The 2014 Tribeca Film Festival’s narrative section will spotlight young filmmakers, veteran writers, and big name stars.
The New York City indie fest, which begins in April, announced the second half of its slate on Thursday, with several marquee talents set to premiere films during the 11 day run, including established directors who are serving as screenwriters this time around.
Joss Whedon, whose attention has largely turned to the Marvel Universe, is the writer behind the Brin Hill-directed film “In Your Eyes,” which features Zoe Kazan as “East Coast housewife Rebecca who lives a comfortable, sheltered life, but always knew there was something special about herself” whose world collides with “charismatic ex-con Dylan” played by Michael Stahl-David.
Meanwhile, Nicole Holofcener penned the screenplay for Amy Berg’s adaptation of the novel “Every Secret Thing,” about crime and forgiveness in a Baltimore suburb. Elizabeth Banks, Diane Lane, Dakota Fanning, and Nate Parker lead the cast of the film, which makes its world premiere at Tribeca.
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Roman Polanski will send a project to the festival, as his adaptation of the play “Venus in Furs” will play at Tribeca (though presumably, he won’t be there to support it).
“The Mindy Project” star Chris Messina makes his directorial debut with “Alex of Venice,” which stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead as a workaholic environmental lawyer whose husband, played by Messina himself, asks for a break and throws her world into chaos. Don Johnson plays her father.
“Friends” and “Cougar Town” star Courteney Cox also makes her directorial debut, with “Just Before I Go,” which features Seann William Scott as “Ted Morgan, a down-on-his-luck everyman who has decided he’s had enough of the hard knocks life has thrown his way. But before saying his final adieu, Ted returns to his hometown to right a few wrongs.”
Meanwhile, Jesse Zwick makes his directorial debut with “About Alex,” which is described as a “Big Chill” for the social media generation and stars Aubrey Plaza, Max Greenfield, Max Minghella, Jason Ritter, Nate Parker, and Maggie Grace. Robin Williams and Kathy Baker star in the drama “Boulevard.”
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Other films in the Spotlight category include Jon Favreau’s “Chef,” which premieres at SXSW, the John Lithgow-Alfred Molina Sundance hit “Love Is Strange,” Gia Coppola’s adaptation of James Franco’s “Palo Alto,” the Mark Duplass-Elisabeth Olsen Sundance drama “The One I Love,” and Jesse Eisenberg-Dakota Fanning environmental thriller, “Night Moves.”
Also announced were films in the Midnight category, as well as projects in Storyscapes, which “showcase innovative and interactive transmedia work across genres.”
Spotlight
“5 to 7,” directed and written by Victor Levin, starring Anton Yelchin, Bérénice Marlohe, Glenn Close, and Frank Langella.
“About Alex,” directed and written by Jesse Zwick, starring Aubrey Plaza, Max Greenfield, Max Minghella, Jason Ritter, Nate Parker, and Maggie Grace.
“Alex of Venice,” directed by Chris Messina, written by Jessica Goldberg and Katie Nehra & Justin Shilton, starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Chris Messina, and Don Johnson.
“All About Ann: Governor Richards of the Lone Star State,” directed by Keith Patterson and Phillip Schopper.
“Boulevard,” directed by Dito Montiel, written by Douglas Soesbe, starring Robin Williams and Kathy Baker.
“Bright Days Ahead” (“Les beaux jours”), directed by Marion Vernoux, written by Fanny Chesnel, starring Fanny Ardant, Laurent Lafitte, and Patrick Chesnais
“Chef,” directed and written by Jon Favreau, starring Jon Favreau, John Leguizamo, Sofia Vergara, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Dustin Hoffman, Oliver Platt, and Amy Sedaris.
Every Secret Thing, directed by Amy Berg, written by Nicole Holofcener, starring Elizabeth Banks, Diane Lane, Dakota Fanning, and Nate Parker.
“In Order of Disappearance” (“Kraftidioten”), directed by Hans Petter Moland, written by Kim Fupz Aakeson, starring Stellan Skarsgård.
“In Your Eyes,” directed by Brin Hill, written by Joss Whedon, starring Zoe Kazan, Michael Stahl-David, Nikki Reed.
“Just Before I Go,” directed by Courteney Cox, written by David Flebotte, starring Seann William, Rob Riggle, Olivia Thirlby, and Garret Dillahunt.
“Keep On Keepin’ On,” directed and written by Alan Hicks, co-written by Davis Coombe.
“Life Partners, directed and written by Susanna Fogel, co-written by Joni Lefkowitz, starring Leighton Meester, Gillian Jacobs, Gabourey Sidibe, and Adam Brody.
“Love is Strange,” directed and written by Ira Sachs, co-written by Mauricio Zacharias, starring John Lithgow and Alfred Molina.
“Lucky Them,” directed by Megan Griffiths, written by Huck Botko and Emily Wachtel starring Toni Collette and Thomas Haden Church.
“Manos Sucias,” directed and written by Josef Wladyka, co-written by Alan Blanco, Executive Produced by Spike Lee.
“Match,” directed and written by Stephen Belber, starring Matthew Lillard and Carla Gugino.
“Miss Meadows,” directed and written by Karen Leigh Hopkins, starring Katie Holmes and James Badge Dale.
The Newburgh Sting, directed by David Heilbroner and Kate Davis, written by David Heilbroner.
“Night Moves,” directed and written by Kelly Reichardt, co-written by Jon Raymond, starring Jesse Eisenberg, Dakota Fanning, and Peter Sarsgaard.
“The One I Love,” directed by Charlie McDowell, written by Justin Lader, starring Mark Duplass and Elisabeth Moss.
The Other One: The Long, Strange Trip of Bob Weir, directed by Mike Fleiss.
“Palo Alto,” directed and written by Gia Coppola, adapted from “Palo Alto: Stories” by James Franco, starring Emma Roberts, James Franco, Jack Kilmer and Nat Wolff.
“The Search for General Tso,” directed by Ian Cheney.
“Silenced,” directed by James Spione
“Sister,” directed and written by David Lascher, co-written by Todd Camhe, starring Barbara Hershey and Reid Scott.
“Slaying the Badger,” directed and written by John Dower.
“Super Duper Alice Cooper,” directed and written by Reginald Harkema, Scot McFadyen, and Sam Dunn.
“Third Person,” directed and written by Paul Haggis, starring James Franco, Mila Kunis, Liam Neeson, Olivia Wilde, Adrien Brody and Maria Bello.
“Untitled Daniel Junge and Kief Davidson Documentary,” TBD.
“Venus in Fur” (“La Vénus à la fourrure”), directed and written by Roman Polanski, co-written by David Ives, starring Matthieu Almaric and Emmanuelle Seigner.
MIDNIGHT
“The Canal,” directed and written by Ivan Kavanagh.
“Der Samurai,” directed and written by Till Kleinert.
“Extraterrestrial,” directed by Colin Minihan, written by The Vicious Brothers.
“Indigenous,” directed by Alastair Orr, written by Max Roberts.
“Intramural,” directed by Andrew Disney, written by Bradley Jackson.
“Preservation,” directed and written by Christopher Denham.
“Zombeavers,” directed and written by Jordan Rubin, co-written by Al Kaplan and Jon Kaplan.
STORYSCAPES
“Choose Your Own Documentary,” Project Creators: Nathan Penlington, Fernando R. Gutierrez De Jesus, Nick Watson, and Sam Smaïl.
“Circa 1948,” Project Creator: Stan Douglas with the NFB Digital Studio.
“Clouds,” Project Creators: Jonathan Minard, James George.
“On a Human Scale,” Project Creator: Matthew Carey.
“Use of Force,” Project Creator: Nonny de la Peña.
SPECIAL SCREENINGS
“6,” directed by Louie Psihoyos.
“A Brony Tale,” directed by Brent Hodge, written by Ashleigh Ball and Hodge.
“Journey to the West” (“Xi You”), directed and written by Tsai Ming Liang.
“This Time Next Year,” directed by Jeff Reichert and Farihah Zaman
“True Son”, directed by Kevin Gordon.