New York’s 24th annual Tribeca Festival begins Wednesday evening, and this year’s lineup promises a screening for everyone, from the film fanatic to the casual viewer.
Beginning at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday afternoon and running through June 15, the Tribeca Festival — founded in 2003 as the Tribeca Film Festival — will host hundreds of premiers and screenings of short films, documentaries, and cult favorites. Though most screenings require the purchase of a ticket — or, for the more ambitious movie lover, a festival pass — the festival also offers a handful of cost-free events.
Here are a few of this year’s Tribeca Film Festival events. For a full lineup, you can head to the Tribeca website.
Billy Joel: And So It Goes
Starting strong, the Tribeca Festival will be hosting the world premier of “Billy Joel: And So It Goes,” a new documentary about New York rock and roll legend Billy Joel. The film will premier 7:30 p.m. Wednesday evening at the Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side. Directed by Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin and partially produced by Tom Hanks, the film will kick off this year’s Tribeca Film Festival with a tribute to the life and achievements of Joel.
The film will screen three more times before the end of the festival, twice at Village East by Angelika and once at the SVA Theater. Tickets for opening night have already sold out, but for those lucky enough to have a seat, it’ll be a night to remember.
Kerouac’s Road: The Beat of a Nation
As one of this year’s Spotlight Documentaries, “Kerouac’s Road: The Beat of a Nation” gives insight to beat generation writer Jack Kerouac’s continued influence on American culture through his novel “On the Road.” Directed by Ebs Burnough, the documentary will screen three times throughout the duration of the festival, starting Thursday. Tickets are on sale for screenings at SVA Theater, AMC 19th St. East 6, and Village East by Angelika.
Titan: The OceanGate Disaster
Another Spotlight Documentary, “Titan: The OceanGate Disaster” offers a glimpse into the tragic 2023 implosion of the Titan submersible that killed five people. The film will be available to stream on Netflix starting June 11, but for those hoping to see its world premier on the big screen, the film will be show on Friday at Village East by Angelika.
The film brings exclusive firsthand accounts of the disaster from former employees of OceanGate, many of whom said the company had alwasy prioritized profit over quality. The film will screen four times throughout the duration of the festival.
Paradise Records
Starring and directed by Grammy-nominated musician Logic, “Paradise Records” will premier on Friday, offering a comedic narrative of a record store owner trying to keep his business alive. Tribeca will screen the film three more times in addition to its world premier on Friday.
Queens of the Dead
What starts off as a Brooklyn warehouse drag queen party quickly turns deadly when guests begin morphing into flesh-eating zombies. First-time filmmaker Tina Romero brings a one-of-a-kind narrative to the screen on Saturday — with additional screenings of “Queens of the Dead” on June 8, 13, and 15.
Our Hero, Balthazar
Based in New York City, “Our Hero, Balthazar” follows the journey of a teenager played by Asa Butterfield of “Sex Education” fame who travels to Texas to confront an online troll he believes is a potential mass shooter. Mixing high school angst with commentary on modern American political violence, this film offers an unconventional New York coming-of-age story from first-time director Oscar Boyson.
“Our Hero, Balthazar” premiers on Sunday and will be screened three more times before the festival ends.
