The Tribeca Film Festival announced this week that audiences will have an opportunity to hear panel and one-on-one conversations with some of the industry’s most critically and commercially successful filmmakers, artists, and executives during this year’s Tribeca Talks series including Christopher Nolan with Bennett Miller, George Lucas with Stephen Colbert, Cary Fukunaga with James Schamus, Brad Bird with Janeane Garofalo, Harvey Weinstein, Gus Van Sant, Courtney Love, Catherine Martin, and Christiane Amanpour.
Unique programs in the 2015 series include the Tribeca Talks: Directors Series sponsored by Warner Bros. Pictures where an acclaimed director participates in an intimate one-on-one conversation, Tribeca Talks: Master Class conversations focusing on a specific sector of the filmmaking process, Tribeca Talks: Script & Screen hosted by Barnes & Noble which explores topics related to screenwriting, as well as the previously announced special Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival Conversations which presents conversations relating to sports and competition in film, and previously announced Tribeca Talks Imagination events featuring discussions with tech thought leaders.
‘Each year, the conversations we offer are among the Tribeca’s most anticipated and sought-after events and we’re proud of the participants we’re going to hear from this year’, said Executive Vice President of Tribeca Enterprises Paula Weinstein. ‘These panels offer unique insights into the filmmaking process and give audiences an opportunity to learn from industry leaders across a wide range of subjects and contribute to the conversation’.
TFF also announced four additional feature documentary films that will screen during the Festival as part of the Tribeca Talks: After the Movie series: the world premieres of CODE: DEBUGGING THE GENDER GAP and THE DIPLOMAT, and the New York premieres of KURT COBAIN: MONTAGE OF HECK and MISERY LOVES COMEDY.
Two advance premieres of new episodes from the anticipated Comedy Central series INSIDE AMY SCHUMER and Netflix’s CHEF’S TABLE, JR’s short film LES BOSQUETS, and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation’s retrospective screening of GOOD WILL HUNTING round out the Tribeca Talks: After the Movie series. Tribeca Talks: After the Movie events give audiences the opportunity to watch a film and then listen to a related conversation with filmmakers and industry experts.
Listed by category, the 2015 Tribeca Talks events are:
Tribeca Talks: Directors Series
Sponsored by Warner Bros. Pictures
Christopher Nolan
INTERSTELLAR, THE DARK KNIGHT
Monday, April 20 @ 6:00 PM
The writer and director will discuss his boundary-pushing work and how he creates entire imagined worlds and realities with director Bennett Miller.
George Lucas
STAR WARS, AMERICAN GRAFFITI
Friday, April 17 @ 4:00 PM
The legendary director will be discussing his career as a filmmaker, including his work on the STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES franchises, with Stephen Colbert.
Cary Fukunaga
TRUE DETECTIVE, JANE EYRE
Thursday, April 23 @ 5:00 PM
The acclaimed TV and film director will explore the elements of creating award-winning works for both the big and small screens with writer and producer James Schamus.
Brad Bird
BRAVE, TOY STORY 3
Friday, April 24 @5:30 PM
The Academy Award-winning filmmaker (MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL) will discuss how he has succeeded in creating both animated and live-action films with Janeane Garofalo.
Tribeca Talks: After the Movie
Inside Amy Schumer
Daniel Powell and Amy Schumer
Sunday, April 19 @ 4:30 PM
A sneak peak of the third season of Comedy Central’s Emmy nominated series INSIDE AMY SCHUMER that blends scripted, stand-up, and man-on-street interview content. The screening will be followed by a conversation with executive producer/writer/series star Amy Schumer and members of the creative and production team including Dan Powell, Jessi Klein, Kevin Kane, Kim Caramele, Ryan McFaul, and Jonathan Furmanski.
The Diplomat
David Holbrooke (USA) – World Premiere
Thursday, April 23 @ 6:30 PM
World premiering at TFF 2015, THE DIPLOMAT takes a look at the legacy left by American Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, whose diplomatic work has spanned from Vietnam to Afghanistan. The screening will be followed by a conversation with director David Holbrooke, producer Stacey Reiss, CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, and New York Times columnist Roger Cohen.
Chef’s Table
Clay Jeter (USA) – World Premiere
Saturday, April 25 @ 5:30 PM
The world premiere of CHEF’S TABLE, a series that showcases the techniques and talents of some of the most well-known international chefs will be followed by a conversation with creator David Gelb, episode director Clay Jeter and Blue Hill chef Dan Barber.
Very Semi-Serious
Leah Wolchok (USA) – World Premiere
Sunday, April 19 @ 1:00 PM
The light-hearted look at the artists who create the legendary cartoons for The New Yorker, VERY SEMI-SERIOUS is to be followed by a conversation with director Leah Wolchok and cartoon editor of the New Yorker Bob Mankoff.
CODE: Debugging the Gender Gap
Robin Hauser Reynolds (USA) – World Premiere
Sunday, April 19 @ 1:00 PM
A conversation with director Robin Hauser Reynolds, Qualcomm chief learning officer Tamar Elkeles, GoDaddy chief people officer Auguste Goldman, and Etsy engineering director for infrastructure Jason Wong will follow the world premiere of CODE: DEBUGGING THE GENDER GAP; a documentary that exposes the gender gap in software engineering.
Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck
Brett Morgen (USA) – New York Premiere
Sunday, April 19 @ 7:00 PM
KURT COBAIN: MONTAGE OF HECK takes an intimate look at legendary lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter of Nirvana Kurt Cobain. Still an icon 20 years after his death, this first-ever fully authorised documentary of his life is a raw and visceral journey seen through his personal archive of art, music (both his most famous and some that’s never been heard), written words, and never-before-seen home movies with animation and revelatory interviews from his family and closest confidantes. The screening will be followed by a conversation with director Brett Morgen and film subject Courtney Love and will be moderated by Rolling Stone ‘s Neil Strauss.
Misery Loves Comedy
Kevin Pollak (USA) – New York Premiere
Wednesday, April 22 @ 7:30 PM
MISERY LOVES COMEDY is an insightful documentary with well-known comedians who share the painful experiences they’ve encountered while striving for laughs. The screening will be followed by a conversation with director Kevin Pollak and cast members.
Sloan Retrospective Salute – Good Will Hunting
Gus Van Sant
Wednesday, April 22 @ 3:30 PM
The Academy Award-winning film GOOD WILL HUNTING, a film that follows a janitor who, with the help of a psychology professor, gets his life on the right path, is this year’s selection for the annual Sloan retrospective salute. The screening will be followed by a conversation with director Gus Van Sant and guests.
Les Bosquets
J R (FRA) – World Premiere
Sunday, April 26 @ 1:00 PM
French artist JR’s short film LES BOSQUETS reveals his personal experiences in the ghetto of Montfermeil where his Portraits of a Generation were created. The Gallery Opening film will be followed by a conversation with artist JR and dancer Lil Buck.
Tribeca Talks: Master Class
The free events will feature:
Adorama Rental Co. (ARC): The Producers
Thursday, April 16 @ 2:30 PM
Independent producers are responsible for some of the greatest breakout hits in cinema history, have fought passionately for their art, and faced every logistical and financial challenge along the way. The Producers panel of cinematic mavericks divulge tales from the trenches of independent filmmaking and the lessons they have learned in order to ensure their art remained authentic. Panelists include Anthony Bregman (FOXCATCHER), Matthew Parker (BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD), and Alex Orlovsky (BLUE VALENTINE) and will be moderated by The Hollywood Reporter’s Tatiana Seigel.
Get the Look
Friday, April 17 @ 2:30 PM
An intimate conversation with Academy Award-winning costume designer
Catherine Martin (THE GREAT GATSBY, MOULIN ROUGE) and Vogue’s International Editor-at-Large Hamish Bowles about how costumes can create the most stunning and memorable moments on film.
Dolby Institute: The Sound of the Coens
Tuesday, April 21 @ 2:30 PM
From FARGO to THE BIG LEBOWSKI, the sounds of Coen brother films are exhilarating and incorporate an array of music composition and inflections of sound that add to the all-encompassing world of their movies, affecting audience reactions and experiences. Panelists include long-time Coen brothers’ composer Carter Burwell (NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN) and Academy Award winning Sound Mixer Skip Lievsay (INSIDE LLEWEYN DAVIS, GRAVITY). Moderated by Director of The Dolby Institute Glenn Kiser.
CNN Films: Capture Reality
Monday, April 20 @ 2:30 PM
Nonfiction filmmaking has truly revolutionised itself in recent years through visual language as it brings audiences stories which often seem too bizarre to be true. Leading documentary filmmakers reveal how they choose their film subjects and capture their ‘real lives’ in new and innovative ways to shape the final story on film. Panelists include director Liz Garbus (WHAT HAPPENED, NINA SIMONE?) director Rachel Boynton (BIG MEN), and director Roger Ross Williams (GOD LOVES UGANDA). Moderated by film critic Eric Hynes.
Tribeca Talks: Script and Screen
Hosted by Barnes & Noble
These free events include:
Act Your Age
Friday, April 17 @ 1:00 PM
A discussion around the many ways filmmakers addresses themes concerning age, from youth to growing older. Panelists include KING JACK director Felix Thompson and GORED director Ido Mizrahy. Moderated by Variety’s Gordon Cox.
The Beauty of Angst
Saturday, April 18 @ 1:00 PM
A conversation surrounding the emotion of angst and how filmmakers can make audiences relish exploring human angst on screen without going too dark and pushing audiences away. Panelists include MEADOWLAND director Reed Morano, THANK YOU FOR PLAYING co-directors David Osit and Malika Zouhali-Worrall, and NECKTIE YOUTH director Sibs Shongwe-La Mer. Moderated by Indiewire’s Eric Kohn.
This is the Real Life
Sunday, April 19 @ 1:00 PM
A group of documentary and narrative filmmakers will discuss the choices they made to create films based on real events. Panelists include THE ADDERALL DIARIES director Pamela Romanowsky, AS I AM: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF DJ AM director Kevin Kerslake, MEN GO TO BATTLE director Zachary Treitz and THE WANNABE director Nick Sandow. Moderated by The Verge’s Ross Miller.
Tribeca Talks Conversations
Harvey Weinstein in Conversation
Saturday, April 18 @ 12:00 PM
Hear from Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein about how he has launched careers, crafted films, and remained at the top of his game.
David Rockwell: How Does a Space Tell a Story?
Monday, April 20 @ 1:00 PM
David Rockwell will discuss how the design of a space can affect our experiences, mood and even the work we produce. Audiences can immerse themselves and examine the ways in which they engage themselves physically and psychologically in media consumption. Panelists include The Art of Immersion author Frank Rose, The Storytelling Animal author Jonathan Gottschall, and futurist and SHOTS OF AWE creator Jason Silva. Moderated by journalist Jon Erlichman.
Immerse Yourself
Monday, April 20 @ 4:00 PM
From binge watching to Virtual Reality, today’s entertainment has become immersive physically as well as psychologically. This conversation examines the way audiences experience stories, how they evolve to where the audience no longer separates themselves from the action and constantly seek out added content for consumption and how that affects the way storytellers produce their work. Panelists include The Art of Immersion author Frank Rose, The Storytelling Animal author Jonathan Gottschall, and futurist and SHOTS OF AWE creator Jason Silva. Moderated by journalist Jon Erlichman.
Secrecy & Power
Tuesday, April 21 @ 6:30 PM
A discussion about the relationship between power and information and the impacts that result from information leaking; panelists include former spy Valerie Plame, Pulitzer-prize winning journalist Bart Gellman, and director Alex Gibney (GOING CLEAR: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE PRISON OF BELIEF). Moderated by NBC News’ Cynthia McFadden.
Long Story Short
Wednesday, April 22 @ 5:00 PM
A discussion about short form content and choosing the right form of distribution to reach an audience. Panelists include ETERNAL PRINCESS director Katie Holmes, ESPN Films director of development Dan Silver, HIGH MAINTENANCE creators Ben Sinclair and Katja Blichfeld, and BILLY ON THE STREET creator and star Billy Eichner. Moderated by Screenwriting Advice in 6 Seconds or Less’ Brian Koppelman (OCEAN’s THIRTEEN).
Snap It, Vine It, Tube It
Thursday, April 23 @ 2:30 PM
Storytelling on social media platforms has transformed what audiences consider to be content. Through Youtube, Snapchat and Vine content creators are breaking the mould of traditional storytelling and invigorating audiences as they turn themselves into a personal business. Panelists include Snapchat stars Jerome Jarre and Chris Carm, Youtube sensation Alphacat and The Gregory Brothers. Moderated by Maker Studios founder Lisa Donovan.
Check in with our dedicated TFF 2015 blog to keep up with the latest news and events, and join the conversation at #TFF2015 or follow us on Twitter @thncom.
