2011 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES THE TRIBECA (ONLINE) FILM FESTIVAL

How very meta, a film festival announcing another film festival! Can’t get to New York City for the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival? Enjoy festival features and short films in from the comfort of your home thanks to the Tribeca (Online) Film Festival, running April 20-May 1, 2011. From the official press release:

The 2011 Tribeca Film Festival (TFF) today unveiled the Tribeca (Online) Film Festival supported by founding partner American Express. The pioneering digital initiative will allow domestic audiences to view feature and short films for free and worldwide audiences to engage with filmmakers and industry experts as TFF’s 10th edition runs concurrently in lower Manhattan from April 20 to May 1.

The debut of the 2011 Tribeca (Online) Film Festival offers film enthusiasts nationwide new avenues to experience a film festival. Tribeca (Online) is employing the latest digital video and web technology to deliver an immersive, interactive experience unlike any other, re-contextualizing Festival content and presentation.

The multi-dimensional experience features five areas: Festival Streaming Room, Live From…, Tribeca Q&A, Filmmaker Feed, and the Future of Film blog.

• The Streaming Room will host six feature films from the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival, including two that are making their world premieres at TFF, and 18 short films, four of which are world premieres, and 9 of which retrospective short films from past Tribeca Film Festivals. Each film will have three to five 24-hour screening windows, during which there will be a select number of “seats” available. Using an innovative digital reservation system, viewers can reserve “seats” at www.tribecaonline.com. Reservations begin on April 12 for American Express Cardmembers and April 18 for general public. Online viewers will be able to vote for the Best Tribeca Online Feature Film, a prize of $25,000, sponsored by American Express, and Best Tribeca Online Short Film, a prize of $5,000, sponsored by Accenture.
• In Live From….online audiences across the globe will have the ability to watch live streams of Festival events, including the opening press conference, red carpet premieres, and the award show. Viewers will also have the opportunity to engage with other audience members and onsite participants.
• Tribeca Q&A, which launches today, will offer the online audience the opportunity to engage with the larger online community, one another, and experts by submitting questions to a pool of 20-25 exciting film and new media experts from Tribeca’s Jane Rosenthal, Geoff Gilmore, and Nancy Schafer, to Whoopi Goldberg, and Brian Williams, and filmmakers David Gordon Green, and Zach Braff, plus a host of participating Tribeca (Online) filmmakers, programmers, actors, jurors, film experts, and more. Community members will vote on individual questions, and top-rated queries will be submitted for official response, made available to the public.
• The Filmmaker Feed contains aggregated information on all Tribeca (Online) Film Festival filmmakers, each of whom will have a custom page on the feed, with a biography, interviews, favorite links, social media feeds (Twitter/Facebook), blog posts, vide updates, and more;
• The Future of Film blog, brings together experts from the worlds of film and technology to comment on the ever-changing media environment in featured posts. Participants will be announced early April;

The selected feature films each explore poignantly relevant social themes – from the effect of forbidden love to the strength of community, to the power of social networking. The complete list of feature films streamed on the Tribeca (Online) Film Festival is as follows:

• Donor Unknown, directed by Jerry Rothwell. (UK) – North American Premiere, Documentary. JoEllen Marsh grew up knowing her father only as Donor 150. As one of the first generation of “test-tube babies,” she yearns for connection with potential siblings, and turns to the Internet to track them down. As JoEllen slowly broadens her family tree, in the process she forges a fascinatingly modern model of family. After connecting with dozens of siblings across the country, JoEllen decides it’s finally time to seek out Donor 150.
• Flowers of Evil (Fleurs du Mal), directed by David Dusa, written by David Dusa, Raphaëlle Maes, and Louise Molie?re. (France) – North American Premiere, Narrative. Paris-Tehran. A rootless story of young love between Gecko, an Algerian-French hotel bellman and parkourer, and Anahita, an Iranian student forced to leave her country for her own safety after the controversial elections in 2009. Obsessed with tracking the political movement, Anahita’s friends broadcast through YouTube and coordinate via Twitter. Romance and the Internet become the ground to explore histories lost and identity yet to be found. In French, Farsi with English subtitles.
• My Last Round (Mi Último Round), directed and written by Julio Jorquera. (Chile, Argentina) – North American Premiere, Narrative. When successful boxer Octavio falls in love with kitchen hand Hugo, they move from their small-town homes in the south of Chile to capital city Santiago to protect their taboo relationship. But when Hugo feels unexpected desire for co-worker Jennifer, Octavio is left heartbroken and throws himself into a high-stakes boxing match against all odds. A handsome cast and evocative cinematography offer a sexy, subtle film that evokes hits like The Wrestler and Brokeback Mountain. In Spanish with English subtitles.
• Neon Flesh (Carne de Neon), directed and written by Paco Cabezas. (Spain, Argentina, Sweden) – North American Premiere. Young hustler Ricky was left to a life on the streets at the age of 12 when his hooker mother got sent to the can, but upon learning she’ll soon be released, Ricky enlists a couple of good-for-nothing buddies to help him open a whorehouse as a tribute to Mom. This stylish, edgy crime flick plunges headlong into the fringe world of pimps and junkies where succeeding in business can cost your life…. In Spanish with English subtitles
• New York Says Thank You, directed by Scott Rettberg. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. New York Says Thank You is an epic story following the journey of New Yorkers whose lives were touched by September 11 as they travel the country helping communities rebuild after disasters. Along the way, they face their emotions and ultimately triumph over tragedy through an idea that evolved from a five-year-old New York City boy.
• Rabies (Kalevet), directed and written by Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado. (Israel) – North American Premiere. A psychotic serial killer on the loose in the woods crosses paths with a group of unsuspecting teenagers. Soon people are dying one by one… but the bad guy isn’t who you think. Turning genre conventions on their head with a smart script and plenty of unexpected scares, Rabies is a surprising debut worthy of its mantle as Israel’s first-ever slasher horror film. In Hebrew with English subtitles.

The short films streaming on Tribeca (Online) are:

• Crash&Burn, (USA), World Premiere, directed and written by Rick Rodgers. Two-man rock duo Crash&Burn is turned upside down when Burn decides to have transgender surgery.
• The Dungeon Master, (USA), New York Premiere, directed and written by Rider Strong and Shiloh Strong. Shane and his friends thought it would be fun to recapture their geeky youth until The Dungeon Master arrived.
• The Kiss, (Australia), North American Premiere, directed and written by Ashlee Page. Fueled by alcohol and hormones, Aimee and Steph take a swim on a hot summer night in The Kiss.
• Mr. Stache, (USA), World Premiere, directed and written by Jac Schaeffer. Experience the awesome adventures of a man and his mustache in Mr. Stache.
• The Ride, (UK), World Premiere, directed and written by Marion Pilowsky. A student accepts a lift from a stranger but The Ride leads to unexpected consequences.
• Rooms, (USA), World Premiere, directed by Joanna Jurewicz, written by Joanna Jurewicz and Adam Walsh. A hotel housekeeper dreams of home in Rooms.
• Summer Snapshot, (USA), New York Premiere, directed by Ian McCluskey. In Summer Snapshot a group of friends reflect on a special sun-kissed day.
• The Terms, (UK), New York Premiere, directed and written by Jason LaMotte. A father and son face off in The Terms.
• Year Zero, (USA), World Premiere, directed and written by Richard Cunningham III. In Year Zero a sole survivor battles the zombie apocalypse in New York City

Retrospective shorts will also be available, as the Tribeca (Online) Film Festival takes a look back at award-winning and audience-approved films from the past nine years of the Festival:

All of these films will be available for free at the Tribeca Online Film Festival.

• The Wormhole, (USA), Narrative, directed by Jessica Sharzer (2002). Winner of 6 awards including the 2002 Gold Medal Student Academy Award®. Wally decides to search for a wormhole that he believes will lead him back to his kidnapped brother.
• Off Duty, (USA), Narrative, directed by Buboo Kakati (2003). Buboo Kakati is a three-time Emmy® Award Winner and a 23-time Emmy® Award Nominee for her work in Writing, Producing, Direction, Editing, and Post Production. The teenage son of a New York City cab driver dreams only of gaining his father’s love and approval as he balances school and a job as a delivery boy.
• Gowanus Brooklyn, (USA), Narrative, directed by Ryan Fleck (2004). Recipient of the Boston Independent Film Festival Special Jury Prize and Sundance Film Festival Short Filmmaking Award. A tomboy discovers her teacher smoking crack and experiences a newfound fascination with the complicated adult world in the short that inspired the feature film Half Nelson
• Dance Mania Fantastic, (USA), Narrative, directed by Sasie Sealy (2005). Recipient of the Best Student Film Award at the 2005 Tribeca Film Festival. Out of work and unable to tell his family he’s been fired, a young New Yorker of Japanese descent finds utopian escapism by spending his days and weeks at the local arcade.
• The Tribe, (USA), Documentary, directed by Tiffany Shlain (2006). Recipient of 15 awards including IndieWire’s Sundance Critics’ Choice Award in 2006. Barbie dolls and the history of Jewish people actually have quite a lot in common according to this documentary short.
• Clear Cut, Simple, (USA), Narrative, directed by Vineet Dewan (2007). Winner of 8 awards including Best Short at BAFTA/LA Student Film Awards. An American soldier in Iraq is torn between his duty to the military and his friendship with his Iraqi interpreter, based on a true story.
• New Boy, (Ireland), Narrative, directed by Steph Green (2008). Recipient of 10 awards and nomination for 2009 Best Short Film Academy Award®. Based on a true story, New Boy captures the experience of being the new kid in school through the eyes of a nine year-old African boy.
• Confession, (Ireland), Narrative, directed by Thomas Hefferon (2009). Official selection of over 30 film festivals, receiving runner-up awards at both the Rhode Island International Film Festival and the Filmstock Film Festival. An Irish lad seeks solace from a priest.
• some boys don’t leave, (USA), Narrative, directed by Maggie Kiley (2010). Maggie Kiley is the recipient of several awards, including the Student Visionary Award at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival.The breakup happens but the break does not.

Starting today, the Tribeca Film Festival screening schedule for 2011 TFF will be live on www.tribecafilm.com; additional programs will be added upon announcement.

To keep up with all Tribeca initiatives, visit the Tribeca Film Festival website at www.tribecafilm.com, and join the My Tribeca community at http://www.tribecafilm.com/register/, where you can also subscribe to the Tribeca Newsletter.

Like the Tribeca Film Festival Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/TribecaFilm. To join the conversation on Twitter, follow @TribecaFilmFest and use the hashtag #tribecafest.