TFF TO CLOSE 10th EDITION WITH EDWARD BURNS’ NEWLYWEDS

The Tribeca Film Festival (TFF), presented by American Express,


announced today it will close its 10th edition with the world premiere of Edward Burns’ Newlyweds. The

film will premiere Saturday, April 30, at BMCC TPAC.



Newlyweds is the tenth film written and directed by Ed Burns and the sixth to premiere at TFF. Burns,

who wrote, directed and stars in Newlyweds, has had a strong connection with TFF since its founding. Ash

Wednesday world premiered as part of the inaugural TFF lineup in 2002, and Looking for Kitty, Purple

Violets and Nice Guy Johnny have also been Festival premieres over subsequent years.



The film, shot almost exclusively in New York City’s TriBeCa neighborhood, is a chronicle of modern

marriage, pointing out an essential truth: When you get married, you’re not just getting a husband or

wife—you’re getting the family, the friends, and even the exes. With crackling humor and sharp insights

into contemporary relationships, Burns tracks a newly wedded couple whose honeymoon period is

upended by the arrival of the husband’s wild-child baby sister and the crumbling marriage of the wife’s

meddlesome sister. The cast includes Burns, Caitlin Fitzgerald, Max Baker, Marsha Dietlein Bennett and

Kerry Bishé. Burns produced the film with producing partner Aaron Lubin and William Rexer. Mike

Harrop served as executive producer.



“There is no better way to close this year’s festival than with this film, Newlyweds by Edward Burns,”

said Nancy Schafer, Executive Director of TFF. “He is one of Tribeca’s best friends. He lives in our

community, and this film, which is exceptional and may very well be his best, was both shot in the

neighborhood and captures the zeitgeist of a community and its relationships that is intimate and fun and

so true. Closing night will be like coming home for all of us.”



“Tribeca is my home in every sense—it’s where I live, and it’s also the place where I have been so proud

to show my work,” said Burns. “And from the beginning, the Festival has been a wonderful place for me

to showcase my films and enjoy the kinds of conversations that I love as a filmmaker and a New Yorker.”



The 10th annual Tribeca Film Festival will take place from April 20 through May 1, 2011.

Whatever happened to …………….Mario Van Peebles? By Maia Morgan

In an offhand conversation I was having with my roommate one day the movie Panther came up. He mentioned he had never seen the movie before. I haven't seen it since college and decided to refresh my memory. So hence a screening of the movie was to take place in our home about a week later. Upon viewing the movie I was struck with strong, powerful images of Black characters and thoroughly enjoyed a movie with fine acting and a great story. That got me to thinking whatever happened to Mario Van Peebles? As the director of Panther he gave new eyes to the Black Panther Party movement in Oakland, CA for those of us too young to have experienced those events firsthand. He had movie star good looks and directed some great flicks in the 90s. So where is he?

In the 90’s he was one of the premiere black directors to tell stories of inner city drug abuse and distress with his feature film directorial debut New Jack City. The film was hit and catapulted Wesley Snipes’ career. Posse followed shortly thereafter and it played a lot like a classic Sergio Leone spaghetti western. A Black soldier of the Spanish American war goes AWOL to avenge his lynched reverend father with the rest of his predominantly black infantry in tow. The most I remember about this movie was that it was a fun cowboy flick and very refreshing to see the portrayal of Black Cowboys due to the lack of their presence in films, TV, and history books. Panther was his follow up film and was basically a commercial flop. See it anyway if you haven’t. It tells and amazing powerful story and has a great cast with a lot of unexpected cameos. Solo was his next big film to follow and I’ll point out he was merely the star not the director. This was a very big miss. It was one of the most boring “action” films I’ve ever seen.( Anytime someone is playing a robot it really seems like they can’t act. That kind of thing is best left to Arnold.) But I thought surely if anything was to turn his career around it would have been Badassssss!, which was the film he directed and starred in playing his father Melvin Van Peebles as he attempted to film and distribute his birth to the blaxploitaion era Sweet Sweetback’s Badassss Song. The movie was a small scale independent film and didn’t fare too well at the box office despite its critical praise.

I looked up his info on IMDB and it seems Mr. Van Peebles is a much busier man than I gave him credit for. He merely made the transition to TV directing episodes of Damages, Law and Order and even an episode of Lost to include just some of his credits. He had made sporadic TV appearances in television and films but I wish he would get back in the director’s seat for more films. He had an honest voice and gave us positive, intelligent Black characters you don’t always get to see in films nowadays, if you do see any black characters. Come back Mario!!! Tyler Perry cannot be the only one doing black films.

Panel Schedules Updated!

2011 FESTIVAL INTRODUCES NEW TRIBECA TALKS: DIRECTORS SERIES IN CELEBRATION OF THE TENTH FESTIVAL WITH MARTIN SCORSESE AND SOULEYMANE CISSÉ, BRIAN WILLIAMS AND ROBERT DE NIRO,


ALEC BALDWIN AND DOUG LIMAN

***

Tribeca Talks Showcases Five New Documentary Titles with Accompanying Panels with Sean Penn, Harry Belafonte, and Others, and Features World Premiere of Interactive Crime Thriller L.A. Noire, With Panel Exploring Crossover

between the Film and Gaming Industries

***

Academy Award® Winners Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, and Akiva Goldsman Recall the Art and Science of A Beautiful Mind At Special 10th Anniversary Screening and Discussion



New York, NY [March 23, 2011] – The 2011 Tribeca Film Festival (TFF), presented by American Express®, today announced its lineup for the 2011 Special Events and Tribeca Talks® panel series. The component programs are “Tribeca Talks: After the Movie,” “Tribeca Talks: Industry,” “Tribeca Talks: Pen to Paper, hosted by Barnes & Noble,” the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival panel, and new this year, in celebration of the tenth Festival, the “Tribeca Talks: Directors Series,” featuring one-on-one conversations with acclaimed filmmakers, plus the premiere of five new documentary films and a one-of-a-kind videogame-film event.



This year, Tribeca’s annual panel series, a collection of special events, conversations and audience Q&A’s designed to spark a richer dialogue about film, has expanded to include the “Tribeca Talks: Directors Series.” The series invites audiences to join entertainment industry icons from Brian Williams to Alec Baldwin to Martin Scorsese as they moderate discussions with noted industry figures such as actor-producer and Tribeca co-founder Robert De Niro and acclaimed directors Doug Liman and Souleymane Cissé, respectively. The Festival also unveiled five new documentary titles – The Education of Dee Dee Ricks; Love Hate Love; Off the Rez; Grandma, A Thousand Times; and Sing Your Song – which will receive exclusive screenings as part of the “Tribeca Talks: After the Movie” series. Another one-of-a-kind world premiere event will be the screening and examination of L.A. Noire, a new interactive crime thriller being released in the spring by Rockstar Games.



The Tribeca Talks panel series will bring film enthusiasts together with some of the biggest name directors, actors and industry leaders to explore topics from multi-platform filmmaking to financing to the role of women in film. This year’s participants include Academy Award®-winning actors Robert De Niro and Sean Penn, Academy Award®-winning directors Martin Scorsese, Ron Howard and Alex Gibney, filmmaker Doug Liman, Alec Baldwin, Kelly Ripa, war photographer Greg Marinovich, and industry leaders ESPN, Rockstar Games and more. The Tribeca Talks panel series is open to the public and will take place throughout TFF, which will run from April 20 to May 1, 2011 in lower Manhattan.





Also part of “Tribeca Talks: After the Movie” are the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation’s presentation of the 10th anniversary screening and panel discussion of A Beautiful Mind, Universal Pictures’ Academy Award®-winning masterpiece from director Ron Howard, and an exclusive preview of Rockstar Games’ new digital state-of-the-art crime thriller, L.A. Noire, followed by a special Q&A exploring the cinematic elements of filmmaking that have crossed over into interactive entertainment. The L.A. Noire Q&A will follow a live demonstration of the new detective game where players solve complex, historically-inspired crimes in a beautifully recreated and fully interactive rendition of 1947 Los Angeles. Tribeca’s special events and discussions series is rounded out by the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival screening and discussion on Alex Gibney’s Catching Hell, about notorious Chicago Cubs fan Steve Bartman; the free “Tribeca Talks: Industry” panels, designed for industry professionals to explore the ways they can use new digital platforms to advance their film projects; and free “Tribeca Talks: Pen to Paper” panels hosted by Barnes & Noble, which focus on the artistic process of screenwriting.



“We wanted to celebrate our Tenth Festival by inviting some of the finest filmmakers, media artists and actors of our time to share their insights and experiences through our Tribeca Talks” series said Nancy Schaefer Executive Director of TFF. “We have over the years established a tradition of conversations that both engage audiences in the details and revelations of contemporary film making as well as offer a perspective as to the direction and the future of storytelling and the industry. This is so much a part of what festivals can do to enrich the viewing experience for their audiences and we are proud to present this special series.”



“Tribeca Talks: Directors Series” will include one-on-one conversations with:

Tribeca Film Festival Co-founder and Academy Award®-winning actor Robert De Niro, interviewed by Brian Williams.

Blockbuster filmmaker Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity) interviewed by Academy Award® nominee and multiple Emmy Award winner Alec Baldwin.

Souleymane Cissé, Malian filmmaker and first filmmaker of African descent to win a major award at the Cannes Film Festival, interviewed by legendary director Martin Scorsese.

“Tribeca Talks: After the Movie” will include:

· The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation presents a 10th anniversary screening of Universal Pictures’ Academy Award®-winning film A Beautiful Mind from director Ron Howard that examines the life of Nobel Prize-winning mathematician John Forbes Nash Jr.; followed by a conversation that includes director Ron Howard, producer Brian Grazer, screenwriter Akiva Goldsman, the film’s math consultant, Dave Bayer, author Sylvia Nasar, whose book inspired the film, and theoretical physicist and mathematician Brian Greene. Moderated by NPR’s Ira Flatow.

· The world premiere of The Education of Dee Dee Ricks, a documentary showing how a successful businesswoman and mother’s life changed when, after being diagnosed with breast cancer, she set out to make life easier for less fortunate cancer patients; followed by a conversation with Dee Dee Ricks, producer Lisa Cohen, Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention founder Harold P. Freeman MD, and public health advocates. Moderated by the film’s director, Perri Peltz.

· The North American premiere of Grandma, A Thousand Times, a documentary examining a family matriarch as she struggles to cope with the silence of her once-buzzing house and imagines what waits her beyond death. Hosted by the Doha Tribeca Film Festival, where the film captured the Audience Award for Best Documentary Film in 2010, the screening will be followed by a discussion with director Mahmoud Kaabour and others on the experience of making films in the Middle East.

· The world premiere of Love Hate Love, an inspirational documentary that examines the difficult journeys of three families torn apart by three separate acts of terrorism: the attacks on the World Trade Center, the London bus bombing and the Sari Club bombing in Bali; followed by a conversation with executive producer Sean Penn, directors Dana Nachman and Don Hardy as well family members featured in the film: Liz Alderman, Steve Alderman, Esther Hyman, and Ben Tullipan.

· The New York premiere of The Loving Story, a documentary recounting the unknown love story of Mildred and Richard Loving, the couple behind the 1967 Supreme Court ruling overturning anti-miscegenation laws in the United States; followed by a discussion with director Nancy Buirski, attorney Phil Hirschkop, who represented the Lovings, Anthony Romero, Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union, and others as they discuss this landmark case and current issues surrounding race and marriage equality.

· The world premiere of Off the Rez, a documentary following Shoni Schimmel, a Umatilla Indian and one of the best high school basketball players in the country, whose hoop dreams of being the first from her tribe to get a college scholarship are threatened after her family leaves the Umatillia Indian Reservation; followed by a conversation with executive producers Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, director Jonathan Hock, Discovery and TLC Networks president Eileen O’Neill, and others. Moderated by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of Friday Night Lights, Buzz Bissinger.

· The world premiere of Revenge of the Electric Car, a look behind the closed doors of Nissan, General Motors and Tesla Motors as they race to develop the world’s first and most economically accessible electric car; followed by a discussion with director Chris Paine, President and Chief Executive Officer, Nissan Motor Co. Carlos Ghosn, Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk, and Pulitzer Prize-winning Wall Street Journal columnist Dan Neil. Moderated by actor, writer, and director David Duchovny.

· An interactive demonstration from Rockstar Games’ groundbreaking videogame L.A. Noire, to be followed by a Q&A about the videogame, the technology behind it, and narrative and action in this medium, moderated by Tribeca Enterprises chief creative officer Geoffrey Gilmore.

· New York premiere of Sing Your Song, a stirring documentary that examines legendary entertainer Harry Belafonte’s continued humanitarian contributions to the arts, the U.S. Civil Rights Movement, the fight against Apartheid, combating starvation in Ethiopia and more; followed by a conversation with Harry Belafonte. Moderated by noted broadcaster Tavis Smiley.

· Screenings of 11 short films exploring the contributions of women filmmakers in the canon of the American experimental avant-garde. This program also celebrates 15 years of direct financial support for preservation of historically under-recognized films by women through the Women’s Film Preservation Fund of New York Women in Film & Television; followed by a discussion with an eclectic group of women filmmakers who helped shape avant-garde cinema.



“Tribeca Talks: Industry” will feature:

Digital by Design, a conversation with producers, filmmakers, SAP and industry executives about the emergence of online digital platforms and applications that provoke filmmakers to confront technology head-on including funding models, intellectual property management and distribution channels. Sponsored by SAP. Panelists include Richard Whittington, senior vice president of media and entertainment at SAP, and writer/director Edward Burns, and others.

· Shooting Film on a Budget, sponsored by Kodak. One of the most important aspects of realizing your independent feature is determining the right look. How will you capture your images and bring the script to the screen in a meaningful, visual way? Filmmakers and cinematographers must consider many variables: mood of the story, production restrictions, post workflow, etc. Too often these important decisions are determined by the bottom line. However, many filmmakers are able to get the most out of their budgets while still shooting film. Join Kodak and Michael Cuesta, writer/director of Roadie, producer Karen Chien, and others to learn how they create beautiful and cost-effective cinematic narratives on film.

The Business of Entertainment, sponsored by Bloomberg. This new program will explore the issues and trends that affect the economics of the film business and the broader entertainment industry. This year's panel will convene leading CEOs, producers, financiers, media, and other industry leaders who will focus on how to finance films in the 21st century.

Are Documentary Films Changing the World? A discussion with filmmakers, distributors and community groups about the new trend in documentary filmmaking of collaboration between filmmakers and NGOs to increase distribution and influence public perception and policy. Panelists include filmmaker and activist Abigail Disney, and director of Give Up Tomorrow Michael Collins, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Impact Partners Dan Cogan, and others.

Amplify the Message: Social Media, a conversation examining how film producers and directors engage new interactive audiences through such networks as Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, GetGlue and Foursquare, and how much of an impact social networking has on a movie’s success or failure on multiple platforms. Moderated by Marc Schiller, CEO and Founder of Electric Artists. Panelists include Rider Strong, director/screenwriter of The Dungeon Master, Howard Tullman, President & CEO of Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy, and others. The conversation will be streamed live on the Tribeca Online Film Festival website: tribecaonline.com.

Meet the Documentary Broadcasters, a conversation with industry broadcasters about the type of nonfiction films they’re drawn to and thoughts on where this genre is headed. Panelists include Sheila Nevins, President, HBO Documentary Films; Anna Miralis, Editor, True Stories, Channel 4 Documentaries; Connor Schell, Executive Producer, ESPN Films, and others.



“Tribeca Talks: Pen to Paper hosted by Barnes & Noble” will include:

Based on True Events, a discussion with writers who turn true events into a screenplay that will explore the line between a great narrative film and the truth of the events. Panelists include director and screenwriter of The Bang Bang Club Steven Silver, photographer and co-author of The Bang Bang Club: Snapshots from a Hidden War Greg Marinovich, Adam Kassen and Mark Kassen, directors of Puncture, and Chris Lopata, screenwriter of Puncture.

In Conversation with Peter Bart, a conversation looking back to filmmaking in the 1970s between author and Variety editorial director Peter Bart and Tribeca Enterprises chief creative officer Geoffrey Gilmore. From the larger-than-life personalities and conflicts that resulted in some of the most acclaimed films of a generation, to the funny anecdotes that captured the world, Bart and Gilmore will look back at a time that changed how stories were told. Bart will also sign copies of his new memoir Infamous Players: A Tale of Movies, The Mob, (And Sex) about his time running Paramount Pictures alongside Robert Evans and overseeing films such as The Godfather, Love Story and Harold and Maude.

Writing Documentary, a dialogue with filmmakers about the difficulties of writing a script for a documentary film and the challenges they face once production begins. Panelists include David Gelb, director of Jiro Dreams of Sushi, Maria Ramström, director of Love Always, Carolyn, and others.



In addition, the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival will present:

The world premiere of Catching Hell, a documentary that explores the relationship between Chicago Cubs fans and Steve Bartman following his infamous near-catch of a foul ball in Game 6 of the 2003 National League Championship Series; followed by a conversation director Alex Gibney, who will discuss the psychology of die-hard sports fans and the phenomenon of scapegoating. Sponsored by Time Warner Cable.



And a special Tribeca Talks event:



· Youth Radicalization Redefined: With 60 percent of the world under the age of 30 and a majority of those “at risk” —either socially, economically, or both—there is an oversupply of young people susceptible to recruitment by extremist, religious, or ideological groups. Violent extremism is one of the world’s most vexing challenges. TFF, Google Ideas, and the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) will present a discussion involving six former extremists who have renounced violence and are working together to promote a sense of community and youth education. The aim is to provide a forum for high school students and their parents to identify signs of recruitment and the subsequent dangers of radicalization The conversation will be moderated by Jared Cohen, director of Google Ideas and a CFR adjunct fellow.







The full schedule for the 2011 Tribeca Talks series follows:



“Tribeca Talks: Directors Series”



Robert De Niro with Brian Williams

Tribeca Film Festival Co-founder and Academy Award®-winning actor Robert De Niro will be interviewed by Brian Williams



DATE: Saturday, April 23

TIME: 3:00 PM

LOCATION: BMCC



Doug Liman with Alec Baldwin

Blockbuster filmmaker and television producer Doug Liman will be interviewed by Alec Baldwin



DATE: Tuesday, April 26

TIME: 6:00 PM

LOCATION: SVA Theater 1



Souleymane Cissé with Martin Scorsese

Souleymane Cissé, Malian filmmaker and first filmmaker of African descent to win a major award at the Cannes Film Festival, will be interviewed by Academy Award®-winning director Martin Scorsese



DATE: Friday, April 29

TIME: 4:00 PM

LOCATION: SVA Theater 1



“Tribeca Talks: After the Movie”



Revenge of the Electric Car

Directed by Chris Paine. (USA) – World Premiere.

Behind the closed doors of Nissan, General Motors, and Tesla Motors, the race is on to develop the world’s first, and most economically accessible, electric car. Director Chris Paine’s energetic and beautifully shot follow-up to Who Killed The Electric Car? follows the innovative business models engineered by CEOs and independent entrepreneurs looking to jump-start the global resurgence of electric cars and win over a skeptical public.

After the Movie: Join director Chris Paine, President and Chief Executive Officer, Nissan Motor Co. Carlos Ghosn, Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk, and Pulitzer Prize-winning Wall Street Journal columnist Dan Neil for a conversation about the global resurgence of electric cars. Moderated by actor, writer, and director David Duchovny.



DATE: Saturday, April 23

TIME: 5:00 PM

LOCATION: SVA Theater 2



Grandma, A Thousand Times

Directed by Mahmoud Kaabour. (United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Lebanon) – North American Premiere.

Teta Fatima is the 83-year-old matriarch of the Kaabour family and the sharp-witted queen bee of an old Beiruti quarter. This playful magical-realist documentary looks at Fatima’s larger-than-life character as she struggles to cope with the silence of her once-buzzing house and imagines what awaits her beyond death. Hosted by the Doha Tribeca Film Festival.

After the Movie: Doha Tribeca Film Festival is pleased to invite New York audiences to celebrate Arab cinema with a special screening of the 2010 DTFF Audience Award Winner for Best Documentary followed by a panel discussion on the experience of making films in the Middle East with director Mahmoud Kaabour and others.



DATE: Monday, April 25

TIME: 3:30 PM

LOCATION: SVA Theater 1



L.A. Noire

Produced and developed by Rockstar Games and Team Bondi (Australia, UK, USA) – World Premiere.

L.A. Noire is a violent crime thriller that blends breathtaking action with true detective work to deliver an unprecedented interactive experience. Interrogate witnesses, search for clues, and chase down suspects as you struggle to find the truth in a city where everyone has something to hide.

After the Movie: Join us for a conversation about the video game, the technology behind it, and narrative and action in this medium. Moderated by Rockstar Games and Geoffrey Gilmore, Chief Creative Officer of Tribeca Enterprises.



DATE: Monday, April 25

TIME: 5:30 PM

LOCATION: SVA Theater 2



Love Hate Love

Directed by Dana Nachman and Don Hardy. (USA) – World Premiere.

Countless lives were shattered by three separate acts of terrorism: the attacks on the World Trade Center and bombings in the London Underground and Bali. This inspirational documentary tracks the difficult journeys of three families torn apart by these events as they struggle to pick up the pieces, build legacies of loved ones lost, and make sure love triumphs over hatred.

After the Movie: Join us for a conversation with executive producer Sean Penn and directors Dana Nachman and Don Hardy along with family members featured in the film: Liz Alderman, Steve Alderman, Esther Hyman, and Ben Tullipan as they discuss the importance of making movies that lead to social action.



DATE: Tuesday, April 26

TIME: 5:30 PM

LOCATION: BMCC



Off the Rez

Directed by Jonathan Hock. (USA) – World Premiere.

Shoni Schimmel, a Umatilla Indian and one of the best high school basketball players in the country, dreams of being the first from her tribe to get a college scholarship. Shoni and her mother/coach Ceci battle together to redeem generations of struggle for their family and their people, but her hoop dreams are threatened after her family leaves the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

After the Movie: Join director Jonathan Hock, executive producers Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, and Eileen O'Neill, Group President of Discovery & TLC Networks, and others for a discussion about the pressures on elite high school athletes and Shoni Schimmel's challenging journey as a Native American female athlete into the college sports arena. Moderated by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of Friday Night Lights, Buzz Bissinger.



DATE: Tuesday, April 26

TIME: 6:30PM

LOCATION: SVA Theater 2



The Loving Story

Directed by Nancy Buirski. (USA) – New York Premiere.

Nancy Buirski’s moving, evocative documentary recounts the unknown love story of Mildred and Richard Loving, the couple behind the 1967 Supreme Court ruling overturning anti-miscegenation laws in the United States. Drawing from a wealth of stunning archival footage, The Loving Story recreates a seminal moment in history in uncommon style, anchoring a timely message of marriage equality in a personal, human love story.

After the Movie: Join director Nancy Buirski, attorney Phil Hirschkop, who represented the Lovings, Anthony Romero, Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union, and others as they discuss this landmark case and the current issues surrounding race and marriage equality.



DATE: Wednesday, April 27

TIME: 5:30 PM

LOCATION: SVA Theater 2



Sing Your Song

A Film by Susanne Rostock. (USA) – New York Premiere.

Most people know the lasting legacy of Harry Belafonte, the entertainer. But, as Sing Your Song proves in a most stirring way, Belafonte has had a significant and lasting impact on the ongoing worldwide struggle for human rights. This powerful documentary reveals Belafonte’s multifaceted contributions to the arts, the U.S. Civil Rights movement, the fight against Apartheid, ending starvation in Ethiopia, and much more.

After the Movie: Join us for a conversation with Harry Belafonte. Moderated by noted broadcaster Tavis Smiley.



DATE: Friday, April 29

TIME: 6:00 PM

LOCATION: BMCC



A Beautiful Mind

Ten years ago, Universal Pictures’ A Beautiful Mind made Nobel Prize-winning mathematician John Forbes Nash Jr. a household name. This stunning portrait of a brilliant but troubled man won four Academy Awards® and gave audiences an insider’s look into the unique world of mathematics. On its 10th anniversary, we salute A Beautiful Mind for its powerful filmmaking, fine performances, and intriguing subject. Sponsored by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

After the Movie: Join us for a conversation moderated by NPR’s Ira Flatow featuring special guests from science and screen including A Beautiful Mind’s Oscar®-winning filmmakers—director Ron Howard, producer Brian Grazer, and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman—as well as its math consultant, Dave Bayer, author Sylvia Nasar, whose book inspired the film, and theoretical physicist and mathematician Brian Greene. Panelists will discuss the film’s exploration of scientific and mathematical concepts and the challenges and rewards of portraying them on-screen.



DATE: Saturday, April 30

TIME: 3:00 PM

LOCATION: SVA Theater 1



Independent Women: 15 Years of NYWIFT-Funded Film Preservation

Dating from 1950 to 1984, these 11 short films contain experimental narratives, personal documentaries, and abstract animation from the likes of Mary Ellen Bute, Storm de Hirsch, Faith Hubley, and Marie Menken, as well as contemporary voices of living female artists. Asserting the contributions of women filmmakers in the canon of the American experimental avant-garde, this program also celebrates 15 years of direct financial support for preservation of historically under-recognized films by women through the Women’s Film Preservation Fund of New York Women in Film & Television.

After the Movie: Join us for a conversation with an eclectic group of women filmmakers who helped shape avant-garde cinema. Panelists to include: directors Liane Brandon, Lisa Crafts, Barbara Hammer, Jane Aaron, Bette Gordon, Caroline Mouris, as well as Cecile Starr, Bute films curator/collector, animator Emily Hubley, and Tribeca Film Festival Experimental Film Programmer Jon Gartenberg. Moderated by Drake Stutesman, Co-Chair of The Women’s Film Preservation Fund and Editor, Framework: The Journal of Cinema and Media



DATE: Saturday, April 30

TIME: 7pm

LOCATION: SVA Theater 1



The Education of Dee Dee Ricks

Directed by Perri Peltz. (USA) – World Premiere

Dee Dee Ricks was living her dream—she had a successful business, two beautiful kids, and a whirlwind social life as one of New York’s elite. Then, at age 39, breast cancer changed her world. Director Perri Peltz candidly tracks the emotional rebirth of a survivor determined to help make life easier for less fortunate cancer patients even as she undergoes her own grueling treatment.

After the Movie: Join Dee Dee Ricks, producer Lisa Cohen, president and founder of the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention Harold P. Freeman M.D., and public health advocates as they discuss the issue of breast cancer treatment for the poor and uninsured. Moderated by Perri Peltz.



DATE: Sunday, May 1

TIME: 3:00 PM

LOCATION: SVA Theater 1



“Tribeca Talks: Industry”



Amplify the Message: Social Media

Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, GetGlue, Foursquare. Social media has changed the way we interact with the world around us. These days, filmmakers don’t just need a press kit and a Web site; they need a social media presence. How should producers and directors engage with this new interactive audience and how much of an impact does this audience have on a movie’s success or failure on multiple platforms? Join us for a candid discussion on the importance of this growing medium. Moderated by Marc Schiller, CEO and Founder of Electric Artists. Panelists include Rider Strong, director/screenwriter The Dungeon Master, Howard Tullman, President & CEO of Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy, and others. Panel will be streamed live on the Tribeca Online Film Festival website: tribecaonline.com



DATE: Friday, April 22

TIME: 2:30 PM

LOCATION: SVA Theater 2



Meet the Documentary Broadcasters

Documentaries are more popular than ever. Today they are being watched on every platform and networks are filling up their slots with a wide array of topics to meet with the demands of a growing audience. Hear from Sheila Nevins, President, HBO Documentary Films; Anna Miralis, Editor, True Stories, Channel 4 Documentaries; Connor Schell, Executive Producer, ESPN Films, and others as they discuss the type of films they’re drawn to and thoughts on where this genre is headed.



DATE: Saturday, April 23

TIME: 2:30PM

LOCATION: SVA Theater 2



Are Documentary Films Changing the World?

Documentary films unveil important truths, challenge assumptions, and often compel audiences to take action. Many of today’s filmmakers are faced with an additional challenge—how do they ensure their film will have a significant impact on the public and on the policies their story highlights? The collaboration of filmmakers with NGOs and community groups has created a new distribution model, and the measure of success now reaches beyond sales to changes in public perception and policy. Join filmmaker and activist Abigail Disney, director Michael Collins Give Up Tomorrow, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Impact Partners Dan Cogan, and others for an insightful discussion on the new paths of distribution for nonfiction films and the ways filmmakers and their subjects are making their voices heard.



DATE: Sunday, April 24

TIME: 2:30 PM

LOCATION: SVA Theater 2



Digital By Design

The emergence of online digital platforms and applications provokes filmmakers to confront technology head-on. Join SAP and industry executives for a down-to-earth discussion about how the digital age aids today’s filmmaker in three key areas: Funding models, intellectual property management, and distribution channels. Richard Whittington, senior VP of media and entertainment at SAP, joins and writer/director Edward Burns and others to discuss these critical components of filmmaking and how they affect the filmmaker’s new marketplace. Sponsored by SAP.

DATE: Tuesday, April 26

TIME: 2:30 PM

LOCATION: SVA Theater 2



THE BUSINESS OF ENTERTAINMENT

Securing the funds to get a film made has historically always been a challenge, and today producers are also faced with a tough economic climate. Hear stories and advice from producers and financiers who have a flair for getting the funds they need by any means necessary. Sponsored by Bloomberg



DATE: Wednesday, April 27

TIME: 2:30 PM

LOCATION: SVA Theater 2



Shooting Film on a Budget

One of the most important aspects of realizing your independent feature is determining the right look. How will you capture your images and bring the script to the screen in a meaningful, visual way? Filmmakers and cinematographers must consider many variables: mood of the story, production restrictions, post workflow, etc. Too often these important decisions are determined by the bottom line. However, many filmmakers are able to get the most out of their budgets while still shooting film. Join Michael Cuesta, writer/director of Roadie, producer Karen Chien, and others to learn how to create beautiful and cost-effective cinematic narratives on film. Sponsored by Kodak.



DATE: Thursday, April 28

TIME: 2:30 PM

LOCATION: SVA Theater 2



“Tribeca Talks: Pen to Paper”

Hosted by Barnes & Noble



Based on True Events

Writers who turn true events into films must grapple with how much truth to include or embellish to meet their cinematic ambition. If your source material is based on true events, who is the writer responsible to? From what to dramatize to what to omit, writers and filmmakers face the inevitable question: Where is the line between a great narrative film and the truth of the events. Join Steven Silver, director and screenwriter of The Bang Bang Club; Greg Marinovich, photographer and co-author of The Bang-Bang Club: Snapshots from a Hidden War; Adam Kassen and Mark Kassen, directors of Puncture; and Chris Lopata, screenwriter of Puncture; about how far over the line writers are allowed to go.



DATE: Saturday, April 23

TIME: 1:00 PM

LOCATION: Barnes & Noble Union Square



In Conversation with Peter Bart

In the past few years, film conversation has consumed itself with how digital innovation is reshaping our industry. As discussions constantly look to the future of filmmaking, we turn the discussion back. Join author, television host and Variety editorial director Peter Bart and Tribeca Enterprises chief creative officer Geoffrey Gilmore for a chat about filmmaking in the New Hollywood era of the late-1960s and early-1970s. From the larger-than-life personalities and conflicts that resulted in some of the most acclaimed films of a generation, to the funny anecdotes that captured the world, we take a look back at a time that changed how stories were told. Bart will also sign copies of his new memoir Infamous Players: A Tale of Movies, The Mob, (And Sex).



DATE: Sunday, April 24

TIME: 1:00 PM

LOCATION: Barnes & Noble Union Square



Writing the Documentary

Whether you’re following the story of a little league team struggling to win a championship or diving into the story of how the television was invented, the term “writing the documentary” might not occur to you as you watch the drama unfold before your eyes. What most people don’t realize is that documentaries also begin with the blank page and an idea. Join David Gelb, director of Jiro Dreams of Sushi,

Maria Ramström, director of Love Always, Carolyn, and others for a discussion about how that idea is turned into a narrative.

DATE: Monday, April 25

TIME: 1:00 PM

LOCATION: Barnes & Noble Union Square



Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival



Catching Hell

In just a few years ESPN Films has become an industry heavyweight, breaking away from what was traditionally thought of as sports film. They’ve reinvented the genre, and by showcasing stories of passion, triumph and loss, the resurgence of sports-themed films has never been stronger. Sponsored by Time Warner Cable.



After the Movie: Join us for an intimate conversation with director Alex Gibney about the psychology of die-hard sports fans and the phenomenon of scapegoating after the screening of the latest ESPN production Catching Hell.



DATE: Sunday, April 24

TIME: 5:30 PM

LOCATION: SVA Theater 2



A special “Tribeca Talks” Event



Youth Radicalization Redefined

TFF, Google Ideas, and the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) present a panel discussion involving six former extremists who have renounced violence and are working together to promote a sense of community and youth education. The conversation aims to provide a forum for high school students and their parents to identify signs of recruitment and the subsequent dangers of radicalization.



Moderated by Jared Cohen, director of Google Ideas and a CFR adjunct fellow.

DATE: Friday, April 29

TIME: 5:30 PM

LOCATION: SVA Theater 2



Tickets for 2011 Festival:

Tickets for the Festival will be $16.00 for evening and weekend screenings, and $8.00 for daytime weekday and late night screenings.



Advance selection ticket packages and passes go on sale for American Express Cardmembers on Monday, March 7, and on Monday, March 14 for the general public. All advance packages and passes can be purchased online at www.tribecafilm.com, or by telephone, toll free, at (866) 941-FEST (3378).



Single ticket and discounted ticket package sales begin for American Express Cardmembers on Tuesday, April 12, 2011, for downtown residents on Sunday, April 17, 2011, and for the general public on Monday, April 18, 2011. Single tickets can be purchased online, by telephone, or at one of the Ticket Outlets, with locations at Tribeca Cinemas at 54 Varick Street, Chelsea Clearview Cinemas at 260 West 23rd Street, and AMC Village VII at 66 3rd Avenue. The 2011 Festival will continue ticket discounts for evening and weekend screenings for students, seniors and select downtown Manhattan residents. Discounted tickets are available at Ticket Outlet locations only. Discounted ticket packages can only be purchased online and by phone. Additional information and further details on the Festival can be found at www.tribecafilm.com.

Tribeca (Online) Film Festival

The 2011 Tribeca Film Festival has announced the Tribeca (Online) Film Festival, a free and unique digital initiative that allows film lovers the opportunity to interact with and experience elements of the Tribeca Film Festival from anywhere in the world. I thought you might be especially interested in this because the online festival includes some of this year’s shorts!

While the 10th edition of the Tribeca Film Festival will be happening in downtown Manhattan from April 20 to May 1, an equally exciting version will be occurring concurrently on the Web. The T(O)FF experience includes the streaming room, where domestic audiences can reserve "seats" for six feature and nine short films playing simultaneously at TFF 2011, and nine short film favorites from past Festivals; and “Live From...”, which will bring star-studded red carpets, TFF's opening press conference & awards show to global audiences for live, real-time coverage.

In addition, the online festival will host the Tribeca Q&A, which will offer online audiences the opportunity to engage with not only each other, but industry experts including Brian Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, filmmakers David Gordon Green and Zach Braff, in addition to Tribeca’s Jane Rosenthal, Geoff Gilmore, and Nancy Schafer; and many more. This interactive experience will bring never-before content directly to a participating public.

Film enthusiasts can reserve “seats” for T(O)FF screenings at tribecaonline.com beginning April 18 (April 12 for AmEx cardmembers), but the Tribeca Q&A, along with a robust offering of interactive, film-focused content is available beginning today.

You can reserve "seats" for screenings this April.

Top 10 Reasons To Go To The Tribeca Film Festival

The 2011 Tribeca Film Festival from April 20-May 1 is almost underway and if you've never attended the festival or need a tiny reminder why you should come back again this year, here's 10 reasons why we think you should check it out:


10. It's in New York City.

It's located in the best city in the U.S.  Okay, for some that statement may be up for debate, but let's face it--NYC has it all; bright lights, showtunes, great food, and an annual festival that brings some of the biggest A-list celebrities and international talent from all over the world.

9. You may meet DeNiro.

Robert DeNiro co-founded the festival along with Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff  in 2001 following the attacks on the World Trade Center.  DeNiro is very involved with the festival and throughout its run, DeNiro can be spotted at a number of events.  "You lookin for me?"  Bad joke...we know.

8. Impressive Sponsors.

This isn't just any other festival with mom and pop sponsors from the local deli or Bob's hardware store.  With big wig companies like American Express and Cadillac, expect to see some awesome perks that come with that type of sponsorship.  Not sure if you will get a free car, but you will get a pretty awesome festival gift pack!

7. An Insane Amount Of Movies Screened.

You can watch anything from 5 minute indie shorts to feature length mainstream films.  It's easy to spend an entire day watching movies from a variety of locations.  Check out a short film in Tribeca Cinemas off Varick St. or a movie premiere at the Ziegfeld Theater in midtown.

6. All-Access.

Having a festival pass (depending on what type) gives you entry into events such as the filmmaker lounge, to family events for the kids, to an evening with drinks and appetizers at a hip downtown bar.  You pick your pleasure.

5. Tis The Season


The weather in late April and early May in NYC is at its peak. Meaning it's not too hot and not too cold. It's breezy easy weather that makes standing outside and waiting for tickets to a screening so much easier to cope with. It's the time of year right before summer hits, so you can still plan your summer getaway and it will not conflict with your festival schedule. It's right after Mardi Gras, so you have been able to get New Orleans out of your system. It takes place at the right time of year that makes you feel like it in fact is the season to be jolly---for watching movies. LOTS of em.

 
4. It's Two Whole Weeks!

Most film festivals last a week or even a weekend.  Tribeca gives festival attendees an opportunity to enjoy two whole weeks of its awesome goodness and the cool thing is, if you're not in town to enjoy the first week of the festival, there's always the second and vice-versa.

3. Festival Staff

You gotta give props to the guys that run this festival.  Some of the hardest working individuals are somehow able to pull out one of the biggest festivals in all of Hollywood.  From the guys doing hard labor in the distribution teams, to the sponsorship crew and let's not forget the volunteers that put in tons of hours to help prep the festival and make it run smoothly.  College students, film geeks, and industry locals all come out to help with the festival.

2. Ubiquity.

Many festivals take a place in a few theaters and a couple of venues.  Although the festival initially began in TriBeCa (Triangle Below Canal St.), which is located in downtown Manhattan, the festival has several screenings throughout the island from downtown to midtown and even uptown.  These events are happening all over Manhattan all at once, so it really gives the festival goer the opportunity to explore the great city of Manhattan and all its splendor.

1. Notoriety.


If you're a filmmaker, writer, or actor and your film is entered in this festival--the sky's the limit. The Tribeca seal alone on your film is going to give you the attention you deserve. You may leave the festival with a ton of voicemail messages from industry people wondering what just happened. Get prepared for fame. Filmmakers receive crazy perks too like video editing systems. You're almost treated like royalty.

Tribeca All Access – 2011 Project Selection

Tribeca All Access – 2011 Project Selection


NOTE:

*BOLD Name – indicates Spotlighted Filmmaker



DOCUMENTARIES:

Boarders Without Borders

“Boarders Without Borders” follows three American snowboarders on a journey to the world-class mountains of Iran, where they meet and ride with Iranian youth snowboarders. A shared passion creates an understanding between two seemingly disparate nations.

Crew:

*Marjan Tehrani (Co-Director, Producer)

Brian Sachson (Co-Director)

Brian Sachson (Producer)

Broken Heart Land



After the tragic suicide of a gay teen, the surrounding community of gay youth and their families in the Bible Belt are left to deal with the aftermath as they struggle to prevent further deaths.
Crew:

*Randy Stulberg (Director, Producer)

Jeremy Stulberg (Director, Producer)

Eric Juhola (Producer)


Gideon's Army



Every day, more and more people are arrested, handcuffed, shoved into a

squad car, and booked. Weeks turn into months and their only line of defense is in the hands of a public defender. “Gideon’s Army” asks, are public defenders up to the fight?


Crew:

*Dawn Porter (Director, Producer)


God Loves Uganda



Evangelical missionaries from the U.S.A. export their war against immorality to Uganda, where the battle for human souls clashes with the fight for human rights.



Crew:

*Roger Ross Williams (Director, Producer),

Nick Quested (Executive Producer)

Derek Wiesehahn (DP)

Montana Medical Marijuana Film (title TBD)

Set against the sweeping vistas of the Rockies, the steamy lamplight of marijuana grow-houses, and the cold sterility of the hospice ward, “Montana Medical Marijuana Film” examines the process of turning an underground

Crew:

*Rebecca Richman Cohen (Director, Producer),

Francisco Bello (Producer, Editor)

Joshua Weinstein (Director of Photography)



NARRATIVE:

County Line (Drama)



A Southern town's underbelly exposed when its sheriff tries to rid himself of a drug alliance with a family friend and investigate the deaths of his female informants. In the process, he must confront his son's addiction to the drugs he's allowed in his county.



Crew:

*Tina Mabry (Director, Screenwriter),

Morgan Stiff (Producer, Screenwriter, Editor)

Lee Stiff (Producer, Exec. Producer)

Bradford Young (D.P.)

Meg Morman (Casting Director)


Dandekar Finds Home (Dramedy)

When a kindly middle-aged man is forced into retirement, and his daughters attempt to cheer him up by trading away his old, clunky Volvo for a brand-new one, Dandekar’s daylong journey to get his beloved old car back prepares him to move onto the next phase of his life.



Crew:

*Leena Pendharkar (Director, Screenwriter)

Megha Kadakia (Producer)



We’ll Be Gone (Drama)



“We’ll Be Gone” tells the story of a disparate group of Americans bound together by a bad mortgage in the days leading up to the economic collapse.



Crew:

*Hossein Keshavarz (Director, Screenwriter)


The Tennis Partner (Drama)



“The Tennis Partner” is an unforgettable, true story of a doctor's struggle to teach a student about medical science and, as their relationship grows, to save him from cocaine addiction. It is an adaptation of the bestselling memoir by Dr. Abraham Verghese about his medical practice in El Paso, TX.



Crew:

*Mridu Chandra (Screenwriter)

Amy Hobby (Producer)


Somebody to Love (Drama)



Chuck Banks is a broken down soul singer surviving off the fame of his late father and a hit he wrote years ago. After one too many drinks, one too many miles, and one too many fights with his band-mate and girlfriend Janelle, he finds himself in a familiar town where an old flame seems to offer the dream of settling down. Faced with a choice, Chuck struggles to find the love he thinks he wants but ultimately realizes that family is closer than he thought.



Crew:

*Alrick Brown (Director)

Mick Casale (Writer)

Edward McDonald (Producer)

Tati Barrantes (Producer)

Peter Newman (Mentor)

Susan Jacobs (Music Supervisor)


INTERNATIONAL:



UK Film Council Supported:



Giant Land (Drama)



Troubled ten year-old Ryan escapes his mother and her boyfriend by playing on the industrial wasteland near his home, where he finds an injured Afghani man hiding out in a shipping container and convinces himself he has found his estranged father.



Crew:

*Yousaf Ali Khan (Screenwriter,Director)


Canadian Film Centre (CFC) Supported:



Born into This (Comedy)



Jazz musician Benjamin, a down on his luck romantic arrives home after being kicked out of his prestigious music school. His life takes an unexpected turn when his 80 year-old grandfather gives him the family business and becomes a lively roommate.



Crew:

*Emanuel Shirinian (Director)

David Miller (Producer)

Darren Portelli (Producer)

Tribeca Film Sets Expansion of Slate in 2011

Tribeca Enterprises today announced that Tribeca Film will expand to commercially release 26 films over the next year, more than double the number of titles released in 2010. The comprehensive distribution label for independent film also announced that it acquired U.S. rights to nine new titles to be released across multiple platforms. The curated selection of films includes many genres and features stars including Zach Braff, Vincent Gallo and Zoe Kravitz and filmmakers such as Peter Mullan, Jerzy Skolimowski and Vincent D’Onofrio.

Following its launch in March 2010, Tribeca Film has grown to a year-round, full-service distribution label that delivers quality independent films to audiences through innovative strategies bolstered by its partnership with American Express. Tribeca Film’s significant expansion is highlighted by Tribeca’s continued relationship with Comcast, one of the nation’s leading providers of entertainment and supporter of independent film. Tribeca Film plans to release the following titles theatrically, on video-on-demand and via other platforms throughout the coming year:

· Beware the Gonzo. From director and writer Brian Gobuloff (writer of The Basketball Diaries) comes a teen-angst comedy about an underground newspaper aiming to give voice to high school misfits. The film stars Zoe Kravitz, Ezra Miller, Jesse McCartney, Amy Sedaris, Campbell Scott, and James Urbaniak.

· The Bleeding House. Written and directed by comic book writer and first time filmmaker Philip Gelatt, this taut horror thriller is an original take on the home invasion genre about a family with a haunted past visited by a sweet-talking Texan killer who has come for retribution.

· Brother’s Justice. This Hollywood satire marks Dax Shepard’s directorial debut and is co-directed by David Palmer. The film follows Shepard as he makes the rash decision to abandon comedy in pursuit of his true dream: to become an internationally-renowned martial arts star. Winner of the audience award at the Austin Film Festival and an official selection of the Hollywood Film Festival, it features performances by Tom Arnold, Bradley Cooper, David Koechner, Michael Rosenbaum and Nate Tuck.

· Don’t Go in the Woods. Vincent D’Onofrio makes his feature-length directorial debut with this uproarious rock ‘n' roll horror musical about the fate of a young band seeking a quiet place to write songs in the wrong neck of the woods. The film has screened at the Woodstock Film Festival, the Sarasota Film Festival and the Savannah Film Festival.

· Grave Encounters. Directed and written by first time filmmakers the Vicious Brothers, this cinéma-vérité style supernatural thriller follows a ghost-hunting reality television show host and crew as they shoot an episode inside an abandoned psychiatric hospital, where unexplained phenomena have been reported for years. All in the name of good television, they voluntarily lock themselves inside the building for the night and begin a paranormal investigation, capturing everything on camera. They quickly realize that the building is more than just haunted - it is alive - and it has no intention of ever letting them leave.

· The High Cost of Living. Director Deborah Chow’s dark romantic drama about intertwined fates centers on the burgeoning relationship between an unlikely pair. Nathalie (Isabelle Blais) is expecting her first child, and Henry (Zach Braff) is on his way to his next drug deal. Their paths fatefully collide one night in an event that will irrevocably change their lives. The film was an official selection of the Toronto Film Festival.

· NEDS. Peter Mullan's third feature as a writer and director, after Orphans and The Magdalene Sisters, is a violent 1970s coming-of-age drama set in a gritty section of Glasgow. NEDS won Best Film at the San Sebastian Film Festival and was chosen Best Film at the 2011 London Evening Standard Awards.

· Ultrasuede: In Search of Halston. No one represented the 1970s quite like legendary designer Halston. In this stylish documentary, director Whitney Sudler-Smith takes a fabulous fun-and-fact-filled journey through Halston’s life and times. Interviews with friends and witnesses (including Liza Minnelli, Diane Von Furstenberg, André Leon Talley, Anjelica Huston, Bob Colacello and Billy Joel, among others) round out this glittering evocation of the man who defined the decadent era. Tribeca Film will release the following on VOD and other platforms:

· Essential Killing. A gripping adventure thriller directed by acclaimed Polish auteur Jerzy Skolimowski. A captured Taliban fighter (Vincent Gallo) is interrogated, tortured and then moved to an unnamed snowy detention camp in Europe. Following an accident involving his transport convoy, he becomes an escaped convict on a continent he does not know. Essential Killing world premiered In Competition at the Venice International Film Festival, and won the Special Jury Prize and Best Actor for Vincent Gallo's performance. Previously announced titles from Tribeca Film include the following, which will be released in theatres in multiple markets, as well as via VOD and other platforms:

· The Bang Bang Club. Award-winning documentary filmmaker Steven Silver makes his feature directorial debut with this electrifying tale of a young band of war photographers who documented the last days of apartheid in South Africa. Based on a true story, the film stars Ryan Phillippe, Malin Akerman and Taylor Kitsch and premiered at the Toronto Film Festival. · Janie Jones. Directed by David M. Rosenthal, Janie Jones is a charming rock ‘n’ roll road trip drama about a father and daughter finding their way to each other. The film stars Abigail Breslin, Alessandro Nivola, Elisabeth Shue and Brittany Snow and premiered at the Toronto Film Festival.

· Last Night. Director Massy Tadjedin makes her directorial debut with a carefully crafted romantic drama about two couples confronting temptation and the limits of fidelity over the course of one night. Starring Keira Knightley, Sam Worthington, Eva Mendes and Guillaume Canet, the film was an official selection at the Toronto, Venice and Rome Film Festivals. Fourteen more titles will be added to the Tribeca Film slate in the coming months. “With the rapidly evolving landscape, Tribeca Film provides strategic opportunities and plans to customize campaigns using new platforms for distribution,” said Tribeca co-founder Jane Rosenthal. “We see real opportunities for filmmakers and audiences.”

Upon its initial launch, Tribeca Film delivered an inaugural slate of 12 titles nationwide through a network of multi-platform distribution partnerships, beginning with an initial release via cable and telco video-on-demand and satellite pay-per-view in Spring 2010. The films were also distributed digitally via Amazon.com, the Apple iTunes Store, Netflix Streaming and Vudu, with select titles airing on Showtime. The independent label also released 11 of the films in limited theatrical engagements and partnered with New Video to launch the Tribeca Film home video label. The continued expansion of Tribeca Film attests to Tribeca Enterprises’ goal of redefining traditional models of independent film distribution and release patterns and, in conjunction with the Tribeca Film Festival and other of its media holdings, creating new opportunities and discovering new audiences for filmmakers. “Tribeca Film had a terrific launch in 2010, releasing an exciting selection of quality independent films,” said Geoff Gilmore, Chief Creative Officer at Tribeca. “In 2011, we look forward to continuing to respond to the contemporary challenges of distribution today and are especially excited to be on the cutting edge working to develop new scenarios.

We value our relationships with our distribution partners, the unique role played by American Express, and the talented filmmakers we have the pleasure of working with.” American Express is an important and unique element of Tribeca Film. American Express has reinforced its commitment to providing independent filmmakers with new platforms to deliver compelling stories to audiences, and Cardmembers, everywhere. In its second year, Tribeca Film will continue to leverage the unique marketing force of American Express to create customized release patterns that are filmmaker-friendly and provide audiences with access to films they otherwise might not have the opportunity to see.