Tribeca Festival’s 2023 Film Lineup Includes ‘Maggie Moore(s)’ With Tina Fey & Jon Hamm, ‘First Time Female Director’, Marvel’s ‘Stan Lee’ Doc, More
By Jill Goldsmith
April 18, 2023
The 22nd edition of the Tribeca Festival unveiled a 2023 lineup with a record number of female helmers and heavy on films directed by actors like Chelsea Peretti’s First Time Female Director, John Slattery thriller Maggie Moore(s) with Tina Fey and Jon Hamm, David Duchovny’s Bucky F*cking Dent and Steve Buscemi’s The Listener.
Marvel also screens its first original documentary, Stan Lee by David Gelb, as the fest unspools June 7-18 in New York City. Also making an appearance: Downtown Owl by Lily Rabe and Hamish Linklater, and Eric LaRue by Michael Shannon.
In all, 109 feature, narrative, documentary and animated films from 127 directors across 36 countries will showcase emerging and household names.
Tribeca is expanding its Midnight offering this year, and will also present its second annual Human/Nature award for environmental storytelling to world-premiering Common Ground by Rebecca and Josh Tickell.
Related music and live events ramped up last year and were a big draw, continuing this year with Gloria Gaynor, Sarah Bareilles, Gogol Bordello, a performance by She Is the Music artists curated by Alicia Keys, and a songwriting master class from Indigo Girls.
This year, 41% of features (45), and a record 68% (or 19) films in competition are directed by women. Thirty-nine features (36%) are from BIPOC directors, including two indigenous filmmakers.
The lineup includes 93 world premieres, eight North American premieres, one U.S. premiere, and six New York premieres including Randall Park’s Shortcomings, which debuted at Sundance.
It’s a world premiere for Stan Lee by Tribeca alumnus Gelb as well as directors Julie Cohen, Waad al-Kateab, Morgan Neville, Sam Pollard, Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman.
For a third year running, Tribeca commemorates Juneteenth with Expressions of Black Freedom. The 2023 program celebrates the 50th anniversary of hip-hop with the world premieres of All Up in the Biz, a documentary about New York hip-hop legend Biz Markie, and Cinnamon by Bryian Keith Montgomery Jr. starring Damon Wayans and Pam Grier.
A handful of documentaries shine a light on the ongoing war in Ukraine and the silencing of artists in Iran.
Tribeca Festival co-founder and Tribeca Enterprises CEO Jane Rosenthal invites audiences “to explore the magic of storytelling as a powerful tool of democracy, activism, and social awareness.” The festival “is a celebratory event that honors artists and uplifts attendees, and this year is no exception,” she said.
The 2023 slate “is a joyful celebration of everything we love about the big-screen experience,” adds festival director and VP of programming Cara Cusumano, ranging from 3D films and music docs to thrillers, comedies, edgy indies and old Hollywood.
As part of Midnight, Tribeca is adding a new Escape From Tribeca sidebar with global genre movies including the world premiere of India’s big-budget Adipurush by Om Raut.
There’s a 50th anniversary screening Enter the Dragon followed by co-star Angela Mao and producer Andre Morgan in conversation about Bruce Lee.
Online platform Tribeca at Home offers selected films virtually after the event wraps, from June 19-July 2.
The festival is curated by Cusumano, artistic director Frédéric Boyer; VP of Programming Sharon Badal and VP of Shorts Programming Ben Thompson and a team including programmers for immersive, audio storytelling and music, with chief content officer Paula Weinstein.
Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff founded Tribeca in 2001 to spur the economic and cultural revitalization of lower Manhattan after 9/11. James Murdoch’s Lupa Systems bought a majority stake in Tribeca Enterprises in 2019.
Here’s the complete 2023 feature film lineup released today:
SPOTLIGHT DOCUMENTARY
Anthem (U.S.) – World Premiere. What would it sound like to have a national anthem that actually reflects America? Anthem follows composer Kris Bowers and producer DJ Dahi on a road trip across the country to find out. Directed by Peter Nicks. Produced by Peter Nicks, Kris Bowers, Sean Havey, Chris L. Jenkins, Ryan Coogler. Executive Produced by R.J. Cutler, Elise Pearlstein, Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian. A Hulu release.
