The new series “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Genius” and “The Vietnam War” and returning seasons of “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” and “Casual” will be showcased in the TV program at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival, Tribeca organizers announced on Thursday.
Other series that will have world premieres or season debuts at the New York-based April festival include “Another Period,” “Episodes,” “The Eyeslicer,” “I Am Heath Ledger,” “The Sinner,” “Soundtracks: Songs That Defined History,” and “There’s … Johnny!”
This is the second year for Tribeca’s television program, at which most of the screenings are followed by conversations with the creators and stars of the series.
New shows that will debut in Tribeca include “The Handmaid’s Tale,” Hulu’s new adaptation of the Margaret Atwood novel about a totalitarian society that pushes women into sexual servitude; “The Eyeslicer,” a variety series that mixes short films from indie directors; “Genius,” Ron Howard and Brian Grazer’s NatGeo series starring Geoffrey Rush as Albert Einstein; “The Sinner,” a crime thriller whose producers include Derek Simonds, Jessica Biel and Antonio Campos; “There’s … Johnny!,” a Paul Reiser series that focuses on a young man hired as a gofer on Johnny Carson’s “Tonight Show” in 1972; Ken Burns’ 10-part, 18-hour documentary series “The Vietnam War”; and Spike TV’s documentary “I Am Heath Ledger.”
Among the returning shows at Tribeca are Comedy Central’s “Another Period,” Hulu’s “Casual,” CNN’s “Soundtracks: Songs That Defined History,” Netflix’s “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” and Showtime’s “Episodes,” which will premiere its final season.
For the first time, Tribeca will also present the Pilot Season showcase, which will screen three independently produced TV pilots: “Black Magic for White Boys,” a three-part comedy from Onur Tukel; “Lost & Found,” a comedic relationship story starring Melonie Diaz and Will Janowitz as a separating couple; and “Manic,” with Shanice Williams as an overachieving high school student who is sent to a boarding school for teens with mental illness.
The Tribeca Film Festival runs from April 19 through April 30 in New York City. Passes are currently on sale, with single ticket sales beginning on March 28. The full schedule is available at tribecafilm.com.
The lineup, with special guests:
TRIBECA TV:
“Another Period” (Comedy Central) – Season 3 World Premiere
Includes a conversation with creators, writers, and stars Natasha Leggero and Riki Lindhome, and cast members Paget Brewster and Brett Gelman.
Wednesday, April 26, 6:15 PM, SVA-2
“Casual” (Hulu) – Season 3 World Premiere
Inludes a conversation with creator and executive producer Zander Lehmann, executive producers, Liz Tigelaar, Helen Estabrook, and cast members Michaela Watkins, Tommy Dewey, and Tara Lynne Barr.
Saturday, April 29, 6:15PM, SVA-2
“Episodes” (Showtime) – Final Season Premiere
Includes a conversation with creators David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik, and cast member Matt LeBlanc.
Sunday, April 30, 5:30 PM, SVA-1
“The Eyeslicer” – New Series Premiere
Includes a conversation with co-creators Dan Schoenbrun and Vanessa McDonnell, and filmmakers Lauren Wolkstein, Erin Vassilopoulos, Shaka King, Danny Madden, and Leah Shore.
Friday, April 28, 9:00 PM, SVA-2
“Genius” (National Geographic) – New Series World Premiere
Includes a conversation with director and executive producer Ron Howard, executive producers Brian Grazer and Gigi Pritzker, showrunner Ken Biller, and cast members Geoffrey Rush, Johnny Flynn, Emily Watson, and Samantha Colley.
Thursday, April 20, 6:00 PM, BMCC
“The Handmaid’s Tale” (Hulu, MGM) – New Series World Premiere
Includes a conversation with executive producers Reed Morano, Bruce Miller, Warren Littlefield, and cast members Elisabeth Moss, Joseph Fiennes, Yvonne Strahovski, Samira Wiley, Alexis Bledel, Madeline Brewer, Ann Dowd, O.T. Fagbenle, and Max Minghella.
Friday, April 21, 6:00 PM, BMCC
“I Am Heath Ledger” (Spike TV) – World Premiere
“The Sinner” (USA) – New Series World Premiere
Includes a conversation with showrunner and executive producer Derek Simonds, executive producer and director of the pilot episode Antonio Campos and cast members Jessica Biel, Christopher Abbott, and Bill Pullman.
Tuesday, April 25, 6:15 PM, SVA-1
“Soundtracks: Songs That Defined History” (CNN)
Includes a conversation with CNN anchor of New Day, Chris Cuomo, and professor at NYU’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, Jason King.
“There’s… Johnny!” (Seeso) – New Series World Premiere
Includes a conversation with creator Paul Reiser, executive producers David Steven Simon and David Gordon Green, and cast members Tony Danza, Ian Nelson, and Jane Levy.
Thursday April 27, 6:15 PM, SVA-2 NEW
“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” (Netflix) – Season 3 World Premiere
Includes a conversation with co-creators and executive producers Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, and cast members Ellie Kemper, Tituss Burgess, Jane Krakowski and Carol Kane.
Friday, April 28, 6:00 PM, BMCC
“The Vietnam War” (PBS) – Special Sneak Peek
Includes a conversation with filmmakers Ken Burns and Lynn Novick.
Friday, April 28, 5:30 PM, SVA-1
PILOT SEASON:
“Black Magic for White Boys” – World Premiere
“Lost & Found” – World Premiere
“Manic” – World Premiere