AT THE 2006 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL

by Brad Balfour and Eric Lurio

It's been five years now since The Tribeca Film Festival began.

This year it opens with a film, "United 93," that reminds everyone why there is this festival in the first place. Not that we really need to be reminded of the attacks on 9/11, but it did happen, and, to be perfectly frank, the city and its great international community needed a boost. So why not a massive film festival designed to revive the neighborhood and recall the kind of creativity and energy that makes New York the cultural capital of the world.  full article... >>>

Exclusive Tribeca Film Festival  Interviews:

Danny Peary travels to Washington Heights for an on-set report from French director Eva Husson's upcoming release "Tiny Dancer." He interviews the lovely and talented 23-year-old Melissa Gallo (she has been on "One Life to Live" since January 2004), who has danced her way into her first lead in a movie... >>>

---

TimesSquare.com film columnist Danny Peary chats with Israeli director Talya Lavie , whose short but powerful film, "The Substitute," made a big splash at this year's Tribeca Film Festival ... >>>

---

Turkish director Pelin Esmer's unique documentary, "The Play," introduces us to nine fascinating peasant women who, after a lifetime of hardships due to their gender, have shaken up their village and other places in their country by performing bold political theater about their lives... >>>

---

An interview with John Polson, the creator of the Australian Tropfest short film festival brings his creation to North America for the first time with the debut of Tropfest @ Tribeca... >>>

"Dance Mania Fantastic," a short film by director Sasie Sealy, was awarded the Student Visionary Award at last year's festival. This year, the film will screen again, as Danny Peary concludes a two-part, two-year interview with the filmmaker... >>> 

 Photo Gallery:

View the exclusive TimesSquare.com photo gallery of images taken in and around the Tribeca Film Festival '06 ... >>>

 Film Reviews:

Okay, folks, celebrity culture is as big in Europe as it is here in the 'States. "Beauty and the Bastard" and "Backstage" are but two examples of the thirst for fame, fortune and access to same. It all seems like it is here, but that's globalization for you. They had it first... >>>

---

In the summer of 2004, guitarist Johnny Ramone realized he was dying, so he decided to throw himself a wake. So he and Rob Zombie got together, rented out the legendary Avalon Theatre in Los Angeles, and sent out a call for volunteers. The result was "Too Tough To Die," starring Henry Rollins, Eddie Vedder, and several Ramones in what would be one of Johnny's last performances... >>>

---

Domestic Docs: A guide to documentaries made state-side that are showing at the Tribeca Film Festival ... >>>

 TFF SPOTLIGHT: Animated New York:

Animator Bill Plympton has become something of a local NYC legend, starting out using his unique drawing style to do quirky cartoons and strips. Once he transferred that drawing style to animation cells he became the object of a cult following... >>>

---

Both a testament to the power of the internet, and to the rich detritus spewed forth from our society, Harlem-based stop-motion animator/filmmaker PES has become an underground celebrity... >>>

Tag it:

?