With vaccines getting distributed pretty damn fast in the US, we’re starting to see some cities begin to recover and make plans for in-person events in the summer and fall. In the world of film festivals, it appears that the first event to really attempt a full in-person experience is going to be this year’s Tribeca.
According to the event organizers, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the festival, this year’s Tribeca Film Festival is going to be held over the course of 12 days in various outdoor pop-up venues. This is the event’s attempt to capture the magic of film festivals while also staying as safe as possible with social distancing and outdoor screenings.
“The Tribeca Film Festival was born out of our mission to bring people together in the aftermath of 9/11. We’re still doing it,” said Robert De Niro, Co-Founder of Tribeca Festival. “And as New York emerges from the shadow of Covid-19, it seems just right to bring people together again in-person for our 20th-anniversary festival.”
“Tribeca is a community of the most resilient and talented storytellers on the planet,” added Jane Rosenthal, Co-Founder and CEO of Tribeca Enterprises and Tribeca Festival. In 20 years, our community of creators and partners have become a family. This summer we are excited to reunite as Tribeca becomes a centerpiece of live entertainment in neighborhoods across New York City.”
READ MORE: Spike Lee Named Jury President For The Cannes Film Festival… Again
So, how are they going to do it? Well, as seen in the below renders, the event will consist of socially distanced seating combined with mobile 40-foot LED screens. Though it doesn’t have the same intimacy of an indoor festival screening, this is clearly Tribeca doing everything in its power to make an in-person event happen during the summer. If you’re in New York City, these are the venues that will have screenings: Brookfield Place New York, Pier 57 Rooftop, The Battery, Hudson Yards (Manhattan); Empire Outlets (Staten Island), and The MetroTech Commons (Brooklyn).
The 2021 Tribeca Film Festival is expected to begin on June 9 and run until June 20.