Anyone in touch with pop culture is aware of how star-studded the neighborhood of Tribeca is. It is not a hard knock life for Jay-Z and Beyoncé, as they reside in a flawless penthouse in this lower Manhattan district.
Billy Crystal, Gwyneth Paltrow, Meryl Streep, and the aforementioned power couple are just a namely few of the many celebrities with Tribeca holdings. While one would be hard-pressed to spot a star on a neighborhood street, there is one event where you are likely to witness elusive celebs in person.
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The Tribeca Film Festival was founded in 2002 by Tribeca native Robert de Niro (third from right) along with Jane Rosenthal and Chris Hatkoff (far left).
The festival was created as a testament to New York filmmaking, and its mission is to enable the international film community and the general public to experience the power of film by redefining the film festival experience.
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Each year, filmmakers and creators submit their work to be considered for a variety of awards within major categories: Features, Shorts, TV, Experimental Work, and N.O.W. (New Online Work). The Festival has recently expanded to include the Snapchat shorts category and The Tribeca X award, which is open to storytelling work supported by a brand.
Many of the films make their debut at the festival and go on to become critically acclaimed, so Tribeca Film Festival is a prime opportunity for amateur and seasoned artists to break onto the scene.
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The Tribeca Film Festival offers a wide selection of events beyond screenings, including industry panels, and interviews.
“It was a pretty curated experience because my friend got me VIP tickets to one event at Milk Studios. They brought in a lot of guest speakers for a Women in Coding event and it gave real insight into the world of technology.” JJ Choi, TripleMint Agent
The Tribeca Talks series has brought major names to the stage, including Oprah, Chris Rock, Tom Hanks, Justin Bieber, and Tina Fey.
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Several tech-oriented programs are becoming integrated into the festival’s billing. Storyscapes provides VR exhibits and installations, Hacked by Def Con & Mr. Robot provides visitors the opportunity to learn various hacking techniques, and a Digital Creators market connects online creators with industry buyers, agents, and investors.
