Here are 11 films that should be on every Tribeca Festival-goer’s must-see list.
After a COVID-induced hiatus, Tribeca Festival returns with in-person premieres and an exciting mix of studio productions and low-fi indies. The festival has ditched the word “film” from its title in order to emphasize the fact that Tribeca now encompasses podcasting, gaming, TV and so much more. But who are they kidding? For most New Yorkers, it’s all about the movies. With that in mind, here are 11 films that should be on every festival-goer’s must-see list. Meet your next uplifting sports drama. In the tradition of “Rudy” or “Hoosiers” comes “12 Mighty Orphans,” the story of the Mighty Mites, the football team of a Fort Worth orphanage who became unlikely Texas state championship contenders. In the process, their plucky come-from-nowhere run inspired a country reeling from the Great Depression. Eyes will not remain dry through the final touchdown. Think of it as “The Big Chill” without the uplift or “St. Elmo’s Fire” with a heaping helping of awkward humor. Gaynord’s comedy follows a college crew reuniting for a birthday celebration at a country estate. As the title suggests, their weekend of bonding quickly goes off the rails. Both the director and the cast are largely unknown to American audiences, but that could change when the film opens at Tribeca. Few people loomed larger in American cultural life than Leonard Bernstein, the musical powerhouse behind “West Side Story” and “On the Town,” as well as the music director of the New York Philharmonic. Tirola’s film examines Bernstein’s political activism, along with his artistic genius, tracing his opposition to the Vietnam War and support for the Black Panthers, as well as struggles with his sexuality.
