Tribeca announces Spotlight, Midnight

Spotlight features 31 films comprising 22 narratives and nine documentaries, of which 20 receive world premieres. The Midnight section will open with Preservation and includes the EFM buzz title Zombeavers.

Special Screenings include 6, a work-in-progress documentary by The Cove director Louie Psihoyos. The transmedia Storyscapes line-up returns for the second year. As previously announced, the festival will open on April 16 with the Nas documentary Time Is Illmatic and runs through April 27.

“Spotlight and Special screenings are an especially dynamic aspect of this year’s programme, both in range of styles and stories,” said director of programming Genna Terranova, “Many films feature real-life personalities who’ve accomplished extraordinary feats, while in other films we see personal relationships at pivotal moments of transition. We look forward to sharing these engaging stories with audiences.”

“Whether they made us laugh, squirm, or plain scared the heck out of us, each of the seven films in this year’s Midnight section never failed to genuinely surprise us with wildly original and unexpected reimaginings of classic genre stories,” said progrnammer Cara Cusumano. “From ghost stories to creature features, and even an underdog spnorts comedy, we’re proud to present an eclectic and adventurous slate of films that we believe represent the year’s most interesting new voices in genre filmmaking.”

The short film programme will be announced on March 11. The festival runs from April 16-27.

All synopses adapted from those provided by the festival.

SPOTLIGHT

Co-Sponsored by The Lincoln Motor Company, the breakout showcase is focused on marquee directors, prominent actors and star performers.

5 To 7 (US), dir Victor Levin
Anton Yelchin and Bérénice Marlohe star in the comedy of manners about an aspiring novelist who embarks on an affair with the sophisticated wife of a French diplomat. Glenn Close and Frank Langella round out the cast.
World premiere, narrative

About Alex (US), dir Jesse Zwick
A circle of twenty-something friends reunites for a weekend away to console a suicidal member of their group in a modern-day The Big Chill. Starring Aubrey Plaza, Max Greenfield, Max Minghella, Jason Ritter, Nate Parker, and Maggie Grace.
World premiere, narrative

Alex Of Venice (US), dir Chris Messina
Mary Elizabeth Winstead is a workaholic environmental attorney forced to reevaluate her life during the most important case of her life. With Messina and Don Johnson.
World premiere, narrative

All About Ann: Governor Richards Of The Lone Star State (US), dirs Keith Patterson and Phillip Schopper
The life of the first elected female governor of Texas comes under the microscope as the progressive leader’s tenure faces the 1994 candidacy of George W Bush. An HBO Documentary.
World premiere, documentary

Boulevard (US), dir Dito Montiel
A soft-spoken bank employee in a soulless marriage finds the strength to be himself. Robin Williams and Kathy Baker star.
World premiere, narrative

Bright Days Ahead (Les Beaux Jours) (France), dir Marion Vernoux
Fanny Ardant plays a newly retired woman in her 60s who tumbles into an affair with a younger man, played by Laurent Lafitte. Patrick Chesnais also stars. In French with English Subtitles. A Tribeca Film Release.
US premiere, narrative

Chef (US), dir Jon Favreau.
SXSW opener stars Favreau as a hot-shot chef who rediscovers his love of cooking. With John Leguizamo, Sofia Vergara, Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson, Dustin Hoffman, Oliver Platt and Amy Sedaris. An Open Road Release.
New York premiere, narrative

Every Secret Thing (US), dir Amy Berg
Based on a screenplay by Nicole Holofcener, documentary maker Berg ventures into narrative territory with a mystery about child abductions. Starring Elizabeth Banks, Diane Lane, Dakota Fanning and Nate Parker.
World premiere, narrative

In Order Of Disappearance (Kraftidioten) (Norway), dir Hans Petter Moland
Stellan Skarsgård stars in the recent Berlin entry about an upstanding community leader who investigates his son’s sudden death. In English, Norwegian, and Swedish with English subtitles.
North American premiere, narrative

In Your Eyes (US), dir Brin Hill
Zoe Kazan, Michael Stahl-David and Nikki Reed star in the story of a metaphysical romance. Joss Whedon wrote the screenplay.
World premiere, narrative

Just Before I Go (US), dir Courteney Cox
Seann William Scott plays a down-on-his-luck everyman who decides he’s had enough of the hard knocks life has thrown his way and returns to his hometown to right a few wrongs.
World premiere, narrative

Keep On Keepin’ On (US), dir Alan Hicks
Eighty-nine year old trumpeting legend Clark Terry mentored jazz greats Miles Davis and Quincy Jones and enjoys a friendship with a gifted blind 23-year-old piano player with debilitating nerves.
World premiere, documentary

Life Partners (US), dir Susanna Fogel
Leighton Meester, Gillian Jacobs, Gabourey Sidibe, and Adam Brody star in a comedy revolving around two friends and the man that strikes discord in their resistance to growing up.
World premiere, narrative (pictured)

Love Is Strange (US), dir Ira Sachs
Sundance and Berlin hit starring John Lithgow and Alfred Molina as a Manhattan couple whose domestic arrangements are thrown into disarray. A Sony Pictures Classics Release.
New York premiere, narrative

Lucky Them (US), dir Megan Griffiths
Toni Collette stars in the Toronto 2013 premiere as a veteran rock journalist who teams up with an amateur documentary filmmaker to find a long-lost rock star. An IFC Films Release.
US premiere, narrative

Manos Sucias (Colombia-US), dir Josef Wladyka
Towing a submerged torpedo in the wake of their battered fishing boat, a desperate fisherman and a naive child embark on a journey trafficking millions of dollars worth of cocaine. Spike Lee served as executive producer.
International premiere, narrative

Match (US), dir Stephen Belber
A Seattle couple played by Matthew Lillard and Carla Gugino travel to New York to interview colourful former dancer played by Patrick Stewart. The tone of the occasion shifts when the true nature of the interview is called into question.
World premiere, narrative

Miss Meadows (US), dir Karen Leigh Hopkins
Katie Holmes stars as a schoolteacher whose prim exterior masks a vigilante mission.
World premiere, narrative

The Newburgh Sting (US), dirs David Heilbroner and Kate Davis
A Pakistani informant leads to the 2009 arrest of four men as they plotted to bomb two Jewish centers in the Bronx.
World premiere, documentary

Night Moves (US), dir Kelly Reichardt
Jesse Eisenberg, Dakota Fanning and Peter Sarsgaard star in the story of radical activists. The Venice 2013 premiere is a Cinedigm release.
US premiere, narrative

The One I Love (US), dir Charlie McDowell
Mark Duplass and Elisabeth Moss play a couple seeking to reconnect in this left-field Sundance rom-com. A Radius-TWC release.
New York premiere, narrative

The Other One: The Long, Strange Trip Of Bob Weir (US), dir Mike Fleiss
The life of former Grateful Dead rhythm guitarist as told by bandmates, contemporaries, followers, family, and Weir himself.
World premiere, documentary

Palo Alto (US), dir Gia Coppola
Overlapping teenage stories adapted from Palo Alto: Stories by James Franco. A Tribeca Film release.
US premiere, documentary

The Search for General Tso (US), dir Ian Cheney
Cheney charts the history of Chinese-Americans through the origins of the dish General Tso’s Chicken.
World premiere, documentary

Silenced (US), dir James Spione.
Only 11 Americans have been charged under the Espionage Act of 1917; eight of them since President Obama took office. The lives of two citizens are explored. Susan Sarandon is the executive producer.
World premiere, documentary

Sister (US), dir David Lascher
Barbara Hershey stars in the story of youth psychotropic drug prescription.
World premiere, narrative

Slaying The Badger (UK), dir John Dower
Greg LeMond was the first and remains the only American to win cycling’s highest honour, the Tour de France. LeMond looks back at the pivotal 1986 Tour and his rivalry with Bernard Hinault, aka The Badger. An ESPN Films Production.
World premiere, documentary

Super Duper Alice Cooper (Canada), dirs Reginald Harkema, Scot McFadyen, Sam Dunn
Preacher’s son Vincent Furnier unleashed a creepy alter ego rock star that freaked out Middle America and sucked in its creator.
World premiere, documentary

Third Person (Belgium), dir Paul Haggis.
Three couples struggle in relationships in three romantic cities in Haggis’ Toronto 2013 premiere. A Sony Pictures Classics release.
US premiere, narrative

Untitled Daniel Junge and Kief Davidson Documentary (US-Denmark)
Stay tuned for more information on this new documentary exploring the fans of a beloved childhood toy.
World premiere, documentary

Venus In Fur (La Vénus À La Fourrure) (France-Poland), dir Roman Polanski
Matthieu Almaric and Emmanuelle Seigner star in Polanski’s Cannes 2013 two-hander battle of wits about a theatre director and actress. In French and German with English subtitles. A Sundance Selects release.
World premiere, narrative

MIDNIGHT

The Canal (Ireland), dir Ivan Kavanagh.
A film archivist’s marriage and house might not be all that they seem after he learns the property was the site of a triple murder more than a century ago.
World premiere, narrative

Der Samurai (Germany), dir Till Kleinert
A straight-laced cop must confront dark urges as his town is menaced by a samurai-wielding figure wearing a white dress. Premiered in Berlin.
International premiere, narrative

Extraterrestrial (Canada), dir Colin Minihan
Grave Encounters directors The Vicious Brothers return to Tribeca with the story of friends in a cabin in the woods who discover hostile aliens.
World premiere, narrative

Indigenous (US), dir Alastair Orr.
Five friends on holiday in Panama encounter the mythical Chupacabra. In English and Spanish with subtitles.
World premiere, narrative

Intramural (US), dir Andrew Disney
A send-up of inspirational movies centred on the world of intramural sports.
World premiere, narrative

Preservation (US), dir Christopher Denham
Three family members head deep into the woods where a hunting trip turns sour.
World premiere, narrative

Zombeavers (US), dir Jordan Rubin
One of the hits of the recent Berlin market, Zombeavers tells of a weekend of debauched fun at a lakeside cabin plagued by a lodge of rabid rodents. Special midnight screening.
World premiere, narrative

STORYSCAPES 

Created in collaboration with Bombay Sapphire Gin

Choose Your Own Documentary, project creators: Nathan Penlington, Fernando R Gutierrez De Jesus, Nick Watson, and Sam Smaïl
Inspired by the Choose Your Own Adventure books of the 1980s, Choose Your Own Documentary tells the story of Penlington’s discovery of a diary tucked away in one of these books and his attempts to unravel its many mysteries. With more than 1,566 possible versions and multiple endings.

Circa 1948, project creator: Stan Douglas with the NFB Digital Studio
A 3D recreation of parts of Vancouver’s history that no longer exist.

Clouds, project creators: Jonathan Minard, James George
3D-scanned conversations from a new generation of artists and hackers form a network of ideas explored in a non-linear documentary.

On A Human Scale, project creator: Matthew Carey
On A Human Scale reimagines the people of New York City as a fully playable and immersive video instrument controlled by a piano where each key triggers a different video of a different person, from a different walk of life, singing a different note.

Use Of Force, project creator: Nonny de la Pena
A fully immersive documentary experience that puts the participant at scene when migrant Anastasio Hernandez Rojas was killed by border patrol on the US–Mexico border in 2010.

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

6 (US), dir Louie Psihoyos
The team behind The Cove assembles a team of activists intent on showing the world unseen images that will change the way we understand issues of endangered species and mass extinction.
Work-in-progress, documentary

A Brony Tale (US), dir Brent Hodge
Explores the sub-culture of mostly male adults who love the My Little Pony toy.
World premiere, documentary

Journey to the West (Xi You) (France-Taiwan-China), dir Tsai Ming Liang
A meditation loosely based on the classical Chinese story by Wu Cheng’en about the legendary pilgrimage of a Buddhist Monk.
North American premiere, narrative

This Time Next Year (US), dirs Jeff Reichert and Farihah Zaman
A community rebuilds after 2012’s Superstorm Sandy.
World premiere, documentary

True Son (US) dir directed by Kevin Gordon
A young man runs for city council to rebuild his bankrupt hometown of Stockton, California.
World premiere, documentary