Film lovers, take note: the Tribeca Film Festival kicks off Wednesday, starting 12 days of screenings and other events. NY1’s Roger Clark has a look at some of the films you will be able to check out.
It's the nation's busiest long distance train route—between Chicago to Seattle. It’s the focus of "In Transit," co-directed by the legendary documentary maker Albert Maysles. He passed away in March, but producer Erika Dilday says he was able to watch the film just days before his death.
"At the end of it, he goes, ‘That's great, that's great.’ And I'm thrilled that he got to see it finished," says Dilday.
It's one of 101 feature films and 60 shorts showing at this year's TriBeCa Film Festival, which runs through April 26. In its 14th year, it was founded after 9/11 to encourage economic growth in Lower Manhattan.
"The festival did start about celebrating downtown Manhattan and bringing people out to this neighborhood," says TriBeCa Film Festival senior programmer Cara Cusumano.
Since its 2002 debut, the festival has attracted nearly five million people generating $900 million in economic activity for the city.
For the first time, this year there is a headquarters, located appropriately at Spring Studios on Varick Street.
"The public and the filmmakers all kind of have access to each other, create a really creative space that people can meet and discuss ideas and discuss films,” Cusumano says.
The festival gives film lovers a chance to catch a variety of cinematic creations and talk to the people who made them. For filmmakers, it's an opportunity to get noticed, so their films are distributed, and more people can see them.
“Indian Point” is a documentary looking at the nuclear power plant located just 35 miles from Times Square in Westchester. Producer and Dirctor Ivy Meeropol spent 4 years making it.
"This film, we have no distribution yet. We have, all the rights are available…hello buyers! So, Tribeca is a great place to launch," says “Indian Point” director and producer Ivy Meeropol.
For more information on all films playing at the festival and to buy tickets, check out tribecafilm.com.