The 17th annual Tribeca Film Festival, presented by AT&T, announced the winners of its competition categories at the awards ceremony this evening, sponsored by Chloe Wine Collection, at BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center. Top honors went to Diane for the Founders Award for Best U.S. Narrative Feature, Smuggling Hendrix for Best International Narrative Feature, and Island of the Hungry Ghosts for Best Documentary Feature. The Festival awarded $145,000 in cash prizes. Tribeca runs through April 29, 2018.
Awards were given in the following feature film competition categories: Founders Award for Best Narrative, International Narrative, Documentary, New Narrative Director, The Albert Maysles New Documentary Director, and the Nora Ephron Award, honoring a woman writer or director. Short films were honored in the Narrative, Documentary, Student Visionary and Animation categories.
The Nora Ephron Award awarded a $25,000 prize to writer/director Nia DaCosta for Little Woods. The award was created six years ago to honor excellence in storytelling by a female writer or director embodying the spirit and boldness of the late filmmaker.
Tribeca honored innovation in storytelling with its Storyscapes Award, which went to Hero. Square’s For Every Kind of Dreamseries was honored with the 3rd annual Tribeca X Award, which recognizes excellence in storytelling at the intersection of advertising and entertainment.
“It is rewarding to honor films that tell important stories and moved our juries in profound way,” commented Jane Rosenthal, CEO, Executive Chair, and Co-Founder, Tribeca Film Festival. “Whether they excite, incite, inspire or simply entertain, it is a privilege to launch this worthy group with this special honor at Tribeca.”
This year's Festival included 99 feature length films, 55 short films, and 35 immersive storytelling projects from 46 countries.
Screenings of the award–winning films will take place throughout the final day of the Festival: Sunday, April 29, at various venues. Specific times and ticketing information are available at www.tribecafilm.com/festival.
The winners of the Audience Awards, powered by AT&T, which are determined by audience votes throughout the Festival via the Festival app, will be announced on April 28.
In addition to cash awards and in-kind services provided by sponsors including AT&T, CHANEL, Chloe Wine Collection, CNN Films, and Nutella, a number of the winners were presented with original pieces of art created by contemporary artists: Ghada Amer & Reza Farkhondeh, Meghan Boody, Nancy Dwyer, Eddie Kang, David Levinthal, John F. Simon Jr., Joan Snyder, and Julia Wachtel, as well as longtime Tribeca supporter Stephen Hannock.
The winners, awards, and comments from the jury who selected the recipients are as follows:
U.S. NARRATIVE COMPETITION CATEGORIES:
The jurors for the 2018 U.S. Narrative Competition were Justin Bartha, Alexander Dinelaris, Bilge Ebiri, Amy Hobby, Chris Messina, and Lakeith Stanfield.
Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature – Diane written and directed by Kent Jones. Winner receives $20,000, sponsored by AT&T, and the art award "The Lady of Shalott, Cool Evening" by Stephen Hannock. The award was given by on behalf of the jury by Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal joined by Fiona Carter, AT&T, Chief Brand Officer.
Jury Comment: "Here we were presented with another very difficult decision, but after careful consideration we have chosen a film that we believe encompasses the beauty, aesthetic, as well as the powerful themes of love, struggle, life, death, and womanhood that are the spirit of this year's Festival. For those reasons, our selection for this year's Best Narrative Feature is Diane.”
Best Actress in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film – Alia Shawkat in Duck Butter. The award was sponsored by Chloe Wine Collection. The award was given by Justin Bartha on behalf of the jury along with Eben Gillette, Vice President of Marketing for Chloe Wine Collection.
Jury Comment: “To choose a Best Actress this year was a uniquely difficult decision, as this year's Festival was jam-packed with truly amazing female performances. The actress we eventually chose to highlight gives a strikingly raw, connected, and honest performance about a character struggling to be raw, connected, and honest. This woman also co-wrote, co-produced and helped conceive this film…so it goes without saying that without Alia Shawkat there would be no Duck Butter.”
Best Actor in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film – Jeffrey Wright in O.G. The award was given by Justin Bartha on behalf of the jury.
Jury Comment: "This year’s best actor has been transforming himself on stage, film, and television for many years. His performance in this year’s competition entry testifies to his talent, sensitivity, and craft. With masterful restraint, the inner life of his character seethes out of his pores. He has crafted a performance that solidifies his standing as one of the greatest actors working today. The award for Best Actor goes to Jeffrey Wright, for O.G.”
Best Cinematography in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film – Cinematography by Wyatt Garfield for Diane The award was given by Bilge Ebiri on behalf of the jury.
Jury Comment: “A cinematographer has to do more than just shoot pretty pictures. They have to help the director and the cast create a whole world, and then immerse us, the audience, in that world – all the while helping push the story forward visually, in both subtle and not-so-subtle ways. There were a number of exceptionally shot films in competition this year, but we were completely enraptured by the work of Wyatt Garfield for the film Diane”
Best Screenplay in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film – Diane written by Kent Jones. Winner receives $2,500, sponsored by Chloe Wine Collection. The award was given by Alexander Dinelaris on behalf of the jury along with Eben Gillette, Vice President of Marketing for Chloe Wine Collection.
Jury Comment: “This year’s diverse collection of films were all founded upon haunting and humorous screenplays about dangerous relationships, battles for redemption, and yes, even chronic back pain. They were fearless, frightening, sad, and soulful. Singling out one of them was an incredibly difficult task. But that was the task we were charged with. Henry David Thoreau once wrote, “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” The screenplay we selected beautifully illustrated that notion through rich dialogue, complex characters, and elegant simplicity. It is for these reasons and many others that we have selected as the winning Screenplay of this year’s Festival…Diane, written by Kent Jones.”
INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE COMPETITION CATEGORIES:
The jurors for the 2018 International Narrative Competition were Florence Almozini, Martha Coolidge, Andre Holland, Haifaa Al Mansour, and Ray Liotta.
Best International Narrative Feature – Smuggling Hendrix (Cyprus, Germany, Greece) written and directed by Marios Piperides. Winner receives $20,000 and the art award "Can We Turn Our Rage to Poetry" by Joan Snyder. The award was given by Ray Liotta on behalf of the jury.
Jury Comment: "For its unique, comedic exploration of a complicated absurd political situation told in a clear, personal compelling way, the Best International Narrative Feature Award goes to Smuggling Hendrix.”
Best Actress in an International Narrative Feature Film – Joy Rieger in Virgins (France, Israel, Belgium). The award was given by Ray Liotta on behalf of the jury.
Jury Comment: "The acting category was a challenge because all of the characters portrayed were fleshed out individuals, but none more than the 16 year old girl who had to navigate a sexual awakening among a life filled with hardship and yearning. The actress portraying this character brought to life a sassy, sexually naïve teenager that is universally identifiable. The best actress prize goes to Joy Rieger for her portrayal of Lana in the film Virgins.”
Best Actor in an International Narrative Feature Film – Rasmus Bruun in The Saint Bernard Syndicate (Denmark). The award was given by Ray Liotta on behalf of the jury.
Jury Comment: "For his subtle comedic performance that manages to make a lasting impression on its audience and for his humorous, touching work that transcends both language and culture – he goes on a remarkable journey from a naïve furniture salesman to a murderer who’s battling ALS while selling Saint Bernard’s in China, we have chosen to award Rasmus Bruins fromThe Saint Bernard Syndicate as best actor.
Best Cinematography in an International Narrative Feature Film – Cinematography by Albert Salas for Obey (UK). The award was given by Haifaa Al Mansour on behalf of the jury.
Jury Comment: "For its original, daring image-making that, along with bold direction, invites the viewer inside the tense circumstances of its characters lives, we have chosen Albert Salas as best cinematographer for his moving work on the filmObey.”
Best Screenplay in an International Narrative Feature Film – The Saint Bernard Syndicate written by Lærke Sanderhoff(Denmark). Winner receives $2,500. The award was given by Haifaa Al Mansour on behalf of the jury.
Jury Comment: “While there were many wonderful scripts in this year’s Festival, we have chosen to acknowledge as best screenplay a comedy that manages to be truly funny and inventive in its exploration of a culture clash. This script was refreshingly original and gave its actors the opportunity to really shine. This year’s award for best screenplay goes to Lærke Sanderhoff forThe Saint Bernard Syndicate.”
DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION CATEGORIES:
The jurors for the 2018 Documentary Competition were Dan Cogan, Kirsten Johnson, and Brett Morgen.
Best Documentary Feature – Island of the Hungry Ghosts, directed by Gabrielle Brady (Germany, UK, Australia). Winner receives $20,000, and the art award "Tehran, Iran (June 6, 1989)” by Julia Wachtel. The award was given by Dan Cogan and Kirsten Johnson on behalf of the jury.
Jury Comment: "The Best Documentary award goes to a film that demonstrates extraordinary mastery of the full symphonic range of cinematic tools: cinematography, editing, score, sound design, and, perhaps greatest of all, an exquisite use of metaphor. To a film that moved us deeply, impressed us immensely, and made us feel we were witnessing nothing less than the emergence, fully formed, of a major new cinematic talent, we are thrilled to award the Best Documentary award to Island of the Hungry Ghosts.”
Best Cinematography in a Documentary Film – Cinematography by Niels van Koevorden for Tanzania Transit (Netherlands). Winner receives $2,500. The award was given by Kirsten Johnson on behalf of the jury.
Jury Comment: “To witness the care taken in the framing of each shot of this remarkable film conveys pleasure in and of itself. That the aesthetic rigor of each of these images also opens the space for us to contemplate the challenges of being human with such gentleness is transfixing. This is a movie that dares to have no beginning and no end. We honor Niels van Koevorden with the Cinematography Award for Tanzania Transit because it gives us the deep slow shiver of seeing anew!
Best Editing in a Documentary Film – Editing by Frederick Shanahan, Jon Kasbe, Caitlyn Greene for When Lambs Become Lions (USA). Winner receives $2,500. The award was given by Dan Cogan on behalf of the jury.
Jury Comment: “The award for Best Editing goes to a film that unfolds with the urgency and tension one expects from the best Hollywood thrillers. From the opening frame to its startling climax, this film kept us on the edge of our seats. It’s also worth noting that one of the films three editors is also the film's brilliant cinematographer, producer, and director, Jon Kasbe, and the jury could have recognized him in either of those disciplines. But ultimately it was the film's incredible pacing that led us to present the award for Best Editing to the team from When Lambs Become Lions.”
BEST NEW NARRATIVE DIRECTOR COMPETITION:
The jurors for the 2018 Best New Narrative Director Competition were Josh Charles, Joshua Leonard, and Zosia Mamet.
Best New Narrative Director – Shawn Snyder, director of To Dust (USA). Winner receives $10,000, and the art award "Flash (To the tender flesh it went)" by Meghan Boody. The award was given by Josh Charles and Joshua Leonard on behalf of the jury.
Jury Comment: "As jurors of Tribeca’s New Narrative Director section, we’ve had the unique honor of spending the past week watching a group of lovingly curated films from first time fiction feature directors. These directors come with their own backstories as unique as their movies… some are fresh out of school, while others have already made significant marks in other arenas. But regardless of their backgrounds, they’ve all now joined the ranks with some of the greats… which among a jury of three actors, also means that they are our future employers. So while Zosia regrets missing tonight, she did ask that we give you each copies of her resume… and Josh and I would love to take a moment to tell you about our special skill sets, which include fire-eating, knot-tying and Parkour.
This choice was not easy. There were many films this year that were made with unique vision, craft and heart that we wish we could recognize. But ultimately, our decision was unanimous.
For a film that tackles a universal subject in a truly singular manner. A film that begins with loss and grief… but then transcends to take you on an exquisitely odd, sometimes hilarious, and always thought-provoking journey into the heart of our clumsy human struggle to heal and to connect. For the incredible performances of his two lead actors, and for a mastery of tone truly rare in such a young filmmaker, we are honored to present this year’s award to Shawn Snyder for his film, To Dust.”
BEST NEW DOCUMENTARY DIRECTOR COMPETITION:
The jurors for the 2018 Albert Maysles New Documentary Director Award were Nelson George, Linda Knowlton, Elvira Lind, Basil Tsiokos, and Derek Waters.
Albert Maysles New Documentary Director Award – Dava Whisenant for Bathtubs Over Broadway (USA). Winner receives $10,000 sponsored by CNN Films, and the art award "White Bowl" by John F. Simon Jr. The award was presented by Nelson George, Linda Knowlton, Basil Tsiokos, and Derek Waters on behalf of the jury along with Jon Adler, Senior Director Development, CNN.
Jury Comment: "The winner of the Best New Documentary Director goes to a film that we chose for many reasons. The story, the specific subject, the journey into a world we never knew existed. This film also has an element every great film, doc, and story needs…heart. It’s an honor to give the award to Bathtubs over Broadway!”
SHORT FILM COMPETITION CATEGORIES:
The jurors for the 2018 Narrative Short Competition section were Steve Aoki, Amy Kaufman, Sheila Nevins, Alex Pettyfer, Norman Reedus, Alysia Reiner, and Ondi Timoner.
Best Narrative Short – Phone Duty, directed by Lenar Kamalov (Russia). Winner receives $5,000 sponsored by Nutella, and the art award "Learning How to Paint/Make A Wish" by Eddie Kang. The award was given by Alysia Reiner and Ondi Timoner on behalf of the jury.
Jury Comment: "This film shows us the emotional weight inanimate objects can have, and the humanized war in a surprising and impactful way. The award for Best Narrative Short goes to Phone Duty.”
Shorts Animation Award – Late Afternoon directed by Louise Bagnall (Ireland). Winner receives $5,000 sponsored by Nutella. The award was given by Alysia Reiner and Ondi Timoner on behalf of the jury.
Jury Comment: “This film portrays memory in an insightful and impactful way that opened our hearts. As the animation moves from colorful blobs into meaningful shapes and finally breaks through to her realizing the person she loves the most, we realize the experience of Alzheimer's with a poignancy that stayed with us all. The Award for Best Animated Short goes to Late Afternoon.”
The jurors for the 2018 Short Documentary and Student Visionary Competitions were Sapphire, Joe Daniels, Amy L. Kaufman, Susan Lacy, and James Steyer.
Best Documentary Short – Notes from Dunblane: Lessons from a School Shooting directed by Kim A. Snyder (USA). Winner receives $5,000 sponsored by Nutella, and the art award "Fort Apache" by David Levinthal. The award was given by Joe Daniels on behalf of the jury.
Jury Comment: "This transcendent film adds a revelatory dimension to a subject that is at the epicenter of public consciousness today. We found the wholly original approach of this film allowed us to feel again about subject matter that had shattered our collective souls and left us numb. An emotional paralysis was lifted as we watched this film that allowed us to engage once again with the brutal reality that is America today. We give the Best Documentary Short to Notes from Dunblane: Lessons from a School Shooting."
Student Visionary Award – The Life of Esteban directed by Inès Eshun (Belgium). Winner receives $5,000 sponsored by Nutella. The award was given by Sapphire and Susan Lacy on behalf of the jury.
Jury Comment: “With a rare lyric intensity this film opens a window to a young boy’s difficult navigation from early childhood to young adulthood in a single parent family. We watch the sublime intensity of Esteban’s journey through a world that has given him little, and yet paradoxically allows him to achieve much. The Student Visionary Award goes to The Life of Esteban”
STORYSCAPES AWARD
The 2018 Storyscapes Award, presented by AT&T, which recognizes groundbreaking approaches in storytelling and technology, jurors were Myriam Achard, Marcie Jastrow, and Nicholas Thompson.
Storyscapes Award – Hero created by Navid Khonsari, Vassiliki Khonsari, and Brooks Brown. Winner receives $10,000, presented by AT&T, and the art award "Miracle" by Nancy Dwyer. The award was given by Mark Wright, VP Media Services and Sponsorships on behalf of the jury.
Jury Comment: "Texture. Beauty. Heat. Life. Hero is an extraordinary story of life in a country under siege. It uses ambitious technology, and pushes viewers right up to, but not past, what one’s senses can bear. It will help you understand where VR is going, but also, viscerally, in some ways where this world is going.”
THE NORA EPHRON AWARD
The 2018 Nora Ephron Award, presented by CHANEL, jurors were Joanna Gleason, Rebecca Keegan, and Sasheer Zamata.
The Nora Ephron Award: Nia DaCosta director of Little Woods (USA). Winner receives $25,000, sponsored by CHANEL, and the art award "For Wonder Woman" by Ghada Amer & Reza Farkhondeh. The award was given by Rebecca Keegan on behalf of the jury.
Jury Comment: "For its sure-footed storytelling featuring an unconventional heroine who pushes past expectations of what is bravery in a woman’s life or in cinema. In watching this portrait of a woman at a crossroads in small-town America, we found ourselves wanting to see more stories from this filmmaker and more of her vision of a woman in the world. We chose writer-directorNia DaCosta’s Little Woods.
TRIBECA X AWARD
The 2018 Tribeca X Award, jurors were Bonin Bough, Zachary Heinzerling, and Brian Braiker.
Tribeca X Award: For Every Kind of Dream series for Square. Directed by Mohammad Gorjestani for Even/Odd. The award was given by Brian Braiker on behalf of the jury.
Jury Comment: “The Square films showed an extremely deft sense of craft in telling a compelling and richly human story while maintaining a strong brand message throughout. We specifically responded to the Sister Hearts film, which elegantly told an poignant story about a marginalized community that was lifting itself up. We specifically responded to the level of intimacy captured with these women who opened up about their intensely harrowing and heartbreaking past, and whose presence and unfiltered character on camera makes us smile and shows a resilience that inspires. The role that Square plays fits seamlessly into the narrative, not lifting its head to show off, but instead lending a hand to the impressive journey these inspirational women have commanded.”
Background On Films That Received Honors
U.S. NARRATIVE COMPETITION WINNERS:
Diane, directed and written by Kent Jones. Produced by Luca Borghese, Ben Howe, Caroline Kaplan, Oren Moverman. (USA) – World Premiere. Diane is a devoted friend and caretaker, particularly to her drug-addicted son. But as those around her begin to drift away in the last quarter of her life, she is left to reckon with past choices and long-dormant memories in this haunting character study. With Mary Kay Place, Jake Lacy, Estelle, Andrea Martin, Deirdre O'Connell, Glynis O'Connor, Phyllis Somerville, Joyce Van Patten.
Duck Butter, directed by Miguel Arteta, written by Miguel Arteta, Alia Shawkat. Produced by Mel Eslyn, Natalie Qasabian. (USA) – World Premiere. Two women, jaded by dishonest and broken relationships, make a pact to spend 24 uninterrupted hours together, having sex on the hour. Their romantic experiment intends to create a new form of intimacy, but it doesn't quite go as planned. With Alia Shawkat, Laia Costa, Hong Chau, Kate Berlant, Kumail Nanjia.
O.G., directed by Madeleine Sackler, written by Stephen Belber. Produced by Madeleine Sackler, Boyd Holbrook. (USA) – World Premiere. An inmate entering the final weeks of a twenty-plus-year sentence must navigate between old loyalties and a new protégé, while he also grapples with the looming uncertainty of his return to life outside bars. With Jeffrey Wright, William Fichtner, Theothus Carter, Mare Winningham, Boyd Holbrook, David Patrick Kelly.
INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE COMPETITION WINNERS:
Obey, directed and written by Jamie Jones. Produced by Emily Jones, Ross Williams. (UK) – World Premiere. In the midst of the London riots, Leon grapples with the stark reality of his life and his relationship with his alcoholic mother while falling in love for the first time. With Marcus Rutherford, Sophie Kennedy Clark, Sam Gittens, T'Nia Miller, James Atwell.
The Saint Bernard Syndicate, directed by Mads Brugger, written by Lærke Sanderhoff. Produced by Emilie Lebech Kaae, Jakob Kirstein Høgel. (Denmark) – World Premiere. Subversive satirist Mads Brugger's latest is an odd-couple comedy about the pitfalls of striking out into the economic frontier; it charts two hapless Danes' scheme to sell Saint Bernards to China's middle class.
Smuggling Hendrix, directed and written by Marios Piperides. Produced by Janine Teerling, Marios Piperides, Thanassis Karathanos, Martin Hampel, Costas Lambropoulos. (Cyprus, Germany, and Greece) – World Premiere. Though caught between the mob and border patrol, washed-up musician Yiannis must put his plans to leave Cyprus on hold his when his beloved dog escapes across the wall to the island's Turkish side. With Adam Bousdoukos, Fatih Al, Vicky Papadopoulou, Özgür Karadeniz.
Virgins (Vierges), directed by Keren Ben Rafael, written by Keren Ben Rafael, Elise Benroubi. Produced by Caroline Bonmarchand. (France, Israel, Belgium) – World Premiere. Teenage Lana is languishing in her run-down hometown on Israel's sun-soaked north coast—until an older, attractive writer arrives with tales of a mermaid sighting off the shore of the declining resort town. With Joy Rieger, Evgenia Dodina, Michael Aloni, Manuel Elkaslassy Vardi, Rami Heuberger.
DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION WINNERS:
Island of the Hungry Ghosts, directed and written by Gabrielle Brady. Produced by Alexander Wadouh, Samm Haillay, Alex Kelly, Gizem Acarla, Gabrielle Brady. (Australia, Germany, UK) – World Premiere. Christmas Island, Australia is home to one of the largest land migrations on earth—that of forty million crabs journeying from jungle to sea. But the jungle holds another secret: a high-security facility that indefinitely detained individuals seeking asylum.
Tanzania Transit, directed by Jeroen van Velzen, written by Jeroen van Velzen, Esther Eenstroom. Produced by Digna Sinke. (Netherlands) – World Premiere. A train journey across Tanzania captures a microcosm of contemporary African society in Tribeca alum Jeroen van Velzen's captivating and visually stunning road movie.
When Lambs Become Lions, directed by Jon Kasbe. Produced by Jon Kasbe, Innbo Shim, Tom Yellin, Andrew Harrison Brown. (USA) – World Premiere. In the Kenyan bush, a crackdown on ivory poaching forces a silver-tongued second-generation poacher to seek out an unlikely ally in this fly-on-the-wall look at both sides of the conservation divide.
BEST NEW NARRATIVE DIRECTOR WINNER:
To Dust, directed by Shawn Snyder, written by Shawn Snyder, Jason Duran. Produced by Emily Mortimer, Alessandro Nivola, Ron Perlman, Josh Crook, Scott Lochmus. (USA) – World Premiere, Feature Narrative. Traumatized by the death of his wife, a Hasidic cantor obsesses over how her body will decay. He seeks answers from a local biology professor in this, unlikeliest of buddy comedies. With Geza Rohrig, Matthew Broderick.
BEST NEW DOCUMENTARY DIRECTOR WINNER:
Bathtubs Over Broadway, directed by Dava Whisenant, written by Ozzy Inguanzo, Dava Whisenant. Produced by Amanda Spain, Dava Whisenant, Susan Littenberg. (USA) – World Premiere, Feature Documentary. Comedy writer Steve Young's assignment to scour bargain-bin vinyl for a Late Night segment becomes an unexpected, decades-spanning obsession when he stumbles upon the strange and hilarious world of industrial musicals in this musical-comedy-documentary. With David Letterman, Chita Rivera, Martin Short, Susan Stroman, Sheldon Harnick, Jello Biafra.
SHORT FILM COMPETITION CATEGORIES:
Late Afternoon, directed and written by Louise Bagnall. (Ireland) – New York Premiere, Short Narrative. Disconnected from the world around her, Emily drifts back through her own memories, looking to her past in order to fully embrace her present. With Fionnula Flanagan, Niamh Moyles, Lucy O’Connell, Michael McGrath.
The Life of Esteban (Het Leven van Esteban), directed and written by Inès Eshun. (Belgium) – International Premiere, Short Narrative. Esteban, a future Olympic swimmer, has grown up with a single mother and doesn't know who his father is. As he searches for his identity in this poetic short film, he determines swimming is a metaphor for life itself. With Noah Mavuela, Mathis Mavuela, Joshua Tassin, Tine Cartuyvels, Goua Grovogui, Lamine Diouf. In Dutch with English subtitles.
Notes from Dunblane: Lessons from a School Shooting, directed by Kim Snyder. (USA) – World Premiere, Short Documentary. Following the Sandy Hook Massacre, a priest from Dunblane, Scotland reaches out to Father Bob offering support 16 years after a school shooting in his own town. The men bond over personal trauma and responsibilities… In the aftermath the UK reformed its gun laws; the US responded with inaction. With Monsignor Bob Weiss, Monsignor Basil O’Sullivan.
Phone Duty (Дежурство), directed and written by Lenar Kamalov. (Russia) – World Premiere, Short Narrative. A Donbass rebel fighter, whose nom de guerre is Cat, receives orders to sit on phone duty—which, he quickly learns, is not as easy as it first seems. With Zakhar Prilepin, Oleg Chernov, Gleb Kornilov, Mikhail Sivorin, Yuriy Maslak. In Russian with English subtitles.
STORYSCAPES AWARD
Hero (New York Premiere) – USA
Project Creator: Navid Khonsari, Vassiliki Khonsari, Brooks Brown
Key Collaborators: Mark Harwood, Sinclair Fleming, Andres Perez-Duarte, Sam Butin, iNK Stories, Starbreeze Studios,Thea Ulrich
This powerfully immersive, large-scale, multi-sensory installation explores humanity in our modern era of civilian warfare. When everyday life is disrupted by a barrel bomb falling from the sky, provoking a profound crisis in this vérité virtual-reality experience, only connection among humans can inspire hope, and participants must embark on a visceral hero's journey. Cast: Masoume Khonsari, Perla Daoud, Samer Sakka, Sam Sako, Said Faraj, Sue Shaheen
THE NORA EPHRON AWARD
Little Woods, directed and written by Nia DaCosta. Produced by Rachael Fung, Gabrielle Nadig. (USA) – World Premiere. In this dramatic thriller set in the fracking boomtown of Little Woods, North Dakota, two estranged sisters are driven to extremes when their mother dies, leaving them with one week to pay back her mortgage. With Tessa Thompson, Lily James, Luke Kirby, James Badge Dale, Lance Reddick.
TRIBECA X
For Every Kind of Dream
Brand: Square
Director: Mohammad Gorjestani
Agency: Even/Odd Films
For Every Kind of Dream is Square’s first brand film series. Square builds tools to shorten the distance between having an idea and making a living from it, tools to help anyone build what they want to see in the world, because Square believes in an economy that has room for everyone’s dreams.
For more information on all of the films in the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival, please visit tribecafilm.com/festival
About the Tribeca Film Festival
The Tribeca Film Festival is the leading cultural event that brings visionaries and diverse audiences together to celebrate storytelling in all its forms, including film, TV, VR, gaming, music, and online work. With strong roots in independent film, Tribeca is a platform for creative expression and immersive entertainment. The Festival 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. Now in its 17th year, the Festival has evolved into a destination for creativity that reimagines the cinematic experience and explores how art can unite communities. www.tribecafilm.com/festival
- Hashtag: #Tribeca2018
- Twitter: @Tribeca
- Instagram: @tribeca
- Facebook: facebook.com/Tribeca
- Snapchat: TribecaFilmFest
About the 2018 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. AT&T helps millions connect to their passions – no matter where they are. This year, AT&T and Tribeca will once again collaborate to give the world access to stories from underrepresented filmmakers that deserve to be seen. AT&T Presents Untold Stories. An Inclusive Film Program in Collaboration with Tribeca, is a multi-year, multi-tier alliance between AT&T and Tribeca along with the year-round nonprofit Tribeca Film Institute.
The Tribeca Film Festival is pleased to announce its 2018 Signature Partners: Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Bai Beverages, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC Tribeca PAC), BVLGARI, CHANEL, Chloe Wine Collection, Diageo, ESPN, HEINEKEN, HSBC, IBM, IWC Schaffhausen, Kia, Montefiore, National CineMedia (NCM), Nespresso, New York Magazine, Nutella, NYC Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment, PwC, Spring Studios New York, and TUMI.
