‘Godfather’ Cast Reunites For Tribeca Film Festival Closing-Night Screenings
Just when he thought he was out, they pulled him back in: Al Pacino will reunite with Robert De Niro, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire and the man who mobbed them up, Francis Ford Coppola, in a rare reunion for the Tribeca Film Festival’s closing-night screenings of The Godfather and The Godfather Part II.
The cast and director of the greatest mob movies ever will take part in a panel discussion on April 29 at New York’s Radio City Music Hall, the closing-night event of the 16th annual Tribeca fest, which runs April 19-30. The back-to-back Godfather screenings at Radio City mark the 45th anniversary of the first film’s theatrical release.
Also announced today were entries in the festival’s Galas and Special Screenings section, including Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: The Bad Boy Story, Sean “Diddy” Combs’ documentary about the first 20 years of the Bad Boy Entertainment record label; the world premiere of James Ponsoldt’s The Circle, starring Tom Hanks and Emma Watson; and the world premiere of Mike and the Mad Dog, Daniel H. Forer’s docu about NYC sports radio personalities Mike Francesa and Chris “Mad Dog” Russo.
The festival’s previously announced opening-night event is the world premiere at Radio City of the documentary Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives, followed by a concert featuring performances by Aretha Franklin, Jennifer Hudson, Earth, Wind & Fire, among others.
“From Clive Davis to Sean Combs to Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival is brimming with exciting and can’t-miss special screenings and events,” said Tribeca’s Paula Weinstein. “With the lineup of film, music, and sports legends who are coming together to entertain and inform, this could be the most memorable year of Tribeca yet.”
The Godfather anniversary event comes a couple months before an unrelated Fathom Events’ two-day anniversary screening (June 4 and June 7) of The Godfather in theaters nationwide.
This year’s special screenings at Tribeca — films followed by concerts or conversations — include a musical lineup with performances by Taj Mahal, the Wyland Blues Planet Ban, A Flock of Seagulls, the English Beat and the Alarm. Following a screening of Tabbert Fiiller’s doc The Public Image Is Rotten, the director will have a conversation with John Lydon, formerly known as the Sex Pistols’ Johnny Rotten.
“The very nature of a festival is for people to come together to be moved by stories,” said Tribeca’s Director of Programming Cara Cusumano. “This year’s selection of special screenings provides that and more, paired with talks, performances, and commemorative reunions that take the experience off the screen and into the audience.”
Here’s the complete rundown of today’s newly announced fest offerings:
CLOSING NIGHT
The 45th anniversary screening of The Godfather followed by The Godfather Part II and conversation with Francis Ford Coppola, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, and Robert De Niro.
GALAS
Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: The Bad Boy Story, directed by Daniel Kaufman. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. A raw and exclusive look behind the scenes at the history and legacy of Bad Boy through a complex portrait of the label’s mastermind, Sean “Diddy” Combs aka Puff Daddy, as he tries to reunite his Bad Boy Family in the course of a frantic three-week rehearsal period. This Live Nation Productions documentary finds him reuniting with the biggest names from Bad Boy’s history for a wildly successful pair of concerts at Brooklyn’s Barclay Center. With Notorious B.I.G., Ma$e, Lil’ Kim, Faith Evans, Total.
The Circle, directed by James Ponsoldt, written by James Ponsoldt and Dave Eggers. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. When Mae (Emma Watson) is hired to work for the world’s largest and most powerful tech and social media company, she sees it as an opportunity of a lifetime. As she rises through the ranks, she is encouraged by the company’s founder, Eamon Bailey (Tom Hanks), to engage in a groundbreaking experiment that pushes the boundaries of privacy, ethics and ultimately her personal freedom. Her participation in the experiment, and every decision she makes begin to affect the lives and future of her friends, family and that of humanity. With Emma Watson, Tom Hanks, John Boyega, Karen Gillan, Ellar Coltrane, Patton Oswalt, Glenne Headly, Bill Paxton. An STXfilms release.
TRIBECA/ESPN SPORTS FILM FESTIVAL GALA
Mike and the Mad Dog, directed by Daniel H. Forer. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Dive into the inner workings of one of the sports world’s most unlikely partnerships: Mike Francesa and Chris “Mad Dog” Russo, the voices that launched a thousand sports radio imitators. The hosts, their colleagues, and a who’s-who of sports heavyweights tell the story of their surprise rise to stardom and 19 years as the iconic voices of New York sports. An ESPN Films release.
SPECIAL SCREENINGS
Blues Planet: Triptych, directed and written by Wyland. (USA) – World Premiere. Blues Planet: Triptych explores the Gulf Oil Spill disaster and its aftermath through environmental artist Wyland who, along with 30 of today’s pre-eminent artists, recorded a new genre of global blues on the catastrophe’s anniversary. After the movie: Taj Mahal and the Wyland Blues Planet Ban will perform.
Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story, directed and written by Alexandra Dean. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Known for her unmatched beauty, Hedy Lamarr’s fans never knew she also possessed a beautiful mind. Immigrating to Hollywood in the 1940s, Lamarr acted by day and sketched inventions by night, even devising a “secret communication system” for the Allies to beat the Nazis. Executive produced by Susan Sarandon. With Mel Brooks, Diane Kruger, Peter Bogdanovich, Denise Loder DeLuca, Anthony Loder, Richard Rhodes. After the movie: Panel with director Alexandra Dean and prominent women in both entertainment and STEM, focusing on how both groups have been historically underrepresented in their respective fields.
Chris Gethard: Career Suicide, directed by Kimberly Senior, written by Chris Gethard. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. In this deeply personal and profoundly funny one man show, comedian Chris Gethard dives deep into his own personal struggles with mental health issues. An HBO release. After the movie: A conversation with comedian/actor/writer Chris Gethard and fellow comedians.
Dare to be Different, directed by Ellen Goldfarb, written by Jay Reiss. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Featuring interviews and rare footage of U2, Blondie, Duran Duran, Joan Jett, The Cure, Billy Idol, and Depeche Mode, Ellen Goldfarb’s Dare to Be Different is a nostalgic look at Long Island radio station WLIR 92.7. With Joan Jett, Debbie Harry, Billy Idol, and others. After the movie: A live music tribute to WLIR from A Flock of Seagulls, The English Beat, and The Alarm.
The Exception, directed by David Leveaux, written by Simon Burke. (U.K., USA) – US Premiere, Narrative. A World War II thriller, The Exception follows German soldier Stefan Brandt, tasked with investigating exiled German Monarch Kaiser Wilhelm II, only to find himself drawn into an unexpected and passionate romance with mysterious housemaid Mieke. When Heinrich Himmler, head of the SS, comes for an unexpected visit, secrets are revealed, allegiances tested, and Brandt is forced to make the ultimate choice between honoring his country and following his heart. With Christopher Plummer, Jai Courtney, Lily James, Janet McTeer, Eddie Marsan, Ben Daniels. A DirecTV/A24 release. After the movie: A conversation with director David Leveaux and actor Christopher Plummer.
From the Ashes, directed by Michael Bonfiglio. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. From the Ashes captures Americans in communities across the country as they wrestle with the legacy of the coal industry and what its future should be under the Trump Administration. From Appalachia to the West’s Powder River Basin, the film goes beyond the rhetoric of the “war on coal” to present compelling and often heartbreaking stories about what’s at stake for our economy, health, and climate. Before the movie: Special introduction by three-term Mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg. After the movie: A conversation with director Michael Bonfiglio and special guests to discuss the state of the American coal industry.
House of Z, directed by Sandy Chronopoulos, written by Sandy Chronopoulos, Sherien Barsoum. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Zac Posen rocketed to fashion stardom at a young age with his unique design aesthetic and charismatic presence, becoming one the most recognizable faces in the business today. But like any journey to great success it hasn’t come without cost. Sandy Chronopoulos’ film looks past the glamor of the red carpet and the runway to shine a light on the trials and tribulations of running one of the country’s most successful fashion houses. With Naomi Campbell, Sean Diddy Combs aka Puff Daddy, André Leon Talley, Paz de la Huerta. After the movie: A conversation with director Sandy Chronopoulos and the film’s subject Zac Posen.
Intent to Destroy, directed by Joe Berlinger, written by Joe Berlinger, Cy Christiansen. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Director Joe Berlinger takes an unwavering look at the Armenian genocide after a century of denial by the Turkish government and its strategic allies. A cinematic window into the historical and emotional web of responsibility. After the movie: A conversation with director-screenwriter Joe Berlinger, poet and nonfiction writer Peter Balakian, composer Serj Tankian, and producer Eric Esrailian.
Julian Schnabel: A Private Portrait, directed and written by Pappi Corsicato. (Italy) – World Premiere, Documentary. The film captures the artist in the studio and at home, incorporates archival footage and private home videos, and interviews family and friends to build a complex image of the man and his work. With Al Pacino, Willem Dafoe, Bono, Emmanuelle Seigner, Vito Schnabel. A Cohen Media release. After the movie: A conversation with director Pappi Corsicato and the film’s subject Julian Schnabel.
Paris Can Wait, directed and written by Eleanor Coppola. (USA) – New York Premiere, Narrative. Long married to a successful but inattentive film producer, Anne is at a crossroads in her life. Enter Jacques, a French bon vivant, who offers to drive Anne from Cannes to Paris. Eleanor Coppola’s elegant journey takes us to the heart of a woman surprised to find long-buried memories resurface and unforeseen attraction arise.With Diane Lane, Alec Baldwin, Arnaud Viard. A Sony Pictures Classics release. After the movie: A food and film experience inspired by Paris Can Wait.
The Public Image is Rotten, directed by Tabbert Fiiller. (USA) – World Premiere. Within months of the demise of the Sex Pistols in 1978, lead singer Johnny Rotten (aka John Lydon) formed post-punk outfit Public Image Ltd., an innovative and influential band which has accumulated a legion of fans since its founding. In this incisive, entertaining doc, Lydon opens up the book on his decades as a music provocateur, while past and present band members fill in the gaps and add their perspectives. With Thurston Moore, Flea, Adam Horovitz, Moby. After the movie: A conversation with director Tabbert Fiiller and the film’s subject John Lydon a.k.a. Johnny Rotten.
The Third Industrial Revolution, directed by Oliver Ressler, Eddy Moretti. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Economic theorist Jeremy Rifkin outlines a journey into the Third Industrial Revolution — a new era of sustainable development, accompanied by vast new economic opportunities in a smart green digital global economy. After the movie: A conversation with director Eddy Moretti and economic and social theorist Jeremy Rifkin.
Warning: This Drug May Kill You, directed by Perri Peltz. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. An unflinching look at the devastating effects of opioid addiction in the U.S., profiling four families whose lives have been decimated by addictions that all began with legitimate prescriptions to dangerous painkillers. An HBO Documentary release. After the Mmovie: A conversation with Dr. Nora Volkow, Dr. Andrew Kolodny, Gail Cole and producer Sascha Weiss. Moderated by the film’s director Perri Peltz.
RETROSPECTIVES
Aladdin, directed by Ron Clements and John Musker, written by Ron Clements & John Musker and Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio. (USA). Disney’s beloved animated masterpiece will make your heart race and your spirit soar. Before the movie: Brad Kane, the singing voice of Aladdin, performs a soundtrack favorite before the screening.
Bowling for Columbine, directed by Michael Moore. (USA). Michael Moore’s 2002 film explored the roots of America’s relationships with guns and the firearms industry following the devastating mass shooting at Columbine High School. After the movie: On the anniversary of the documentary and the massacre, a conversation with director Michael Moore and others on the timeliness of the film.
Reservoir Dogs, directed and written by Quentin Tarantino. (USA). Auteur filmmaker Quentin Tarantino reinvigorated cinema with his singular voice in his canonical feature Reservoir Dogs. A 35mm print from his archive will be used for this special 25th anniversary screening. After the movie: A 25th anniversary conversation with director Quentin Tarantino and cast from the film.
TRIBECA/ESPN SPORTS FILM FESTIVAL
Features:
Chuck, directed by Philippe Falardeau, written by Jeff Feuerzeig, Jerry Stahl. (USA) – US Premiere. Chuck is the true story of Chuck Wepner (Liev Schreiber), the man who inspired the billion-dollar film series Rocky—a liquor salesman from New Jersey who went 15 rounds with Muhammad Ali. An IFC Films release.
Mike and the Mad Dog, directed by Daniel H. Forer. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Dive into the inner workings of one of the sports world’s most unlikely partnerships: Mike Francesa and Chris “Mad Dog” Russo, the voices that launched a thousand sports radio imitators. An ESPN Films release.
No Stone Unturned, directed by Alex Gibney. (USA, Northern Ireland) – World Premiere. In 1994, six men were gunned down and five wounded in a pub while watching a World Cup soccer match in Loughinisland, Northern Ireland. In this non-fiction murder mystery, Academy Award-winning documentarian Alex Gibney reopens the original case to investigate why no culprit was ever brought to justice.
Sambá, directed by Laura Amelia Guzmán and Israel Cárdenas, written by Ettore D’Alessandro, Carolina Encarnacion. (Dominican Republic) – World Premiere. After spending 15 years in an American jail, Cisco returns to the Dominican Republic yet is unable to get a job, a problem compounded by his mother’s ailing health and his younger brother’s delinquent habits. To make money, he’s resorted to illegal street fighting. With Algenis Pérez Soto, Ettore D’Alessandro, Laura Gómez, Ricardo A. Toribio. In Spanish with subtitles.
Year of the Scab, directed by John Dorsey. (USA) – World Premiere. During the 1987 NFL strike, teams scrambled to assemble temporary replacements to fill in for their boycotting players. Year of the Scab revisits this ultimate underdog story and the men whose ordinary lives were interrupted. An ESPN Films release.
Shorts
The Amazing Adventures of Wally and the Worm, directed by Colin Hanks. (USA) – New York Premiere; Bump & Spike, directed by Michael Jacobs. (USA) – World Premiere; The Counterfeiter, directed by Brian Biegel. (USA) – World Premiere; Resurface, directed by Josh Izenberg, Wynn Padula. (USA) – New York Premiere; Revolution in the Ring, directed by Jason Sklaver. (USA) – World Premiere; Run Mama Run, directed by Daniele Anastasion. (USA) – World Premiere; Under an Arctic Sky, directed by Chris Burkard, written by Ben Weiland, Chris Burkard. (USA) – World Premiere.
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