director: Benjamin Weill
Country: France, Running Time: 80 min
Film follows four inseparable teenagers in a small town in Brittany, France. As lifelong fans of the West Coast, they think they are real gangstas. Together as a “gang”, they are invincible, respected, fearless and nothing can reach them, certainly not the teasing and contempt of their fellow classmates. So when Fle-O, the leader of this merry gang learns that he has to leave his town and his friends at the end of the year, his whole world falls apart leaving him vulnerable when the most popular kid in school decides to make fun of them in front of everyone. Humiliated, our protagonists decide to take their revenge through one last expedition together that will lead them further than they would have imagined.
Preceded by
LET’S STAY TOGETHER
Director: Wayne Williams
Country: USA, Running Time: 5:41
Aubrey, an easy going yet dangerously oblivious nine year old husband has to convince Bobbi, his eight year old devoted yet overly-sensitive wife, not to file for divorce after she witnesses an unforgivable transgression of his.
And
WANT IT BACK
Director: Olivier Dressen
Countries: China, France, Running Time: 4:04 min
A world without adult, only ruled by kids. The story about 5 years old kids, living like adults in a wild wild world.

WIGGER PLEASE
Director: Jonathan Ashley
Country: USA, Running Time: 54 min
A documentary on the American cultural stereotype of Wiggers—White rap fans who ‘act Black’. A group of White artists and activists share their thoughts, emotions and opinions on the subject while illustrating how their lives and consciousness were forever changed by their involvement in hip hop culture.
Preceded by
ANY DAY NOW
Director: Albert Uria
Countries: Spain/USA, Running Time: 20 min
A short, sweet comedy about how short (and sweet) life can be…
And
IN BLACK AND WHITE
Director: Dana Verde
Country: USA, Running Time: 20:10 min
When an interracial couple hosts a feast for family and friends to announce their pregnancy, what should have been a celebration quickly turns into a debate over the racial and ethnic identity of the unborn child (who has an African-American mother and a Latino father).

Short Film Programs

ADULT SHORTS NIGHT
BLASTERCORE      East Coast Premiere
Director: Alessandro Vivarini
Country: Italy, Running Time: 11:25 min
Porn lovers, hardcore music, ninja-police and socially inadequate behaviors are mixed in a low-quality homemade exploitation style short film.

THE FROZEN EYE
Director: Karim Oulhaj
Country: Belgium, Running Time: 29 min
Bernard is an average man who is moving into his new apartment. While settling in, he suddenly discovers there’s a hole in his floor, enabling him to spy on his neighbor…

HOMELAND INSECURITY
Director: Zeina Barakeh
Country: US, Running Time 9:47 min
This animated piece investigates various mechanisms of war and the fragmentation of the body and the self. It further draws upon current events, as well as cotton as a core resource in the economics and spread of Empire from the Islamic Era, through the Crusaders, through slavery and into the present.

PRINCESS EUN HWA
Director: Dave Zhang
Countries: China/South Korea/USA, Running Time: 38:12 min
A dark fairy tale about a young Korean princess who falls in love with princes from different kingdoms in her fantasies.

RABBIT BLOOD
Director: Yagmur Altan
Country: USA, Running Time: 4:36
Animated short film looks at an ordinary day at an old mysterious Turkish country house where the residents have an extraordinary way of brewing tea.

WADE
Director: Devereux Milburn
Country: USA, Running Time: 12:22 min
A maladroit bumbler pines after a co-worker in the vain hope of catching her eye over the advances of his superior.

HARLEM SHORTCUTS – HOMEMADE CINEMA
BOOK OF DAYS: THE FINAL CHAPTER
Director: Ian Phillips
Country: USA, Running Time: 39 min
A book vendor on the streets of NYC struggles to get his own book published. Shot over the course of 8 years.

CURSE OF WAR
Directed: Abdul Malik Abbott
Country: USA, Running Time: 16:49 min
A U.S. Marine who's suffering from PTSD reminisces about his tumultuous past and makes a decision that will affect his future.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE HARRIETS
Director: Clare Kent
Country: USA, Running Time 5:20 min
Three Harriet Tubmans have something to say about how America runs its money, since her face is going to be on it. Featuring a soul/rap track with a gospel finish.

NOTHING HAPPENED
Director: Ted Schneider
Country: USA, Running Time: 22:44 min
If a man is stopped and frisked in the middle of Harlem but no one thinks it’s a big deal, did anything really happen?

ONE MAN’S TRASH
Director: Kelly Adams
Country: USA, Running Time: 17 min
For 34 years, Nelson Molina has worked for the NYC Department of Sanitation, developing a unique relationship to the objects that fill the garbage bags lining the streets. With a keen curatorial eye for finding treasure in household trash, Nelson has created a collection of found objects in a sanitation garage in East Harlem, which he refers to as a museum of “Treasures in the Trash.”

UPTOWN UNDERDOG
Director: Nuhi de Stani
Country: USA, Running Time: 13 min
Film looks at Michael Henry Adams, a Harlem historian and activist who finds himself in a constant battle against greed and cultural destruction.

SUNDAY SHORTS - SOULFUL
THE CRIP WHO LOVES YOGA
Director: James Wvinner
Country: USA, Running Time: 6:00
A Crip gang member tells the story of the rise and trials of the Shoreline Crip gang in Venice, California and how yoga became a part of his life.

HENDRIX TRIBUTE
Director: Azar Dagher
Country: USA, Running Time: 4:33 min
Hendrix tribute song from Charlie Sayles 25th anniversary reissue of the classic 1990 sessions.

HOW BERLIN GOT THE BLUES
Director: Victoria Luther
Countries: Germany, USA, Running Time: 45:00
The film looks at Eb Davis and the Super band. How a military man, working in a small, clandestine unit in West Berlin, was able to spread the Blues to the people of West and East Berlin, bridging the gap between the cold war and the love of the Blues.

MERCURY RISING
Director: Colm Dillane
Country: USA, Running Time: 4:40
A collaborative story between visual artist Colm Dillane and recording artist Zarif Wilder (AKA theMIND). Dillane’s film is a depiction of the streets of Zarif Wilder’s youth in Chicago and Philadelphia. The video’s characters are made out of clay and hand-made clothes from the fabrics from Dillane’s KidSuper clothing line and the sets are made of cardboard, paint and found objects.

ONE DAY AT A TIME
Director: Gabri Christa
Countries: Netherlands Antilles, Running Time: 27:18
When a Caribbean Man discovers Yoga and finds his Guru, he discovers that he is more than his blackness and becomes a yoga teacher and health activist in his local island community.

SOUL CITY
Directors: Gini Richards, Monica Berra, SheRea DelSol
Country: USA, Running Time: 20:45
The story of a group of Black Power activists who attempt to build a multi-racial utopia in Klan Country, North Carolina during the 1970s.

SUNDAY SHORTS – SCI FI TO SURREAL
GHOSTS IN TIME
Director: Jimmy Nsubuga
Country: UK, Running Time: 8 min
Eve risks her life to travel back in time in order to change the events that caused the death of her parents.

IN VIVO
Director: Tamika Guishard
Country: USA, Running Time: 9:22
Using exposure therapy to supplement his PTSD medication, a soldier teeters on the edge of reality.

NEUROPHREAK
Director: George Dalphin
Country: USA, Running Time: 20:10
ORANGE is the AI that runs society, to which all humans are directly connected via wireless brain implants. Gwen is a young woman who wants to find the base of reality; Will is a young man who has discovered a meditative method of making use of the mental connection shared by all, to take over the bodies of others, and after they meet, nothing will be the same.

SHEN
Director: Jace Alexander Casey
Country: USA, Running Time: 21:33
Seeking solace from her domineering fiancé, a traumatized bride-to-be searches for an artist who appears to be drawing her erotic, ominous fate. Part psychosexual thriller, part art-house film, SHEN is a unique portrait of desire and domination in their most cerebral and bodily manifestations.

SISTERS
Directed by David Chontos
Country: USA, Running Time: 3:50
A music video which is part exercise of passion, and part love letter, SISTERS is a fragment of some lost, tragic opera

THE SKY OVER BERLIN OF MY CHILDHOOD                              New York City Premiere
Director: Bakhtiyar Islamov
Country: Kasakhstan, Running Time: 10:04 min
This is a film about lost children in a strange place and a metaphor of the lost generation born in the post Soviet area between 1980-1990. The images of the film are memories of the young people who passed through the collapse of the empire.

TUSSLE IN THE BACKWOODS
Director: Fabio Sousa
Country: Brazil, Running Time: 14:34
An animated short film about a group of farmers in a rickety truck that have an accident and have to finish the trip on foot. That is when they end up face to face with a mysterious creature.

SUNDAY SHORTS – SUSPENSEFUL
A BEAUTIFUL DAY
Director: Phedon Papamichael
Country: USA, Running Time: 21:01 min
Gene Thompson (James Brolin) wakes up knowing that the decision he has made will change his life forever. Following in the tradition of the new Greek Cinema phenomenon, the film’s Athens-born director brings a searing expose of the fragility of the human psyche. Gene gets up day after day and follows the same monotonous routine that he has lived since the death of his wife ten years earlier. He is aging fast from illness and loneliness and has given up on the future. Today, however, he awakens with a new determination to end the life he has known. Today, there is a new resolve that will change the course of everything.

ALL MY BLACK SONS
Director: Nicole Lockhart
Country: US, Running Time 5:42 min
Italian art's iconic Black Madonna comes to life to protect her son, the Black Messiah, from his impending death.

BOAT PEOPLE
Director: Paul Meschùh
Countries: Croatia/Germany, Running Time: 29 min
On his journey from Somalia to Europe, shipwrecked Moussa is picked up by a wealthy couple on their luxurious catamaran. The athletic young man is the only survivor of a disaster in the Mediterranean Sea and asks Hannes and Gerlinde to smuggle him across the border. Questioning Moussa’s true intentions, the yacht owners are torn between mistrust, fear and the urge for helping a fellow human being. A political drama of two separated worlds colliding within one global community.

THE FIRMEST FRIEND
Director: Andrew Fixell
Country: USA, Running Time: 19:46
The story of human and canine outsiders finding their way into each other’s lives and giving each other hope where previously there had been none.

UGLY                                                                                                  New York City Premiere
Director: LeRon Lee
Country: USA, Running Time: 21 min
An urban, coming-of-age story of a boy looking for love in the wrong place..his own environment.