Even though it’s called the Tribeca Film Festival, the festival, which began shortly after 9/11 as a way to revitalize New York’s ailing downtown, encompasses much of lower Manhattan, so much so that it feels less like a film festival and more like an elaborate scavenger hunt. With its mixture of world-class screenings, lengthy Q&As, and outdoor events, it’s become a signifier for those of us in Manhattan: spring is here, now let’s have some fun.
And fun we shall have. For the next two weeks, SSN will bring you exclusive interviews, previews, and recaps from the festival. But first, it’s important to remember, that no matter how much compelling miscellanea is included, the Tribeca Film Festival is first and foremost a film festival. Here are this year’s ten must-see movies.
In Your Eyes
Director: Brin Hill
Producers: Kai Cole, Michael Roiff, David Rothenberg, Joss Whedon, Rachel Berk
Production Companies: Bellwether Pictures, Night and Day Pictures
Writer: Joss Whedon
Synopsis: In what is being described as “a metaphysical romance,” Eyes concerns a lonely housewife (Zoe Kazan) who finds herself connected, on the other side of the country, to a strange and charming ex-con (Michael Stahl-David).
SSN Insight: What’s remarkable about Eyes is that it was written by Whedon, who’s currently slaving away on the sequel to his record-breaking smash The Avengers. Produced by his Bellwether Pictures, which also gave us the wonderful, ultra-low budget Much Ado About Nothing, it’s the first time in a while that someone besides Whedon has directed a Whedon script. Kazan describes the project as “Joss Whedon does Nicholas Spark.”
Distribution Sales: Creative Artists Agency
Gabriel
Writer/Director: Lou Howe
Producers: Ben Howe, Luca Borghese
Production Companies: Sundance Institute, Cinereach, IFP
Synopsis: One snowy weekend, a mentally unwell young man (Rory Culkin) returns home and bickers with family while looking to reconnect with the first girl he ever loved.
SSN Insight: While the movie is an occasionally squirm-inducing experience, it’s also deeply-powerful and highly-nuanced, with the kind of performance at its center that, if there was any justice in this world, would makes Culkin a genuine star.
Distribution Sales: Clean Machine LLC (foreign), Preferred Content (domestic)
Glass Chin
Writer/Director: Noah Buschel
Producers: Samantha Housman, Louise Runge, Susan Stover, Lois Drabkin
Synopsis: House of Cards breakout Corey Stoll plays a former boxer-turned-conflicted-
, trying desperately to manage his relationship with a bizarre mob boss (Billy Crudup) and his prickly girlfriend (Marin Ireland). Things, predictably, are not easy.
SSN Insight: Buschel directed one of the very best micro-indies of the last few years, Sparrows Dance, so it’s nice to see him expand his palette and work with a top-notch cast, to boot. Chin is certainly esoteric, but seems like a perfect fit for Tribeca—cofounded, after-all, by Robert De Niro, a man who turned playing a
into a cinematic art form.
Distribution Sales: Cinetic Media
Ballet 422
Director: Jody Lee Lipes
Producers: Ellen Bar, Anna Rose Holmer
Synopsis: The New York City Ballet is one of the largest and most sophisticated companies in the world. This riveting documentary looks at the nuts and bolts behind its 422nd production, one designed by 25-year-old choreographer Justin Peck, who happens to be one of the company’s lower-tier dancers.
SSN Insight: If the movie sounds too esoteric, it’s only because I’ve described it poorly. This amazing film goes through every facet of the difficult, frantic production (it’s like 24 meets Black Swan), and will play like gangbusters in New York.
Distribution Sales: The Film Sale Company
Every Secret Thing
Director: Amy Berg
Producers: Frances McDormand, Anthony Bregman
Production Companies: Likely Story
Writer: Nicole Holofcener
Synopsis: A baby disappears from a New York hamlet and two young girls are convicted of the crime. When the girls get out of jail, another child vanishes … which leads to all sorts of finger pointing.
SSN Insight: Thing marks the narrative debut of documentary filmmaker Amy Berg (West of Memphis), working from a script by the always impeccable Nicole Holofcener, that was adapted from a novel by genius mystery writer Laura Lippman. With a cast that includes Diane Lane, Dakota Fanning, and Elizabeth Banks, this thing has must see written all over it.
Distribution Sales: Hyde Park Entertainment (international)
Zombeavers
Director: Jordan Rubin
Producers: Evan Astrowsky, Christopher Lemole, Tim Zajaros, Jake Weiner, Chris Bender, JC Spink
Production Companies: Armory/Benderspinkweiner
Writers: Jordan Rubin, Jon Kaplan, Al Kaplan
Synopsis: A typical monster mash yarn with a twist—instead of a killer shark or bloodthirsty crocodile, it features a pack of puckish zombie beavers. And they’re not here to just nibble on wood. Instead, a pack of sexy coeds seems to be on the menu.
SSN Insight: Already touted as the next Sharknado (which I guess is a good thing?), the horror-comedy is a tough nut to crack tonally, but many have high hopes that Zombeavers will enliven Tribeca’s midnight slate and become one of its breakout movies.
Distribution Sales: United Talent Agency (domestic), Epic Pictures Group (international)
An Honest Liar
Director: Justin Weinstein, Tyler Meason
Producer: Tyler Measom, Justin Weinstein
Writers: Justin Weinstein, Tyler Measom, Greg O’Toole
Synopsis: Liar is a biographic documentary chronicling the life of James “The Amazing” Randi, a magician who, after years of dazzling audiences, began systematically debunking those he presumed to be charlatans, frauds, or low class entertainers.
SSN Insight: Magician documentaries are a dime a dozen, although this seems to have a certain edge, particularly with its emphasis on noted “psychic” entertainer Uri Gellar of spoon-bending fame.
Distribution Sales: Part2Filmworks
Alex of Venice
Director: Chris Messina
Producers: Jamie Patricof, Lynette Howell
Production Company: Electric City Entertainment
Writers: Jessica Goldberg, Katie Nehra
Synopsis: Mary Elizabeth Winstead plays an environmental attorney whose by-the-books routine is thrown into disarray when her husband (Messina) asks for a separation.
SSN Insight: This is the directorial debut of Messina, who’s been a longtime mainstay of both independent cinema and mainstream television. Winstead has been searching for her breakthrough role, and this could finally be it. At least you can rest assured knowing that the performances will be great.
Distribution Sales: Preferred Content
Dior and I
Director: Frédéric Tcheng
Producer: Guillaume de Roquemaurel
Writer: Frédéric Tcheng
Synopsis: This documentary follows designer Raf Simons’ first haute couture collection for House of Dior, his inaugural gig as the company’s artistic director.
SSN Insight: Director Tcheng has made quite a career out of top-tier fashion documentaries, having previously helmed Valentino: The Last Emperor and Diana Vreeland: The Eye to Travel. This go-round should be even livelier and more engaging, as Tcheng, who’s previously explored more established characters, will offer something of a fresher perspective. Both fashion nuts and novices should get a kick out of it.
Distribution Sales: Submarine Entertainment (domestic), CIM Productions (international)
NOW: In the Wings on a World Stage
Director: Jeremy Whelehan
Producer: Jeremy Whelehan
Synopsis: This world-premiere documentary chronicles the trek of Kevin Spacey and Sam Mendes, who take their bold retelling of Shakespeare’s Richard III on a cross-cultural road trip. And it’s quite the production.
SSN Insight: What makes this documentary so compelling is the chance to watch Spacey, a notoriously unforthcoming figure, actually work. The company of actors he surrounds himself with are stellar, and the fact that Mendes and Spacey chose this as their long-overdue American Beauty follow-up is endlessly fascinating. They knew it had to be great, and thank God somebody was there to document the whole thing.
Distribution Sales: Ro*Co Films (international), Creative Artists Agency (domestic)