The 2021 Tribeca Festival, June 9-20, features live in-person events at outdoor venues across all New York City boroughs. The features program includes 66 films from 81 filmmakers from across 23 different countries and includes 56 world premieres, 1 international premiere, 4 North American premieres, 1 U.S. premiere, and 4 New York premieres.
Best of Tribeca 2021
This year’s program includes 15 directors returning to Tribeca with their latest projects, and over 60% of the feature films are directed by female, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ filmmakers. This year’s Festival received a record high of 11,222 total submissions across all categories.
What to Expect at Tribeca 2021
Special curated Juneteenth programming highlighted throughout different verticals of the Festival celebrates voices from the African Diaspora, with special emphasis on African-American artists, performers, filmmakers, and interdisciplinary creators.
The feature categories include 6 U.S. Narratives, 6 International Narratives, and 8 Documentary competition features. Additionally, the feature line-up includes 8 Spotlight Narratives, 11 Spotlight Documentaries, 13 Viewpoints, 3 Midnight, 7 Movies Plus selections, and 3 Tribeca Critics’ Week.
Many of the films will also be available for U.S. audiences to view online the day after they premiere in person through the Tribeca at Home virtual hub.
And In the Heights (the screen adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony Award-winning musical, directed by Jon M. Chu) is the 2021 Tribeca Festival Opening Night film.
Best Films of Tribeca 2021
NO STRAIGHT LINES: The Rise of Queer Comics.
A film by Vivian Kleiman
NO STRAIGHT LINES: The Rise of Queer Comics
No Straight Lines chronicles the journeys of 5 scrappy queer artists from the margins of the underground comics scene to mainstream acceptance.
About NO STRAIGHT LINES: The Rise of Queer Comics
The road for queer comics from the margins of the underground comics scene to mainstream acceptance was fraught with challenges. No Straight Lines chronicles the journeys of 5 scrappy LGBTQ artists—Alison Bechdel, Howard Cruse, Mary Wings, Rupert Kinnard, and Jennifer Camper — from their early DIY work to the international stage, and offers a fascinating window into everything from the AIDS crisis to the search for love and a good haircut.
Runtime: 78 minutes
Filmmaker: Vivian Kleiman
Elijah Wood as Bill Hagmaier. Photo Credit: Karina Silva
No Man of God
No Man of God is based on the true story of the strange and complicated relationship that developed between FBI agent Bill Hagmaier and an incarcerated Ted Bundy in the years leading to Bundy’s execution.
About No Man of God
Elijah Wood and Luke Kirby star in the true story of the complicated relationship between FBI agent Bill Hagmaier and serial killer Ted Bundy. Sentenced to death by electrocution, serial killer Ted Bundy develops a strange and complicated relationship with FBI agent Bill Hagmaier while detailing his heinous crimes.
Runtime: 100 minutes
Director: Amber Sealey
Cast: Elijah Wood, Luke Kirby, Aleksa Palladino, and Robert Patrick
Ailey
Many know the name Alvin Ailey, but how many know the man? Ailey’s commitment to searching for
truth in movement resulted in pioneering and enduring choreography that centers on African American
experiences.
Director Jamila Wignot’s resonant biography grants artful access to the elusive visionary who founded one of the world’s most renowned dance companies, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
Runtime: 94 minutes
Director: Jamila Wignot
Cast: Robert Battle, Rennie Harris, Darrin Ross, Don Martin, Mary Barnett, Linda Kent, George Faison, Judith Jamison, Bill Hammond, Sylvia Waters, and more.
Sophia Ali “Alia” (middle) has the attention of both Rish Shah “Varun” (left) and Ved Sapru “Rahul” (right) at a party in her suburban New Jersey home in a scene from INDIA SWEETS AND SPICES.
India Sweets and Spices
A young woman returning from her freshman year at college discovers family secrets and her mother’s surprisingly progressive past as she navigates the gossip, drama, and romance of her wealthy Indian American community.
About India Sweets and Spices
Alia Kapur (Sophia Ali) returns to her family’s posh suburban New Jersey home after a year away at college and upends their well-ordered life with her newfound independence. Befriending Varun (Rish Shah), the handsome son of the new owners of the local Indian grocery, she invites his family to a weekly dinner gathering with her parents’ wealthy friends.
She is shocked to learn that her perfectionist mother Sheila (Manisha Koirala) has a previous connection to Varun’s mother Bhairavi (Deepti Gupta). Alia’s surprise turns to indignation when she uncovers secrets about both her parents that push her toward a daring and transformative confrontation. A lovingly framed glimpse of the life of an Indian American family, India Sweets and Spices celebrates a young woman’s coming-of-age in a uniquely vibrant subculture.
Runtime: 101 minutes
Director: Geeta Malik
Cast: Sophia Ali, Manisha Koirala, Adil Hussain, Deepti Gupta, Rish Shah, and Ved Sapru.
Geraldine Viswanathan (Rita) and Karan Soni (Ravi) on the set of 7 DAYS in Thermal, CA, Sept. 2020. Photo by Eduardo Fierro.
7 Days
As if their pre-arranged date, organized by their traditional Indian parents, wasn’t uncomfortable enough, Ravi and Rita are forced to shelter in place together as COVID-19’s reach intensifies.
Read 7 Days (2021) Movie Review
About 7 Days
Set up on a pre-arranged date by their old-fashioned Indian parents, Ravi (Karan Soni) and Rita (Geraldine Viswanathan) seemingly have nothing in common, making for an afternoon that, while pleasant enough, couldn’t be any more awkward. He’s conservative and clearly nervous, while she’s doing her best to politely keep on smiling. But then the unthinkable happens: As the COVID outbreak intensifies, the shelter-in-place mandate is issued, forcing Ravi to spend the night at Rita’s place. Before long, he sees that she’s not the straight-laced girl she initially pretended to be—for starters, she’s quick to pound a beer for breakfast. As their time stuck together stretches towards a full week, though, Ravi and Rita develop an unlikely bond, and in the face of a heartbreaking turn of events, that bond grows into something stronger.
Runtime: 86 minutes
Director: Roshan Sethi
Cast: Geraldine Viswanathan, Karan Soni, Gita Reddy, Zenobia Shroff, Vinny Chhibber, Asif Ali, Mark Duplass, Aparna Nancherla, Jeffrey Self
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