Tribeca Film Festival announces Closing Night, Galas and Special Screenings

Posted By Justin D Williams 

Unprecedented screenings and once-in-a-lifetime experiences, including the reunion of talent and creators from iconic films and musical acts, will be showcased at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival, presented by AT&T. The 16th edition of the annual cultural festival today announced the program’s Closing Night, Galas, Special Screenings, as well as the titles premiering under the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival banner. The Tribeca Film Festival takes place from April 19 to April 30 and opens with the world premiere of the feature documentary Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives at Radio City Music Hall, followed by a special concert featuring performances by Aretha Franklin, Jennifer Hudson, Earth, Wind & Fire, and more.

To close the Festival, Tribeca will celebrate the 45th anniversary of The Godfather’s theatrical release with an epic screening of the legendary crime saga’s first two parts. The Godfather and The Godfather Part II will play back-to-back at Radio City Music Hall onSaturday, April 29, followed by a once-in-a-lifetime panel discussion with Academy Award®-winning director Francis Ford Coppola and actors Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, and Robert De Niro.

This year’s Galas section features larger-than-life figures from the worlds of music and sports, including Sean “Diddy" Combs’ Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: The Bad Boy Story documentary celebrating the first 20 years of Bad Boy Entertainment record label; the World Premiere of James Ponsoldt’s The Circle, starring Tom Hanks and Emma Watson; and the World Premiere of Mike and the Mad Dog, which kicks off The Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival, sponsored by Mohegan Sun.

“From Clive Davis, to Sean Combs, to Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival is brimming with exciting and can’t miss special screenings and events,” said Tribeca’s Paula Weinstein. “With the lineup of film, music, and sports legends who are coming together to entertain and inform, this could be the most memorable year of Tribeca yet.”

Special Screenings are a Tribeca tradition, offering audiences the opportunity to continue the cinematic experience with a deeper dive into a topic, either through a conversation or performance after the premiere screening. This year, the special screenings include the world premieres of House of Z, a documentary that follows fashion superstar Zac Posen; The Public Image is Rotten, a documentary aboutSex Pistols’ lead singer Johnny Rotten (AKA John Lydon); and Dare to be Different, the story of 1980’s rebel Long Island radio station WLIR, which will include live performances by Flock of Seagulls, The Alarm, and The English Beat.

“From cinema to music, sports to virtual reality, we pride ourselves on curating experiences that you won’t find anywhere else,” said Tribeca’s Director of Programming Cara Cusumano. “The very nature of a festival is for people to come together to be moved by stories. This year’s selection of special screenings provides that and more, paired with talks, performances, and commemorative reunions that take the experience off the screen and into the audience.”

Tribeca will also give a nod to the past with a series of anniversary retrospectives, including: the 25th anniversary ofAladdin with a special sing-along; the 15th anniversary of Bowling for Columbine followed by a critical conversation with Academy Award®-winning directorMichael Moore; and the 25th anniversary of Quentin Tarantino’s influential and celebrated classic, Reservoir Dogs. Tarantino and members of the cast will participate in a conversation following the film.

The complete film selections for Closing Night, Galas, Special Screenings, and Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival sections are as follows:

CLOSING NIGHT

The 45th anniversary of The Godfather screening followed by The Godfather Part II and conversation

The Godfather & The Godfather: Part II, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, written by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola. (USA). Arguably two of the best films ever made, and winners of nine Academy Awards between them, Coppola’s epic masterpieces paint a chilling, multigenerational portrait of the Corleone crime family's rise and near fall from power in America. Tribeca celebrates the legacy of one of the most influential film sagas of all time with this anniversary screening and reunion event. Part I:  With Marlon Brando, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Al Pacino, Talia Shire, John Cazale, Abe Vigoda. In English, Italian, Latin with subtitles.  Part II:  With Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, William Bowers, James Caan, John Cazale, Giuseppe Sillato, Lee Strasberg. In English, Italian, Latin, Sicilian, Spanish with subtitles.

After the Movie: A 45th anniversary conversation with Francis Ford Coppola, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, and Robert De Niro.

GALAS

Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: The Bad Boy Story, directed by Daniel Kaufman. (USA) - World Premiere, Documentary.  A raw and exclusive look behind the scenes at the history and legacy of Bad Boy through a complex portrait of the label’s mastermind, Sean “Diddy” Combs aka Puff Daddy, as he tries to reunite his Bad Boy Family in the course of a frantic three-week rehearsal period. This Live Nation Productions documentary finds him reuniting with the biggest names from Bad Boy’s history for a wildly successful pair of concerts at Brooklyn’s Barclay Center. With Notorious B.I.G., Ma$e, Lil' Kim, Faith Evans, Total.

The Circle, directed by James Ponsoldt, written by James Ponsoldt and Dave Eggers. (USA) - World Premiere, Narrative. When Mae (Emma Watson) is hired to work for the world’s largest and most powerful tech and social media company, she sees it as an opportunity of a lifetime. As she rises through the ranks, she is encouraged by the company’s founder, Eamon Bailey (Tom Hanks), to engage in a groundbreaking experiment that pushes the boundaries of privacy, ethics and ultimately her personal freedom. Her participation in the experiment, and every decision she makes begin to affect the lives and future of her friends, family and that of humanity. With Emma Watson, Tom Hanks, John Boyega, Karen Gillan, Ellar Coltrane, Patton Oswalt, Glenne Headly, Bill Paxton. An STXfilms release.

TRIBECA/ESPN SPORTS FILM FESTIVAL GALA

Sponsored by Mohegan Sun

 Mike and the Mad Dog, directed by Daniel H. Forer. (USA) - World Premiere, Documentary. Dive into the inner workings of one of the sports world's most unlikely partnerships: Mike Francesa and Chris “Mad Dog” Russo, the voices that launched a thousand sports radio imitators. The hosts, their colleagues, and a who's-who of sports heavyweights tell the story of their surprise rise to stardom and 19 years as the iconic voices of New York sports. An ESPN Films release.

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

Blues Planet: Triptych, directed and written by Wyland. (USA) - World Premiere. Blues Planet: Triptych explores the Gulf Oil Spill disaster and its aftermath through environmental artist Wyland who, along with 30 of today's pre-eminent artists, recorded a new genre of global blues on the catastrophe's anniversary.

After the Movie: Taj Mahal and the Wyland Blues Planet Ban will perform.

Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story, directed and written by Alexandra Dean. (USA) - World Premiere, Documentary. Known for her unmatched beauty, Hedy Lamarr’s fans never knew she also possessed a beautiful mind. Immigrating to Hollywood in the 1940s, Lamarr acted by day and sketched inventions by night, even devising a “secret communication system” for the Allies to beat the Nazis. Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story reveals how Lamarr gave her patent away to the Army, receiving no credit for her engineering innovations, even as she was immortalized as a legend of the silver screen. Executive produced by Susan Sarandon. With Mel Brooks, Diane Kruger, Peter Bogdanovich, Denise Loder DeLuca, Anthony Loder, Richard Rhodes.

After the Movie: Tribeca Film Institute and Alfred P. Sloan Foundation will host an exclusive panel with director Alexandra Deanand prominent women in both entertainment and STEM, focusing on how both groups have been historically underrepresented in their respective fields.

Chris Gethard: Career Suicide, directed by Kimberly Senior, written by Chris Gethard. (USA) - World Premiere, Narrative. In this deeply personal and profoundly funny one man show, comedian Chris Gethard dives deep into his own personal struggles with mental health issues. He will have you laughing at stories of Barb his therapist one minute, then revealing incredibly personal experiences the next, using comedy to lend insight in a way that only humor can. An HBO release.

After the Movie: A conversation with comedian/actor/writer Chris Gethard and fellow comedians.

Dare to be Different, directed by Ellen Goldfarb, written by Jay Reiss. (USA) - World Premiere, Documentary. Featuring interviews and rare footage of U2, Blondie, Duran Duran, Joan Jett, The Cure, Billy Idol, and Depeche Mode, Dare to Be Different is a nostalgic look at WLIR 92.7, the radio station that introduced these bands to a US audience. Director Ellen Goldfarb tells the story of the rise and fall of this institution, and the birth of the punk and new wave communities. With Joan Jett, Debbie Harry, Billy Idol, and others.

After the movie: A live music tribute to WLIR from A Flock of Seagulls, The English Beat, and The Alarm.

The Exception, directed by David Leveaux, written by Simon Burke. (U.K., USA) - US Premiere, Narrative. A riveting World War II thriller,The Exception follows German soldier Stefan Brandt, tasked with investigating exiled German Monarch Kaiser Wilhelm II, only to find himself drawn into an unexpected and passionate romance with mysterious housemaid Mieke. When Heinrich Himmler, head of the SS, comes for an unexpected visit, secrets are revealed, allegiances tested, and Brandt is forced to make the ultimate choice between honoring his country and following his heart. With Christopher Plummer, Jai Courtney, Lily James, Janet McTeer, Eddie Marsan, Ben Daniels. A DirecTV/A24 release.

After the movie: A conversation with director David Leveaux and actor Christopher Plummer.

From The Ashes, directed by Michael Bonfiglio. (USA) - World Premiere, Documentary. From the Ashes captures Americans in communities across the country as they wrestle with the legacy of the coal industry and what its future should be under the Trump Administration. From Appalachia to the West’s Powder River Basin, the film goes beyond the rhetoric of the “war on coal” to present compelling and often heartbreaking stories about what’s at stake for our economy, health, and climate. From the Ashes invites audiences to learn more about an industry on the edge and what it means for their lives.

Before the movie: Special introduction by three-term Mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg. After the movie: A conversation with director Michael Bonfiglio and special guests to discuss the state of the American coal industry.

House of Z, directed by Sandy Chronopoulos, written by Sandy Chronopoulos, Sherien Barsoum. (USA) - World Premiere, Documentary. Zac Posen rocketed to fashion stardom at a young age with his unique design aesthetic and charismatic presence, becoming one the most recognizable faces in the business today. But like any journey to great success it hasn't come without cost. Sandy Chronopoulos’ film looks past the glamor of the red carpet and the runway to shine a light on the trials and tribulations of running one of the country’s most successful fashion houses. With Naomi Campbell, Sean Diddy Combs aka Puff Daddy, André Leon Talley, Paz de la Huerta.

 After the movie: A conversation with director Sandy Chronopoulos and the film’s subject Zac Posen.

Intent to Destroy, directed by Joe Berlinger, written by Joe Berlinger, Cy Christiansen. (USA) - World Premiere, Documentary. Embedding himself on the epic film set of Terry George’s The Promise (starring Oscar Isaac and Christian Bale), Academy Award®-nominated director Joe Berlinger takes an unwavering look at the Armenian genocide after a century of denial by the Turkish government and its strategic allies. A cinematic window into the historical and emotional web of responsibility.

 After the movie: A conversation with director/screenwriter Joe Berlinger, poet and nonfiction writer Peter Balakian, composerSerj Tankian, and producer Eric Esrailian.

Julian Schnabel: A Private Portrait, directed and written by Pappi Corsicato. (Italy) - World Premiere, Documentary. A titan of painting and filmmaking, Julian Schnabel’s art is among the most important work of the late 20th and early 21st century. Julian Schnabel: A Private Portrait captures the artist in the studio and at home, incorporates archival footage and private home videos, and interviews family and friends to build a complex image of the man and his work. With Al Pacino, Willem Dafoe, Bono, Emmanuelle Seigner, Vito Schnabel. A Cohen Media release.

After the movie: A conversation with director Pappi Corsicato and the film’s subject Julian Schnabel.

Paris Can Wait, directed and written by Eleanor Coppola. (USA) - New York Premiere, Narrative. Long married to a successful but inattentive film producer, Anne is at a crossroads in her life. Enter Jacques, a French bon vivant, who offers to drive Anne from Cannes to Paris. What begins as an innocent favor quickly turns into an unexpectedly wandering road trip filled with fine cuisine and looming romance. Eleanor Coppola’s elegant journey takes us to the heart of a woman surprised to find long-buried memories resurface and unforeseen attraction arise.With Diane Lane, Alec Baldwin, Arnaud Viard. A Sony Pictures Classics release.

 After the movie: A food and film experience inspired by Paris Can Wait.

The Public Image is Rotten, directed by Tabbert Fiiller. (USA) - World Premiere. Within months of the demise of the Sex Pistols in 1978, lead singer Johnny Rotten (aka John Lydon) formed post-punk outfit Public Image Ltd., an innovative and influential band which has accumulated a legion of fans since its founding. In this incisive, entertaining doc, Lydon opens up the book on his decades as a music provocateur, while past and present band members fill in the gaps and add their perspectives. With Thurston Moore, Flea, Adam Horovitz, Moby.

After the movie: A conversation with director Tabbert Fiiller and the film’s subject John Lydon a.k.a. Johnny Rotten.

The Third Industrial Revolution, directed by Oliver Ressler, Eddy Moretti. (USA) - World Premiere, Documentary. The global economy is in crisis. Economists warn that we face 20 more years of declining productivity, slow growth, rising unemployment, and steep inequality. And now, climate change is ravaging the planet. Where do we go from here? Economic theorist Jeremy Rifkin outlines a journey into the Third Industrial Revolution — a new era of sustainable development, accompanied by vast new economic opportunities in a smart green digital global economy.

"After the Movie: A conversation with director Eddy Moretti and economic and social theorist Jeremy Rifkin.”

Warning: This Drug May Kill You, directed by Perri Peltz. (USA) - World Premiere, Documentary. Warning: This Drug May Kill You takes an unflinching look at the devastating effects of opioid addiction in the U.S., profiling four families whose lives have been decimated by addictions that all began with legitimate prescriptions to dangerous painkillers. Through the personal and emotional stories of people on the front lines of this epidemic, this filmis an eye-opening look at a terrifying epidemic that is devastating communities across this country, and the toll it has taken on its victims and their families. An HBO Documentary release.

 After the Movie: A conversation with Dr. Nora Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Dr. Andrew Kolodny, Co-Director of Opioid Policy Research Collaborative Brandeis University, Gail Cole, film subject and co-founder, Hope and Healing After an Addiction Death, and producer Sascha Weiss. Moderated by the film’s director Perri Peltz.

RETROSPECTIVES

Tribeca will provide a nod to the past with these three special screenings:

Aladdin, directed by Ron Clements and John Musker, written by Ron Clements & John Musker and Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio. (USA). Disney’s beloved animated masterpiece will make your heart race and your spirit soar. Experience the laughter, adventure and Academy Award-winning music (1992: Best Music, Original Song, “A Whole New World,” Original Score) on the big screen at Tribeca’s 25th anniversary celebration for the whole family. With Scott Weinger, Robin Williams, Linda Larkin, Jonathan Freeman, Frank Welker, Gilbert Gottfried.

 Before the Movie: Join Brad Kane, the singing voice of Aladdin, for a special 25th anniversary performance of a soundtrack favorite before the screening.

Bowling for Columbine, directed by Michael Moore. (USA). In 2002, Michael Moore explored the roots of America’s relationships with guns and the firearms industry following the devastating mass shooting at Columbine High School. The film went on to win the Academy Award for Best Documentary. In the current moment of frequent mass shootings and ongoing legislative battles, 15 years after the film’s release, Moore’s confrontational documentary remains relevant as ever.    

After the Movie: On the 15th anniversary of the documentary, and on the exact day of the massacre 18 years ago, a conversation with director Michael Moore and others on the timeliness of the film today.

 Reservoir Dogs, directed and written by Quentin Tarantino. (USA). They were perfect strangers, assembled to pull off the perfect crime. Then their simple robbery explodes into a bloody ambush and the ruthless killers realize one of them is a police informant. But which one? Twenty-five years ago, auteur filmmaker Quentin Tarantino reinvigorated cinema with his singular voice in his canonical feature Reservoir Dogs. He has generously provided a 35mm print from his archive for this special 25th anniversary screening. With Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn, Steve Buscemi, Lawrence Tierney, Edward Bunker, Quentin Tarantino.

After the Movie: A 25th anniversary conversation with director Quentin Tarantino and cast from the film.

TRIBECA/ESPN SPORTS FILM FESTIVAL

Sponsored by Mohegan Sun

The 11th annual Tribecas/ESPN Sports Film Festival, the premier showcase of sports and competition films, offers sports fans and film buffs alike the opportunity to screen new films that are changing the sports landscape. The section features stories about some of the greatest, and in some cases unknown teams, competitions, and superior athletes.

 Features:

 Chuck, directed by Philippe Falardeau, written by Jeff Feuerzeig, Jerry Stahl. (USA) - US Premiere. Chuck is the true story of Chuck Wepner (Liev Schreiber), the man who inspired the billion-dollar film series Rocky—a liquor salesman from New Jersey who went 15 rounds with Muhammad Ali. Wepner suffered numerous losses, knockouts, and broken noses in his ten years in the ring, and lived an epic life of drugs, booze, and wild women outside of it. With Elisabeth Moss, Ron Perlman, Naomi Watts, Jim Gaffigan, Michael Rapaport. An IFC Films release.

Mike and the Mad Dog, directed by Daniel H. Forer. (USA) - World Premiere, Documentary. Dive into the inner workings of one of the sports world's most unlikely partnerships: Mike Francesa and Chris “Mad Dog” Russo, the voices that launched a thousand sports radio imitators. The hosts, their colleagues, and a who's-who of sports heavyweights tell the story of their surprise rise to stardom and 19 years as the iconic voices of New York sports. An ESPN Films release.

No Stone Unturned, directed by Alex Gibney. (USA, Northern Ireland) - World Premiere. In 1994, six men were gunned down and five wounded in a pub while watching a World Cup soccer match in Loughinisland, Northern Ireland. With a police investigation that was perfunctory at best, the case remained unsolved. In this non-fiction murder mystery, Academy Award-winning documentarian Alex Gibney reopens the original case to investigate why no culprit was ever brought to justice.

Sambá, directed by Laura Amelia Guzmán and Israel Cárdenas, written by Ettore D'Alessandro, Carolina Encarnacion. (Dominican Republic) - World Premiere. Cisco has his back against the ropes. After spending 15 years in an American jail, he’s returned to the Dominican Republic yet is unable to get a job, a problem compounded by his mother’s ailing health and his younger brother’s delinquent habits. To make money, he’s resorted to illegal street fighting. But Cisco finds a possible salvation in Nichi, an Italian ex-boxer who sees dollar signs in Cisco’s gritty fighting skills. With Algenis Pérez Soto, Ettore D'Alessandro, Laura Gómez, Ricardo A. Toribio. In Spanish with subtitles.

Year of the Scab, directed by John Dorsey. (USA) - World Premiere. During the 1987 NFL strike, teams scrambled to assemble temporary replacements to fill in for their boycotting players. The Washington Redskins were notable for their "scabs," a collection of cast-offs who nonetheless rode a surprising wave of momentum against all odds. “Year of the Scab” revisits this ultimate underdog story and the men whose ordinary lives were interrupted. Those so-called “scabs” helped break the strike and bring their team to victory, only to struggle for their place in the sports history books.

An ESPN Films release.

Shorts:

The Amazing Adventures of Wally and the Worm, directed by Colin Hanks. (USA) - New York Premiere. When Dennis Rodman hurts his knee with four weeks to go in the Chicago Bulls '96-'97 NBA championship season, young assistant trainer Wally Blasé is assigned to oversee his rehab, and the two forge a close friendship over 10 wild days of fast living recounted by director Colin Hanks through animation and first-person confessions. Short Program: Sports Shorts

Bump & Spike, directed by Michael Jacobs. (USA) - World Premiere. The spectacular rise and fall of the International Professional Volleyball Association, which existed between 1975–1980 complete with "party lifestyle," rocking arena matches and stars on the court and in the stands, is chronicled in this Michael Jacobs-directed film. Short Program: Sports Shorts

The Counterfeiter, directed by Brian Biegel. (USA) - World Premiere. Featuring actual wiretapped phone calls and surveillance video, this film explores how the FBI brought down the largest counterfeit operation in U.S. history during the summer of 1998, thanks to the help of some major league baseball players. Short Program: Sports Shorts

Resurface, directed by Josh Izenberg, Wynn Padula. (USA) - New York Premiere. Struggling with trauma and depression after his military service, Iraq war veteran Bobby Lane wants to cross surfing off his bucket list before taking his life. Short Program: Surf’s Up

Revolution in the Ring, directed by Jason Sklaver. (USA) - World Premiere. The story of Cuban boxer Teofilo Stevenson, who in 1962 chose to stay in his home country rather than defect, this film examines through the lens of Cuban-American politics how his life and the life of the Cuban people were dramatically altered by the embargo. In English, Spanish with subtitles. Short Program: Sports Shorts

Run Mama Run, directed by Daniele Anastasion. (USA) - World Premiere. Run Mama Run is an examination of motherhood and athleticism through the eyes of Sarah Brown, an elite track athlete who will continue to train through pregnancy and postpartum with help of her trainer and husband Darren Brown. Short Program: Sports Shorts

Under an Arctic Sky, directed by Chris Burkard, written by Ben Weiland, Chris Burkard. (USA) - World Premiere. A group of surfers along with photographer Chris Burkard journey to Iceland’s north coast in search of perfect waves during the largest storm to make landfall in 25 years. Short Program: Surf’s Up