Any Day Now, directed by Travis Fine, and BURN, helmed by Tom Putnam and Breena Sanchez, won the Narrative and Documentary Audience Awards, respectively, tonight at the 11th annual Tribeca Film Festival. Each Heineken Audience Award comes with a cash prize of $25,000. This marks the first time two awards–one for narrative and one for documentary–were given to the audience choices for the best films at Tribeca.
“It’s gratifying to see audiences respond so overwhelmingly to these world premiere films,” said Nancy Schafer, executive director of the Tribeca Film Festival. “Both films strike uplifting and hopeful notes, and we look forward to them continuing to garner strong audience reaction long after the Festival is over.”
Throughout the Festival, which kicked off on April 18, audiences have been able to vote for the Heineken Audience Awards by completing nomination ballots upon exiting screenings. Films in the World Narrative Competition, World Documentary Competition, Viewpoints, Spotlight and Cinemania sections were eligible.
Any Day Now begins when aspiring singer Rudy (Alan Cumming) pounds on the door to discover his neighbor’s son Marco, a teenager with Down syndrome, left alone by his drug addicted mother with only the blaring stereo to keep him company. Family Services takes Marco, but days later Rudy sees him on the street and brings him home, where Rudy and his closeted district attorney partner Paul (Garret Dillahunt) become the stable family environment Marco has never had. But when authorities discover Rudy and Paul are gay, the men must battle a biased legal system to adopt the child they have come to love as their own. Set in 1970s Los Angeles and inspired by a true story, Any Day Now is a poignant and occasionally incendiary drama from Tribeca Festival alum Travis Fine (The Space Between) that addresses gay adoption rights issues that are as relevant today as they were nearly 40 years ago. Augmenting the touching performances from Cumming and Dillahunt is Isaac Leyva, who offers a subtle yet impactful performance as a boy who inspires those around him to fight for what is right when no one else will. Cumming, Dillahunt and Leyva received a standing ovation for their performances at the premiere.
BURN, executive produced by Denis Leary, introduces audiences to the men and women charged with saving Detroit, the once-roaring city that many have left for dead. With vast stretches of forsaken buildings left as kindling, the highest arson rate in the country, and a budget crisis of epic proportions, the city turns to new fire commissioner Donald Austin to shake up the system with hard-line decisions and drastic, often controversial measures. Cautiously regarded by the department as a bombastic outsider, the Detroit native sets out to demonstrate his commitment to helping his hometown rise from the ashes. Many of the film’s screenings at Tribeca were attended by members of the Detroit Fire Department and received standing ovations.
“We were told time and time again that there is no audience for a film about firefighters,” said Sanchez.
Added Putnam, “We are so grateful for this honor and we hope it will help raise the profile of the film and let people know what’s going on in Detroit and across this country.”
Oscar Nominees Delve Into The Art Of Editing At ACE Session
You couldn’t miss Sean Baker at this past Sunday’s Oscar ceremony where he won for Best Picture, Directing, Original Screenplay and Editing on the strength of Anora. However, earlier that weekend he was in transit from the Cesar Awards in Paris and thus couldn’t attend the American Cinema Editors (ACE) 25th annual panel of Academy Award-nominated film editors held at the Regal LA Live Auditorium on Saturday (3/1) in Los Angeles. While the eventual Oscar winner in the editing category was missed by those who turned out for the ACE “Invisible Art, Visible Artists” session, three of Baker’s fellow nominees were on hand--Dávid Jancsó, HSE for The Brutalist; Nick Emerson for Conclave; and Myron Kerstein, ACE for Wicked. Additionally, Juliette Welfling, who couldn’t appear in person due to the Cesar Awards, was present via an earlier recorded video interview to discuss her work on Emilia Pérez. The interview was conducted by ACE president and editor Sabrina Plisco, ACE who also moderated the live panel discussion. Kerstein said that he was the beneficiary of brilliant and generous collaborators, citing, among others, director Jon M. Chu, cinematographer Alice Brooks, and visual effects supervisor Pablo Helman. The editor added it always helps to have stellar acting performances, noting that hearing Cynthia Erivo, for example, sing live was a revelation. Kerstein recalled meeting Chu some eight years ago on a “blind Skype date” and it was an instant “bromance”--which began on Crazy Rich Asians, and then continued on such projects as the streaming series Home Before Dark and the feature In The Heights. Kerstein observed that Chu is expert in providing collaborators with... Read More