Today's Highlights
So much is going on!
First up, I had a packed cocktail mixer at NoMo Soho's Nina's Lounge for the future storytelling crowd! Filmmakers, NFT visionaries, innovation cook kidz all came together to mix and mingle in honor of the Festival. No one else is doing it like this. I called it Fast Forward. Along with my partner-in-crime on this, Supermomos founder, Edwina Yeo, we are leading the charge. Check it out below.
From this party to... checking out Amanda Seyfried and hubby Thomas Sadorski hitting the red carpet in support of 88
I was sent some shots of Taylor Swift at Beacon Theater absolute pandemonium for her Tribeca Talk:
And here's L'il Baby out in support of his documentary.
photos: Getty Images
A word here about Untrapped: The Story Of L'il Baby. This docu is extremely well-produced. The pacing and editing make for such an evocative, inspiring piece that is as touching as it is powerful. However, it's the very unique personality and outlook of Dominique Jones (aka L'il Baby) that makes this one a surprising crowd-pleaser! Rap fan or not, you need to watch this on Amazon! LdC rating: 💄💄💄💄
While we're on the subject of music, I had the opportunity to interview the director of Living In The Heart Of Love - The Rolling Stones who told me all about how the Rolling Stones put out an open call for ideas for their next video, how he came up with the winning idea, what it's like to be on an email thread with Mick Jagger, and how the death of Charlie Watts shifted the project to an homage. Check here for the posting once it's all edited.
I've also caught up with the editor of one of the buzziest films at this year's festival, American Dreamer. Lisa Robison recounts how a near-death experience led her to a career as an editor and what it was like working on this film. That interview will also be listed on the same site as will that of the creative force behind Life Rendered which is a killer hybrid film that tells the story of a young gay character in rural Colorado who escapes into the VR world as his authentic self when not caretaking his elderly relative. It's such a cool look that is accomplished using Epic Games' Unreal Engine. So much was custom-created for this film, and these new tech tools will enhance the overall VR industry. Emma Needell is definitely one to watch as a writer.
Now that this massive pack of on-camera interviews has been completed, now it's about juggling more events, premiere parties, talks and screenings. Can't wait to bring you the next dispatch. It's always a bit hard to get a real sense of the vibe at Tribeca since it's not really as concentrated as, say, Sundance, but that's why you have me. And I could tell at least today over at the Village East theater hub, there were high spirits, high foot traffic, ticket holders lined up, and VIPs slipping in and out of Cadillac Escalades. Indeed, I overheard a girl on the street a couple of blocks away absolutely yelling into her phone that she saw Whoopi Goldberg coming out of the theater yesterday. "Wow, Whoopi. That's money right there," she told her friend. "That's money." 😆
Finally, dare I write the "x" in Latinx, based on Tribeca's own offering? Hmmm... Well, that's what they wrote so I'll keep it. An email promo went out so I took a look. So happy to see Mars One included! I interviewed this director via Zoom during another festival. He's based in Brazil and has crafted a beautiful story about a young boy and his career aspirations. See the whole list here.
More to come!