Tribeca Thrills as it Hits 21

By Christine Connallon & Mike Perciaccante

The 2022 Tribeca Film Festival celebrated 21 years of bringing the best programming to audiences that inspired, educated and entertained. With over 600 exciting events attended by 150,000 participants, this annual staple that has set the standard for film festivals by raising the bar with an incredible array of world premieres, directorial debuts and so much more. Here are some of our favorite films, so keep them on your radar:

AFTER SHERMAN: The debut feature film from Jon Sesrie Goff, After Sherman is an intimate peek into the lives of members of the Black community in the Black Belt hometown of the filmmaker. Unflinchingly real, it explores racism across generations.

A LOVE SONG: Max Walker-Silverman’s engaging drama centers on a widow (Dale Dickey) who is waiting for a night that could be the start of a new life. This graceful directorial debut wrangles hope, natural beauty and a sense of overwhelming longing. This one will stay with you long after the credits role.

BOWERY: Mike Mintz and Irad Straus bring us into the personal lives of homeless New Yorkers in the Bowery area, hitting upon the topics of harsh weather, addiction, Black Lives Matter and COVID-19 with compassion, empathy and an unflinching eye.

BROADWAY RISING: Amy Ryan captures the trials and tribulations of the Broadway community as it struggles to regain a sense of normalcy as COVID-19 shuts down the industry as well as the world, impacting everyone from the actors, costume designers and ushers.

EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH: This deliciously dark comedy is a bloody good romp at the EcoCleanPro company, where employees aren’t who they seem and the takedown of the boss changes everything. Veronique Jadin plays off office stereotypes but cleverly turns the tables in this film to watch out for.

HARGROVE: First time director Eliane Henri shares the last year in the life of jazz trumpet legend Roy Hargrove in travels to Los Angeles, Paris, New York, Vienna, Perugia, Sete, Sorrento and Marseille. With interviews that include a who’s who of influential musicians including Herbie Hancock, Wynton Marsalis and Sonny Rollins, this film does justice to the amazing subject.

JERRY & MARGE GO LARGE: Director David Frankel took a true story and created a comedy masterpiece, starring Annette Bening and Bryan Cranston as a couple who use statistics to beat the lottery. This delight also features Anna Camp, Rainn Wlson and Larry Wilmore.

MUSIC PICTURES: NEW ORLEANS: Director Ben Chace puts four iconic New Orleans musicians in their 80s in the spotlight including Irma Thomas, Little Freddie King, Ellis Marsalis and The Treme Brass Band. This unforgettable film takes us to New Orleans for a look at the legacy of these legends.

NOTHING COMPARES: Director Kathryn Ferguson’s documentary of the life of Sinead O’Connor is a fascinating look at the woman, not the headlines that have followed her career. Raw, unflinching and celebratory, this film succeeds in showing the artist and her triumphs, revealing the humanity and the creativity inside.

THE LOST WEEKEND: A LOVE STORY: May Pang is the subject of this film by Eve Bradstein, Richard Kaufman and Stuart Samuels. At the age of 19, she found herself as John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s full time personal assistant. The 18 month long romance that Pang shared with Lennon makes for a compelling documentary that is rich with history, archival footage and humanity.

We can't wait to see what the 2023 Tribeca Festival will bring!