Culture Representation: Taking place in an unnamed city in France, the dramatic film “Petite Maman” features an all-white cast of characters representing the working-class and middle-class.
Culture Clash: An 8-year-old girl meets another girl of the same age who is eerily similar to her.
Culture Audience: “Petite Maman” will appeal primarily to people are interested in unique movies about families and time travel.
Nina Meurisse and Joséphine Sanz in “Petite Maman” (Photo courtesy of Lilies Films/Neon)
The very memorable drama “Petite Maman” takes an insightful and endearing look at parent-child relationships and how personalities are formed in childhood. It also depicts the rhetorical question: “What would you do if you met one of your parents as a child but didn’t know it right away?” The results are fascinating, charming and often sentimental without being mawkish.
Written and directed by Céline Sciamma, “Petite Maman” clocks in at a brisk 72 minutes, which is really all the time needed for this engaging cinematic story to be told. “Petite Maman” (which takes place in an unnamed city in France) made the rounds at several top film festivals in 2021, including the Telluride Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival and the New York Film Festival. Sciamma has made a name for herself as a filmmaker who does female-centric movies about authentic personal relationships. “Petite Maman” (which translates to “Little Mother” in English) is Sciamma’s first movie where the central female characters are pre-teen girls.
“Petite Maman” is a movie with a relatively small cast of characters (less than 10 people have speaking lines), because it’s a fairly simple story that’s rich in detailing the meaningful experiences of an 8-year-old girl who meets her mother when her mother was also 8 years old. There’s no elaborate science-fiction explanation for this time-traveling experience. Observant viewers will figure out the mystery fairly early on in the story, but it’s a delight to watch the unwitting girl discover what her mother was like at her own age.
In the beginning of “Petite Maman,” 8-year-old Nelly (played by Joséphine Sanz) is visiting a nursing home where her maternal grandmother, who was a widow, has passed away. Nelly asks her unnamed mother (played by Nina Meurisse) if she can keep a stick that used to be owned by Nelly’s grandmother. Nelly’s mother says yes.
Nelly then accompanies her parents to the house where Nelly’s grandmother used to live. It’s also the childhood home of Nelly’s mother. The house (which is located in a wooded area) is going to be sold, and most of it is already packed up, except for some essential furniture, most of it wrapped up in sheets. The kitchen is the only room in the house that looks like it hasn’t been packed up or wrapped yet in the process of the house getting a new owner.
Nelly’s mother and Nelly’s father (played by Stéphane Varupenne) have stopped by the house for some final moving arrangements. They decide to stay in the house for a few days. Nelly sleeps in the bedroom that her mother had a child. When Nelly’s mother tucks her in before Nelly goes to sleep, she mentions to Nelly that when she was a child, she didn’t like being in the room at night.
It’s soon revealed that although Nelly is a fairly obedient child, she’s more of a “daddy’s girl.” Nelly is more likely to get into disagreements with her mother, who has an unspoken air of sadness and regret about her. Nelly’s parents also don’t like to talk about their childhoods very much. Nelly’s father explains that the only thing they like to discuss about their childhoods is the Christmas presents that they received when they were kids.
But one thing that Nelly knows about her mother’s childhood is that her mother had a special hut that she built in the woods. This hut was her place where she could go when she wanted private time to herself. One of the first things that Nelly asks her mother about when they arrive at the house is: “Mom, where was your hut? Can you show me? I want to make one.”
Nelly’s mother seems too distracted with grief to grant this request. However, one day, Nelly is out walking in the woods when she sees a girl who looks exactly like her making a hut out of tree branches. The girl, whose name is Marion (played by Gabrielle Sanz, the identical twin of Joséphine Sanz), asks Nelly for help in building the hut. Nelly notices that Marion has the same name as Nelly’s mother.
It’s the beginning of a friendship where Nelly develops a deeper understanding of Marion and her childhood. Viewers find out that Marion grew up with a mother who was very overprotective. In her childhood, Marion had an operation to correct a problem that she might have inherited from her mother. Marion’s mother (played by Margot Abascal), who walks with a cane, is shown in a scene where she’s scolding Marion for playing outside because it’s against doctor’s orders.
“Petite Maman” has a plot twist revealed at the end of the movie that is emotionally poignant, especially for people who feel that this story of friendship within a family is relatable on some level. Sciamma’s telling of this story is at times whimsical but always genuinely observant of the nuances in how people relate to each other as children and as adults. The casting of identical twins Joséphine Sanz and Gabrielle Sanz (who are both very good in their respective roles as Nelly and Marion) is an inspired choice because it makes viewers pay more attention to how to tell these girls apart, in terms of their personalities.
“Petite Maman” also touches on the issue of what friendship can mean between a parent and a child. Parents of underage children often have to show or tell their kids, “I’m your parent, not your friend,” in order to set discipline boundaries. What “Petite Maman” does in a special and creative way is show that every parent’s inner child is never really lost but becomes part of who that person is as a parent and a possible friend.
Neon released “Petite Maman” in select U.S. cinemas on April 22, 2022, with an expansion to more U.S. cinemas on May 6, 2022. The movie was released in several European countries and in South Korea in 2021.
The following is a press release from the Tribeca Film Festival:
The 2022 Tribeca Festival™ today announced its lineup of world premieres of new and returning television, original scripted audio, and original indie episodic series. The Festival, which takes place June 8-19, will present a selection of highly anticipated programs at the forefront of innovative storytelling.
Tribeca brings the festival experience to the world of television by serving as a platform for fans to experience premieres of current and future favorites, along with live conversations featuring casts and creators. This year’s TV lineup features nine series premieres and two first looks at returning favorites, including ESPN’s The Captain, about iconic New York Yankee Derek Jeter; Amazon Prime Video’s A League of Their Own, inspired by the 1992 film, with Abbi Jacobson; Hulu’s Victoria’s Secret: Angels and Demons, a provocative exposé of Victoria’s Secret; HBO Max’s Menudo: Forever Young, a behind-the-scenes look at the multi-generational pop sensation; FX’s The Bear, an exhilarating ride through the culinary world; TIME Studios for A&E Network’s Right to Offend, a docuseries about the intrepid Black comedians who used laughter to push social boundaries and cultural change; EPIX’s Bridge and Tunnel, which follows a group of Long Islanders pursuing their Manhattan dreams, written and directed by Edward Burns; and the mid-season premiere of the final season of AMC’s Better Call Saul with Bob Odenkirk, Giancarlo Esposito, and Jonathan Banks.
Tribeca’s NOW program unearths compelling independent episodic work, including short and long-form pilots and series. The 2022 NOW showcase focuses on six standout selections, including The Green Veil, a scripted anthology series about oppression in America from John Leguizamo and Aram Rappaport, and Cannabis Buyers Club, a dive into the little-known story of the legalization of marijuana in the U.S. and also the most important LGBTQ+ rights struggle of the 20th century from Kip Andersen and Chris O’Connell.
“This year’s TV selections and NOW indie episodic pilots are an impressive array of both short- and long-form narrative and documentary projects. Our diverse network selections will excite everyone from sports fans to TV buffs awaiting premieres of highly anticipated new series to sci-fi animation lovers,” said Tribeca Senior Programmer Liza Domnitz. “The Festival will also give audiences an early glimpse at – what will hopefully become – their next favorite series, with indie projects that include collaborators like John Leguizamo, Kathryn Bigelow, John Early, and Philip Glass.
For the first time, Tribeca’s audio storytelling program is dedicated entirely to scripted content, with a focus on excellence in writing and performance. Tribeca is especially proud to celebrate Pride and Juneteeth by bringing stories from emerging and established Queer and Black creators to the forefront of the scripted audio space.
Tribeca is honored to welcome back Audible as the exclusive Audio Entertainment sponsor of the Festival. Audible celebrates the Tribeca creative community and showcases bold creators who are developing innovative, cinematic audio entertainment. This year, Audible will be debuting their latest dynamic Audible Original as they host the world premiere of The Big Lie. Produced in collaboration with Fresh Produce Media, The Big Lie tells the incredible true story behind Salt of the Earth, a 1950s pro-union film that suffered a conspiracy of active sabotage efforts from the U.S. government, the Hollywood studio system, and Howard Hughes during the “Red Scare.” The series is created by John Mankiewicz and stars Jon Hamm, John Slattery, Ana de la Reguera, Kate Mara, and a full cast.
Included in the audio storytelling lineup is the live world premiere of USG Audio’s The End Up, which stars Himesh Patel, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Merritt Wever, and John Reynolds. The event will be followed by a conversation with the cast and creators, hosted byScott Adsit. The series takes place in a tilted near-future where terminal cancer patients who wish to end their suffering must attend a weeklong boot camp. Two best friends wrestle with their goodbye after one enrolls in the program and the other grows skeptical. Tribeca will also host the world premiere of Radiotopia Presents: My Mother Made Me with creator Jason Reynolds, interviewed by Radiolab’s Jad Abumrad, and the world premiere of the supernatural audio drama Mirage Diner with creator Lauren Shippen interviewed by Welcome to Nightvale’s Dylan Marron.
The Festival will present a live conversation with the cast and creators of Spotify’s Gay Pride & Prejudice, an upcoming scripted romantic comedy series from Gimlet, with Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Maulik Pancholy, Blake Lee, Vella Lovell, Justin Mikita, and Zackary Grady interviewed by Mimi O’Donnell. There will also be a live taping of Radiotopia’s Oprahdemics with creators Kellie Carter Jackson and Leah Wright Riguer with special guest The New York Times’s Wesley Morris, as well as a narrative journalism event on Connie Walker’s Stolen with guest Ryan McMahon.
“Tribeca’s audio storytelling program celebrates audio-forward and sound-rich stories from all scripted genres – from audio drama and scripted comedy, to documentary and narrative journalism,”said Tribeca Curator of Audio Storytelling Davy Gardner. “We’re committed to podcasting’s roots as a creator-first and democratized space where marginalized creators can share stories and find their audiences.”
The Tribeca Festival is curated by Festival Director and VP of Programming Cara Cusumano; Artistic Director Frédéric Boyer; VP of Filmmaker Relations & Shorts Programming Sharon Badal and Head Shorts Programmer Ben Thompson; Senior Programmers Liza Domnitz and Lucy Mukerjee; Programmers José F. Rodriguez and Karen McMullen; VP of Games and Immersive Casey Baltes and Immersive Curator Ana Brzezinska; Curator of Audio Storytelling Davy Gardner; Music Programmer Vincent Cassous; and program advisor Paula Weinstein, along with a team of associate programmers.
The full TV, Audio Storytelling, and NOW lineups are detailed below. For updates on the full slate of programming for the 2022 Tribeca Festival, follow @Tribeca and #Tribeca2022 on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and at tribecafilm.com/festival.
TV
“Bridge & Tunnel” (Photo courtesy of Epix)
The Bear (Hulu) – New Series World Premiere. The Bear follows Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto, a young chef from the fine dining world, who comes home to Chicago to run his family sandwich shop after a heartbreaking death. It’s a comedy about food, family, the insanity of the grind, the beauty of a sense of urgency, and the steep slippery downsides. As Carmy fights to transform the restaurant and himself, his rough-around-the-edges kitchen crew ultimately reveal themselves as his chosen family. Executive produced by Christopher Storer, Joanna Calo, Hiro Murai, Nate Matteson, Josh Senior. With Jeremy Allen White, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ayo Edebiri, Abby Elliott, Lionel Boyce, and Liza Colón-Zayas; Edwin Lee Gibson and Matty Matheson in recurring roles.
After the Screening: A conversation with Creator, Co-Showrunner, Executive Producer, Writer, and Director Christopher Storer; Co-Showrunner, Executive Producer, Writer, and Director Joanna Calo; and cast members Jeremy Allen White, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ayo Edebiri, Lionel Boyce and Matty Matheson.
Better Call Saul (AMC) – Mid-season World Premiere. Better Call Saul’s final season concludes the complicated journey and transformation of its compromised hero, Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk), into criminal lawyer Saul Goodman. From the cartel to the courthouse, from Albuquerque to Omaha, season six tracks Jimmy, Saul, and Gene as well as Jimmy’s complex relationship with Kim (Rhea Seehorn), who is in the midst of her own existential crisis. Meanwhile, Mike (Jonathan Banks), Gus (Giancarlo Esposito), Nacho (Michael Mando), and Lalo (Tony Dalton) are locked into a game of cat and mouse with mortal stakes. Executive Produced by Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Mark Johnson, Melissa Bernstein, Gordon Smith, Alison Tatlock, Tom Schnauz, Michael Morris, and Diane Mercer.
After the Screening: A conversation with Showrunner, Executive Producer, and Co-Creator Peter Gould, Bob Odenkirk, and Rhea Seehorn.
Bridge and Tunnel (EPIX) – Season 2 World Premiere. Written, directed, and produced by Edward Burns, this dramedy series set in 1980 revolves around a group of college grads setting out to pursue their dreams in Manhattan while still clinging to the familiarity of their working-class Long Island hometown.
After the Screening: A conversation with Writer, Director, and Executive Producer Edward Burns, plus cast members Sam Vartholomeos, Caitlin Stasey, Gigi Zumbado, JanLuis Castellanos, Isabella Farrell, and Brian Muller. Moderated by Mike Vaccaro, lead sports columnist for the New York Post.
The Captain (ESPN) – New Series World Premiere. The Captain is a compelling narrative revealing the man behind the icon – Derek Jeter. Amidst a time of great change in New York City, Derek Jeter’s arrival to the New York Yankees returned a struggling franchise to its traditional perch amongst baseball’s elite. Viewers will be enthralled by the professional and personal triumphs and challenges that not only created a dynasty, but a legend. Executive Produced by Mike Tollin and Spike Lee.
After the Screening: A conversation with series subject and New York Yankee legend, Derek Jeter, and director Randy Wilkins.
The End is Nye (Peacock) – News Series World Premiere. The End is Nye sends Bill Nye into the most epic global disasters imaginable – both natural and unnatural – and then demystifies them using science to show how we can survive, mitigate, and even prevent them. Executive Produced by Seth MacFarlane, Erica Huggins, Brannon Braga, Bill Nye. With Bill Nye.
After the Screening: A conversation with host, science educator, executive producer Bill Nye; director, executive producer, showrunner Brannon Braga; and executive producer and Fuzzy Door President Erica Huggins.
A League of Their Own (Prime Video) – New Series World Premiere. A League of Their Own evokes the joyful spirit of Penny Marshall’s beloved classic, while widening the lens to tell the story of an entire generation of women who dreamed of playing professional baseball. The show takes a deeper look at race and sexuality, following the journey of a whole new ensemble of characters as they carve their own paths towards the field, both in the League and outside of it. Executive Produced by Abbi Jacobson, Will Graham, Hailey Wierengo, Desta Tedros Reff, Jamie Babbit. With Abbi Jacobson, Chanté Adams, D’Arcy Carden, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Roberta Colindrez, Kelly McCormack, and Priscilla Delgado, Molly Ephraim, Kate Berlant, Melanie Field.
After the Screening: A conversation with co-creator and executive producer Abbi Jacobson “Carson,” co-creator and executive producer Will Graham, executive producer Desta Tedros Reff, D’Arcy Carden “Greta,” Chanté Adams “Max,” and Gbemisola Ikumelo “Clance.”
Menudo: Forever Young (HBO Max) – New Series World Premiere. The rise and fall of the most iconic Latin American boy band in history, bringing viewers into the world of the popular teen idols’ global tours, magazine covers, ‘80s outfits, and screaming fangirls. But the four-part documentary reveals that behind the glitz and glamour was a web of abuse and exploitation at the hands of the band’s manager, Edgardo Diaz. Through revealing interviews with ex-Menudo members, the film examines how this extravagant facade was disguising serious wrongdoings by Diaz. Executive produced by Cristina Costantini and Jeff Plunkett of Muck Media, Alex Fumero of Trojan Horse, Bryn Mooser and Justin Lacob of XTR, and Angel Manuel Soto; co-executive producers are Maura Anderson and Kristofer Rios.
After the Screening: A conversation with directors Angel Manuel Soto and Kris Rios, with members of Menudo.
Pantheon (AMC) – New Series World Premiere. Bullied teen Maddie receives mysterious help from someone online revealed to be her deceased father, whose consciousness has been uploaded. He is the first “Uploaded Intelligence,” beginning a global conspiracy. Executive Produced by Craig Silverstein, Chris Prynoski, Shannon Prynoski, Antonio Canobbio, Ben Kalina, Juno Lee. With Daniel Dae Kim, Katie Chang, Paul Dano, Rosemarie DeWitt, Aaron Eckhart, Taylor Schilling, Ron Livingston, Chris Diamantopoulos, Raza Jaffrey, Scoot McNairy.
After the Screening: A conversation with creator, showrunner, and executive producer Craig Silverstein.
Right to Offend: The Black Comedy Revolution (TIME Studios for A&E Network) – New Series World Premiere. The two-part documentary event Right to Offend: The Black Comedy Revolution explores the progression of Black comedy and the comedians who have used pointed humor to expose, challenge, and ridicule society’s injustices and to articulate the Black experience in America. The series examines Black comedy through a unique lens, tracing the evolution and social awakening of the courageous comedians who dared to push against the constraints of their time and spoke truth to power. Executive produced by Alexa Conway, Mario Diaz, Loren Hammonds, Lance Nichols, Ian Orefice, Jessica Sherif, Brad Abramson, and Elaine Frontain Bryant. Co-directed by Mario Diaz and Jessica Sherif.
After the Screening: A conversation with comedian Alonzo Bodden, Dick Gregory’s son Christian Gregory, Richard Pryor’s son Richard Pryor Jr, co-director and executive producer Mario Diaz, co-director and executive producer Jessica Sherif, and executive producer Loren Hammonds.
Supreme Team (SHOWTIME) – World Premiere. Directed by Nasir “Nas” Jones and Peter J Scalettar, Supreme Team is a three-part limited docuseries that takes an in-depth look at the notorious Queens, New York gang, and tells the real story from the mouths of its two leaders and family members, Kenneth “Supreme” McGriff and Gerald “Prince” Miller.
After the Screening: A conversation with co-directors Nasir (Nas) Jones and Peter J. Scalettar.
Victoria’s Secret: Angels and Demons (Hulu) – New Series World Premiere. Investigated with journalistic rigor, Matt Tyrnauer directs this searing and provocative exposé of the Victoria’s Secret brand as well as their then CEO, the larger-than-life, enigmatic billionaire, Les Wexner. Truth is not what it seems; as the underworld of fashion, the billionaire class, and Jeffrey Epstein are revealed to all be inextricably intertwined with the fall of this legendary brand. Directed by Matt Tyrnauer. Produced by Corey Reeser.
After the Screening: A conversation with director Matt Tyrnauer.
NOW (Indie Episodic)
NOW Showcase A (Narrative)
“The Green Veil”
The Green Veil, Created by Aram Rappaport (United States) – Episodes 1 & 2 (World Premiere). The story follows Gordon Rogers (John Leguizamo), a federal agent working tirelessly to complete a secretive mission while holding his fracturing family together in picture-perfect post-WWII suburbia.
My Trip to Spain, Created by Theda Hammel (United States) – Episode 1 (New York Premiere). Two friends (Theda Hammel and John Early) reunite one year into the pandemic, as one prepares to get a surgery she hopes will change her life for the better.
Teddy Bear, Created by Sara Shelton, Jed Cohen (United States) – Episode 1 (World Premiere). Best friends Pete and Annie reluctantly head out to a bar to attend a friend’s show. Despite promising each other they’ll leave early, their nights both take a turn when they meet two strangers.
Off Fairfax, Created by Rell Battle and Directed by Erica Eng (United States) – Episode 1 (World Premiere). Quinn Park, still reeling from the sudden disappearance of his Black activist mother 20 years earlier, has dedicated his life to solving local mysteries in his LA neighborhood. Quinn is accompanied by his two best friends to a diner on Fairfax Avenue on his latest hunt to solve the murder of a popular musician, which, as by a twist of fate, ends up shedding light on Quinn’s mother’s disappearance.
NOW Showcase B (Documentary)
“Cannabis Buyers Club”
Cannabis Buyers Club, Created by Kip Andersen and Chris O’Connell (United States) – Episode 1 (World Premiere). Cannabis Buyers Club is the little-known story of the legalization of marijuana in the U.S. and also the most important LGBTQ+ rights struggle of the 20th century. It’s about how a neglected group suffering during the peak of the AIDS pandemic was led by renegade pot dealer, Dennis Peron. Peron fought to legalize medical marijuana and change public opinion in the face of oppression by the police and the right-wing California government.
Year Zero, Created by Zein Zubi, Billy Silva, Pol Rodriguez, Guille Isa (Chile, India, Peru, United States) – Episode 1 (World Premiere). From Executive Producer, Academy Award-winner Kathryn Bigelow comes Year Zero, a three-part documentary series that takes us back to early 2020 and explores the individual experiences of wildly different people around the world and the unexpected connections between them. Filmed by ten filmmakers in ten countries, the series shines a light on the resiliency of the human spirit, all the while, moving the conversation forward by asking, “Where do we go from here?”
AUDIO STORYTELLING
“Oprahdemics”
Special Events:
USG Audio’s The End Up – World Premiere. This cinematic audio series by USG Audio, executive produced by award-winning producer Sam Esmail, takes place in a tilted near-future where terminal cancer patients who wish to end their suffering must attend a weeklong boot camp. Two best friends wrestle with their goodbye after one enrolls in the program and the other grows skeptical. The series stars Himesh Patel, John Reynolds, Merritt Wever, and Marianne Jean-Baptiste.
After the Premiere: A conversation with the cast and creators, moderated by Scott Adsit.
Radiotopia Presents: My Mother Made Me – World Premiere. My Mother Made Me explores the relationship between New York Times best-selling author Jason Reynolds and his mother, Isabell. Through informal interviews and intimate conversation, they wax poetic about what Reynolds was taught as a child as it pertains to ideas around ambition, family, and purpose and how those teachings have evolved with the changing tides of their lives. It’s a love letter to their connection, an homage to parent-child friendship, and a testament to how growth can be perpetual, despite age or circumstance. Reynolds is also the recipient of a Newbery Honor, an NAACP Image Award, and multiple Coretta Scott King honors.
After the Premiere: This special event will feature Reynolds in conversation with “Radiolab” creator and audio trailblazer Jad Abumrad.
Lauren Shippen’s Mirage Diner – World Premiere. Join us for the world premiere of this supernatural audio dramedy about a diner that travels through time and space in twentieth-century America. The series follows the workers of the diner and a revolving cast of patrons against the sonic backdrop of surrealist Americana and will be the first weekly fiction show from Atypical Artists.
After the Premiere: A discussion with Lauren Shippen and cast moderated by Welcome to Nightvale’s Dylan Marron.
Spotify – Gimlet’s Stolen – In season one, Connie examined the unsolved disappearance of Jermain Charlo, a 23-year-old Indigenous mother from the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, who went missing in Missoula, Montana, in 2018. In season two of Stolen, Connie Walker digs deep into her own past to uncover how her family’s story fits into one of Canada’s darkest chapters: the Indigenous residential school system.
After the Episode Sneak Peek: A conversation with Connie Walker moderated by Ryan McMahon.
Live from Tribeca: Radiotopia’s Oprahdemics – Kellie Carter Jackson and Leah Wright Riguer are historians, best friends, and Oprah obsessives. In this podcast, they go through their picks for the most iconic episodes from the decades-long run of the Oprah Winfrey Show. From book club controversies to diet fads and wars with the meat industry, conversations about police brutality and sexuality… and of course big giveaways…
This is a live taping with hosts Kellie Carter Jackson and Leah Wright Riguer with special guest The New York Times’s Wesley Morris.
Audible’s The Big Lie – World Premiere. The Big Lie tells the incredible true story behind Salt of the Earth, a 1950s pro-union film that suffered a conspiracy of active sabotage efforts from the US Government, the Hollywood Studio System, and Howard Hughes during the “Red Scare.” Created by John Mankiewicz and produced in collaboration with Fresh Produce. Starring Jon Hamm, Ana de la Reguera, John Slattery, Kate Mara, and a full cast.
After the Premiere: A conversation with John Mankiewicz and select cast members.
Spotify’s Gay Pride & Prejudice – A modern podcast adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice from Gimlet. When same-sex marriage finally becomes legal, Bennet struggles to find belonging when his chosen family suddenly begins coupling off and settling down.
After the Episode: A presentation and discussion with creators Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Vella Lovell, Maulik Pancholy, Blake Lee, Ronald Peet, Justin Mitika, moderated by Mimi O’Donnell.
Official Selections:
The following titles will be eligible for the juried Audio Storytelling Fiction Award and the Audio Storytelling Narrative Nonfiction Award. The juries will include:
Nonfiction Jane Coaston (The New York Times’s “The Argument”) Manoush Zomorodi (NPR’s “TED Radio Hour”) Anna Sale (WNYC’s “Death, Sex & Money”) Rachel Ghiazza (Audible) Josh Dean (Campside Media’s “Hooked”)
Divine Intervention – Fifty years ago, a ragtag band of radical nuns in combat boots, wild-haired priests, and their madcap friends swiftly became accomplished cat-burglars in an effort to sabotage the war in Vietnam. They picked locks, scaled walls, and broke into federal buildings, pilfering the files of the young men about to be sent into combat. Many went to jail, some betrayed their friends, and others fell in love. Two were my parents.
I Was Never There – Take a trip into the countercultural movements swirling through West Virginia in the 1970s and 80s. In this series from Wonder Media Network, Jamie Zelermyer and her mother Karen investigate the shocking disappearance of their friend Marsha “Mudd” Ferber and explore Marsha’s evolution from suburban housewife to back-to-the-land hippie to the drug-dealing bar owner. Now the same age as Marsha when she vanished, Jamie reflects on her nontraditional upbringing and Karen examines the parallels between her choices and Marsha’s.
Mother Country Radicals – Zayd Ayers Dohrn was born underground – when his family was on the run from the FBI. Now Zayd takes us back to the 1970s when his parents and their friends declared war on the United States government. They brawled with riot cops on the streets of Chicago, bombed the Pentagon, broke comrades out of prison, and teamed up with Black militant groups to rob banks, fight racism – and help build a revolution. A new podcast from Crooked Media, produced in partnership with Audacy.
Radiotopia Presents: My Mother Made Me – My Mother Made Me explores the relationship between writer Jason Reynolds and his mother, Isabell. Through informal interviews and intimate conversations, they wax poetic about what Reynolds was taught as a child as it pertains to ideas around ambition, family, and purpose and how those teachings have evolved with the changing tides of their lives. It’s a love letter to their connection, an homage to parent-child friendship, and a testament to how growth can be perpetual, despite age or circumstance.
Once Removed – When he learns about a gay relative who was lost to AIDS in 1993, playwright Paul Kruse goes on a journey of discovery about the Queer history of his family. Initially for live performance, Once Removed was produced by Hatch Arts Collective under the direction of Adil Mansoor with sound design, editing, and original music by Aaron Landgraf.
FICTION
“Conference Call”
Modes of Thought in Anterran Literature – Second Year Classics, C667, Professor [REDACTED]. This course discusses the Anterran Civilization, examining the available evidence regarding all aspects of the culture. The recent archeological discovery uncovered at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean will be explored to provide opportunities for analysis of the writings of the earliest human society, [REDACTED] years older than previously known to exist. Topics include literature, religion, and philosophy. Wednesdays, Room 014 Brussels Hall, Harbridge University.
Conference Call – Join Julie Burke as she partners with eccentric entrepreneurs “The Toade Bros.” Julie patiently helps the Toades desperately pitch their half-baked ideas to a string of bewildered investors. Pouring over hours of cringe-worthy recorded phone calls from this oddball tech company, our (fake) investigative podcaster, Charlotte Dunn, delivers a story of incompetence, fraud, and betrayal. After the Toades manage to do the unthinkable, Julie is left with no choice but to take action.
Day By Day – Cody, a bitcoin trader with an opioid habit, is mandated to a therapeutic community after a suicide attempt. He joins a motley group of addicts in recovery; Vaughn, a crackhead bank robber, Ricky, who wants to give up hustling, Art, a country-western lesbian who identifies as one of the men, and Felipe, a salsa musician and heroin addict who is having an affair with the counselor’s secretary. Gabrielle, the controlling counselor who oversees the group, is hiding secrets of her own.
The Hollowed Out – Jesse, a journalist, returns to her hometown to investigate an accident involving a friend. While she’s there, she exposes double lives, fractured relationships, and rumors of missing kids with special powers. A chemical spill in a neighborhood called ‘The Hollowed Out’ has caused strange illnesses amongst the survivors. Children have been taken for testing and never returned home. Jesse learns that the missing kids from the Hollowed Out can move things with their minds. The chemicals company wants to weaponize their gifts. Jesse works to bring the kids home.
Vapor Trail – At a chance meeting at the farmers market, two strangers find a connection rooted in their own unspeakable tragedies. The evening they spend together becomes an encounter they can’t forget. A meditation on grief and finding connection in surprising places.
In addition to Festival Laurels, winners in the Narrative Fiction and Nonfiction categories will receive artwork by a comic illustrator and cover artist from AWA (Artists, Writers & Artisans).
About the Tribeca Festival The Tribeca Festival brings artists 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. Tribeca champions emerging and established voices; discovers award-winning filmmakers and creators; curates innovative experiences; and introduces new technology and ideas through premieres, exhibitions, talks, and live performances.
The Festival was founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff in 2001 to spur the economic and cultural revitalization of lower Manhattan following the attacks on the World Trade Center. Tribeca will celebrate its 21st year from June 8–19, 2022.
In 2019, James Murdoch’s Lupa Systems, a private investment company with locations in New York and Mumbai, bought a majority stake in Tribeca Enterprises, bringing together Rosenthal, De Niro, and Murdoch to grow the enterprise.
About the 2022 Tribeca Festival Partners The 2022 Tribeca Festival is supported by our partners: AT&T, Audible, Bayer’s One a Day, Bloomberg Philanthropies, CHANEL, City National Bank, Diageo, DoorDash, Indeed, Meta, NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, and Spring Studios New York.
Culture Representation: Taking place primarily in Los Angeles and Mallorca, Spain, the action comedy “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” features a cast of white and Latino characters (with a few African Americans) representing the working-class, middle-class and wealthy.
Culture Clash: Desperate for money, famous actor Nick Cage agrees to a $1 million fee to appear at a wealthy superfan’s birthday party in Mallorca, where he reluctantly gets in the middle of an international espionage case.
Culture Audience: “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” will appeal primarily to fans of star Nicolas Cage and comedies that are satires of real people.
Nicolas Cage, Lily Sheen and Sharon Horgan in “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” (Photo by Katalin Vermes/Lionsgate)
It’s not the comedy masterpiece that some people have been hyping it up to be, but “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” has plenty of hilarious moments in spoofing Nicolas Cage’s public persona and action films. The movie has some genuinely inspired scenes before the film’s last 20 minutes devolve into stereotypical formulas seen in many other comedic spy capers. “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” is also an above-average buddy comedy, with touches of family sentimentality to balance out some of the wackiness.
Tom Gormican directed “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” from a screenplay that he co-wrote with Kevin Etten. It’s Gormican’s second feature film, after he made his feature-film directorial debut with the forgettable 2014 male-friendship comedy “That Awkward Moment.” Gormican’s background is mainly as a TV writer/producer, with credits that include “Scrubs,” “Desperate Housewives” and “Ed.” At times, “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” veers into stale TV sitcom territory, but the movie has enough originality and charm to rise above its repetitive clichés. “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” has its world premiere at the 2022 South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival in Austin, Texas.
Cage has said in interviews that he initially rejected the idea of doing this movie. It’s a good thing that he changed his mind, because “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” is easily one of the funniest comedy films that Cage has done in decades. In the movie, he plays two versions of himself: (1) main character Nick Cage, a present-day version of himself, and (2) Nicky Cage, a younger, brasher version of Cage, circa the late 1980s/early 1990s. (According to the movie’s production notes, Nicky’s physical appearance was inspired by how the real Cage looked in his 1990 movie “Wild at Heart.”)
Nicky has de-aging visual effects for his face, and he appears to Nick as a figment of Nick’s imagination, in moments when Nick is feeling insecure. Nicky’s blunt and sometimes crude conversations with Nick (which are either pep talks, insults or both) are among the more memorable parts of the movie. Nicky has a habit of yelling out “I’m Nick fucking Cage!,” in an elongated way, as if he’s a WWE announcer yelling, “Let’s get ready to rumble!” before a wrestling match. In the film’s end credits, the actor listed as portraying Nicky is Nicolas Kim Coppola, which is a cheeky nod to Cage’s birth surname Coppola. (Numerous movie fans already know that Cage is part of the famous Coppola movie family.)
In the beginning of “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent,” Nick is a world-famous actor in Los Angeles, but he’s currently not getting the acting roles that he wants. Nick has been struggling with being labeled a “has-been” who’s been doing a lot of low-budget, low-quality movies in recent years. (Real-life filmmaker David Gordon Green has a cameo as himself in an early scene in the movie where Nick tries to impress him with an impromptu monologue reading.)
When Nicky shows up and talks to Nick, it’s usually to remind Nick that his younger self would never have stooped to the level of the type of work that Nick is doing now. In one of the movie’s early scenes, Nicky is lecturing Nick about it during a drive in Nick’s car, with Nick driving. A defensive Nick snaps back: “Hello! It’s my job! It’s how I pay my bills. I have to feed my family.” Nick ends the conversation by telling Nicky, “You’re annoying!” And then Nick kicks Nicky out of the car.
Nick’s fast-talking agent Richard Fink (played by Neil Patrick Harris, in a cameo role) tells Nick about a job offer from a Nick Cage superfan in Mallorca, Spain. This wealthy fan wants to pay Nick $1 million to make a personal appearance at the fan’s birthday party. Nick says no to the idea, because he thinks that these types of personal appearances are beneath him as a “serious actor.”
However, because Nick gets rejected for a movie role that he had been counting on getting, and because he has high-priced divorce payments and other bills, a financially desperate Nick agrees to the birthday party job offer. Nick makes it clear to Richard that this personal appearance better not include anything involving kinky sex. Nick has no idea that what he thinks will be an easy gig will turn out to be a life-threatening, mind-bending experience for him and other people.
Nick isn’t just having problems in his career. His personal life is also messy. Nick has a tension-filled relationship with his ex-wife Olivia (played by Sharon Horgan), a former makeup artist whom he met on the set of his 2001 movie “Captain Corelli’s Mandolin.” It’s revealed in “The Unbearable Wright of Massive Talent” that one of the main reasons why they divorced was because Olivia thought that Nick put his career above everything else in his life.
Nick and Olivia have a daughter named Addy (played by Lily Sheen), who’s about 15 or 16 years old. Addy is usually annoyed with Nick because she thinks he forces her to do things (such as watch movies) that are according to what he wants to do and his personal tastes, without taking into consideration Addy’s own personal wants and needs. For example, Nick has insisted that Addy watch the 1920 horror film “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari,” even though Addy has no interest in seeing this movie.
Addy also thinks Nick has been a neglectful father for most of her life. That’s why Nick and Addy are in therapy together. But as an example of Nick’s self-centered ways, a therapy session that’s shown in the movie reveals that Nick spends most of the time talking about himself, while Addy sulks in a corner on a couch. Their therapist named Cheryl (played by Joanna Bobin) has to listen to Nick ramble on about his career problems, while she tries to steer the conversation back to how to improve his personal relationships.
Nick is so financially broke, he doesn’t have a permanent home, and he’s living at a hotel. When he gets locked out of his hotel room due to non-payment, he calls his agent Richard to tell him that he’s taking the birthday party job. A self-pitying Nick also tells Richard that he’s going to quit being an actor. On his way to Mallorca, Nick has no idea that he’s gotten on the radar of the CIA, which has been tracking the activities of the fan who has hired Nick to be at the fan’s birthday party. The CIA has this superfan under investigation for being the leader of a ruthless international arms cartel.
Two CIA operatives who have been assigned to the case are named Vivian (played by Tiffany Haddish) and Martin (played by Ike Barinholtz), who are surprised and confused when they see Nick disembarking from the private plane that the superfan has chartered for this trip. Vivian, who has a take-charge and quick-thinking personality, immediately pretends to be an adoring Nick Cage fan, and stops him at the airport to take a selfie photo with him. It’s really a ruse to plant a tracking device on Nick. Vivian and Martin are generic and underwritten roles, so Haddish and Barinholtz don’t do much that’s noteworthy in the movie.
In Mallorca, Nick is taken to a lavish cliffside mansion, where he is greeted by several employees of this rich superfan, who is described as a mogul in the olive grove business. The fan’s name is Javi Gutierrez (played by Pasco Pascal), and he is so unassuming on first impression, Nick initially mistakes Javi for one of the servants, because Javi was the one who drove Nick to this mansion by speedboat. The two people in Javi’s inner circle who are the closest to him are his cousin/right-hand man Lucas Gutierrez (played by Paco León) and a savvy business person named Gabriela (played by Alessandra Mastronardi), nicknamed Gabi, who is Javi’s director of operations.
Nick soon finds out that Javi didn’t just invite him to make an appearance at Javi’s birthday party. Javi has written a movie screenplay, and he wants Nick to star in this movie. Javi is crushed when Nick tells him that he’s going to quit acting, so Javi desperately tries to get Nick to change his mind One of the running gags in “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” is how Nick reacts to Javi’s attempts to befriend Nick and get Nick to read his script. It should come as no surprise that Javi makes revisions to the screenplay, based on a lot of the shenanigans that he experiences with Nick.
As shown in the movie’s trailer, Vivian and Martin recruit/pressure Nick to spy on Javi for the CIA. Meanwhile, things get more complicated with the kidnapping of Maria Delgado (played by Katrin Vankova), a teenage daughter of a politician who’s running for a high office in Spain. There are entanglements with a thug named Carlos (played by Jacob Scipio) and a group called the Carabello crime family. And it should come as no surprise that Addy and Olivia somehow get mixed up in this mess too.
Along the way, there’s some drug-fueled comedy that’s intended to make the most of Cage’s slapstick skills. First, Nick accidentally drugs himself with a potentially lethal dose of gaseous poison. Later, Nick and Javi take LSD together and have a bonding experience where they go through various levels of elation and paranoia.
Nick and Javi’s budding friendship is at the heart of the movie. However, there are also some standout moments involving Nicky, Olivia and Addy and how their relationships to Nick end up evolving. (Nicky spontaneously does something outrageous, when he kisses Nick, in a scene that will have viewers either shocked, roaring with laughter or both.)
Pascal is pitch-perfect in his role as Javi, who might or might not be the movie’s biggest villain. When secrets are revealed, they’re not too surprising, but one of the best things about “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” is that it doesn’t make Javi into a meaningless caricature. Even though Cage is the larger-than-life central character in the movie, Pascal holds his own and can be considered a scene-stealer.
“The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” has the expected stream of jokes about previous real-life movies of Cage. Among those that get name-checked or parodied include “Con Air,” “Face/Off,” “Moonstruck,” “Valley Girl,” “The Croods: A New Age,” “Gone in 60 Seconds,” “The Rock,” “Leaving Las Vegas,” “National Treasure” and “Guarding Tess.” Also in “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” is a recurring joke about the animated film “Paddington 2” (which is not one of Cage’s movies) and how this family film sequel about a talking bear affects certain people who watch it.
Cage is a versatile actor who tackles his role in “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” with gusto. (He’s also one of the movie’s producers.) Cage makes this movie work so well because he’s fully on board with laughing at himself. Not too many well-known actors would risk doing a movie where they have to poke fun at their triumphs and failures, but it’s precisely this risk-taking that has made Cage one of the most interesting and unpredictable actors of his generation. “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” does indeed have massive talent, but this talent helps the movie soar instead of sink.
Lionsgate will release “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” in U.S. cinemas on April 22, 2022. The movie is set for release on digital and VOD on June 7, 2022, and on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray on June 21, 2022.
Ray Romano and Laurie Metcalf in “Somewhere in Queens”
The following is a press release from the Tribeca Film Festival:
The 2022 Tribeca Festival™ today announced its lineup of feature and short narrative, documentary, and animated films. This year’s festival takes place from June 8-19 and spotlights everything from breakout independent shorts to renowned global features.
The features program spans ten categories – narrative competitions, topical documentaries, anticipated new films – and showcases 111 feature films and 16 online premieres from 151 filmmakers across 40 countries. The lineup includes 88 world premieres, 2 international premieres, 7 North American premieres, 2 U.S. premieres, and 11 New York premieres. There are 32 directors returning to Tribeca with their latest projects, and 50 first-time directors. More than 64% (81) of the feature films are directed by female, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ filmmakers — 46% (58) female directors, 34% (43) BIPOC directors, 8% (10) LGBTQ+ directors.
The Festival’s selection of world premieres includes Corner Office, starring Jon Hamm and Danny Pudi and Somewhere in Queens, directed by Ray Romano and co-starring Laurie Metcalf, Tony Lo Bianco, Sebastian Maniscalco, and Jennifer Esposito. Additional films include American Dreamer, with Peter Dinklage, Shirley MacLaine, Matt Dillon, and Danny Glover; The Cave of Adullam, produced by Laurence Fishburne; Beauty, written by Lena Waithe; Jerry & Marge Go Large by David Frankel and starring Bryan Cranston, Annette Bening, and Rainn Wilson; Aisha with Letitia Wright; Alone Together, directed, written, and starring Katie Holmes alongside Jim Sturgess, Zosia Mamet, and Melissa Leo; My Name Is Andrea with Ashley Judd; Space Oddity, directed by Kyra Sedgwick; Acidman with Thomas Haden Church and Dianna Agron; and The Integrity of Joseph Chambers with Clayne Crawford, Jordana Brewster, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan; among many others.
This year, Tribeca also presents a series of exciting live conversations and performances. Grammy Award-winning rapper Lil Baby will perform following the world premiere of Untrapped: The Story of Lil Baby; Colson Baker (AKA Machine Gun Kelly) will make a special appearance after Taurus; and Of Monsters and Men will perform after TÍU. And, among many special appearances and conversations, the Festival will also host members of the WNBA’s New York Liberty squad following the premiere of Unfinished Business; LeVar Burton will speak on the importance of children’s literacy after Butterfly in the Sky; and tennis legend John McEnroe will sit down for a discussion after the world premiere of McEnroe.
The Festival closes on June 18 with the world premiere of the documentary Loudmouth, written and directed by Josh Alexander. The Reverend Al Sharpton, who has been at the center of the national conversation around race since the late 1980s, and who is the blazing subject of this extraordinary film, will participate in a conversation following the screening.
“This 2022 feature film program leaves us proud and humbled by the boundless ingenuity and passion of our indefatigable filmmaking community,” said Festival Director and VP of Programming Cara Cusumano. “Whether a comedic breath of fresh air or a trenchant expose of the most urgent contemporary issues, this year’s official selections again remind us of the vitality and urgency of independent film in a world that needs it more than ever.”
As previously announced, the Festival kicks off on June 8 with the world premiere of HALFTIME, a Netflix documentary by director and Tribeca alum Amanda Micheli that follows global superstar Jennifer Lopez, as she reflects on her milestones and evolution as an artist, and navigates the second half of her career. Other documentaries include the world premieres of After Selma, directed by Sam Pollard, and Geeta Gandbhir; All Man: The International Male Story narrated by Matt Bomer; Angelheaded Hipster: The Songs of Marc Bolan & T. Rex, a musical documentary celebrating the life and work of glam rock pioneer Marc Bolan featuring U2, Joan Jett with Ringo Starr, Nick Cave, Hal Willner, and David Bowie; Body Parts featuring Jane Fonda and Rose McGowan; It Ain’t Over, about the life and times of Yankee Yogi Berra with Joe Torre, Derek Jeter, Don Mattingly, Bob Costas, Vin Scully, and Billy Crystal; The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks; Rudy! A Documusical, the definitive Rudy Giuliani documentary; Turn Every Page – The Adventures of Robert Caro and Robert Gottlieb, directed by Lizzie Gottlieb with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Robert Caro, Robert Gottlieb, Ethan Hawke, Conan O’Brien, David Remnick, Bill Clinton, and Majora Carter; The Wild One narrated by Willem Dafoe; The YouTube Effect directed and written by Alex Winter; and more.
This year’s shorts program, in partnership with Meta, includes 43 shorts in competition, 10 music videos, 9 Tribeca Online Premieres, and 18 special screening shorts from 25 countries worldwide. Recipients of the Tribeca Festival awards for Best Narrative Short, Best Documentary Short, and Best Animated Short qualify for consideration in the Academy Awards’ Short Films category, provided the film complies with Academy rules. Tribeca also grants a Student Visionary Award to a rising filmmaker with emerging talent and potential. The shorts will be presented in 9 distinct thematic programs.
“Tribeca received a record number of more than 7,200 shorts submissions,” said Tribeca Vice President of Filmmaker Relations and Shorts Programming Sharon Badal. “We’re excited to have music videos in our programming, and curated a crazy late-night program — one about love in all shapes and sizes, and a peaceful program where our audience can just escape and chill out. Each year my co-programmer Ben Thompson and I try to do something different, and this year is no exception.”
Additionally, the ‘Tribeca at Home’ platform will allow U.S. audiences to enjoy an array of thought-provoking and compelling narrative, documentary, and short films, online from June 9 through June 26.
The Tribeca Festival is curated by Festival Director and VP of Programming Cara Cusumano, Artistic Director Frédéric Boyer; VP of Filmmaker Relations & Shorts Programming Sharon Badal and Head Shorts Programmer Ben Thompson; Senior Programmers Liza Domnitz and Lucy Mukerjee; Programmers José F. Rodriguez and Karen McMullen; VP of Games and Immersive Casey Baltes and Immersive Curator Ana Brzezinska; Curator of Audio Storytelling Davy Gardner; Music Programmer Vincent Cassous; and program advisor Paula Weinstein, along with a team of associate programmers.
The full feature and short film line-up is detailed below. For more updates on the complete list of programming for the 2022 Tribeca Festival in the coming weeks, follow @Tribeca and #Tribeca2022 on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and at tribecafilm.com/festival to this: The full feature and short film line-up is detailed below. For more updates on the complete list of programming for the 2022 Tribeca Festival in the coming weeks, follow @Tribeca and #Tribeca2022 on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and at tribecafilm.com/festival.
2022 FEATURE FILM SELECTIONS
OPENING NIGHT
Jennifer Lopez in “Halftime” (Photo courtesy of Netflix)
HALFTIME, (United States) – World Premiere. A new Netflix documentary film that follows global superstar Jennifer Lopez, as she reflects on her milestones and evolution as an artist, and navigates the second half of her career continuing to entertain, empower, and inspire. HALFTIME offers an intimate peek behind the curtain revealing the grit and determination that makes Jennifer Lopez the icon she is, from her performances onscreen and on stages around the world, to her Super Bowl Halftime show, to the recent Presidential inauguration. The documentary focuses on an international superstar who has inspired people for decades with her perseverance, creative brilliance, and cultural contributions. And it’s only the beginning. HALFTIME serves as the kickoff to the second half of Lopez’s life, as she lays bare her evolution as a Latina, a mother, and an artist, taking agency in her career and using her voice for a greater purpose. Directed by Amanda Micheli.
CLOSING NIGHT
Al Sharpton in “Loudmouth”
Loudmouth, (United States) – World Premiere. Since bursting into the headlines in New York City in the late 1980s, preacher and activist Reverend Al Sharpton has been at the center of the national conversation around race. In the aftermath of George Floyd’s horrific murder in 2020, the veteran civil rights leader has further expanded the reach of his powerful bullhorn against America’s deafening complacency in the fight against racial injustice — amplifying the ugly truths about the ongoing impact of structural racism on this nation many would prefer to ignore. Rabble-rouser or activist? Opportunist or trailblazer? With never-before-seen archival footage and unprecedented access, Loudmouth puts a disruptive spotlight on the pastoral prodigy turned political firebrand turned media establishment figure. Written, directed, and produced by Josh Alexander. Produced by Daniel J. Chalfen, Mike Jackson, and Kedar Massenburg.
U.S. NARRATIVE COMPETITION
Tribeca’s U.S. Narrative Competition showcases extraordinary world premieres that will vie for the Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature, and the Awards for Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Performance.
“Allswell” (Photo by Oren Soffer)
Allswell, (United States) – World Premiere. Three Nuyorican sisters navigate the daunting life challenges of single motherhood, career, and family, all while finding humor and solace within the bonds of sisterhood in this absorbing dramedy. Directed and written by Ben Snyder, and written by Elizabeth Rodriguez. Produced by Gia Walsh, Elizabeth Rodriguez, Vince Jolivette, Ben Snyder, Ari Issler, Paul Jarrett, Kara Baker. With Elizabeth Rodriguez, Liza Colon-Zayas, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Felix Solis, Max Cassella, Michael Rispoli, Shirley Rodriguez, MacKenzie Lansing, and J. Cameron Barnett.
The Drop, (United States, Mexico) – World Premiere. In this clever cringe comedy, a seemingly happy married couple confronts a test of their marriage when one of them drops a baby while at a destination wedding at a tropical island. Directed by Sarah Adina Smith. Written by Sarah Adina Smith, Joshua Leonard. Produced by Jonako Donley, Mel Eslyn, Sarah Adina Smith, Joshua Leonard, Shuli Harel, Tim Headington, Lia Buman. With Anna Konkle, Jermaine Fowler, Jillian Bell.
Four Samosas, (United States) – World Premiere. Determined to disrupt the wedding of his ex-girlfriend by bankrupting her family, underachieving, wanna-be rapper Vinny and his neighborhood pals concoct a plan to steal her family’s jewels from a supermarket safe. Directed and written by Ravi Kapoor. Produced by Ravi Kapoor, Venk Potula, Rajiv Maikhuri, Craig Stovel.
God’s Time, (United States) – World Premiere. A heart-racing, NYC-set dark comedy that sees two best bros in recovery for addiction trying to prevent the potential murder of their mutual crush’s ex-boyfriend. Directed and written by Daniel Antebi. Produced by Emily Korteweg, Andrew Hutcheson, Reid Hannaford. With Ben Groh, Dion Costelloe, Liz Caribel Sierra, Jared Abrahamson, Christiane Seidel.
Good Girl Jane, (United States) – World Premiere. Bullied out of private school and at odds with her divorced parents, lonely high schooler Jane spirals out of control after falling in with a hard-partying crowd and becoming smitten with a dangerously charismatic bad boy. Directed and written by Sarah Elizabeth Mintz. Produced by Fred Bernstein, Dominique Telson, Lauren Pratt, Sarah Elizabeth Mintz, Simone Williams. With Rain Spencer, Patrick Gibson, Andie MacDowell, Odessa A’Zion, Olan Prenatt, Eloisa Huggins.
The Integrity of Joseph Chambers, (United States) – World Premiere. In this stark and brooding psychological drama, a family man — hoping to prove his survivalist capabilities and manliness to his family — decides to irresponsibly head off into the woods and go deer hunting by himself. Directed and written by Robert Machoian. Produced by Clayne Crawford, Kiki Crawford, Robert Machoian. With Clayne Crawford, Jordana Brewster, Jeffrey Dean Morgan.
Next Exit, (United States) – World Premiere. In a world where ghosts are real and front-page news, a controversial new medical procedure allows people to peacefully kill themselves. In the midst of this breakthrough, two strangers travel cross country together to end their lives, only to unexpectedly find what they’ve been missing along the way. Directed and written by Mali Elfman. Produced by Derek Bishé, Narineh Hacopian. With Katie Parker, Rahul Kohli, Rose McIver, Karen Gillan, Tongayi Chirisa, Diva Zappa.
Three Headed Beast, (United States) – World Premiere. In this poetic exploration of love and suppressed communication, the foundation of a bisexual couple’s healthy open relationship starts to show its cracks. Directed and written by Fernando Andres, Tyler Rugh. Produced by Fernando Andrés, Lisa Freberg, Tyler Rugh. With Cody Shook, Jacob Schatz, Dani Hurtado, Daniel Abramson, Paul Grant, Sarah Bartholomew.
Wes Schlagenhauf Is Dying, (United States) – World Premiere. An irreverent and eccentric road trip comedy that celebrates DIY filmmaking and bromances, Wes Schlagenhauf Is Dying follows two filmmakers who set out to make their masterpiece while on a journey toward an estranged, purportedly languishing friend. Directed by Parker Seaman, written by Devin Das, Parker Seaman, produced by Devin Das, Trent Anderson, Adam Maffei, Parker Seaman. With Devin Das, Parker Seaman, Wes Schlagenhauf, Aparna Nancherla, D’Arcy Carden, Mark Duplass.
The Year Between, (United States) – World Premiere. Forced to return home from college after her erratic behavior alienates everyone around her, Clemence begrudgingly begins a new chapter in the suburbs, hell-bent on defying her mom, dad, younger siblings, therapist—and a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Directed and written by Alex Heller. Produced by Eugene Sun Park, Amanda P. Phillips, Sonya Lunsford, Rachel Gould, Caterin Camargo-Alvarez.
INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE COMPETITION
The New-York based Festival breaks its geographical boundaries with the International Narrative Competition, welcoming filmmakers from abroad to join a global platform for contemporary world cinema. These films will compete for Best Narrative Feature, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Performance.
“Blaze” (Photo courtesy of Causeway Films)
Blaze, (Australia) – World Premiere. After a young girl witnesses a violent crime, she summons an imaginary dragon to help process her anger and protect her on her journey into womanhood. Directed by Del Kathryn Barton. Written by Del Kathryn Barton, Huna Amweero. Produced by Samantha Jennings. With Julia Savage, Simon Baker, Yael Stone, Josh Lawson, Sofia Hampson.
January (Janvaris), (Latvia, Lithuania, Poland) – World Premiere. An aspiring filmmaker tries to search for who he is against the backdrop of Latvian independence in this dark but dreamy coming-of-age story. Directed by Viesturs Kairiss. Written by Viesturs Kairiss, Andris Feldmanis, Livia Ulman. Produced by Inese Boka-Grūbe, Gints Grūbe. With Kārlis Arnolds Avots, Alise Danovska, Sandis Runge, Baiba Broka, Aleksas Kazanavičius, Juhan Ulfsak. In Latvian, Lithuanian, Russian, with English subtitles.
Karaoke, (Israel) – World Premiere. A comedy about a married middle-class suburban couple in their 60s who are drawn to their new neighbor, a charismatic bachelor who has karaoke evenings at his apartment. Directed and written by Moshe Rosenthal. Produced by Efrat Cohen. With Sasson Gabay, Rita Shukrun, Lior Ashkenazi. In Hebrew with English subtitles.
A Matter Of Trust (Ingen Kender Dagen), (Denmark) – World Premiere. Five stories on interpersonal trust and unspoken truths intertwine in Annette K. Olesen’s artful, elliptical, and bittersweet relationship drama. Directed and written by Anette K Olesen. Produced by Jonas Frederiksen. With Trine Dyrholm, Jakob Cedergreen, Lisbet Dahl, Morten Hee Andersen. In Danish with English subtitles.
My Love Affair with Marriage, (United States, Latvia, Luxembourg) – World Premiere. Some people spend their lives wondering why a marriage didn’t last. Signe Baumane set out to get some answers. The result is this animated film, which combines ancient mythology and contemporary neuroscience. Directed and written by Signe Baumane. Produced by Sturgis Warner, Signe Baumane. With Dagmara Dominczyk, Michele Pawk, Matthew Modine, Cameron Monaghan, Ieva Katkovska, Kristine Pastare, Iluta Alsberga.
Pink Moon, (Italy, Netherlands, Slovenia) – World Premiere. An adult daughter kidnaps her father, whisking him away to a cabin in the snow, hoping to alter his unexpected announcement that he has had enough of life and will end it by his next birthday. Directed by Floor van der Meulen. Written by Bastiaan Kroeger. Produced by Derk-Jan Warrink and Koji Nelissen. With Julia Akkermans, Johan Leysen, Eelco Smits, Anniek Pheifer, Sinem Kavus.
Two Sisters and a Husband, (India) – World Premiere. Tara and Amrita are sisters. One is married to hotel manager Rajat, while the other is expecting his child. Set in the beautiful Himalayan foothills, this is a compelling drama about a thorny domestic arrangement. Directed by Shlok Sharma. Written by Shilpa Srivastava, Shlok Sharmaand. Produced by Navin Shetty, Shlok Sharma, Anurag Kashyap. With Avani Rai, Dinker Sharma, Manya Grover, Himanshu Kohli, Ashutosh Pathak. In Hindi with English subtitles.=
The Visitor, (Bolivia, Uruguay) – World Premiere. In the atmospheric and visually-compelling drama The Visitor, an ex-convict returns home in search of a new life and a chance to reconnect with his estranged young daughter, only to be met with resistance from his father-in-law – an influential pastor in the Evangelical community in town. Directed by Martín Boulocq. Written by Martín Boulocq, Rodrigo Hasbún. Produced by Andrea Camponovo, Alvaro Olmos. With Enrique Aráoz, César Troncoso, Mirella Pascual, Svet Ailyn Mena, Romel Vargas, Teresa Gutiérrez. In Spanish with English subtitles.
We Might As Well Be Dead (Wir könnten genauso gut tot sein), (Germany, Romania) – International Premiere. The disappearance of a dog and the sudden isolation of a security guard’s daughter start a bizarre chain of events in an apartment complex obsessed with keeping up appearances. Directed by Natalia Sinelnikova. Written by Natalia Sinelnikova, Viktor Gallandi. Produced by Julia Wagner. With Ioana Iacob, Pola Geiger, Jörg Schüttauf, Şiir Eloğlu, Moritz Jahn, Susanne Wuest, Knut Berger, Mina Özlem Sağdıç. In German, Polish with English subtitles.
Woman on the Roof, (Poland, France, Sweden) – World Premiere. One morning a 60-year-old midwife does something extremely unexpected, which breaks her family and life apart. Inspired by a true story, this is a complex character portrayal told with outstanding cinematic realism. Directed and written by Anna Jadowska. Produced by Maria Blicharska. With Dorota Pomykala, Bogdan Koca, Adam Bobik. In Polish with English subtitles.
DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
Over Tribeca’s 20-year history, the non-fiction film selections have exhibited work from emerging and renowned filmmakers, including future Academy Award® winners. This year’s films will compete for Best Documentary Feature, Best Cinematography, and Best Editing.
“An Act of Worship”
An Act of Worship, (United States) – World Premiere. An Act of Worship is Pakistani-American filmmaker Nausheen Dadabhoy’s lyrical portrait of the last 20 years of Muslim Life in America as told through the lens of Muslims living in the United States. In Arabic and English with English subtitles. Directed and written by Nausheen Dadabhoy. Produced by Sofian Khan, Kristi Jacobson, Heba Elorbany.
Battleground, (United States) – World Premiere. Heading distinctly different anti-choice organizations, three women lead the charge in their single-minded quest to overturn Roe v. Wade, as they face down forces equally determined to safeguard women’s access to safe and legal abortions. Directed by Cynthia Lowen. Written by Cynthia Lowen, Nancy Novack. Produced by Rebecca Stern, Cynthia Lowen. With Alexis McGill Johnson, Jenna King, Nancy Northup.
The Cave of Adullam, (United States) – World Premiere. Living by the mantra ‘it’s easier to raise boys than to repair broken men’, martial arts sensei Jason Wright tenderly guides his often-troubled young Detroit students with a beautifully effective blend of compassion and tough love. Directed by Laura Checkoway. Produced by Laurence Fishburne, Helen Sugland, Roy Bank, Joe Plummer, Laura Checkoway. With Jason Wilson, Kevin L. Collins Jr., Gabriel Davenport, Daniel White, Tamarkus Williams.
Hidden Letters, (China, Germany, Norway, United States) – World Premiere. In modern-day China, two women strive to preserve Nushu, an ancient secret language that bonded generations of Chinese women together through centuries of oppression in a clandestine support system of sisterhood and survival. Directed by Violet Du Feng. Written by Violet Du Feng, John Farbrother. Produced by Violet Du Feng, Mette Cheng Munthe-Kaas, Jean Tsien, Su Kim. With Xin Hu, Simu Wu, He Yanxin. In Chinese and Mandarin with English subtitles.
Katrina Babies, (United States) – World Premiere. Katrina Babies is a first-person account of the short-term and long-term devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina, as told by young people who were between the ages of 3 and 19 when the levees broke. Directed by Edward Buckles Jr. Written by Edward Buckles Jr., Luther Clement Lam, Audrey Rosenberg. Produced by Edward Buckles Jr., Audrey Rosenberg, Rebecca Teitel. With Miesha Williams, Cierra Chenier, Arnold Burks, Damaris Calliet, Calvin Baxter, Quintina Thomas Green. An HBO Documentary Films release.
Lakota Nation vs. United States, (United States) – World Premiere. Poet Layli Long Soldier crafts a searing portrait of her Oyate’s connection to the Black Hills, through first contact and broken treaties to the promise of the Land Back movement, in this lyrical testament to the resilience of a nation. Directed by Jesse Short Bull, Laura Tomaselli. Written by Layli Long Soldier. Produced by Benjamin Hedin. With Nick Tilsen, Phyllis Young, Candi Brings Plenty, Krystal Two Bulls, Nick Estes, Henry Red Cloud.
My Name Is Andrea, (United States) – World Premiere. A rousing portrait of feminist writer Andrea Dworkin, one of the most controversial and misunderstood figures of the 20th century, who fought passionately for justice and equality for women. Directed and written by Pratibha Parmar. Produced by Shaheen Haq. With Ashley Judd, Soko, Amandla Stenberg, Andrea Riseborough, Allen Leech, Christine Lahti.
Naked Gardens, (United States, France) – World Premiere. With a cheekily contemplative tone and an empathetic lens, Naked Gardens takes us inside an isolated nudist community in Florida – where residents find a place to feel accepted, deal with their past traumas and jointly pursue forming a utopian society. Directed by Ivete Lucas, Patrick Bresnan. Written by Ivete Lucas. Produced by Patrick Bresnan, Ivete Lucas, Tabs Breese, Julia Nottingham, Roberto Minervini, Denise Ping Lee. With Jeremy, McKayla, Jamie, Gretchen, Deedee, Serenity, Morley.
Sophia, (United States) – World Premiere. This stirring and visually-immersive documentary brings us inside the spirited pursuits of David Hanson – a restless inventor aiming to perfect the world’s most life-like A.I. With freewheeling energy and storytelling gusto, Kasbe’s & Moselle’s probing film masterfully ponders the future of artificial intelligence – and humanity’s shared need for connectedness. Directed by Jon Kasbe, Crystal Moselle. Written by Daniel Koehler. Produced by Bits Sola. With David Hanson. In Chinese, English with English subtitles. A Showtime Documentary Films release.
A Story Of Bones, (UK) – World Premiere. A Story of Bones chronicles Annina van Neel’s tireless work to reclaim and honor the neglected history of St. Helena after the remains of thousands of formerly enslaved Africans are uncovered on the remote island. Directed by Joseph Curran, Dominic Aubrey de Vere. Produced by Yvonne Ibazebo. With Annina Van Neel, Peggy King Jorde.
Subject, (United States) – World Premiere. Subject unpacks the ethics and responsibility inherent in documentary filmmaking by examining well-known documentaries of the past decade and revealing the impact their commercial success has had on the lives of the onscreen subjects. Directed by Jennifer Tiexiera, Camilla Hall. Produced by Camilla Hall, Jennifer Tiexiera, Joe Caterini. With Arthur Agee, Ahmed Hassan, Margie Ratliff, Michael Peterson, Mukunda Angulo, Jesse Friedman, Elaine Friedman, Lisa Walsh, Susanne Reisenbichler.
The Wild One, (France) – World Premiere. Jack Garfein — Holocaust survivor, theater and film director, key figure in the formation of the Actors Studio — vividly, animatedly, passionately recalls a life where historical tragedy and personal art formed a unique, driving, uncompromising vision. Directed, written, and produced by Tessa Louise-Salomé. With Jack Garfein, Willem Dafoe, Peter Bogdanovich, Irène Jacob, Boby Sotto, Dick Guttman, Blanche Baker, Patricia Bosworth, Foster Hirsch, Geoffrey Horne, Kate Rennebohm.
SPOTLIGHT NARRATIVE
Anticipated premieres from acclaimed filmmakers and performers are the focus of the Spotlight Narrative section which continues to be a launching pad for the most buzzworthy new films.
“Acidman”
Acidman, (United States) – World Premiere. After a decade apart, Maggie tracks down her elusive father. His fixation with UFOs has intensified over the years, which frustrates her attempts to communicate some big news. Directed by Alex Lehmann. Written by Alex Lehmann, Chris Dowling. Produced by Liz Cardenas, Alex Lehmann, Dianna Agron, Christian Agypt. With Thomas Haden Church, Dianna Agron, Sameerah Luqmaan-Harris.
Aisha, (Ireland) – World Premiere. Aisha, a young Nigerian woman seeking asylum in Ireland, is floundering in a maze of social services and bureaucracy. As her situation becomes increasingly dire, Aisha struggles to maintain hope and dignity against the looming threat of deportation. Directed and written by Frank Berry. Produced by Tristan Orpen Lynch, Donna Eperon, Aoife O’Sullivan, Sam Bisbee. With Letitia Wright, Josh O’Connor.
Alone Together, (United States) – World Premiere. Strangers June and Charlie have to learn to co-exist when they accidentally book the same Airbnb to get away from the pandemic. Alone Together is the ultimate New York lockdown love story. Directed and written by Katie Holmes. Produced by Yale Productions, Lafayette Pictures. With Katie Holmes, Jim Sturgess, Derek Luke, Becky Ann Baker, Zosia Mamet, Melissa Leo.
American Dreamer, (United States) – World Premiere. In this winsome comedy, an entitled Economics professor pursues a tactic to buy an ailing widow’s mansion for nothing – but he quickly realizes that his seemingly foolproof strategy won’t be as easy as he thought. Directed by Paul Dektor. Written by Theodore Melfi. Produced by Toyo Shimano, Emily Shimano, Theodore Melfi, Kimberly Quinn, Peter Dinklage, David Ginsberg, Paul Dektor. With Peter Dinklage, Shirley MacLaine, Matt Dillon, Danny Glover, Kimberly Quinn, Danny Pudi.
Beauty, (United States) – World Premiere. A gifted young Black woman struggles to maintain her voice and identity after she’s offered a lucrative recording contract. Directed by Andrew Dosunmu. Written by Lena Waithe. Produced by Lena Waithe, Michael Ellenberg, Rishi Rajani. With Niecy Nash, Aleyshe Shannon, Giancarlo Esposito, Gracie Marie Bradley, Kyle Bary, Michael Ward, Sharon Stone. A Netflix release.
Cha Cha Real Smooth, (United States) – New York Premiere. Fresh out of college and stuck at his New Jersey home without a clear path forward, 22-year-old Andrew begins working as a party starter on the local bar/bat mitzvah circuit, where he strikes up a unique friendship with a young mom and her teenage daughter. Directed and written by Cooper Raiff. Produced by Dakota Johnson, Ro Donnelly, Erik Feig, Jessica Switch, Cooper Raiff. With Dakota Johnson, Cooper Raiff, Vanessa Burghardt, Evan Assante, Brad Garrett, Leslie Mann. An Apple Original Films release.
Corner Office, (Canada) – World Premiere. In this office satire, Jon Hamm plays Orson, a straight-laced employee who retreats to a blissfully empty corner office to get away from his lackluster colleagues. But why does this seem to upset them so much? Directed by Joachim Back. Written by Ted Kupper. Produced by David Milchard. With Jon Hamm, Danny Pudi, Christopher Heyerdahl, Sarah Gadon.
Don’t Make Me Go, (United States) – World Premiere. This stirring drama stars a charming John Cho as a single father who takes his teenage daughter on a road trip to find her estranged mother. Directed by Hannah Marks. Written by Vera Herbert. Produced by Donald De Line, Leah Holzer, Peter Saraf. With John Cho, Mia Isaac, Mitchell Hope, Jemaine Clement, Stefania LaVie Owen, Kaya Scodelario. An Amazon Studios release.
The Forgiven, (UK) – US Premiere. A getaway for a couple visiting Morocco turns deadly after they accidentally kill a local boy, resulting in a volatile chain reaction of events throughout the villa they’re visiting. Directed and written by John Michael McDonagh. Produced by John Michael McDonagh, Elizabeth Eves, Trevor Matthews, Nick Gordon. With Ralph Fiennes, Jessica Chastain, Matt Smith, Saïd Taghmaoui, Caleb Landry Jones, Christopher Abbott. A Roadside Attractions release.
Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, (UK) – New York Premiere. Emma Thompson shines in this British comedy about the connection between Nancy, a conservative retired teacher, and Leo, a younger man she hires to help her experience an orgasm for the first time. Directed by Sophie Hyde. Written by Katy Brand. Produced by Debbie Gray, Adrian Politowski. With Emma Thompson, Daryl McCormack. A Searchlight Pictures release.
Jerry & Marge Go Large, (United States) – World Premiere. In this charming, feel-great comedy inspired by a true story, recent retirees Jerry and Marge discover a new sense of drive (and a whole bunch of money) when they find a legal loophole in the lottery system. Directed by David Frankel. With Bryan Cranston, Annette Bening, Rainn Wilson, Larry Wilmore. A Paramount+ Release.
Land of Dreams, (United States) – North American Premiere. A census taker acquires information about the dreams of Americans in this grounded science-fiction drama turned political satire. Directed by Shirin Neshat. Written by Jean-Claude Carrière, Shoja Azari. Produced by Sol Tryon, Amir Hamz, Christian Springer. With Sheila Vand, Matt Dillon, William Moseley, Isabella Rosselini, Joaquim De Almeida, Christopher McDonald, Anna Gunn. In English and Farsi with English subtitles.
Official Competition, (Spain, Argentina) – US Premiere. When a billionaire entrepreneur decides to get into the movie business, he commissions international auteur director Lola Cuevas, Hollywood heartthrob Felix Rivero, and titan of the stage Ivan Torres to collaborate on a cinematic masterpiece. But when these larger-than-life egos arrive for the shoot, they encounter an unexpected series of “rehearsals” set by Lola in this sharp showbiz satire. Directed by Mariano Cohn, Gastón Duprat. Written by Andrés Duprat, Mariano Cohn, Gastón Duprat. Produced by Jaume Roures. With Penélope Cruz, Antonio Banderas, Oscar Martínez. In Spanish with English subtitles. An IFC Films release.
Somewhere in Queens, (United States) – World Premiere. An Italian-American dad from Queens gets increasingly involved in ensuring his son’s high school basketball success in Ray Romano’s directorial debut. Directed by Ray Romano. Written by Ray Romano, Mark Stegemann. Produced by Albert Berger, Ron Yerxa, Ray Romano, Mark Stegemann. With Ray Romano, Laurie Metcalf, Tony Lo Bianco, Sebastian Maniscalco, Jennifer Esposito.
Space Oddity, (United States) – World Premiere. A space-obsessed man gets the opportunity of a lifetime thanks to a Mars colonization program but finds his plans compromised by his feelings for a woman who brings him down to Earth. Directed by Kyra Sedgwick. Written by Rebecca Banner. Produced by Valerie Stadler, Kyra Sedgwick, Meredith Bagby, Richard Arlook, Jack Greenbaum, Mark Maxey. With Kyle Allen, Alexandra Shipp, Madeline Brewer, Carrie Preston, Simon Helberg, Kevin Bacon.
There There, (United States) – World Premiere. Andrew Bujalski is back with a warped series of short scenes featuring two characters at a time that toy with our perceptions and expectations in an unhinged reality not far from our own. directed and written by Andrew Bujalski. Produced by Houston King, Dia Sokol Savage, Sam Bisbee. With Jason Schwartzman, Lili Taylor, Molly Gordon, Lennie James, Avi Nash, Annie LaGanga.
SPOTLIGHT DOCUMENTARY
Documentaries consistently make waves at Tribeca as notable filmmakers and major stories are represented in this section through high-profile premieres.
“After Selma: The Lowndes County Freedom Party”
After Selma: The Lowndes County Freedom Party, (United States) – World Premiere. Told by those who were on the frontlines in 1960s Georgia, After Selma recounts the courageous campaign of citizens and activists who faced violence and oppression in the struggle for the right to vote. Directed by Sam Pollard, Geeta Gandbhir. Produced by Jessica Devaney, Anya Rous, Dema Paxton Fofang.
All Man: The International Male Story, (United States) – World Premiere. A nostalgic and colorful peek behind the pages and personalities of International Male, one of the most ubiquitous and sought-after mail-order catalogs of the ‘80s and ‘90s. Directed by Bryan Darling, Jesse Finley Reed, written by Peter Jones, produced by Peter Jones, Bryan Darling, Jesse Finley Reed, Taylor Vracin-Harrell. With Carson Kressley, Matt Bomer.
American Pain, (United States) – World Premiere. American Pain tells the jaw-dropping story of twin brothers Chris and Jeff George who open up a chain of pain clinics in Florida where they hand out pain pills like candy. Directed by Darren Foster. Produced by Darren Foster, Julie Goldman, Christopher Clements, Carolyn Hepburn, Diane Becker. A CNN Films Release.
Angelheaded Hipster: The Songs of Marc Bolan & T. Rex, (United States) – World Premiere. A musical documentary celebrating the life and work of glam rock pioneer Marc Bolan, combined with a behind-the-scenes look at the tribute album of the same name. Directed and written by Ethan Silverman. Produced by Bill Curbishley. With Marc Bolan, Gloria Jones, Rolan Bolan, Ringo Starr, Nick Cave, Hal Willner, Joan Jett, David Bowie.
The Big Payback, (United States) – World Premiere. Funded by a tax on cannabis, Evanston, IL, earmarked $10 million to compensate descendants of enslaved Africans for 400 years of unpaid labor. Alderwoman Simmons leads her constituents through this historic campaign for reparations for the Black community. Directed by Erika Alexander, Whitney Dow. Produced by Ben Arnon, Xan Parker.
Body Parts, (United States) – World Premiere. An eye-opening investigation into the making of Hollywood sex scenes, shedding light on the real-life experiences behind classic scenes of cinema and tracing the legacy of exploitation of women in the entertainment industry. Directed by Kristy Guevara-Flanagan. Produced by Helen Hood Scheer. With Jane Fonda, Joey Soloway, Angela Robinson, Karyn Kusama, Rose McGowan, David Simon.
CIVIL, (United States) – World Premiere. An intimate yet expansive profile of Ben Crump, the lawyer dubbed “Black America’s attorney general.” Directed by Nadia Hallgren. Produced by Lauren Cioffi. A Netflix release.
Endangered, (Brazil, Mexico, United States) – World Premiere. With riveting access and kinetic visual flair, Endangered is a sobering look at the erosion of democracy & freedom of the press in the United States and abroad. Directed by Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady. Produced by Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady, Alex Takats. With Patrícia Campos Mello, Carl Juste, Sáshenka Gutiérrez, Oliver Laughland. In English, Portuguese, Spanish with English subtitles. An HBO Documentary Films release.
Fashion Reimagined, (United Kingdom, United States) – World Premiere. Fashion designer Amy Powney is at the peak of her career, but she’s troubled by her industry’s wasteful practices. Fashion Reimagined follows her transformative global journey to create a collection that’s sustainable on every level. Directed by Becky Hutner. Produced by Becky Hutner, Linsday Lowe, Andrea van Beuren. With Amy Powney, Chloe Marks.
It Ain’t Over, (United States) – World Premiere. The life and times of Yankee Yogi Berra, whose unique personality and unforgettable Yogi-isms sometimes got in the way of his being recognized as one of baseball’s very greatest catchers. Directed and written by Sean Mullin. Produced by Peter Sobiloff, Mike Sobiloff, Natalie Metzger, Matt Miller. With Joe Torre, Derek Jeter, Don Mattingly, Bob Costas, Vin Scully, Billy Crystal.
Leave No Trace, (United States) – World Premiere. In February 2022, The Boy Scouts Of America reached a $2.7 billion agreement over sex abuse claims, the largest such settlement in history. Leave No Trace explores how this all-American institution went so horrifyingly wrong. Directed by Irene Taylor. Produced by Nigel Jaquiss, Sara Bernstein, Justin Wilkes, Emily Singer Chapman. A Hulu release.
Lynch / Oz, (United States) – World Premiere. Victor Fleming’s 1939 film The Wizard of Oz is one of David Lynch’s most enduring obsessions. This new documentary goes over the rainbow to explore this Technicolor through-line in Lynch’s work. Directed and written by Alexandre O. Philippe. Produced by Kerry Deignan Roy. With Amy Nicholson, Rodney Ascher, John Waters, Karyn Kusama, Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead, David Lowery.
Nothing Compares, (Ireland, UK) – New York Premiere. Over the course of just six years, Sinead O’Connor went from an international superstar to a pariah. Nothing Compares tells the story of O’Connor’s life as a musician, mother, and iconoclast in her own words. Directed by Kathryn Ferguson. Produced by Eleanor Emptage, Michael Mallie. A Showtime Documentary Films release.
Of Medicine and Miracles, (United States) – World Premiere. This riveting documentary chronicles the monumental task of curing cancer, as seen through the harrowing experiences of one young girl, her family, and a doctor on a mission. Directed by Ross Kauffman. Produced by Robin Honan, Nicole Galovski.
On the Line: The Richard Williams Story, (United States) – World Premiere. Through exclusive interviews and home movies, this film follows the outspoken patriarch of the Williams family who beat impossible odds to help daughters Venus and Serena become two of the greatest athletes of our time. Directed by Stuart McClave. Produced by Chavoita LeSane, Brit Marling, Brenda Robinson, Duncan Montgomery, Gary Ousdahl, Jack Selby.
The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks, (United States) – World Premiere. Beyond her historic role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott, this comprehensive dive into Civil Rights icon Rosa Parks sheds light on her extensive organizing, radical politics, and lifelong dedication to activism. Directed by Johanna Hamilton, Yoruba Richen. Produced by Christalyn Hampton. A Peacock release.
Rudy! A Documusical, (United States) – World Premiere. The definitive Rudy Giuliani documentary, charting his fall from the cover of Time Magazine to the parking lot of Four Seasons Total Landscaping. Directed and written by Jed Rothstein. Produced by Ross M. Dinerstein, Sarit G. Work.
Turn Every Page – The Adventures of Robert Caro and Robert Gottlieb, (United States) – World Premiere. Delight in the fascinating, intersecting stories of the iconic Pulitzer Prize-winning author Robert Caro and his editor, the literary giant Robert Gottlieb, in this chronicle of a unique 50-year professional relationship. Directed by Lizzie Gottlieb. Produced by Joanne Nerenberg, Jen Small, Lizzie Gottlieb. With Robert Caro, Robert Gottlieb, Ethan Hawke, Conan O’Brien, David Remnick, Bill Clinton, Majora Carter.
The YouTube Effect, (United States, Brazil, Germany, India, Taiwan R.O.C., Chile) – World Premiere. YouTube has garnered over 2.3 billion users and is worth up to $300 billion dollars. At its center is its algorithm, something that threatens to destroy not only the platform, but the entire Internet. Directed and written by Alex Winter. Produced by Alex Winter, Gale Anne Hurd, Glen Zipper. With Caleb Cain, Steve Chen, Carrie Goldberg Loann, Ryan and Shion Kaji, Anthony Padilla, Andy Parker, Susan Wojcicki, Brianna Wu, Natalie Wynn.
VIEWPOINTS
Viewpoints, which includes narratives and documentaries, recognizes distinct voices in independent filmmaking by creating a home for bold directorial visions and embracing distinct characters and points of view.
“88”
88, (United States) – Feature Narrative, World Premiere. The Financial Director for a democratic super PAC behind a frontrunner presidential candidate investigates donations uncovering a conspiracy. Eromose returns to Tribeca after his acclaimed Legacy (2010) capturing the zeitgeist of government mistrust and institutional racism in a timely political thriller. Directed and written by Eromose. Produced by Hunter Arnold, Linda Rubin, Eromose, Brandon Victor Dixon, Warren Adams. With Brandon Victor Dixon, Naturi Naughton, Orlando Jones, Thomas Sadoski, William Fichtner, Amy Sloan.
Breaking the Ice, (Austria) – Feature Narrative, World Premiere. An Austrian woman escapes from the pressure of running her family’s vineyard by playing ice hockey. Then a new player arrives to challenge her rigid worldview, leading to a life-changing night on the streets of Vienna. Directed and written by Clara Stern. Produced by Michael Kitzberger, Wolfgang Widerhofer, Nikolaus Geyrhalter, Markus Glaser. With Alina Schaller, Judith Altenberger, Tobias Resch. In German with English subtitles.
Carajita, (Argentina, Dominican Republic) – Feature Narrative, New York Premiere. The relationship between a spoiled white Argentinian teenager and the Black Dominican nanny who raised her is pushed to its limit when a night of partying leads to a troubling disappearance. Directed and written by Silvina Schnicer, Ulises Porra. Produced by Ulla Prida, Alexandra Guerrero, Federico Eibuszyc, Bárbara Sarasola-Day. With Cecile Van Welie, Magnolia Muñez, Adelanny Padilla, Genesis Buret, Javier Hermida, Richard Douglas. In Spanish with English subtitles.
Carol & Johnny, (United States) – Feature Documentary, World Premiere. Two of the most infamous bank robbers in American history, Carol Marie Williams & Johnny Madison Williams Jr., tell their love story in their own words. Directed and written by Colin Barnicle. Produced by Barnicle Brothers with Words and Pictures. With Johnny Madison Williams, Carol Hawkins Williams.
Dreaming Walls: Inside the Chelsea Hotel, (France, Belgium, United States, Netherlands, Sweden) – Feature Documentary, North American Premiere. Manhattan’s Chelsea Hotel is a counterculture legend as well as a brick-and-mortar structure. Dreaming Walls documents a critical juncture in Chelsea’s history, as it prepares to evict longtime residents and transform into a luxury hotel. Directed by Amélie van Elmbt, Maya Duverdier. Produced by Hanne Phlypo, Quentin Laurent. A Magnolia Release.
Hommage (오마주), (South Korea) – Feature Narrative, North American Premiere. A struggling filmmaker finds unexpected solidarity and validation when she takes on the job of restoring a classic 1960s film directed by the first known female South Korean director. Directed and written by Shin Su-won. Produced by Francis C.K. Lim, Shin Su-won. With Lee Jung-eun, Kwon Hae-hyo, Tang Jun-sang. In Korean with English subtitles.
Land of Gold, (United States) – Feature Narrative, World Premiere. When truck driver Kiran hears pounding on a shipping container and finds a young Mexican-American girl inside, his already tumultuous life takes a drastic turn as he seeks to reunite her family. Directed and written by Nardeep Khurmi. Produced by Keertana Sastry, Pallavi Sastry, Simon TaufiQue. With Nardeep Khurmi, Caroline Valencia, Pallavi Sastry, Riti Sachdeva, Iqbal Theba, Dhruv Uday Singh, Karen David. In English, Punjabi, Spanish with English subtitles.
Lift, (United States) – Feature Documentary, World Premiere. The New York Theatre Ballet’s LIFT program offers scholarships to children experiencing homelessness, helping them develop untapped skills as classical dancers. Spanning 10 years, this moving film follows their turbulent journeys from shelter to stage. Directed by David Petersen. Produced by Mary Recine. With Steven Melendez, Victor Abreu, Yolanssie Cardona, Sharia Blockwood. In English, Spanish with English subtitles.
Liquor Store Dreams, (United States) – Feature Documentary, World Premiere. So Yun Um’s debut feature is a moving portrait of two Korean American children of liquor store owners reconciling their dreams with those of their immigrant parents, against the backdrop of struggles for racial equity in Los Angeles. Directed by So Yun Um. Written by So Yun Um, Christina Sun Kim. Produced by So Yun Um, Eddie Kim. With So Yun Um, Hae Sup Um, Danny Park, May Park, Mark Burton. In English and Korean with English subtitles.
Our Father, The Devil (Mon Père, le Diabe), (United States) – Feature Narrative, North American Premiere. Caretaker Marie finds her peaceful life in France upended by the arrival of a new priest who reminds her of her traumatic past. Directed and written by Ellie Foumbi. Produced by Ellie Foumbi, Joseph Mastantuono. With Babetida Sadjo, Souleymane Sy Savané, Jennifer Tchiakpe, Franck Saurel, Martine Amisse. In French with English subtitles.
Peace in the Valley, (United States) – Feature Narrative, World Premiere. In the aftermath of a senseless act of violence, a young mother must learn to manage her overwhelming grief—not only for her own peace of mind but for the sake of her young son. Directed and written by Tyler Riggs. Produced by Andrew Carlberg, Brit Shaw. With Brit Shaw, Michael Abbott Jr., Dendrie Taylor, William Samiri.
Petit Mal, (Colombia) – Feature Narrative, World Premiere. In director Ruth Caudeli’s latest collaborative chronicle of queer life, three charismatic women living in an intimate, passionate partnership must learn to navigate the shift in their dynamic when one lover is called away for a long-term project. Directed and written by Ruth Caudeli. Produced by Ruth Caudeli, Sara Larrota, Ovella Blava Films. With Ruth Caudeli, Ana María Otálora, Silvia Varón. In Spanish with English subtitles.
Roving Woman, (Poland, United States) – Feature Narrative, World Premiere. A break-up leaves Sara reeling and directionless, standing alone on her ex’s doorstep in a ballgown. Following her impulses, she starts to drive through the desert and makes unexpected connections along the way. Directed by Michal Chmielewski. Written by Lena Góra, Michal Chmielewski. Produced by Lena Góra. With Lena Góra, John Hawkes, Chris Hanley, Brian McGuire, Ed Mattiuzzi, Crystal Rivers, Bear Badeaux.
Sansón and Me (Sansón y Yo), (United States, Mexico) – Feature Documentary, World Premiere. Tracing a young immigrant’s path from coastal Mexico to a life sentence for murder in California, this deeply compassionate documentary utilizes evocative recreations to explore the meaning of a life fragmented by poverty, borders, and incarceration. Directed by Rodrigo Reyes. Produced by Su Kim. With Sanson Noe Andrade, Gerardo Reyes, Antonio González Andrade, Miguel Andrade. In English, Spanish with English subtitles.
To the End, (United States) – Feature Documentary, New York Premiere. This timely and urgent film follows four women including three young environmental activists and NY Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as they battle corporate greed and political gridlock in a fight for the future of our planet. Directed by Rachel Lears. Written by Rachel Lears, Robin Blotnick. Produced by Sabrina Schmidt Gordon. With Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, Varshini Prakash, Alexandra Rojas, Rhiana Gunn-Wright.
You Can Live Forever, (Canada) – Feature Narrative, World Premiere. Two teenage girls begin a secret relationship in a strict Jehovah’s Witness community. Directed and written by Sarah Watts, Mark Slutsky. Produced by Robert Vroom. With Anwen O’Driscoll, June Laporte, Liane Balaban, Deragh Campbell, Tim Campbell, Antoine Yared. In English, French with English subtitles.
MIDNIGHT
Always surprising and boundary-pushing, Tribeca Midnight is the destination for the best in horror and genre discoveries.
“Attachment”
Attachment (Natten Har Øjne), (Denmark) – Feature Narrative, International Premiere. Maja and Leah’s new relationship is interrupted when mysterious things start happening in their London flat. It seems that Leah’s disapproving mother, who lives downstairs, is using Jewish folklore to come between them. In Danish and English with English subtitles. Directed and written by Gabriel Bier Gislason. Produced by Thomas Heinesen. With Josephine Park, Ellie Kendrick, Sofie Gråbøl, David Dencik. A Shudder release.
The Black Phone, (United States) – Feature Narrative, New York Premiere. Locked in a soundproof basement by a masked child killer, a teenage boy finds the possibility of hope through an unexpected and supernatural lifeline: a telephone on which he receives motivational calls from the killer’s past victims. Directed by Scott Derrickson. Written by Scott Derrickson, C. Robert Cargill. Produced by Jason Blum, Scott Derrickson, C. Robert Cargill. A Universal Pictures release.
Family Dinner, (Austria) – Feature Narrative, World Premiere. Overweight and insecure, Simi spends Easter weekend with her famous nutritionist aunt. The hope is that it’ll help her get on a healthier track, but as the aunt’s family’s icy dynamics and an increasingly malevolent atmosphere leave Simi feeling uneasy, weight isn’t the only thing she’s about to lose. Directed and written by Peter Hengl. Produced by Lola Basara. With Pia Hierzegger, Nina Katlein, Michael Pink, Alexander Sladek. In German with English subtitles.
Huesera, (Mexico) – Feature Narrative, World Premiere. Valeria has long dreamed about becoming a mother. After learning that she’s pregnant, she expects to feel happy, yet something’s off. Nightmarish visions and an unshakeable paranoia have her questioning what she wants, and an ancient evil spirit may be the cause. Directed by Michelle Garza Cervera. Written by Michelle Garza Cervera, Abia Castillo. Produced by Paulina Villavicencio, Edher Campos. With Natalia Solián, Alfonso Dosal, Mayra Batalla, Mercedes Hernández, Aída López, Martha Claudia Moreno. In Spanish with English subtitles. An XYZ release.
A Wounded Fawn, (United States) – Feature Narrative, World Premiere. It’s the perfect plan: A serial killer brings an unsuspecting new victim on a weekend getaway to add another body to his ever-growing count. She’s buying into his faux charms, and he’s eagerly lusting for blood. What could possibly go wrong? Directed by Travis Stevens. Written by Travis Stevens, Nathan Faudree. Produced by Joe Barbagallo, Laurence Gendron, Travis Stevens. With Josh Ruben, Sarah Lind, Malin Barr, Katie Kuang, Laksmi Hedemark, Tanya Everett, Marshall Taylor Thurman, Leandro Taub, Neal Mayer.
MIDNIGHT: TRIBECXPLOITATION! Grindhouse IS Art House
They were Filmmakers Who Knew No Rules, No Boundaries, No Mercy!
Are you easily triggered? Are you easily entertained? Are you nostalgic for a time when independent films were made down and dirty and swam WAY outside the mainstream? Then join us for a series of Cult Classics, shot right here on the Mean Streets of NYC and presented in glorious color by their directors; the incredible Abel Ferrara, Roberta Findlay, and Frank Henenlotter!*
*The management advises no one be admitted if they are easily offended or sober!
Basket Case, (United States) – Feature Narrative, 1982. The debut gutter-trash symphony from Frank Henenlotter (Brain Damage, Frankenhooker), stealthily filmed in the toilet bowls of Times Square and chock-full of demented fury. Directed and written by Frank Henenlotter. Produced by Edgar Ievins. With Kevin Van Hentenryck, Terri Susan Smith, Beverly Bonner, Robert Vogel, Diana Browne, Lloyd Pace, Bill Freeman. Courtesy of Arrow Films and the American Genre Film Archive.
Ms .45, (United States) – Feature Narrative, 1981. Eerie and unforgettable, Ms. 45 is an essential snapshot of New York City in the early 1980s from Abel Ferrara (Driller Killer, The Addiction) — one of the greatest and most unique living filmmakers on the planet. Directed by Abel Ferrara. Written by Nicholas St. John. Produced by Richard Howorth, Mary Kane, Arthur Weisberg. With Zoë Lund, Bogey, Albert Sinkys. Courtesy of Drafthouse Films and the American Genre Film Archive.
Tenement, (United States) – Feature Narrative, 1985. The sordid story of a South Bronx apartment building ruled by a gang of crazed, junkie punks. Directed by Roberta Findlay. Written by Joel Bender, Rick Marx. Produced by Walter E. Sear. With Joe Linn, Enrique Sandino, Paul Calderon, Corrine Chateau.
MOVIES PLUS
Tribeca’s unique Movies Plus events bring the film experience off the screen with live conversations and performances after each screening.
“Broadway Rising”
Broadway Rising, (United States) – Feature Documentary, World Premiere. This rousing film documents the Broadway community’s journey, from the almost overnight shut down due to the pandemic, to the paths essential theater workers took on their road back to the stage. Directed by Amy Rice. Produced by Sam Bisbee, Justin Mikita, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Christopher G. Cowen, Amy Rice.
After the Movie: A conversation celebrating Broadway featuring Director Amy Rice, Producer Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and more Broadway luminaries along with a very special performance.
Butterfly in the Sky, (United States) – Feature Documentary, World Premiere. For over 25 years, Reading Rainbow set the standard for literary children’s television. Thanks to its uncondescending approach, plus its immersive documentary-style adventures, LeVar Burton and the Reading Rainbow creative team instilled a love of reading in millions of children. Directed by Bradford Thomason, Brett Whitcomb. Produced by Bryan Storkel, Bradford Thomason, Brett Whitcomb. Executive Produced by Whoopi Goldberg. With LeVar Burton, Twila C. Liggett, Larry Lancit, Cecily Lancit, Dean Parisot.
After the Movie: A conversation with education advocate and former Reading Rainbow host, LeVar Burton.
Chop & Steele, (United States) – Feature Documentary, World. For years, Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher toured as the Found Footage Festival, with a sideline in absurdist morning-show pranks. Then they got sued. A David and Goliath story where David pees himself on national television. Directed by Ben Steinbauer, Berndt Mader. Written by Alex MacKenzie. Produced by Janice Woods, Ben Steinbauer, Berndt Mader, Mike Saenz, Don Swaynos. With Joe Pickett, Nick Prueher, Albertina Rizzo, David Cross, Bobcat Goldthwaite, The Yes Men, Chad Nackers, Kurt Braunholer, Davy Rothbart, Jon Lee, Alyson Levy.
After the Movie: A performance of the Found Footage Festival hosted by Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher, with surprise special guests.
The DOC, (United States) – Feature Documentary, World Premiere. Director David Caplan’s latest documentary is a love letter and inspirational hip hop archive about The D.O.C, a master of the art who is more than likely your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper. Directed by David Caplan. Written by The DOC. Produced by Gary Ousdahl, The DOC, Dave Caplan. With The DOC, Dr. Dre, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Erykah Badu, Ice Cube, Xzibit, Too $hort, Kurupt, Daz, Tone Loc, DJ Yella, Jewell, Dr. Rock, Peter Johnson, Dr. Peter Belafsky, Puma Curry, Shella Curry, Charles Curry, Para Henderson, Michelle Henderson, Tonya Heard, Erotic D, John Payne.
After the Movie: A special birthday performance for The DOC by DJ Quik, Das, Kurupt, & surprise guests.
Game Change Game, (United States) – World Premiere. With unfettered access to the NBA, Game Change Game documents a tumultuous, and at times surreal, basketball season plagued by once unimaginable circumstances. Directed by Maxime Quoilin, Spike Jordan. Produced by Christina Norman, Jonathan Lia, Whitney Jackson. With CJ McCollum, JaVale McGee, Chris Paul, Doc Rivers, Michele Roberts, Matisse Thybulle.
After the Movie: A conversation with the directors, Maxime Quoilin, Spike Jordan, and players from the film.
God Said Give ‘Em Drum Machines, (United States) – Feature Documentary, World Premiere. A vibrant and nostalgic music documentary that showcases the beginnings of Techno Music and how Detroit was the creative and cultural hub for the creation of one of the most celebrated genres in the world. Directed by Kristian R. Hill. Written by Kristian R. Hill, Jennifer Washington, Thomas Quarterman. Produced by Jennifer Washington. With Kevin Saunderson, Juan Atkins, Derrick May, Santonio Echols, Eddie Fowlkes, Blake Baxter, Richie Hawtin, Mike Huckaby.
After the Movie: A special performance by Inner City and Model 500.
Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song, (United States) – Feature Documentary, World Premiere. Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song is a definitive exploration of singer- songwriter Leonard Cohen as seen through the prism of his internationally renowned hymn, “Hallelujah.” This feature-length documentary weaves together three creative strands: The songwriter and his times; the song’s dramatic journey from record label reject to chart-topping hit; and moving testimonies from major recording artists for whom “Hallelujah” has become a personal touchstone. Approved for production by Leonard Cohen just before his 80th birthday in 2014, the film accesses a wealth of never-before-seen archival materials from the Cohen Trust including Cohen’s personal notebooks, journals and photographs, performance footage, and extremely rare audio recordings and interviews. Directed and produced by Dan Geller, Dayna Goldfine. A Sony Pictures Classics release.
After the Movie: A musical performance in tribute to Leonard Cohen with Judy Collins, Amanda Shires, Sharon Robinson, and a surprise guest.
John Leguizamo Live at Rikers, (United States) – Short Documentary, World Premiere. Actor John Leguizamo performs his play Ghetto Klown at Rikers Island prison inspiring justice-involved young men to reflect openly on their own lives and the serious challenges of incarceration. Directed and written by Elena Francesca Engel. Produced by Elena Francesca Engel, Ben Konigsberg. With John Leguizamo, Captain Sean Jones, Benjamin, Dante, Tyriek, Stephen. In English, Spanish with English subtitles.
After the Movie: A conversation with the creators and John Leguizamo.
McEnroe, (United States) – Feature Documentary, World Premiere. Legendary “bad boy of tennis” John McEnroe finally tells his side of his storied career and famously hot-tempered performances on the court in this engrossing documentary revisiting the record-setting career of one of the all-time greats. Directed and written by Barney Douglas. Produced by Victoria Barrell, Paddy Kelly, Anna Godas. With John McEnroe. A Showtime Documentary Films release.
After the Movie: A conversation with tennis legend John McEnroe.
Music Pictures: New Orleans, (United States) – Feature Documentary, World Premiere. Music Pictures gives us four legacy portraits of New Orleans music figures Irma Thomas, Little Freddie King, Ellis Marsalis, and The Tremé Brass Band. Now in their 80s, these local masters continue their practice, for the love of the music, in the city that made them who they are. Directed and written by Ben Chace. Produced by Ben Chace, Bill Ramsey. With Irma Thomas, Little Freddie King, Ellis Marsalis, Jason Marsalis, Benny Jones Sr. and The Tremé Brass Band.
After the Movie: Special performances by Irma Thomas, Little Freddie King & Jason Marsalis.
Reinventing Mirazur, (United States, UK, Switzerland, France) – Feature Documentary, North American Premiere. An exploration into the life of Chef Mauro Colagreco, who finds himself changing everything about his flagship restaurant Mirazur after the COVID-19 pandemic halted his worldwide rise to prominence. Directed and written by Verane Frediani, Franck Ribiere. Produced by Verane Frediani, Franck Ribiere, Thomas Augsberger, Schuyler Ransohoff, Wes Fleuchaus. With Mauro Colagreco. In English, French, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish with English subtitles.
After the Movie: A conversation about the future of gastronomy with Chef Mauro Colagreco and chef guests.
Taurus, (United States) – Feature Narrative, North American Premiere. A rising but troubled musician searches for the inspiration to record one last song, pushing himself deep into the void. A work of fiction that explores fame, addiction, the artistic process, and the music industry, Taurus is a soulful and universal cautionary tale. Directed and written by Tim Sutton. Produced by Jib Polhemus, Rob Paris, Mike Witherill. With Colson Baker, Maddie Hasson, Demetrius “Lil Meech” Flenory, Megan Fox, Ruby Rose, Scoot McNairy, Lil TJay, Naomi Wild. Original music by Machine Gun Kelly.
After the Movie: A special appearance by Colson Baker.
TÍU, (Iceland) – Feature Documentary, World Premiere. TÍU is a glorious journey through sight and sound into the world of the multi-platinum Icelandic band Of Monsters and Men, as they commemorate the 10th anniversary of their groundbreaking debut album My Head Is An Animal. Directed by Dean Deblois. Produced by Heather Kolker. With Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, Ragnar Þórhallsson, Kristján Páll Kristjánsson, Arnar Rósenkranz Hilmarsson, Brynjar Leifsson. In English and Icelandic with English subtitles.
After the Movie: A performance by Of Monsters and Men.
Unfinished Business, (United States) – Feature Documentary, World Premiere. An intimate look at the past and present of the New York Liberty, one of the WNBA’s flagship teams as they play for acceptance, respect, and the future of basketball. Directed by Alison Klayman. Produced by Alison Klayman, Julie Goldman, Carolyn Hepburn, Christopher Clements, Nicholas Ma, Mishka Brown. With Teresa Weatherspoon, Rebecca Lobo, Sue Wicks, Betnijah Laney, Sabrina Ionescu, Joan Jett.
After the Movie: A special appearance and conversation with current and past players of the New York Liberty.
Untrapped: The Story of Lil Baby, (United States) – Feature Documentary, World Premiere. Director Karam Gill follows the transformational career of Atlanta rapper Lil Baby, and his rise as a giant in rap and pop culture. Directed and written by Karam Gill. Produced by Dominique Jones, Pierre Thomas, Kevin Lee, Karam Gill, Daniel Malikyar, Andrew Primavera, Blase Biello.
After the Movie: A special performance by Lil Baby.
TRIBECA CRITICS’ WEEK
Tribeca Critics’ Week presents a curated slate of feature films from critics including Inkoo Kang of The Washington Post, Chris Murphy of Vanity Fair, Tambay Obenson and Eric Kohn of IndieWire, and Jourdain Searles writer for Bitch Media, Okayplayer, and The Hollywood Reporter.
“After Sherman”
After Sherman, (United States) – Feature Documentary, New York Premiere. After Sherman is a story about inheritance and the tension that defines our collective American history. Directed and written by Jon-Sesrie Goff. Produced by Blair Dorosh-Walther, Madeleine Hunt-Ehrlich, Jon-Sesrie Goff. With Rev. Dr. Norvel Goff, Sr.
Babysitter, (Canada, France) – Feature Narrative, New York Premiere. When a viral act of sexism gets Cédric suspended from work at the same time his girlfriend navigates postpartum depression, a young babysitter enters their lives and shifts the family’s paradigm. Directed by Monia Chokri. Written by Catherine Léger. Produced by Martin Paul-Hus. With Nadia Tereszkiewicz, Monia Chokri, Patrick Hivon. In French with English subtitles.
Beba, (United States) – Feature Documentary, New York Premiere. Beba is a poetic, raw, and ruthless coming of age tale, in which a young Afro-Latina from New York City stares down historical, societal, and generational trauma with unflinching courage. Directed and written by Rebecca Huntt. Produced by Rebeca Huntt, Sofia Geld. With Rebeca Huntt. In English, Spanish with English subtitles. A Neon release.
A Love Song, (United States) – Feature Narrative, New York Premiere. An unconventional romance set against a timeless Colorado landscape, this tender heartbreaker of a directorial debut packs decades of memories, longing, and nostalgia into a fateful campsite reunion between two could-be lovers. Directed and written by Max Walker-Silverman. Produced by Jesse Hope, Dan Janvey, Max Walker-Silverman. With Dale Dickey, Wes Studi, Michelle Wilson, Benja K. Thomas, Marty Grace Dennis, John Way. A Bleecker Street release.
Mars One, (Brazil) – Feature Narrative, New York Premiere. In this tender drama, a Brazilian family copes with an uncertain future as a far-right conservative leader rises to power. Through this time of turbulent change, the family’s optimism and deep capacity for love guides them through. Directed and written by Gabriel Martins. Produced by Thiago Macêdo Correia, André Novais Oliveira, Gabriel Martins, Maurilio Martins. With Rejane Faria, Carlos Francisco, Camilla Damiao, Cicero Lucas. In Portuguese with English subtitles. A Magnolia Release.
TRIBECA ONLINE PREMIERES:
A selection of compelling films that will be available for U.S. online audiences.
Feature Documentaries
“Bowery”
Bowery, (United States). A compelling, intimate portrait of the lives of New Yorkers living on the street in the Bowery as they struggle with homelessness, drug addiction, job-hunting, harsh weather, and Covid-19. Directed and produced by Mike Mintz, Irad Straus. With Richard “Dollar” Thomas, Jaime “Rubia” Gonzalez, Andrew Harris, Steven Miller, “Fifty.”
Billion Dollar Babies: The True Story of the Cabbage Patch Kids, (United States) – World Premiere. This is the unbelievable, but true story of the kids who stole America’s heart…the Cabbage Patch Kids and how they set the wheels in motion for modern-day Black Friday. Before Cabbage Patch Kids no one left a K-Mart with a bloody nose, nor could we have imagined a world where police would need to be called in to break up fights over dolls. Directed by Andrew Jenks. Executive produced by Dan Goodman, BRIAN Hunt, William H. Masterson III, Neil Patrick Harris. Narrated by Neil Patrick Harris.
Hazing, (United States). Weaving his own personal experience with hazing into larger narratives, director Byron Hurt posits the function, politics, and consequences of pledging rituals. Directed by Byron Hurt. Written by Jessica Lee Salas. Produced by Natalie Bullock Brown. With Byron Hurt, Patricia Strong-Fargas, Nikki High, Karim Saafir, Pamela Champion, Gerald Champion, Marie Andre, James Vivenzio, Jack Abele, Wendy Abele, Jo Hanna Burch, Brent Maclanahan II.
Kaepernick & America, (United States). In the midst of swelling racial tension, Kaepernick & America explores the protest at the center of an ever exploding culture war. This documentary details the political hysteria around the enigmatic quarterback’s fateful decision. Directed by Tommy Walker, Ross Hockrow. Produced by Bill Stephney, Gary Cohen, Matt McDonald. With Don Lemon, DeRay Mckesson, Pam Oliver, Steve Wyche, Nate Boyer, Hue Jackson, April Dinwoodie.
The Lost Weekend: A Love Story, (United States). May Pang lovingly recounts her life in rock & roll and the whirlwind 18 months spent as a friend, lover, and confidante to one of the towering figures of popular culture, John Lennon, in this funny, touching and vibrant portrait of first love. Directed and produced by Eve Brandstein, Richard Kaufman, Stuart Samuels. With May Pang, John Lennon, Julian Lennon.
Lucky, (France). A transcendent portrait of a model, musician, dancer, and drag queen, Lucky follows Luc Bruyère as he travels from Paris to Berlin. Having lost his left arm to Agenesis, Luc has a lust for life, always elevating his art. Directed by Loren Denis, Anthony Vibert. Written by Loren Denis, Anthony Vibert. Produced by Benjamin Duval, Jean-Pierre Gavini, François-Charles Le Goff. With Luc Bruyère.
Rebellion, (United Kingdom). An in-depth look into Extinction Rebellion (XR) follows motivated activists who fight climate change through economic disruption in the United Kingdom. Now they must overcome infighting amongst the leadership and a new bill seeking to outlaw protest. Directed by Maia Kenworthy, Elena Sánchez Bellot. Written by Maia Kenworthy, Elena Sánchez Bellot. Produced by Kat Mansoor. With Savannah Lovelock, Gail Bradbrook, Farhana Yamin, Roger Hallam, Alejandra Piazzolla Ramírez, Sam Knights.
A Rising Fury, (Ukraine, Norway, United States). Following the 2013 Maidan Revolution in Kyiv, A Rising Fury takes viewers to the front lines of a growing conflict between Ukraine and Russia to witness firsthand a war that is tearing country and family apart. Directed by Lesya Kalynska, Ruslan Batytskyi. Written by Lesya Kalynska. Produced by TJ Collins, Lesya Kalynska, Ruslan Batytskyi, Jonathan Borge Lie.
Feature Narratives
“Blessed Boys”
Blessed Boys, (Italy). In a sunny district of Naples where everyone knows each other, Mario and Lino, two inseparable friends, live day by day in the monotony of neighborhood life until their fraternal friendship is put to the test. Directed by Silvia Brunelli. Written by Silvia Brunelli and Francesca Scanu. Produced by Valentina Quarantini. With Francesco Pellegrino, Vincenzo Antonucci, Sofia Guastaferro, Pina Di Gennaro.
Cherry, (United States). A driftless young woman discovers she’s 11 weeks pregnant and has only 24 hours to make a consequential decision. This charming film examines how softly life moves, even in our most urgent moments. Directed by Sophie Galibert. Written by Sophie Galibert, Arthur Cohen. Produced by Sophie Galibert, Shincy Lu, Phillipe Gompel. With Alex Trewhitt, Joe Sachem, Dan Schultz, Sandy Duarte, Alice Bang, Hannah Alline, Melinda DeKay, Angela Nicholas, Charlie S. Jensen, Darius Levanté.
The Courtroom, (United States). After mistakenly registering to vote, a Filipina immigrant faces deportation and permanent separation from her American husband and newborn child. Using actual transcripts from the court hearing, The Courtroom is a dramatic reenactment of one woman’s harrowing experience with the US legal system. Directed by Lee Sunday Evans. Written by Arian Moayed. Executive produced by Ryan Chanatry, Gena Konstantinakos, Anne Carey. Produced by Jonathan Olson and Damon Owlia. With Marsha Stephanie Blake, Michael Braun, Kathleen Chalfant, Hannah Cheek, Michael Chernus, Michael Bryan French, Mick Hilgers, Linda Powell, Kristin Villanueva, BD Wong.
Employee of the Month (L’Employée du mois), (United States, Belgium). In this mischievous dark comedy, an employee at a cleaning products company accidentally commits a messily bloody crime – and must figure out how to cover her tracks with the help of her young trainee. Directed by Véronique Jadin. Written by Nina Vanspranghe. Produced by Sebastian Schelenz.With Jasmina Douieb, Laetitia Mampaka, Alex Vizorek, Peter Van Den Begin, Laurence Bibot.
God Save the Queens, (United States). A quartet of drag queens meet on a group therapy retreat that will change their lives forever. Directed and written by Jordan Danger. Produced by Cecile Cubilo. With Justin Andrew Honard AKA Alaska Thunderfuck, Jay Jackson AKA Laganja Estranja, Kelly Mantle, Jordan Michael Green, Peter Facinelli, Michelle Visage, Joaquim De Almeida, Lunell, Zack Gottsagen.
In Her Name, (United States). Against the backdrop of LA’s contemporary art scene, aspiring artist Freya and her estranged, more conventional sister Fiona navigate their tumultuous relationship as they grapple with the impending demise of their eccentric, famous artist father. Directed, written, and produced by Sarah Carter. With Erin Hammond, Ciera Danielle, Philippe Caland, Nyambi Nyambi, James Oliver, and Shivarasa
Nude Tuesday, (New Zealand, Australia). Laura and Bruno are stuck in a hapless marriage with frigid chemistry and ample unspoken tension. To spice things up and hopefully save their relationship, they head to a peculiar hippy-dippy retreat where inhibitions are discouraged. Directed by Armagan Ballantyne. Written by Jackie van Beek, Julia Davis. Produced by Emma Slade, Virginia Whitwell, Nick Batzias. With Jackie van Beek, Damon Herriman, Jemaine Clement.
Rounding, (United States). When a motivated resident doctor transfers to a rural hospital for a fresh start, his demons follow him as he becomes consumed with the case of a young asthma patient, in Alex Thompson’s psychological horror follow up to his highly acclaimed Saint Frances. Directed by Alex Thompson. Written by Alex Thompson, Christopher Thompson. Produced by James Choi, Pierce Cravens, Leah Gaydos, Julianna Imel, Edwin Linker, Alex Thompson. With Namir Smallwood, Sidney Flanigan, Michael Potts, Max Lipchitz, David Cromer, Cheryl Lynn Bruce.
Shorts
“Bardo”
BARDO, (Ireland) – Short Animation. A woman questions her lifestyle choices when the travails of urban living are one day jolted into juxtaposition with a simpler way of life. Directed and written by Aisling Conroy. Produced by Claire Lennon. With Clare Barrett, Olwen Fouéré.
Crimson Ties, (United States) – Short Narrative. When a 10 year old girl is forced to spend the weekend with her older sister, she becomes drawn to a pendant, and the night takes a deadly turn. Directed by Francesca Scorsese. Written by Savannah Braswell. Produced by Savannah Braswell, Federica Domeneghetti. With Carleigh Johnston, Petra McGregor, Isan Elba, Sophia Ravazzani, Naomi Nelson, Marifé Quesada, Elsa Aitchison.
Fever Dream (حُمى و حُلمْ), (Qatar, Poland, United States) – Short Documentary. Locked up at a clinic in the sky. حُمى و حُلمْ – humeh wa hulum – fever, and dream. Where do we go from here? “Do not leave the house.” Directed, written and produced by Ania Hendryx Wójtowicz. With Sebastián Betancur Montoya, Ania Hendryx Wójtowicz, Gloria Amparo Montoya Diez, Nedal Rabhi Hammouda, Marek Wójtowicz.
Five-O (Ça passe), (France) – Short Narrative. Amin is a young spotter with the gift of the gab. Isabelle, a theater director from Paris, sees the opportunity for Amin to become a soloist in her opera. Directed by Ismaïl Alaoui Fdili. Written by Yassine Ramdani. Produced by Ladj Ly, Dimitri Krassoulia-Vronsky. With Jeanne Bailbar, Adil Dehbi, Bakary Diombera, Abdallah Charki, Rayanne Behilil. In French with English subtitles.
For Love and Legacy, (United States) – Short Documentary. Sculptor Dana King’s hands and activist Fredrika Newton’s memories come together to build a new monument that honors the Black Panther Party’s vital place in American history. Directed by A.K. Sandhu. Produced by A.K. Sandhu, Selina Lewis Davidson, Kenneth Eng. With Dana King, Fredrika Newton.
It Feels Personal, (UK) – Short Documentary. A short documentary about a stolen video, and the online search for the thief. Directed and produced by Hugh Clegg.
Mooptopia, (United States) – Short Documentary. It took two days for high school senior Anastasiya to become a TikTok sensation. A year later, she struggles to cope with the loss of fame. With Anastaysia Borysovska. Directed by Delaney Buffett. Produced by Evan Arnold.
Sparring Partner, (United States) – Short Narrative. When a long flirtation between two co-workers comes to a head during a revealing lunch break in the park, who gets to walk away with their head held high? Directed by J.J. Kandel. Written by Neil LaBute. Produced by Tim Harms, J.J. Kandel. With Cecily Strong, KeiLyn Durrel Jones.
Triggered, (United States) – Short Narrative. A US Senator faces her greatest challenge when a home invasion takes a shocking turn. Directed and produced by Tara Westwood. Written by Thomas C Dunn. Produced by Tara Westwood, John Leguizamo. With Isiah Whitlock Jr., Caitlin Mehner, Robert Burke, Tara Westwood.
2022 SHORT FILM PROGRAMS:
Animated Shorts Curated By Whoopi G:
Imaginative storytelling and captivating craft.
Tehura, (Canada, Tahiti) – World Premiere, Short Animation. A Tahitian dancer tries to reclaim her identity by confronting a tourist audience with a dance of her own. Directed, written, and produced by Wei Li. With Tainatea Voirin, Ben Lockhart, Vaehakaiki “Moon” Urima. In English, French with English subtitles.
More Than I Remember, (United States) – New York Premiere, Short Animation. Fourteen-year-old Mugeni awakes to the sounds of bombs. As her family scatters to the surrounding forests to save themselves, Mugeni finds herself completely alone. Directed by Amy Bench. Written by Mugeni Ornella, Amy Bench, Carolyn Merriman. Produced by Amy Bench, Carolyn Merriman. With Mugeni Ornella.
Pete, (United States) – World Premiere, Short Animation. Pete is a short film about gender identity, Little League Baseball, the people who inspire change by trying to be themselves, and the superheroes who allow that change to happen. Directed by Bret Parker. Written by Bret Parker, Pete Barma. Produced by Jake Kaplan. With Tom Gately, Justin Pearson, Frank Tai.
Lilith & Eve, (UK) – World Premiere, Short Animation. This adult comedy animation is a feminist reimagining of the Adam and Eve story, in which Eve bumps into Adam’s first wife and equal, Lilith. Directed by Sam de Ceccatty. Written by Sam de Ceccatty, Manon Ardisson. Produced by Manon Ardisson. With Aimee Lou Wood, Susan Wokoma, Conor Kennedy, Jake Graf.
The Originals, (United States) – New York Premiere, Short Animation. Matty “Square” Ruggiero and his childhood friends tell their story of what it was like to grow up in South Brooklyn, where money was tight but friendships were tighter. Directed by Cristina Costantini, Alfie Koetter. Written by Cristina Costantini. Produced by Cristina Costantini, Alfie Koetter. With Matteo Ruggiero, Carmine Ruggiero, Sal Alioto, Matteo Alioto, Anthony Demaio.
Hardboiled, (United States) – World Premiere, Short Animation. Food and felonies are inseparable in Hardboiled, a stop-motion animated satire of the classic urban American crime drama. Directed and written by Peter Sluszka. Produced by Peter Sluszka, Marty Geren. With Edd Hall, Joey Wells, Judy Greer, George S. Irving, Chris Chalk, Lola Glaudini, Anne Heche.
Call Me Crazy:
Late-night shorts to keep you on the edge.
Girls Night In, (United States) – New York Premiere, Short Narrative. Girls Night In is a satirical horror short based on the Bechdel test. Directed by Alison Roberto. Written by Landon LaRue. Produced by Alison Roberto, Landon LaRue, Brian Henderson. With Jess Adams, Skylar Benton, Brian Henderson, Tolliver.
Unicorn, (United States) – World Premiere, Short Narrative. A bisexual man meets an attractive couple to explore the possibilities of life as a “unicorn”: a drama-free, emotionally non-threatening third. Directed by Matt Porter. Written by Charles Gould, Matt Porter. Produced by Caroline Creaghead. With Charles Gould, Brianna Baker, Patrick Woodall, Mike Lane.
Let Me Go (The Right Way), (United States) – World Premiere, Short Narrative. Let Me Go (The Right Way) is a psychological thriller about a young veteran whose sense of reality is fraying, and the psychiatrist who treats him. Directed by Destry Allyn Spielberg. Written by Owen King. Produced by Josh Kesselman, Oliver Brooks, Gilana Lobel, Michael Pitt. With Hopper Penn, Brian D’Arcy James, Pooya Mosheni.
Bumblebees, (United States) – World Premiere, Short Narrative. When an escaped hostage is turned loose, Billie struggles against the clock to prove her loyalty and become a full-fledged member of the Bumblebees. Directed by Sebastian Sdaigui. Written by Carol Garlick. Produced by Mariah Morgenstern, Sebastian Sdaigui. With Isabella di Rienzo, Jackie Cruz, Millicent Simmonds, Beau Knapp. In American Sign Language, English, Spanish with English subtitles.
Skin & Bone, (United States) – New York Premiere, Short Narrative. After taking a job on a farm run by a reclusive woman, a drifter begins suffering from visions of men trapped inside the bodies of animals. Directed and written by Eli Powers. Produced by Aidan Sheldon, Holly Victoria Furman, Thaddeus Bouska. With Amanda Seyfried, Thomas Sadoski.
Night Breakers, (Spain) – New York Premiere, Short Narrative. A group of people trudge through a maze of underground tunnels. On their journey, they face the dangers that lurk in the dark, and worse: themselves. Directed and written by Gabriel Campoy, Guillem Lafoz. Produced by Gabriel Campoy, Guillem Lafoz, Tito Coca, Joan Coca, Aitana Coca. With Andrew Tarbet, Chacha Huang, Anna Gonzalvo, Pol Fernandez, Sergi Subirà, Marc Padró. In English, Spanish with English subtitles.
Compass:
Short documentaries about navigating life.
The Dreamlife of Georgie Stone, (Australia) – World Premiere, Short Documentary. Spanning 19 years, The Dreamlife of Georgie Stone reveals the memories of Georgie, an Australian transgender teen, as she changes laws, affirms her gender, finds her voice, and enters adulthood. Directed by Maya Newell. Produced by Sophie Hyde, Lisa Sherrard, Matt Bate, Maya Newell. With Georgie Stone, Rebekah Robertson, Greg Stone, Harry Stone.
Paint & Pitchfork, (United States) – World Premiere, Short Documentary. This profile of celebrated artists Amy Sherald and Kehinde Wiley provides insight into why they make art and their unique perspectives on painting portraits. Directed by Christine Turner. Produced by Erin Wright. With Amy Sherald, Kehinde Wiley.
Santa Barbara, (United States, Armenia) – World Premiere, Short Documentary. Based on the true story of artist Diana Markosian, Santa Barbara explores the profound sacrifice made by Markosian’s mother becoming a mail-order bride in search of the American Dream. Directed by Diana Markosian. Written by Lynda Myles, Paul Germain. Produced by Jacob Halajian, Sarah Miller. With Gene Jones, Ana Imnadze. In English, Russian with English subtitles.
Elsa, (United States) – Short Documentary, World Premiere. The internet’s beloved truth-teller, Kenya-born Elsa Majimbo, exposes the harsh reality behind being unashamedly herself. Still, she wouldn’t have it any other way. Directed and produced by Julia Jansch. Written by Elsa Majimbo. With Elsa Majimbo, Laolu Senbanjo.
Walking Two Worlds, (United States) – World Premiere, Short Documentary. 19-year-old Quannah Chasinghorse, and their mother, Jody Potts-Joseph, take a stand to defend their sacred homelands and way of life while breaking barriers in Indigenous representation. Directed and produced by Maia Wikler. Written by Maia Wikler, Cecilia Brown, Princess Lucaj. With Quannah Chasinghorse, Jody Joseph-Potts, Adeline Potts.
Head Space:
After a rough couple of years, chill out, relax, and breathe in this peaceful program.
Heart Valley, (UK, Wales) – World Premiere, Short Documentary. Heart Valley follows a day in the life of solitary Welsh shepherd Wilf Davies. Directed by Christian Cargill. Written by Kiran Sidhu. Produced by Christian Cargill, Lily Wakeley, Kiran Sidhu. With Evan Wilf Davies.
Brave by Eris, (Canada) – World Premiere, Music Video. Eris was on a journey across the stars when she crashed. What will she find in this new place? The voids? Directed by August Blue. Written and produced by Nathan Lee. With Eris.
Life Rendered, (United States) – World Premiere, Short Narrative. Set in the near future, Mark splits his time between rural Colorado and virtual reality. In rural Colorado, he is his disabled father’s caretaker. In virtual reality, he finds romance. Directed by Emma Needell. Written by Emma Needell, Ryan Barton. Produced by Jake Sally, Jonathan Schwartz, Patrick Hackett, Eric Day. With Owen Teague, Luce Rains, Armen Taylor.
Pale Ember, (United States) – Festival Premiere, Music Video. Pale Ember is a beautiful and heartbreaking examination of love, loss, and looking back. Directed and produced by Brad Tobler. Written by Brad Tobler, Bonnie Story. With Kelli Baker, Chris Jarosz.
All of This Unreal Time, (UK) – International Premiere, Short Narrative. On a journey from darkness into light, a man explores his failings as a human being. Directed by Aoife McArdle. Written by Max Porter. Produced by Mary Hickson, Fran Thompson. With Cillian Murphy.
Life, Camera, Action!:
Turning the spotlight on new perspectives in these short documentaries.
BOURN KIND: The Tiny Kindness Project, (United States) – World Premiere, Short Documentary. Bourn, a Black- Jewish street artist, confronts the fear and isolation of the moment through art, and creates a street mural project to celebrate kindness and connection in his community. Directed and written by Rachel Myers. Produced by Connie Jo Sechrist. With Bourn Rich, Fin Hanney, Donna Jo Thorndale, Jules Dameron, Marnina Shcon, Tony Amendola.
Stranger at the Gate, (United States) – New York Premiere, Short Documentary. A U.S. Marine plots a terrorist attack on a small-town American mosque. His plan takes an unexpected turn when he comes face-to-face with the people he sets out to kill. Directed by Joshua Seftel. Produced by Mohannad Malas, Suzanne Hillinger, Conall Jones, Jeremy Mack, Anna Rowe, Eric Nichols. With Bibi Bahrami, Dr. Saber Bahrami, Dana McKinney, Emily McKinney, Richard “Mac” McKinney, Jomo Williams.
Beirut Dreams in Color, (Lebanon, UK, United States) – New York Premiere, Short Documentary. He’s the openly gay frontman of a Lebanese rock band. She is an ardent activist and fan. After one fateful night, their lives intersect and are altered forever. Directed by Michael Collins. Written by Patty Kim, Michael Collins. Produced by Marty Syjuco, Sarah Kaskas, James Costa, Michael Collins. With Tarek Zeidan, Hamed Sinno, Haig Papazian, Sarah Hegazi, Mostafa Fouad. In Arabic, English with English subtitles.
Point and Kill, (UK, Nigeria) – World Premiere, Music Video. Smuggler director Ebeneza Blanche directs the “Point & Kill” video for Little Simz ft. Obongjayar. Directed by Ebeneza Blanche. Written by Obongjayar. Produced by Luca Chapman. With Little Simz, Obongjayar. In English, Pidgin with English subtitles.
The Tipping Point: Nicholas Brothers, (United States) – World Premiere, Short Documentary. In the 1940s, the Nicholas Brothers performed a dance routine so seminal it prefigured hip hop by 3 decades. Contemporary dancers Les Twins choreograph and perform their homage to the original. Directed by Michael Shevloff. Written by Heather Ross. Produced by Michael Shevloff, Alison Taupier, Paul Crowder. With Savion Glover, Laurent Bourgeois and Larry Nicolas Bourgeois (Les Twins), Moses Boyd, Fayard Nicholas, Harold Nicholas.
New York Keeping it Real:
Documentaries take center stage in our flagship NY program.
Gone Forgotten Year, (United States) – Festival Premiere, Music Video. Music Video for the song “Gone Forgotten Year” in which two Black Queer lovers, separated by the global crisis of 2020-2021, finally reunite. Directed by Brandon Burks. Written by Justin Anthony Long. Produced by Joanna Burns, Justin Anthony Long. With Jelani Remy, Josh Breckenridge.
The House of LaBeija, (United States) – World Premiere, Short Documentary. The House of LaBeija is a short documentary film that pays homage to the House of LaBeija through a series of letters from its members. Directed and produced by Fredgy Noël. Written by Samil LaBeija, Krystal LaBeija, Jasmine Rice LaBeija, Bougie LaBeija, Jeffrey Bryant, Diovanna LaBeija, Vivja. With Vivian LaBeija, Samil LaBeija, Krystal LaBeija, Jasmine Rice LaBeija, Bougie LaBeija, Jeffrey Bryant, Diovanna LaBeija.
ALHAMDU | MUSLIM FUTURISM, (United States) – New York Premiere, Music Video. Alhamdu | Muslim Futurism is an experimental vision of resistance and liberation through the lens of Muslim joy, flourishing, and imagination. Directed by Abbas Rattani. Written by Sara Alfageeh, Abbas Rattani. Produced by Sofi Khan, Akifa Khan, Sumer Zuberi, Yusuf Siddiquee, Anum Hussain, Fatima Gloria Shahzad. With Neelam Hakeem, Ramy El-Etreby, Fatma Almheiri, Fatima Dicko, The Almomani Sisters, Maaz Ali. In Arabic, EnglEnglish subtitles.
John Leguizamo Live at Rikers, (United States) – World Premiere, Short Documentary. Actor John Leguizamo performs his play Ghetto Klown at Rikers Island prison, inspiring justice-involved young men to reflect openly about their own lives and the serious challenges of incarceration. Directed and written by Elena Francesca Engel. Produced by Elena Francesca Engel, Ben Konigsberg. With John Leguizamo, Captain Sean Jones, Benjamin, Dante, Tyriek, Stephen. In English, Spanish with English subtitles.
38 at the Garden, (United States) – World Premiere, Short Documentary. In a hostile time for Asian Americans, the revisiting of an unlikely athlete’s story 10 years later gives hope and shatters stereotypes on sport’s biggest stage. Directed and written by Frank Chi. Produced by Travon Free, Samir Hernandez. With Jeremy Lin, Hasan Minhaj, Lisa Ling, Tyson Chandler, Iman Shumpert, Pablo Torre.
Obstacle Course:
In life, nothing stays the same.
The Artichoke Season (La Saison Des Artichauts), (Israel) – World Premiere, Short Narrative. The Artichoke Season follows the fantastic childhood memories of 10-year-old Rosalie in a Jerusalem slum after her father leaves home. Directed, written, and produced by Orna Rottenberg. With Sol Zimberoff, Michal Amit, Amir Frenkel, Liad Zucker. In French with English subtitles.
Daydreamers, (Belgium) – North American Premiere, Short Narrative. A father and his daughter are very passionate about motorcycles. An eye condition jeopardizes their shared hobby. Directed by Ante Pask. Written by Ante Pask, Emiel van Wouwe. Produced by Ella Bal, Ante Pask.With Jurgen Delnaet, Flo Martens, Robby Cleiren. In Dutch with English subtitles.
Vodka, (United States) – World Premiere, Short Narrative. A 16-year-old girl deals with loss, humor, and reincarnation by drinking vodka for the first time on the day of her grandmother’s shiva. Directed and written by Roxy Sophie Sorkin. Produced by Brian Niles, Chelsea Eisen, Sophia Loren Heriveaux. With Iris Apatow, Alexis G Zall.
Touchline (Khat At-tamass), (United States, Jordan) – North American Premiere, Short Narrative. During the Occupation of Palestine in 1948, Ahmad, a 17-year-old Palestinian boy, faces the war in his hometown that forces him to give up his dream of being a professional footballer. Directed and written by Mohammed Saffouri. Produced by Tareq Baddar. With Basil Askar, Anas Algaraleh, Mustafa Murad, Lina Abu-Riziq. In Arabic and Hebrew with English subtitles.
Another Country, (United States) – World Premiere, Short Narrative. Based on Native Guard by Natasha Trethewey, Another Country tells the story of an interracial couple raising their mixed-race child in the racially polarizing times of 1956 Mississippi. Directed and written by Sherif Alabede. Produced by Andrea Sastoque, Ariel Navarrete Spahn. With Taylour Paige, Mark Webber, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Devina Hale, Glen Baggerly.
brutal, (United States) – Festival Premiere, Music Video. brutal is an ode to those Y2K teen movies, video games, and TV shows that are so unabashedly funny, observant, and cutting. Directed by Petra Collins. Produced by David Moore, Michelle An.
Canceled, (Netherlands) – World Premiere, Short Narrative. From a million admiring followers to a million merciless haters: a famous rapper gets canceled and dangerously faces his point of no return. Directed and written by Teemong. Produced by Koji Nelissen, Derk-Jan Warrink. With Roy ‘Fresku’ Reymound, Werner Kolf, Peter Gorissen. In Dutch with English subtitles.
Sex, Love and Rock & Roll:
Love lost and found is in these from-the-heart shorts.
Time In Berlin, (United States) – Festival Premiere, Music Video. “Time In Berlin” revolves around the twin themes of self-fulfillment and self-discovery through a significant other, charging the concept through the time constraint. Directed by Javier Blanco Chiocchio. Written by Stephan Jenkins, Javier Blanco Chiocchio, Robert Grant. Produced by Ezequiel Debernardi, Javier Blanco Chiocchio. With Emiko Morgaine, Remo Trajano, Ruut Ahonen, Camila Canteros, Rafael Miranda.
The Letter Men, (United States) – World Premiere, Short Narrative. Based on real love letters from WWII, The Letter Men is a window into the untold story of two gay men desperately in love but torn apart by war. Directed by Andy Vallentine. Written by Andy Vallentine, Danny Vallentine. Produced by Andy Vallentine, Siddharth Ganji, Mike Diaz, Cameron Hutchison, Matthew Postlethwaite, Garrett Clayton. With Garrett Clayton, Matthew Postlethwaite.
Not the 80s, (Germany) – New York Premiere, Short Narrative. Two people, one restaurant, some preconceptions, and a bit of fish. Directed by Marleen Valien. Written by Marleen Valien, Max Rauer, Christine Duttlinger, Ludwig Meck. Produced by Christine Duttlinger, Ludwig Meck, Markus Krojer, Lotta Schmelzer. With Deniz Orta, Merlin Rose, Joshua Jaco Seelenbinder. In German with English subtitles.
Living in the Heart of Love, (UK, France) – Festival Premiere, Music Video. Living In the Heart of Love tracks two female heroes and a cast of like-minded characters who traverse Paris after hours, down for whatever magic the night has in store. Directed and written by Charles Mehling. Produced by Alexa Haywood. With Marguerite Thiam Donnadieu, Nailia Harzoune, Marion Giovalucchi. In French with English subtitles.
Fraud, (United States) – North American Premiere, Short Narrative. A trans rocker girl getting by with petty credit card fraud is left to question who she wants to be when her latest target surprises her with an unforeseen proposition. Directed by Zen Pace. Written by Dana Aliya Levinson. Produced by K. Dawn Dumas, Gretchen Wylder, Erikx DiSantis, Amanda Mesaikos, Katie Rosin. With Dana Aliya Levinson, Babak Tafti, Mike Meth.
Troy, (United States) – World Premiere, Short Narrative. Troy has loud sex, 24/7. Troy shares a wall with Thea and Charlie. Troy is ruining their lives… or is he saving them? Troy is a darkly comedic tale about the unexpected consequences of unasked-for intimacy. Directed by Mike Donahue. Written by Jen Silverman. Produced by Evan Jonigkeit. With Adina Verson, Michael Braun, Dylan Baker, Florian Klein, Dana Delany, Max Jenkins, Phillip James Brannon.
Pragma, (UK) – International Premiere, Short Narrative. Willow heads to the first School for Relationships and finds herself in a tumultuous, spicy love triangle. Should she trust science or her heart (or let’s be honest… her burning loins)? Directed by Ellie Heydon. Written by Lucy Heath. Produced by Phil Dunster, Fay Mohamed. With Phil Dunster, Nick Mohammed, Lucy Heath, Amanda Hale, Sid Sagar.
Sink or Swim:
Keep your head above water.
Hot & Heavy, (United States) – Festival Premiere, Music Video. Hot & Heavy was the first music video released for songwriter Lucy Dacus’ acclaimed 2021 album Home Video. Directed by Lucy Dacus, Marin Leong, Jordan Rodericks. Produced by Erin Surber. With Lucy Dacus.
Lamb, (Ireland) – Short Narrative, World Premiere. An ordinary day takes a sinister turn for a woman and her child when a stranger walks into their isolated rural home. Directed and written by Sinéad O’Loughlin. Produced by Lara Hickey. With Aoife Duffin, Éanna Hardwicke.
Chicken, (United States) – World Premiere, Short Narrative. In a Bronx juvenile prison, a 16-year-old boy faced with losing custody of his child must discover what it takes to be a father by raising a chicken. Directed and written by Josh Leong. Produced by Denyvi Rose, Catherine Nguyen, Nadera Herbert-Bey, Josh Leong. With Jordan Biggs, Biorkys Acosta, Opal Besson.
Fireworks, (UK) – North American Premiere, Short Narrative. This tense thriller, with moments of dark humor, is set in an MI6 Ops Room and uses cutting-edge Virtual Production technology to tell its story. Directed by Paul Franklin. Written by Steven Lally. Produced by Annalise Davis. With Charlotte Riley, Ivanno Jeremiah, Hammed Aminashaun, Sophie Wu, Raghad Chaar.
Cross Country, (United States) – Festival Premiere, Music Video. Cross Country explores Daniel Breland’s career and asks: what if life went another way? Directed by James Larese. Written by Nada Taha. Produced by Aaron Johnson. With Daniel Breland, Tiger Youngblood, Hope Elena Garcia, Rafael Miguel, Brandon Brown, Renae Anderson.
Hoop Dreams, (United States) – World Premiere, Short Narrative. Savannah Walker’s fear of speaking publicly in poetry class leads her to steal her mother’s magical golden hoops, believing that they’ll help her overcome her fear. Directed and written by Kasey Elise Walker. Produced by Nabil Elderkin, Samantha Nirenberg, Kasey Elise Walker. With Madison Southerland, Torin Ashtun, Jess Willard, Honneur Je Suis Aimé, Rikki Wright, Gale Madyun, Ronda Bankston, Dymond Campbell.
Night Ride (Nattrikken), (Norway) – New York Premiere, Short Narrative. It is a cold night in December. As Ebba waits for the tram, an unexpected turn of events transforms the ride home into something she was not expecting. Directed and written by Eirik Tveiten. Produced by Gaute Lid Larssen, Heidi Arnesen. With Sigrid Husjord, Ola Hoemsnes Sandum, Axel Barø Aasen. In Norwegian with English subtitles.
Special Screening Shorts:
Condicion Humana (Human Condition) – Curated by Jose Rodriguez
The shorts program Condicion Humana spans unique creative sensibilities from five different Latin American countries. These seven compelling and visually-distinctive shorts explore fraught and emotionally-resonant human relationships – from tumultuous dynamics between siblings and the joys & violent struggles of Latinx youth, to the thoughtful connections we can have to the earth and our ancestors.
Ñaños, (United States) – Short Narrative. In the heart of Corona, Queens, two brothers are placed at odds with each other when one reveals a sudden urge to leave their home. Directed, written, and produced by Emilio Subía.With Isaias Badilla, Andrés León, Jose Caraballo. In English, Spanish with English subtitles.
Baby (Bebé), (Colombia) – Short Narrative. On her step-sister’s birthday, Nina must confront her insecurities and her fraying relationship with her father. Directed, written, and produced by Cristina Sánchez Salamanca. With Maria José, Rashed Estefenn, Juliana Bustillo. In Spanish with English subtitles.
Paraclete (Paráclito), (Argentina) – Short Narrative. Ricardo is all set to play Jesus in a biblical reenactment but crashes into a dilemma while traveling to the show. Directed and written by Tomas Maumus. Produced by Rebolucion. With Martin Tchira, Milagros Azem. In Spanish with English subtitles.
Fifth of June (Cinco de junio), (Mexico) – Short Narrative. Fifth of June is a reflection of police brutality, in which a group of young protesters are kidnapped by the same forces they are protesting. Directed by Humberto Flores Jáuregui. Produced by Rhea Plangg. With Jesús Estrada Escobedo, Max Valencia, Oswaldo Rada Barba, Héctor Contreras. In Spanish with English subtitles.
Desert Lights (Estrellas del Desierto), (Chile) – Short Narrative. In the Atacama desert, Antay and his friends struggle to keep their drought-stricken town afloat. Directed by Katherina Harder Sacre. Written by Rubens Juárez. Produced by Selva González, Elliot Morfi, Katherina Harder. With Bastián Bravo, Luciano González, Josefa Aguilar, Catalina Saavedra. In Spanish with English subtitles.
Phonos (Fonos), (Mexico) – Short Animation. Cloe and her grandfather share a fondness for sounds, which they sense, admire, absorb and catalog. But when her grandfather dies, Cloe must confront the loss of a shared passion. Directed and written by Gabriela Badillo. Produced by IMCINE, HELLO! COMBO.
Mamá, (Argentina) – Short Narrative. Mother Earth embarks on a journey of evolution and human connection. Directed and written by Francisco Mazziotti. Produced by Luca Macome. With Daiana Provenzano.
LGBTQIA+ Shorts: See Me, Feel Me – Curated by Lucy Mukerjee
These seven short films span the queer experience with humor, heart, and hope, showing characters navigating emotioense terrain in their search for connection and compassion.
My Dear Boy, (United States) – Short Narrative. Within the first few seconds of meeting each other, two men experience the rise and collapse of their destined relationship through a surreal journey. Directed and written by Leaf Lieber. Produced by Leaf Lieber, Xulani Akel. With Juan Cortes, Tyler Givens.
Work, (United States) – Short Narrative. Unable to move on from a breakup, Gabriela impulsively drops into an old job, where she unexpectedly runs into a friend from her past. Directed and written by April Maxey. Produced by Skylar Andrews.With Marisela Zumbado, Elaine Whae.
DogFriend (Hundefreund), (Germany) – Short Narrative. A date takes an unexpected turn in this meditation on race, politics, and history in Germany. Directed by Maissa Lihedheb. Written by Lamin Leroy Gibba. Produced by Sailesh Naidu. With Lamin Leroy Gibba, Til Schindler. In German with English subtitles.
Valentine, (United States) – Short Narrative. With gender and identity in flux, Corey and Mia struggle to redefine their relationship. Directed and written by Beck Kitsis, Chris McNabb. Produced by Katy Drake Bettner, Zach Fleming, Beck Kitsis. With Jacob Tobia, Sadie Scott.
Coming Out with the Help of a Time Machine, (United States) – Short Narrative. When coming out to his traditional Indian parents, Sid uses his time machine to reset the day in an attempt to make sure everything goes perfectly. Directed by Naman Gupta. Written by Naman Gupta, Janki Parikh. Produced by Neetu Sharma Gupta, James Orfanos. With Karan Soni, Sangeeta Agrawal, Raghuram Shetty.
Inner Wound Real, (United States) – Short Documentary. Inner Wound Real relays the story of three BIPOC folks who self-injure, then find new ways to cope. Directed and written by Carrie Hawks. Produced by Chelsea Moore.
F^¢K ‘€M R!GHT B@¢K, (United States) – Short Narrative. In order to avoid being fired after having accidentally taken drugs, a queer Black rapper must outwit his boss at his day job. Directed by Harris Doran. Written by Harris Doran, Emmanuel ‘DDm’ Williams. Produced by Doris Casap, Harris Doran, James Burkhalter, Haley Geffen. With Emmanuel ‘DDm’ Williams, Kara Young, Catherine Curtin.
Portraits and Performance: Celebrating Black Art & Artists – Curated by Karen McMullen
Through dance, painting, sculpture, and performance, these dynamic short films document excellence in Black artistry, and celebrate the creativity, power, beauty, and love in the African American experience.
Kylie, (United States) – Short Documentary. A young Black ballerina from the inner city voices her experiences in the dance industry whilst performing on the streets of LA. Directed, written, and produced by Master Sterling. With Kylie Jefferson.
For Love and Legacy, (United States) – Short Documentary. Sculptor Dana King’s hands and activist Fredrika Newton’s memories come together to build a new monument that honors the Black Panther Party’s vital place in American history. Directed by A.K. Sandhu. Produced by A.K. Sandhu, Selina Lewis Davidson, Kenneth Eng. With Dana King, Fredrika Newton.
Paint & Pitchfork, (United States) – Short Documentary. This profile of celebrated artists Amy Sherald and Kehinde Wiley provides insight into why they make art and their unique perspectives on painting portraits. Directed by Christine Turner. Produced by Erin Wright. With Amy Sherald, Kehinde Wiley.
Shut Up and Paint, (United States) – Short Documentary. Shut Up and Paint follows Black painter Titus Kaphar, as he explores film as a medium in the face of an insatiable art market seeking to silence his activism. Directed by Titus Kaphar. Produced by Perri Peltz. With Titus Kaphar.
We Dance, (United States) – Short Documentary. We Dance is a love story, deconstructed and distilled into its most elemental ingredients: dreams, memories, family, and environments. Directed by Brian Foster, Ethan Payne. Written by Brian Foster. Produced by Tanya Wideman-Davis, Thaddeus Davis. With Tanya Wideman-Davis, Thaddeus Davis.
Peculiar Silence: A Day in Angola, (United States) – Short Documentary. Peculiar Silence: A Day in Angola tells the story of playwright Liza Jessie Peterson’s 2020 performance of her acclaimed play The Peculiar Patriot at Angola, the Louisiana State Penitentiary, America’s largest prison. Directed by Cinque Northern. Produced by Catherine Gund.
Tribeca is proud to partner with City National Bank, the official bank of the Festival.
About the Tribeca Festival The Tribeca Festival brings artists 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. Tribeca champions emerging and established voices; discovers award-winning filmmakers and creators; curates innovative experiences; and introduces new technology and ideas through premieres, exhibitions, talks, and live performances.
The Festival was founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff in 2001 to spur the economic and cultural revitalization of lower Manhattan following the attacks on the World Trade Center. Tribeca will celebrate its 21st year from June 8–19, 2022.
In 2019, James Murdoch’s Lupa Systems, a private investment company with locations in New York and Mumbai, bought a majority stake in Tribeca Enterprises, bringing together Rosenthal, De Niro, and Murdoch to grow the enterprise.
About the 2022 Tribeca Festival Partners The 2022 Tribeca Festival is supported by our corporate partners: AT&T, Audible, Bayer’s One a Day, Bloomberg Philanthropies, CHANEL, City National Bank, Diageo, DoorDash, Indeed, Meta, NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, and Spring Studios New York.
Culture Representation: Taking place in Japan, in the fictional city called Samurai Town and in a fictional area called Ghostland, the action film “Prisoners of the Ghostland” features a cast of predominantly white and Asian characters representing the working-class, middle-class and wealthy.
Culture Clash: A mysterious man is forced to find a ruthless leader’s enslaved concubine, who has escaped.
Culture Audience: “Prisoners of the Ghostland” will appeal primarily to people who are fans of Nicolas Cage and anyone who likes action movies that have more style than substance.
Bill Moseley (center) in “Prisoners of the Ghostland” (Photo courtesy of RLJE Films)
“Prisoners of the Ghostland” has impressive production design and cinematography, but this visually stylish action flick is too much of an incoherent mess in all other areas to be a truly enjoyable experience. Nicolas Cage’s die-hard fans, who automatically praise everything he does, will probably like “Prisoners of the Ghostland” just because he’s in the movie, in spite of the film’s very obvious failings. Unfortunately, the “Prisoners of the Ghostland” story just too cliché, but the filmmakers try to distract from this unoriginality by cluttering up the movie with predictable fight scenes and some bizarre characters.
Directed by Sion Sono, “Prisoners of the Ghostland”(which takes place in fictional areas of Japan) is essentially a post-apocalyptic film that blends elements of Western movies and samurai movies. “Prisoners of the Ghostland” (written by Aaron Hendry and Reza Sixo Safai) has the over-used “male hero who has to save a woman” concept as the basis for the protagonist’s main mission in this story. Maybe it’s a joke or maybe the filmmakers were just too lazy to come up with a name for the protagonist (played by Cage), but he doesn’t have a name in the movie. He’s listed in the film credits as Hero.
The Hero character is not exactly an upstanding, morally righteous person. He’s in prison for a bank robbery where he and his partner in crime, named Psycho (played by Nick Cassavetes), murdered several innocent bystanders. (This bank robbery is shown in a very bloody flashback.)
Psycho was in a prison transport vehicle that crashed into a truck carrying nuclear waste, which caused a massive explosion, leading to much of the area becoming a wasteland disaster area. (“Prisoners of the Ghostland” was filmed in Japan and Los Angeles. The movie had its world premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival.)
A corrupt and twisted leader named the Governor (played by Bill Moseley) has created a settlement community called Samurai Town, which is a combination of a modern Japanese city and American Old West village. As such, people in Samurai Town either dress in traditional Japanese clothing or cowboy/cowgirl gear. The Governor keeps women as sex slaves, whom he calls his “granddaughters.”
One of the enslaved women has escaped. Her name is Bernice (played by Sofia Boutella), and the Governor lets Hero out of prison to force Hero to find Bernice and bring her back to the Governor. As part of this mercenary task, the Governor forces Hero to wear a black leather outfit that is rigged with a detonator. The bomb on the suit will go off if Hero does not return Bernice in two days.
There are voice recognition buttons on the outfit’s sleeves, so that Bernice can speak into these devices to confirm that she is with Hero. Electro-chargers have been placed around Hero’s neck and testicles that will detonate if he tries to take off this outfit before the task is completed. Instead of taking the black Toyota Celica that has been offered to him, Hero instead decides to leave on a bicycle.
The Governor has a samurai bodyguard/enforcer named Yasujiro (played by Tak Sakaguchi), who catches up to Hero and tells him to use the car, and Hero obliges. However, Hero ends up crashing the car and is carried into a bombed-out area called Ghostland, which can be best be described as a rebellious steampunk community. The leader of the Ghostland tribe is the demented Enoch (played by Charles Glover), who knows that Bernice is there, but he’s doesn’t want to let her go.
You know where this story is headed, of course. The rest of “Prisoners of the Ghostland” is just a series of one obstacle after another for Hero, who gets into a lot of fights along the way. And did we mention that there are also some zombies in this post-apocalyptic world? (How unoriginal and unnecessary.)
Unfortunately, none of the uneven acting in “Prisoners of the Ghostland” elevates this shoddily told story. The dialogue in this movie is simply atrocious. “Prisoners of the Ghostland” tries every hard to be perceived as a zany action movie, but there’s no wit, charm or unpredictability to this story. For an action flick, it’s got dreadfully sluggish pacing in too many areas.
“Prisoners of the Ghostland” also has a lot of characters that are either too bland or so wacky that they’re trying too hard and are therefore annoying. Cage is just doing another version of the angsty loner type that he has already done in many of his other films. The villains are hollow. And most of the supporting characters—including Bernice’s friends Stella (played by Lorena Kotô), Nancy (played by Canon Nawata) and Susie (played by Yuzuka Nakaya)—are underwritten and underdeveloped.
It seems like “Prisoners of the Ghostland” was made with the idea that it will be a cult classic that will inspire other movies, similar to what director George Miller’s 1979 post-apocalyptic action classic “Mad Max” ended up doing for sci-fi action cinema in a “wasteland” setting. However, “Prisoners of the Ghostland” doesn’t have enough meaningful characters to care about to see again in spinoffs or sequels. “Prisoners of the Ghostland” is just an empty exercise from filmmakers who think that all you need to make a good action movie are memorable set designs, a well-known actor as a headliner, and a variety of fight scenes. That’s not enough to save “Prisoners of the Ghostland” from being a disappointing mishmash of superficial self-indulgence and amateurish storytelling.
RLJE Films released “Prisoners of the Ghostland” in select U.S. cinemas, on digital and VOD on September 17, 2021. The movie was released on Blu-ray and DVD on November 16, 2021.
Culture Representation: Taking place in an unnamed U.S. city, the sci-fi drama film “Ultrasound” features a group of almost all white people (with one African America and one Asian person) representing the working-class and middle-class.
Culture Clash: An unsuspecting man becomes part of a secretive scientific experiment that involves two separate pregnancies by two different women
Culture Audience: “Ultrasound” will appeal primarily to people who are fans of the “Generous Bosom” comic book series and people who enjoy mind-bending sci-fi mysteries.
Rainey Qualley and Chris Gartin in “Ultrasound” (Photo courtesy of Magnet Releasing)
“Ultrasound” falters with some erratic storytelling, but the cast members’ commendable performances and the movie’s willingness to take chances make it worth watching for people interested in unconventional sci-fi movies. Ultimately, “Ultrasound” is best appreciated by people who don’t mind movies that play tricks on what this story is really about, because the movie’s plot is a mystery that takes its time to reveal its true purpose. Viewers also have to suspend some disbelief when some of the movie’s characters make decisions that are outside the norm of what most people are expected to do.
Directed by Rob Schroeder, “Ultrasound” is based on Conor Stechschulte’s “Generous Bosom” comic book series, which Stechschulte adapted into the “Ultrasound” screenplay. “Ultrasound,” which is Schroeder’s feature-film directorial debut, had its world premiere at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival in New York City. It’s a movie where a lot of strange things happen that aren’t supposed to make much sense until the final third of the movie where secrets are revealed.
“Ultrasound,” which takes place in an unnamed U.S. city, opens with a scene of a bachelor in his early 40s named Glen (played by Vincent Kartheiser), whose car has broken down in a remote area at night. Glen goes to the nearest house, where a married couple named Arthur “Art” Thomas (played by Bob Stephenson) and Cyndi Thomas (played by Chelsea Lopez) live, so that he can find out where is the closest place to get auto repairs. Glen doesn’t use his phone to get that information.
Upon arriving at Art and Cyndi’s house, Glen meets them for the first time and sees that these two spouses have a very awkward, tension-filled dynamic between them. Art is very talkative and extremely friendly, while Cyndi is quiet and withdrawn. Art tells Glen that the nearest auto repair shop is currently closed. Glen tells Art that Glen has AAA insurance, but Art says that AAA will just tow Glen’s car to Pickton, a city that is 30 miles away. Pickton is also where the nearest motel is, according to Art.
Art is so open and inviting to this total stranger, he immediately offers a room in the house as a place for Glen to stay for the night. Art doesn’t just offer. He insists that Glen stay overnight at the house. Cyndi tells Glen that Art is on anti-depressant medication because he’s had depression for years. Art cheerfully admits to it and says that he always feels better after taking his medication.
And then, things get weird. Art tells Glen that the room where Glen will be staying is the same room where Cyndi sleeps, and that Glen will have to share the bed with her. Art says that is Glen’s only option if he wants to sleep over at the house. Glen is extremely uncomfortable about it, but he doesn’t want to be rude, so he doesn’t exactly get up and leave, which is what a lot of people would do. Apparently, Glen would rather not sleep in his car for the night.
Instead, Glen stays in the room with Cyndi, and they both strike up a conversation that starts off awkwardly. Slowly but surely, it becomes apparent why Glen wasn’t completely opposed to this bedroom arrangement: He’s attracted to Cyndi, who’s a little bit flirtatious with him. In continuing her pattern of divulging too much information to a stranger, Cyndi tells Glen that she’s unhappily married to Art.
Cyndi also mentions that the couple’s big age difference (Art is about 15 to 20 years older than Cyndi) is one of the reasons why their marriage has become unbearable to her. Art and Cyndi met when she was 17, and Art used to be one of her high school teachers. Art and Cyndi got married when she was 19. Cyndi tells Glen that she says she now regrets marrying Art.
Cyndi sadly mentions that if she could go back in time, she would tell her younger self before marrying Art: “What the fuck are you doing, throwing your life away, you fucking moron!” Cyndi adds, “But there’s an energy when people throw away things that people think are important … When you’re done, that energy drains out of you.”
Now that Cyndi has essentially announced to Glen that she’s a lonely and needy wife, the stage has been set for Glen to decide if he’s going to act on his attraction to Cyndi and have sex with her. This sexual one-night stand seems to be something that Art and Cyndi are expecting will happen. At first, Glen thinks that Art and Cyndi are a swinger couple, and it’s a setup so that Art can watch Glen have sex with Cyndi. When he asks Cyndi about it, she denies that Art will be watching whatever happens between her and Glen.
Cyndi and Glen end up having sex, but it’s not shown in the movie. The next time that viewers see Glen, he’s at his home (where he lives alone), and his car has long since been repaired. He found out that the car broke down because it had flat tires that were punctured by what objects that appeared to be nails. And then something unexpected happens to Glen: He gets an unannounced visit from Art.
Glen is so caught off-guard by seeing Art, he refuses to let Art in the house. Glen is suspicious because he doesn’t know how Art got his home address. Art is vague and won’t say how he found out where Glen lives, but Art insists on coming into the house because he tells Glen that he has something important to show Glen. Eventually, Glen lets Art into his home because he can see that Art won’t go away until Art gets what he wants from this unwelcome visit.
Inside the house, Art shows Glen a video on Art’s phone of a baby ultrasound. Art tells Glen that Cyndi is pregnant, and that this ultrasound is of the baby growing inside of Cyndi. And then, Art drops a bombshell: He says that Glen is the father of this baby. At first Glen denies it, but Art says that Glen is the only person who could be the father because Glen is the only man who had sex with Cyndi in the time period where the baby was conceived. Art says that he and Cyndi are willing to do DNA tests to prove Glen’s paternity.
After Glen gets the news that he’s going to be a father, he reconnects with Cyndi, who seems very happy about the pregnancy. Glen tells Cyndi that he wants to be involved with raising this child, even though Glen still feels mistrust and resentment (mostly toward Art) because Glen thinks he was “tricked” into getting Cyndi pregnant. He should’ve thought of that before he had unprotected sex with a stranger.
Meanwhile, another pregnancy issue is shown in “Ultrasound.” Katie (played by Rainey Qualley) is the pregnant, younger mistress of a married politician named Alex Harris (played by Chris Gartin), who is currently up for re-election for an unnamed political office. Katie and Alex’s affair and the pregnancy are both secrets.
Alex has paid for Katie to move to the city where he lives, but he’s been mostly ignoring her. Alex insists that Katie not venture out much from the apartment that he’s renting for her. This semi-confinement is starting to make Katie feel restless and disrespected. “Ultrasound” has a series of phone calls and encounters between Katie and Alex to show what happens in their relationship.
The rest of “Ultrasound” has a lot of spoiler information, but it’s enough to say that Glen and Cyndi end up in a mysterious scientific research lab, where they are forced to undergo experiments and interrogations. Glen is also injured and has to use a wheelchair. The leader of this “research study” is a determined scientist named Dr. Conners (played by Tunde Adebimpe), who is adamant that all of his subordinates follow his rules.
In this “research study,” the two female subordinates who work the most with Dr. Conners are named Shannon (played by Breeda Wool) and Julie (played by Porter Duong), who have very different approaches to their job. Julie is very obedient and never questions what Dr. Conners has to say. Shannon, who does a lot of the research interviews of Glen and Chelsea, has her doubts about the ethics of this “research study,” and she sometimes openly defies Dr. Conners’ orders.
“Ultrasound” takes viewers down a proverbial rabbit hole, where the story has some twists and turns—some of which are more unpredictable than others. Schroeder’s direction maintains a tense level of viewer anticipation and curiosity to see what will happen next. However, enough bizarre things happen where confused viewers of “Ultrasound” might not want to stick around until the end of the movie to find out what it all means.
All of the cast members are convincing in their performances, but Kartheiser and Wool stand out because their characters are the ones who say and do the things that are the most interesting. Glen and Shannon have aspects of their personalities that show they’re independent-minded and are willing to ask questions if things around them start to look suspicious. The ending of “Ultrasound” is a bit jumbled and messy, but it least answers a lot of questions about what these characters have experienced and what might happen to them next.
Magnet Releasing released “Ultrasound” in select U.S. cinemas, on digital and VOD on March 11, 2022.
Culture Representation: Taking place from 2018 to 2021, in Russia, Germany and Austria, the documentary film “Navalny” features an all-white group of political workers, journalists, investigators and family members who are connected in some way to Russian activist/politician Alexei Navalny.
Culture Clash: Navalny, who has been an outspoken critic/opponent of Russian president Valdimir Putin, launches an investigation to find out who poisoned Navalny in 2020, and he returns from exile to Russia, knowing that he is certain to be imprisoned.
Culture Audience: “Navalny” will appeal primarily to people who are interested in documentaries about international politics, corruption and charismatic public figures.
Alexei Navalny and Maria Pevchikh in “Navalny” (Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures)
Although the story of Russian political activist Alexei Navalny has been widely reported in the news, the documentary “Navalny” is a wild and intriguing look at what went on behind the scenes when he tried to find out who poisoned him in 2020. Directed by Canadian filmmaker Daniel Rohrer, “Navalny” (which was filmed from 2018 to 2021) gives an up-close-and-personal view of Navalny and people in his inner circle, through interviews and other candid footage. It’s not only an enthralling story of an aspiring Russian politician but it’s also a gripping exposé of a Russian government’s response to outspoken critics. “Navalny” had its world premiere at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the U.S. Documentary Audience Award and the Festival Favorite Award.
Navalny (who founded the Russian-based group Anti-Corruption Foundation) has no shortage of passion for the causes that he believes in, but he also has no shortage of ego. There are moments when he acts like he’s a rock star of Russian politics. While the Vladimir Putin-led Russian government portrays Navalny as a traitorous villain, and others see Navalny as a heroic martyr, what emerges in this documentary is a portrait of someone is who neither as dastardly nor as noble as some of the labels that have been thrust upon him. He comes across as shrewd, charismatic and hungry for power so that he can carry out what he says is his agenda: bringing true democracy and more equality to the people of Russia, especially the underprivileged.
These platitudes are often given by people who want to be in political leadership roles. But Navalny—an attorney who has never held an elected political office in the Russian federal government—claims that he really is interested in politics for all the right reasons. At the time this documentary was filmed, he was the leader of the Russia of the Future party. Navalny’s past attempts to run for various political offices have been interrupted by his numerous arrests. The documentary briefly mentions the controversy of his past association with anti-immigrant, white Russian national groups, whom Navalny now denounces. He says his past alignment with these bigoted groups was to open a dialogue with them.
As a political opponent to Russian president Putin, Navalny became very popular, as evidenced by his ability to draw huge crowds and by gaining millions of followers on social media. But a plane flight from Tomsk to Moscow on August 20, 2020, changed all of that momentum, when Navalny was poisoned with Novichok and nearly died while on that plane, which made an emergency landing in Omsk so he could get medical treatment. An investigation determined that Navalny had been poisoned in Novosibirsk, Russia, before he boarded the plane.
In the documentary, Navalny says that before this attempted murder happened to him, he thought that the more famous he became, the safer he would be from any dangerous attack because it would be made more public. “I was wrong,” he deadpans in the movie. In the beginning of the documentary, director Roher can be heard asking Navalny, “If you were killed, what message would you like to leave behind for the Russian people?” Navalny replies, “Oh, come on, Daniel. No way. It’s like a movie for the case of my death. Let it be movie No. 2. Let’s make a thriller out of this movie.”
Indeed, this documentary has many twists and turns into Navalny’s personal investigation into who poisoned him. This attempted murder was a crime that he always suspected was ordered by Putin. What was revealed in this investigation has already been reported, but seeing it unfold in this documentary is nothing short of fascinating.
Along the way, various people are featured in the documentary who are close to Navalny, including Navalny’s loyal wife Yulia Navalnaya and daughter Dasha Navalnaya, who was in her late teens at the time this documentary was filmed. Dasha comments on the poisoning of her father: “It was surreal. It was like [something in] a book.”
Later in the documentary, Dasha says of the burden that her father’s notoriety has placed on the family: “Since I was 13 years old, I’ve thought about what I would do if my dad was killed.” The movie also shows Yulia’s successful efforts to get her husband out of the hospital where he was taken after being poisoned, because the hospital had “more police and government agents than doctors.” He was safely transferred to a hospital in Germany.
“Navalny” gives an insightful look at the employees in Alexei Navalny’s trusted inner circle. Press secretary Kira Yarmysh is often the voice of reason among some of the chaos. Chief of staff Leonid Volkov is the steadfast right-hand man who carries out the leader’s commands but also has to make split-second decisions on his own. Maria Pevchikh, the Anti-Corruption Foundation’s chief investigator, is fiercely protective of her boss and sometimes combative. During the investigation, Pevchikh has to compromise and reluctantly agrees not share certain information with Alexei Navalny, so as not to taint his bias as a victim.
Also crucial to the investigation is a group based in Vienna, Austria, called Bellingcat, led by chief investigator Christo Grozev, who calls Bellingcat a bunch of “data nerds.” It was through Bellingcat’s sleuthing using technology (and some good old-fashioned phone calls) that essential clues were uncovered. The documentary also includes a few journalists (such as CNN’s Tim Lister and Der Spiegel’s Fidelius Schmid) who also investigated the poisoning.
“Navalny” is essential viewing for anyone interested in international politics. Viewers who see this movie can expect to go through a rollercoaster of emotions. And although the investigation does yield answers, “Navalny” is the type of documentary that concludes with a very “to be continued” tone, because events in Alexei Navalny’s life and in Russian politics are still making history.
Warner Bros. Pictures and Fathom Events will release “Navalny” in U.S. cinemas for a limited engagement on April 11 and April 12, 2022. CNN and CNN+ will premiere “Navalny” on April 24, 2022. HBO Max will premiere the movie on May 26, 2022.
UPDATE: “Navalny” will be re-released in select U.S. cinemas for a limited engagement, from February 24 to March 2, 2023.
February 16, 2024 UPDATE: Alexei Navalny died in a Russian prison on February 16, 2024. He was 47. Russian officials claim that he died after losing consciousness from feeling sick. Several of Nalvany’s loved ones and associates have gone on record to say that they think he was murdered.
Culture Representation: Taking place in Minneapolis, Los Angeles, and Madeline Island, Wisconsin, the documentary film “Move Me” features a group of almost all white people (and one person of Indian heritage) from the middle-class discussing the life of Kelsey Peterson, whose legs became paralyzed from a diving accident in 2012, when she was 27 years old.
Culture Clash: Peterson, who was an aspiring dancer when she became paralyzed, contemplates being part of a risky clinical trial to regain her muscle nerve sensations, and she becomes involved in a performing arts production called “A Cripple’s Dance.”
Culture Audience: “Move Me” will appeal primarily to people who are interested in a true and inspirational story about adjusting to life using a wheelchair and how to overcome personal challenges and crises.
Kelsey Peterson in “Move Me” (Photo by Brennan Vance/Submerged Film)
On July 3, 2012, when Kelsey Peterson was 27 years old, she made a decision that would change her life: While she was drunk on a boat during a party, she dived into Wisconsin’s Lake Superior, and hit the ground. This fateful dive would leave her with quadriplegia, paralyzed from the waist down and with her arms partially paralyzed. Although this terrible accident changed her life, it does not define who Peterson is as a person.
If there’s any takeaway from Peterson’s biographical documentary “Move Me,” which Peterson co-directed Daniel Klein, it’s that people’s true characters should not be defined by their physical abilities but how they live their lives. It’s a story that takes a realistic look at adjusting to life after paraplegia, although it’s told from a very privileged perspective of people who have the health insurance and the resources for ongoing medical care. “Move Me” had its world premiere at the 2022 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival before its New York premiere at the 2022 ReelAbilities Film Festival.
Peterson is not famous, but she opened up for this documentary (her feature-film debut as a director and producer) to share her story about how she is living as someone who happens to use a wheelchair after losing the ability to walk. Peterson is mostly optimistic, but she understandably still struggles to come to terms with not being able to move around like she was able to do before her diving accident. “Move Me” is not a preachy film, but it’s a candid story about one person’s journey in facing harsh realities as a person with a disability and making decisions on how to move forward without falling into self-pitying traps.
“Move Me” is a look into a specific time in Peterson’s life, when she is considering being a participant in an experimental clinical trial to regain sensations in her paralyzed muscle nerves. During the movie, she also becomes a dance performer in local production called “A Cripple’s Dance,” which stars people who use wheelchairs, along with people who have the ability to dance with their legs. Before her diving accident, Peterson had dreams of becoming a professional dancer.
“Move Me” opens with voiceover narration from Peterson, who says about the ability to move her muscles that are now paralyzed: “I spend a lot of time imagining moving and remembering that feeling. I wonder if it would be easier not remembering the life that I miss and the life that I want. It’s like this hidden prick on your heart.”
She continues, “I used to be Kelsey, the dancer. Now, I’m Kelsey, the girl in the wheelchair … Yeah, I’m in a wheelchair, but I just get put in this box, like this one-dimensional character. It’s like I’m being underestimated or something.”
During various parts of the movie, Peterson show glimmers of hope that medical technology might improve so that one day, she might regain the ability to move parts of her body that now have paralysis. She’s realistic in accepting the medical diagnosis that she will probably never walk again without using some kind of physical aid. However, Peterson is fairly certain that there might be a time when she can regain feeling in parts of her body that are now numb with paralysis.
Peterson expresses curiosity and fear about a clinical trial in Minneapolis to get an electronic simulation implant to regain sensations in paralyzed muscles for people with quadriplegia. It’s a risky clinical trial where positive results are not guaranteed. Peterson worries out loud, “What if something goes wrong?”
During the documentary, Peterson interviews two middle-aged women who have participated in the clinical trial. A clinical trial participant named Kathy Allen, who is interviewed in person, is forthright in telling Peterson that the biggest improvement that Allen experienced was that it now takes her less time (an average of 30 minutes, compared to an average 60 minutes) to complete the bowel movement process. Allen says to Peterson about the clinical trial, “I don’t want to sound like an infomercial, but do it!”
The other participant who talks about the clinical trial is named Sandra, who is interviewed over the phone and whose last name is not revealed in the documentary. Sandra said that one of the best results of the clinical trial was that she was able to regain the ability to experience sexual orgasms, which she compares to feeling like a “balloon pop” since she has been paralyzed. Peterson is especially happy to hear about this result, because she says that just because she uses a wheelchair, it doesn’t mean that she’s lost her sex drive. However, Peterson reveals that after she was paralyzed, she didn’t have sex for five years.
Peterson also speaks with a man in his 20s named Xander Mozejewski, who did not participate in this particular clinical trial for electronic simulation implants, but he participated in a similar clinical trial. Mozejewski tells Peterson that he had mixed results: At first, he actually regained his ability to stand, but some apparent side effects included excruciating pain in his legs. Mozejewski’s story seems to make Peterson even more concerned about whether or not she should be part of the clinical trial that she is considering.
“Move Me” also chronicles Peterson’s participation in “A Cripple’s Dance,” a production conceived and directed by musician Gabriel “Gabe” Rodreick, a hippie-ish friend of Peterson’s who uses the stage name Freaque and who also happens to use a wheelchair. He explains that he chose to use the word “cripple” in the production title, to take back the derogatory meaning for the word and put it in a positive context. Gabe, his father Matthew Rodreick and Gabe’s stepmother Kristin Rodreick Wilson are also featured in the documentary.
Peterson is also shown briefly with several of her female personal care assistants, whose names are listed in the documentary as Jenn O’Reilly, Dhanyella “Nella” Kurchek, Avaline “Avi” Marshall and Christi Adaline. Peterson is also seen during a medical check-up with Dr. Arun Idiculla. Peterson is friendly and upbeat with all of them. And she doesn’t hide the process of what wheelchair-using people have to do to take care of certain bodily functions. There’s a scene in the movie that shows Peterson (who’s fully dressed) using a tube inserted through her abdomen to urinate.
In “Move Me,” Peterson is at her most emotionally vulnerable when she’s with her parents: Spence Peterson and Tori Moore. The documentary includes home video footage (mostly taken by Kelsey’s mother) of when Kelsey was a child and a teenager. In one of the home video clips, Spence is seen playing with two boy toddlers who appear to be Kelsey’s older brothers. If Kelsey has any siblings, they are not mentioned in the documentary and perhaps chose not to participate.
By her own admission, Kelsey is a “daddy’s girl.” She says, “My dad was that guy who brought joy and fun.” He sang and played guitar and passed on a love of music to Kelsey, who knew from an early age that she wanted to be a dancer. In the documentary, Kelsey’s mother says that Kelsey was in the hospital after the diving accident, Kelsey was very much in denial that her paralysis. “She thought she was going to walk out of there in three months,” says Moore.
Spence remembers that when he would visit Kelsey in the hospital, “She’d have a smile on her face … I think she was faking it for me.” Moore replies, “She definitely was,” as Spence’s drops his head in disappointment.” Later, he comments in an emotional moment on Kelsey’s paralysis, “It’s frustrating, because I can’t fix it. Daddies like to fix stuff. I can’t fix it.”
Another scene in the movie shows the heartbreak and guilt over the accident. Kelsey and her father Spence are on the phone when he scolds her about what caused the accident: “You drank too much, and you didn’t use good judgment.” Kelsey (who no doubt feels worse about the accident than anyone else) gets tearful when she says, “Dad, you have to forgive me though!” Spence replies, “Honey, I always forgive you. You can still be angry about something and forgive somebody for whatever’s happened.”
It’s in these moments that “Move Me” are at its most poignant, because the documentary shows the reality that living with a disability can be more painful psychologically than physically. In this documentary, Kelsey admirably also reveals what it’s like to deal with the extra level of trauma of knowing that her actions caused the accident, not because of someone else’s actions and not because she was born with quadriplegia. She says at one point about having to use a wheelchair: “This chair puts up a wall between me and the people I love sometimes.”
“Move Me” has recurring themes and discussions of coping with disappointments when life doesn’t turn out the way you thought it would. Kelsey also shares her feelings about how people treated her differently after she began using a wheelchair, such as strangers being less willing to make eye contact with her. And the movie takes a heartbreaking turn when it’s revealed that Spence has Stage 4 lung cancer.
“Move Me” isn’t a pity party, but the documentary could have used more self-awareness in acknowledging that having personal care assistants and the type of care that comes with health insurance can make a big difference in people’s recoveries. Wheelchair-using people who are financially deprived and/or don’t have health insurance aren’t as lucky. The movie also could have used some more interview perspectives, other than Kelsey’s family members, a few close friends and the three clinical trial participants she interviewed. However, the filmmakers should be commended for not overstuffing this documentary with talking heads and keeping the focus intimate and personal.
The technical aspects of “Move Me” are competently handled and include some nice artistic shots of blue fabric that is used in “A Cripple’s Dance.” The fabric is supposed to represent water in the performance. Whether not viewers can relate to Kelsey’s struggles, “Move Me” is a documentary that is completely engaging and often inspiring, because as a director and as a biographical film subject, she comes across as authentic and honest about showing this part of her life.
UPDATE: The PBS series “Independent Lens” will premiere “Move Me” on November 7, 2022.
Culture Representation: Taking place in unnamed parts of England from 1918 through the 1980s, the dramatic film “Mothering Sunday” features a nearly all-white cast of characters (with one black person) representing the working-class, middle-class and wealthy.
Culture Clash: A woman’s journey as a maid and as a successful author are shown at various points in her life, which includes impactful love affairs that she had with two very different men.
Culture Audience: “Mothering Sunday” will appeal primarily to people interested in artsy British movies that have very good acting but with slow pacing that might frustrate some viewers.
Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù and Odessa Young in “Mothering Sunday” (Photo by Robert Viglasky/Sony Pictures Classics)
“Mothering Sunday” can be too pretentious for its own good, but the cast members’ thoughtful performances enrich the quality of this slow-paced film. Viewers must also be willing to tolerate the movie’s non-chronological storytelling of love, tragedy and hope. Because the movie’s story spans several decades (from 1918 to the 1980s) and has a timeline that jumps all over the place, “Mothering Sunday” requires a viewer’s full attention to keep track of which period of time is happening for the film’s protagonist in her youth.
Directed by Eva Husson, “Mothering Sunday” (which takes place in unnamed parts of England) touches on issues of upward mobility, inner turmoil, and how social class affects the decisions people make in love and marriage. Alice Birch adapted the “Mothering Sunday” screenplay from Graham Swift’s 2016 novel of the same name. “Mothering Sunday” made the rounds at several major festivals in 2021, including the Cannes Film Festival (where the movie had its world premiere), the Toronto International Film Festival and BFI London Film Festival. Cinematically, the movie is sumptuous to look at, but following the story will test the patience of people with short attention spans or those who have no interest in British period dramas.
“Mothering Sunday” depicts parts of the adult life of Jane Fairchild, who goes from being a maid to becoming an award-winning, famous author whose specialty is fiction writing. That transformation isn’t shown right away, as Jane’s life is revealed in scenes that can best be compared to a patchwork quilt. Most of the movie shows Jane in her 20s (played by Odessa Young) in the 1920s, while there are a few, very brief scenes of Jane in her 80s (played by Glenda Jackson) in the 1980s. Jackson’s scenes as Jane get only about five minutes of screen time in the movie. “Mothering Sunday” only shows Jane in these two decades.
The story is told in a non-linear way in the movie, but there are visual clues (such as Jane’s hairstyles) to show what period of time in her life is being depicted in each scene of her youth. It’s eventually revealed that Jane is an orphan who has no known relatives. She was abandoned by her single mother at an orphanage when she was a baby or a toddler. Jane’s childhood is never really shown or explained in great detail, but she’s grown up to be an introverted loner.
Somehow, when Jane was in her late teens in 1918, she ended up working as a house maid for a wealthy married couple named Godfrey Niven (played by Colin Firth) and Clarrie Niven (played by Olivia Colman), who live on an estate called Beachwood House. Much of the movie takes place in 1924, when Jane has been employed by the Nivens for six years. At this point in her life, Jane doesn’t see herself as being anything but part of society’s working class, until she has a forbidden love affair that changes her life.
This romance is the catalyst for much of what happens in the story and why Jane decides to transform herself into becoming a writer. The man whom she falls in love with is Paul Sheringham (played by Tom O’Connor), the son of wealthy spouses Mr. and Mrs. Sheringham (played by Craig Crosbie and Emily Woof), who don’t have first names in the movie. In 1924, Paul is in law school but he’s not particularly passionate about becoming an attorney. He’s chosen this profession because it’s expected of him.
Paul’s two older brothers Dick and Freddy no longer live in the family mansion. “Mothering Sunday” opens with a voiceover narration that essentially tells that the Niven family and Sheringham family have both experienced the tragic deaths of their young adult sons. World War I is one reason, but there are other reasons for these untimely deaths. Jane can be heard saying, “Once upon a time, before the boys were killed,” as a horse is shown running in an open field.
Paul can then be heard telling Jane that his family used to own a thoroughbred racing horse named Fandango. Paul says there was a family joke about the horse where “Ma and Pa owned the head and the body. Dick, Freddy and I had a leg each.” Jane then asks, “What about the fourth leg?” Paul replies, “Ah, the fourth leg. That was always the question, Jane.” Toward the end of the movie, this fourth leg is mentioned again in a way that will either make viewers roll their eyes in ridicule or possibly bring viewers to tears.
The title of “Mothering Sunday” comes from a pivotal Mothering Sunday (the British version of Mother’s Day) in 1924. Godfrey (who is kind, respectful and optimistic) generously decides to give Jane the day off from work, even though she doesn’t have a mother in her life, and Jane isn’t a mother. Jane’s closest female friend is the Niven family cook: Milly (played by Patsy Ferran), who has a bubbly personality but is a little shy when it comes to dating and romance. Milly and Jane spend part of this day off together.
It just so happens that on this day, Paul will have the mansion all to himself. And so, he calls the Niven home, knowing that Jane will answer the phone, to tell her to come over so they can have a sexual tryst. Jane pretends it’s a wrong number when Clarrie asks who called. The movie never details how long Paul and Jane have been having these secret hookups, but there’s a flashback scene that shows the day that Paul and Jane met, which was in 1918, shortly after she began working for the Niven family.
Paul and Jane tell each other that they are each other’s best friend. They’re keeping their romance a secret not just because they come from different social classes but also because Paul is expected to marry someone in his social circle: a spoiled heiress named Emma Hobday (played by Emma D’Arcy), whose parents—Giles Hobday (played by Simon Shepherd) and Sylvia Hobday (played by Caroline Harker)—are good friends of the Sheringham spouses and the Niven spouses. Paul doesn’t love Emma, but he feels obligated to marry her to please both sets of parents and to produce heirs from this marriage.
The Niven spouses have a tension-filled marriage because Clarrie is in a deep depression over the death of her son James, who was nearly engaged to Emma before James was tragically killed in combat during World War I. James and Paul were close friends, so Paul opens up a little bit to Jane about how James’ death affected him. Emma’s thoughts about James’ death are never shown in the movie, which portrays Emma as one-dimensional and someone who pouts a lot.
Clarrie’s grief sometimes comes out in angry spurts. She often acts irritable with her husband Godfrey and insults him in public. When she’s not acting cranky and annoyed with the world, Clarrie is withdrawn and quiet. Clarrie also acts resentful if she sees other people being what she thinks is being too happy for her comfort level. However, there’s a pivotal moment between Clarrie and Jane later in the movie that shows Clarrie’s hostile exterior is really just a mask for being heartbroken. This moment between Clarrie and Jane is one of the best scenes in “Mothering Sunday.”
Fans of Oscar-winning stars Colman and Firth might be disappointed to know that Colman and Firth don’t have as much screen time in “Mothering Sunday” as their top billing would suggest. Firth and Colman are each in the movie for about 15 minutes. However, they make the most of their screen time in portraying these contrasting and conflicted spouses.
Jane and Paul’s secret love affair is about more than just sex. They connect on an intellectual level. Jane loves to read and often sneaks into the Niven family library to read their books. Paul and Jane also bond on an emotional level, because they both feel like misfits in their environment, where they are expected to live a certain way because of society’s stereotypes for people of certain social classes.
Although there are full-frontal nude scenes (male and female) in “Mothering Sunday,” they are more about natural intimacy than eroticism. The sex scenes are actually very tame, but the full-frontal nudity is the adult-oriented content that will make parents of underage children decide if they think if it’s appropriate for their children to watch this movie. It’s implied throughout “Mothering Sunday” that Paul is Jane’s first true love.
Viewers can speculate that the movie has more male nudity than female nudity because “Mother Sunday” has a “female gaze” from a woman director. However, it can just as easily be interpreted that because these trysts happen in the Sheringham home, Paul simply feels more comfortable walking around fully naked in family house. In comparison, Jane is a little more guarded because she would suffer worse consequences than Paul if she and Paul got caught.
On the Mothering Sunday that changes Jane’s life, Paul has decided to have a tryst with Jane while Emma, his parents and Emma’s parents are waiting for him to arrive at a luncheon that all six of them are supposed to have together. Paul is going to the luncheon, but he knows he’s going to be late. What happens that day is revealed slowly revealed in flashbacks.
“Mothering Sunday” doesn’t handle the transition very well in showing Jane’s life after she decides to become a professional writer. The introduction to this part of her life is non-chronological and it’s rushed into the movie in an abrupt manner. It’s in this part of Jane’s life that she is involved in another meaningful love affair.
His name is Donald (played by Ṣọpẹ Dìrísù), and he is also a published author. When Donald and Jane first met (which is shown in a flashback scene), she hadn’t yet become a professional writer. She was working in a bookstore, he was a customer, and they had an instant rapport. Jane and Donald are both loyal and supportive partners to each other. In contrast to Jane’s secretive relationship with Paul, the relationship between Donald and Jane is out in the open. However, the movie never addresses the fact that Jane and Donald are in an interracial relationship in the 1920s.
This lack of acknowledgement of this couple’s racial differences implies that they are living in a part of England where interracial relationships were more accepted than in other parts of England. Still, it does come across as very phony and willfully ignorant that the movie never shows Donald and Jane experiencing or talking about any prejudice from other people because of the couple’s interracial relationship. Even in the most open-minded and progressive areas of England, a black man and a white woman in a romantic relationship would still cause problems for this type of interracial couple in the 1920s.
There are other large gaps in Jane’s life that aren’t adequately explained. Viewers never get to see if Jane went through any struggles as a writer before she had her first book published. Donald and Jane’s courtship is also a big mystery. The movie jumps from Donald and Jane being close to getting married, to a flashback scene to how they met, to Donald proposing marriage and Jane’s response.
Throughout this movie’s very messy and haphazard timeline, Young gives a consistently transfixing performance as Jane, who is an interesting contrast of being verbally articulate yet hard-to-read with her inner emotions. O’Connor also handles his role with aplomb to show that Paul is not just another spoiled rich kid, although Paul sometimes acts that way. Dìrísù doesn’t have much to do in the movie, because Donald is a very underdeveloped character.
Viewers might be bored with a lot of characters in “Mothering Sunday,” but Jane remains an interesting enigma whose life journey can inspire a lot of curiosity. Jane has been taught for most of her life to repress her emotions, so when she discovers that she is an artist who wants to express her emotions through her writing, it’s a metamorphosis that is thrilling to behold. And most audiences will be rooting for an orphan who grew up not knowing any parental love and is trying to find true love and a family of her own.
Unfortunately, because the movie frequently interrupts itself with flashbacks, viewers of “Mothering Sunday” never get a full picture of Jane blossoming as an artist. She’s certainly someone who has a lot of things that happen to her, but there should have been more in the movie that showed Jane being more of an active doer in her life, instead of someone passively reacting to whatever life threw her way. Someone like Jane doesn’t become a famous and highly respected author just by “luck.”
“Mothering Sunday” has a lot of scenes of people smoking cigarettes as they look out windows or stare off into space, looking pensive or worried. It’s not a movie that presents the story in a particularly exciting or straightforward way. But for people who like emotional nuance and characters that are like puzzles to be solved, there’s plenty to appreciate about “Mothering Sunday.” Just make sure you watch the movie when there’s very little chance that you’ll fall asleep, because a lot of how this story is presented can be snoozeworthy.
Sony Pictures Classics released “Mothering Sunday” in select U.S. cinemas on March 25, 2022. The movie’s release expanded in the U.S. on April 8, 2022. “Mothering Sunday” was released in the United Kingdom and other countries in Europe in 2021.
Culture Representation: Taking place in Devon, England, the comedy/drama “All My Friends Hate Me” features a nearly all-white cast of characters (with one black person) representing the working-class, middle-class and wealthy.
Culture Clash: For his 32nd birthday, a man reunites with some of his former college friends at a remote estate in the country, and he is plagued with a nagging suspicion that they are conspiring to make him miserable.
Culture Audience: “All My Friends Hate Me” will appeal primarily to people interested in dark comedies/drama that are intended to keep viewers on edge and feeling uncomfortable.
Tom Stourton in “All My Friends Hate Me” (Photo by Ben Moulden/Super LTD)
Deliberately unnerving, “All My Friends Hate Me” taps into people’s insecurities and paranoia that friends can become enemies. Just like the movie’s protagonist, this dark comedy/drama is both fascinating and annoying. The story goes off the rails into incoherence more than a few times, but viewers might remain interested out of curiosity to see how the movie ends.
Directed by Andrew Gaynord, “All My Friends Hate Me” was filmed on location in Devon, England. The movie had its world premiere at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival in New York City. There’s a very British sensibility to this movie that benefits the story, since British comedy is often about cutting down people who think too highly of themselves.
“All My Friends Hate Me” is told from the perspective of a neurotic man named Pete (played by Tom Stourton), who has a very tension-filled reunion with some of his former college friends for his 32nd birthday. Stourton and Tom Palmer co-wrote the screenplay for “All My Friends Hate Me.” The reunion takes place over a few days, mostly at a place called Cleve Hill Manor, which is in a remote part of the country. The real-life mansion location is actually called Sidbury Manor.
Pete and his university friends come from very privileged backgrounds. For an unnamed period of time, Pete has been working in a refugee camp in an unnamed country. Throughout the movie Pete and his friends show varying levels of elitism, as well as attempts to identify with or interact with less privileged people.
Within these social constructs, Pete feels his own level of discomfort that his friends secretly look down on him because he doesn’t have a high income and spends a lot of time with underprivileged people. However, in the beginning of the movie, Pete is in good spirits, as he travels by himself in his car to the mansion, where his pals have gathered to celebrate his birthday. Pete hasn’t seen these friends in years, but he expects that they will pick up right where they left off, with a lot of good will and positive camaraderie. Pete is about to find out that this assumption is very wrong.
The people who are in this party and who stay overnight at the mansion are:
George (played by Joshua McGuire), whose father owns the mansion, but George is the one in the family who spends the most time there, and he oversees the manor’s upkeep. It was George’s idea to throw this birthday party for Pete at the mansion. It’s unclear if George has a profession, but it’s implied that he’s living off of his family’s wealth.
Fig (played by Georgina Campbell), George’s wife, who is as status-conscious and self-assured as George is. Fig and George began dating each other when they were in college, and they appear to be happily married.
Archie (played by Graham Dickson), a goofy 31-year-old bachelor who is an aspiring entrepreneur. Archie can be socially awkward and has a habit of sometimes saying and doing inappropriate things.
Claire (played by Antonia Clarke), an introverted painter artist, who had a fling with Pete when they were in college. Claire was reportedly heartbroken when their would-be romance ended, but she’s decided to stay on friendly terms with Pete.
Harry (played by Dustin Demri-Burns), a scruffy and crude 40-year-old country local whom George met at a pub shortly before Pete arrived. George impulsively invited Harry to be a guest at the party after seeing Harry challenging local farmers to rap battles in the pub.
Sonia (played by Charly Clive), Pete’s girlfriend, who arrives separately and much later than everyone else at the party. It’s briefly mentioned that Sonia didn’t travel with Pete because of her job commitments.
On his way to the manor, Pete gets lost and asks an elderly man on the road for directions. The man isn’t very friendly and doesn’t seem impressed when Pete says that he’s going to the mansion for his birthday party. Pete is starting to feel anxious because he’s running late.
When Pete arrives at the mansion, he is warmly greeted by friends. When he tells his friends about the strange and unfriendly old man he encountered on the road, Pete is embarrassed to see that the man is standing behind him. His name is Norman (played by Christopher Fairbank), and he’s one of the mansion’s servants. Norman isn’t in the movie much, but his employee role is mostly being a butler.
Not long after Pete arrives for this party, Archie tells Pete that George’s birthday party invitation was a joke. Pete believes Archie, until Archie laughs and confesses that the real joke is that Archie was telling a lie about the party invitation being a prank. It’s the start of Pete feeling unnerved by not knowing what might be sarcastic jokes from the people at this gathering, or what might be genuine attempts to humiliate him.
When Pete and Claire see each other, they catch up on what’s been going on in each other’s lives. In a self-deprecating manner, Claire says that she’s just a “stupid posh girl painting portraits of other posh people.” Pete seems very pleased with himself that he’s a do-gooder for charity in his refugee work, but no one else in this group really wants to hear the details of what Pete does in his job.
Claire isn’t Pete’s only past romantic entanglement from his university days. In a private conversation between Pete and Fig, he reminds Fig that they had had a kissing makeout session once when they were college students. Fig says that she doesn’t remember it. This scene is one of many instances in the movie where viewers are supposed to wonder if Pete’s perspective and memories are entirely reliable.
In a separate private conversation between Pete and George, Pete tells George that he plans to propose marriage to Sonia during an upcoming trip to Paris. George seems happy for Pete, but he warns Pete not to tell Claire, because Claire is “still a bit in love with you.” Pete and Sonia met and started dating each other long after his fling with Claire ended. However, during the course of the movie, Pete worries about if or when he should tell Sonia about his past fling with Claire.
Meanwhile, Pete becomes more and more annoyed that Harry has been invited to this party, as Pete begins to suspect that Harry is up to no good and is targeting Pete in particular. The tension between Pete and Harry begins when Pete finds out that he and Harry have adjoining rooms, and Harry has a tendency to invade Pete’s personal space. For example, when Pete is taking a bath, Harry has no qualms about walking into the bathroom, taking off all of his clothes, and walking around naked in front of Pete.
During a group dinner, Harry makes Pete even more uncomfortable with his weird and offbeat jokes. Archie babbles on about an app he’s developing to connect wealthy travelers who want to do things such as jet skiing while chasing whales. When Pete comments that that the app sounds super-elitist, Archie then states what he thinks is the purpose of the app being exclusive to wealthy people: “At least you’re not having your holiday ruined by some random peaz [short for peasant].”
Pete somewhat lectures Archie to be “more aware” of who’s in the room when Archie talks like a classist snob. Without saying Harry’s name out loud, Pete is implying that Harry is presumably working-class and might be offended by Archie’s derogatory attitude about people who aren’t rich and privileged. However, Pete’s assumption is somewhat classist in and of itself.
Even though Harry doesn’t dress in designer clothes, and he was hanging out at a local pub with working-class people, that doesn’t automatically mean anyone should assume what his status is, when it comes to his finances or social class. In fact, Harry reveals very little about himself during his time spent with these strangers. He sticks to being a jokester. And that makes Pete even more anxious, because he thinks Harry is making Pete the butt of Harry’s jokes.
Things start to get weirder for Pete when he notices that Harry has been staring at Pete and writing in a notebook, as if Harry is observing Pete and spying on him. And there’s an incident where Harry takes some of Pete’s aspirin without Pete’s permission. Pete confides in Archie that he thinks Harry is “fucking with me, or he doesn’t like me.” Archie thinks Pete is being too paranoid. Pete’s paranoia isn’t helped when he later snorts some cocaine in a party scene.
Not all of the movie’s scenes take place in the mansion. There’s an unevenly written scene where the men go out in the woods for a hunting excursion. There’s also a scene that takes place in a pub that was rented out for part of Pete’s birthday celebration.
During the course of the movie, Pete begins to see signs that his life might be in danger. He’s certain that he saw a bloody body in a car that’s parked outside the manor. And there comes a point in the story where Pete is genuinely convinced that Harry is going to kill him.
“All My Friends Hate Me” plays guessing games with viewers over what is real and what might be Pete’s hallucinations. After a while, the movie turns into an expected showdown/confrontation between Pete and Harry. And that comes as a disservice to the movie’s other characters, who seem hollow and underdeveloped in comparison. The cast members in those supporting roles are therefore forced to be limited in their acting range. Demri-Burns gives a compelling performance as the mysterious Harry, but even that character has its limitations.
Stourton carries the movie quite well in the central role of Pete, who is both sympathetic and irritating. Viewers will feel empathy for Pete when he starts to believe that he’s an outsider at his own birthday party/reunion with his friends. But at some point, Pete (who tells people he’s in therapy) is frustratingly immature in how he handles whatever problems he seems to be having. Pete starts to feel some disdain toward his friends because he thinks that they are shallow and haven’t emotionally matured since their university days.
However, Pete has a lot of flaws too, which become more apparent as the story goes on in frequently repetitive ways. There are only so many times that viewers need to see varying degrees of “Pete versus Harry” before it starts to drag down the story. “All My Friends Hate Me” does have a knockout scene in the last third of the film, where secrets are revealed. But one of the characters is let off the hook too easily in the movie’s final scene, which might turn off some viewers from this film entirely.
Although “All My Friends Hate Me” has been described as a “horror film,” it’s best to know going into this movie that it’s more of a psychological drama with a lot of comedic satire. “All My Friends Hate Me” will make viewers feel unsettled or tense, but it’s definitely not as terrifying as a horror movie is supposed to be. There’s nothing incompetent about this movie’s filmmaking or acting, but “All My Friends Hate” is clearly not meant to have mass appeal. The movie is at its best when it takes an incisive look at social anxieties and the pressure that people put on themselves to impress others.
Super LTD released “All My Friends Hate Me” in select U.S. cinemas on March 11, 2022. The movie was released on digital and VOD on March 25, 2022.
