The 2013 Tribeca Film Festival will screen 60 short films as part of the annual Big Apple gathering for movie lovers.
Thirty of those films will be world premieres, which the festival's backers say represents a new record. Though short films are not usually mainstream in their appeal, this year's lineup includes some big names, such as Lauren Ambrose ("Six Feet Under"), Elle Fanning ("Somewhere"), Dominic West ("The Wire") and Elijah Wood ("Lord of the Rings"). Their subject matter is also eclectic, ranging from a documentary about the life of basketball great Wilt Chamberlain to a coming-of-age story about a young girl living on an obscure South Pacific island.
There's a lot on the line for the filmmakers. Recipients of the Tribeca Film Festival’s Best Narrative Short award and Best Documentary Short award will qualify for consideration in the short films category of the Academy Awards, without requiring a theatrical run. There's been a track record of success in that regard; the festival's 2012 Narrative Short Winner "Asad" and competition short "Curfew" were both nominated for best Live Action Short at this year’s Oscars. "Curfew" ultimately took home the prize.
Winners also receive prizes valued at more than $10,000 in in-kind contributions.
Selections were chosen from 2,870 submissions and represent 19 countries, including Australia, China, Iraq, Japan, Palestine, Russia, Sweden, the United States and the United Kingdom.
The 2013 shorts program will be presented in eight thematic programs -- five narrative categories, two documentary categories and one experimental category.
Here's a list of the selections and categories:
CHARACTER WITNESS – Documentary program
· Recollections, Directed and written by Nathanael Carton, (Japan), New York Premiere
· Grave Goods, Directed and written by Leslie Tai, (USA), World Premiere
· When The Song Dies, Directed by Jamie Chambers, (Scotland), North American Premiere
· Wilt Chamberlain: Borscht Belt Bellhop, Directed by Caroline Laskow and Ian Rosenberg, (USA), World Premiere
· Lapse: Confessions of a Slot Machine Junkie, Directed and written by Jonathan VanBallenberghe, (USA), World Premiere
· We Will Live Again, Directed by Josh Koury and Myles Kane, (USA), World Premiere
· The Rider and the Storm, Directed and written by David Darg and Bryn Mooser, (USA), World Premiere
DEADBOLT – Narrative program
· The Girl with the Mechanical Maiden, Directed and written by Andrew Legge, (Ireland), New York Premiere
· Yardbird, Directed by Michael Spiccia, written by Julius Avery, (Australia), New York Premiere
· The Exit Room, Directed and written by Todd Wiseman Jr, (USA), World Premiere
· AB-, Directed and written by Daniel Klein, (USA), World Premiere
· Peanut Butter & Jelly, Directed and written by David Winkfield, (USA), World Premiere
· Honeymoon Suite (蜜月套房), Directed by Zao Wang, written by Zao Wang and Tom Toro, (China), World Premiere
· Delicacy, Directed by Jason Mann, written by Frieda Luk and Jason Mann, (USA), New York Premiere
· The Root Of The Problem, Directed and written by Ryan Spindell and Mark E. Davidson, (USA), New York Premiere
THE END IS NEAR -- Narrative program
· The Acrobat, Directed and written by Gerardo Herrero, (Spain), New York Premiere
· Murk Light (ضوء دامس), Directed by Yasir Al-Yasiri, written by Mohammed A. Al Hammadi, (Iraq), North American Premiere
· Snow in Paradise, Directed by Justine Simei-Barton and Nikki Si’ulepa, written by Nikki Si’ulepa, (New Zealand), New York Premiere
· Grace, Directed and written by Keir Burrows, (U.K.), International Premiere
· Grandma's Not a Toaster, Directed by Andrew Napier, written by Shawn Christensen, (USA), World Premiere
· Epilogue, Directed and written by Dylan Allen, (USA), World Premiere
HISTORY LESSONS -- Documentary program
· A Short Film About Guns, Directed by Minos Papas, (Cyprus), (U.K.), (USA), World Premiere
· Reporting on The Times: The New York Times and The Holocaust , Directed by Emily Harrold, (USA),World Premiere
· Coach, Directed by Bess Kargman, (USA), World Premiere
· Royal American, Directed and written by Michael Scalisi, (USA), World Premiere
· Who Shot Rock & Roll, Directed and written by Steven Kochones, (USA), World Premiere
LET THERE BE LIGHT: THE CYCLES OF LIFE -- Experimental program
· Sight, Directed and written by Thirza Cuthand, (Canada), U.S. Premiere
· Star Light No.5 Bis, Directed and written by Cécile Fontaine, (France), North American Premiere
· Depart, Directed by Blake Williams, (Canada), U.S. Premiere
· Lunatic, Directed and written by Aasa Ersmark, (Sweden), International Premiere
· Parallel North (Parallèle Nord), Directed and written by Félix Dufour-Laperrière, (Canada), World Premiere
· Hermeneutics, Directed by Alexei Dmitriev, (Russia), New York Premiere
· Light Plate, Directed and written by Josh Gibson, (Italy), (USA), New York Premiere
· The Moon Has Its Reasons, Directed and written by Lewis Klahr, (U.K.), North American Premiere
· Corn Mother, Directed and written by Taylor Dunne, (USA), New York Premiere
· The Last Time, Directed and written by Candy Kugel, (USA), World Premiere
· Two Islands, Directed and written by Jan Ijäs, (Finland), North American Premiere
· Dead World Order, Directed by Dana Levy, (France), International Premiere
· Look Inside The Ghost Machine, Directed and written by Peter Lichter, (Hungary), North American Premiere
SKIN DEEP -- Narrative program
· Likeness , Directed and written by Rodrigo Prieto, (USA), World Premiere
· Eating Lunch (Äta Lunch), Directed and written by Sanna Lenken, (Sweden), International Premiere
· Wings, Directed and written by José Villalobos, (USA), (Spain), International Premiere
· The River, Directed and written by Sam Handel, (USA), New York Premiere
· The Cup Reader (Qariat il Finjan), Directed and written by Suha Araj, (Occupied Palestinian Territory), World Premiere
· Ina Litovski, Directed by Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette and André Turpin, written by André Turpin and Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette, (Canada), U.S. Premiere
· The Nightshift Belongs to the Stars (Il Turno di Notte lo Fanno le Stelle), Directed by Edoardo Ponti, written by Erri De Luca, (Italy), North American Premiere
UNLIMITED RIDE -- Narrative program
· ZZZZZZZ, Directed and written by Tarik Karam, (USA), World Premiere
· Close Your Eyes, Directed and written by Sonia Malfa, (USA), World Premiere
· ICE, Directed and written by Anthony Tarsitano, (USA), World Premiere
· Atlantic Avenue, Directed and written by Laure de Clermont, (France), International Premiere
· Playdate, Directed and written by David Shane and Scott Organ, (USA), World Premiere
· Fortune House, Directed by Matthew Bonifacio, written by Bob Linton, (USA), World Premiere
· Space Cadet , Directed by Paul Riccio, written by Michael Gambino, (USA), World Premiere
WORST DAY EVER -- Narrative program
· The Hounds (Les Meutes), Directed and written by Manuel Shapira, (France), North American Premiere
· What's Left, What's Lost, Directed and written by Katie Rose, (USA), World Premiere
· Life Doesn't Frighten Me, Directed and written by Stephen Dunn, (Canada), New York Premiere
· RPG OKC, Directed and written by Emily Carmichael, (USA), World Premiere
· Setup, Punch., Directed and written by David Schlussel, (USA), World Premiere
· Fear of Flying, Directed and written by Conor Finnegan, (Ireland), New York Premiere
· Fool's Day, Directed by Cody Blue Snider, written by Cody Blue Snider and Shane Snider, (USA), World Premiere
SPECIAL SCREENING
· The Battle of amfAR, Directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, written by Sharon Wood. (USA), New York Premiere, Documentary. In the darkest days of the AIDS pandemic, two women from very different walks of life unite to take a stand. Two-time Academy Award-winner Rob Epstein and his longtime collaborator Jeffrey Friedman, the creative forces behind The Celluloid Closet, tell the story of the extraordinary moment when Dr. Mathilde Krim and Hollywood icon Elizabeth Taylor launched the country’s first AIDS research foundation. The fight against HIV/AIDS would never be the same. An HBO Documentary Films release.