The 8th annual Tribeca Film Festival starts in New York City today. The festival, the brainchild of iconic actor Robert De Niro and legendary film producer Jane Rosenthal (Meet the Parents, About a Boy) was founded after 9/11 as an attempt to revitalise the culture and the economy of the lower Manhattan area which was left devastated in the attacks.
“At its core, our festival has always been about great films; but it has also been about community and renewal. In good times and bad, people love to go to the movies, and we are thrilled to be here once again to present 12 days of films and events that will appeal to the industry and the general public alike. Whether you’re an accomplished filmmaker or just need a way to escape everyday life for a few hours, there’s something for you at Tribeca,” said Rosenthal.
The influence of De Niro and Rosenthal means the list of festival jurors this year (as with every year) reads like a who’s who of the film industry. Jurors include actresses Uma Thurman, Meg Ryan and Whoopi Goldberg, and director Spike Lee, (who has two films in this year’s festival), just to name a few. Tribeca Film Festival runs from April 22 to May 3rd and includes 85 feature films and 46 short films representing 36 different countries. In addition to the film line up there will also be an array of panel discussions, which provide valuable opportunities for up-and-coming filmmakers to meet with people in the industry. The festival also includes a number of free community events including a ‘drive in’ movie theatre, a sports film festival with ESPN and a street fair.
Since it’s founding in 2002 Tribeca Film Festival has screened over 1100 films from over 80 countries, and has attracted an international audience of more than two million attendees, generating $530 million in economic activity for the city of New York.
“It’s great to see how much the Festival has grown since we began in 2002 and how it has impacted the neighbourhood,” said De Niro. “We invite everyone to come to Tribeca to enjoy all that our Festival has to offer – from great films to industry gatherings to free community events.”
For more information and to buy tickets for the Tribeca Film Festival go to www.tribecafilm.com
