Reading Andrew O’Hehir’s article on Tribeca on Salon begs the question — what is the purpose of the Tribeca film festival?
Tribeca which comes from “Triangle Below Canal Street,” was founded in 2002 by Jane Rosenthal and Robert De Niro and the often left out money guy, Craig Hatkoff in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center as a way of revitalizing the economy of the neighborhood.
According to their web site, “The Festival’s mission focuses on assisting filmmakers to reach the broadest possible audience, enabling the international film community and general public to experience the power of cinema and promoting New York City as a major filmmaking center.”
Critics of the festival complain that it’s merely a launching pad for big Hollywood movies and vanity projects directed by celebrities, while actually doing nothing to help filmmakers or the New York independent community.
It’s a huge festival. 201 Films, including shorts. Over 1000 screenings. 500,000 attendees if you include the outdoor family nights.
Has the festival helped with the revitalization of lower Manhattan? Undoubtedly. The festival has brought in more than $425 million dollars to the area already.
Has it assisted filmmakers to reach the broadest possible audience? That’s a bold statement and unless they are busing people in from rural Iowa and remote northern Canada, kind of unlikely.
Has it enabled the community to experience the power of film? No doubt. They’ve shown that films can make a lot of money, bring in a lot of money, tie up traffic, and in those special cases move people, inform them and sometimes change their lives.
Are they promoting New York as a major filmmaking center? Did it stop being the only real US filmmaking center outside of LA? One could make arguments on both sides. I’m sure it doesn’t hurt to host gigantic Hollywood film producers in New York for a couple of weeks. It’s bound to make them at least consider shooting there in the future. In addition, I’m sure local filmmakers get excited and inspired with all the activity. And Tribeca does provide awards for made in New York films – including special awards for shorts and documentaries.
Bottom line is Tribeca set out to put on a very profitable party with film at the center of it all and they’ve done that. Other festivals are going to have other goals. If you’re expecting Tribeca to be Sundance or Cannes or South by Southwest, it’s not. Each festival has its own flavor and own style and own agenda. If gigantic Hollywood blockbusters like Speed Racer and Spider-Man 3 fit into that agenda — all power to you. The great thing about putting on a huge successful party is you can also show interesting and provocative films that might not get exposure to a more mainstream audience as well.
In my world, I’m happy for all films finding an audience or provoking discussion. It’s all good.
Here is a Guide to the films playing at Tribeca this year.
