YouTube isn’t here to save the film festival season, but the platform’s We Are One event is surely attempting to fill the void left by the numerous canceled events due to COVID-19 this year. And with the online festival expected to begin later this week, the platform announced its first-ever line-up consisting of over 100 films, including 13 world premieres, 31 online premieres, and five international online premieres.
Of the features, a couple of notable selections include documentaries “Ricky Powell: The Individualist,” which follows the story of the legendary street photographer, and “The Iron Hammer” from director Joan Chen about legendary Chinese Olympic volleyball star Jenny Lang Ping.
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In addition to the features, there are a number of shorts that will premiere, including shorts from Dreamworks Animation, titled “Bilby,” “Marooned,” and “Bird Karma.” Also, festivals such as Cannes, Tribeca, and NYFF will show their short selections from recent years.
Perhaps even more enticing for film fans than the actual films being shown are the talks that are scheduled with some of the best filmmakers working today. People scheduled to hold discussions include Francis Ford Coppola with Steven Soderbergh, Song Kang-ho and Bong Joon-ho, Guillermo del Toro, Jane Campion, and Claire Denis.
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“We are so excited to share the combined efforts of our festival partners and YouTube with the world this week,” said Tribeca Enterprises and Tribeca Film Festival Co-Founder and CEO Jane Rosenthal. “Together, we were able to curate a compelling slate of programming that succinctly reflects the subtle variations in style that make each festival so special. We Are One: A Global Film Festival will offer audiences an opportunity to not only celebrate the art of film, but the unique qualities that make each story we watch so memorable.”
“One of the beautiful things about films and other visual content is the ability to tell stories and bring people together, no matter where they live or where they’re from. This is a phenomenon we’ve seen at YouTube throughout the years but especially today, as people look to connect and be entertained,” said Robert Kyncl, Chief Business Officer, YouTube. “The programming coordinated by Tribeca Enterprises for We Are One: A Global Film Festival has that magical ability to transport viewers from all around the world to a special moment in time, through the unique lens that our esteemed festival partners bring.”
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The new film event runs on YouTube from May 29 to June 7. You can see the full schedule on the event’s website.