A Family Guide To The Tribeca Film Festival

Born in the tragic wake of
9/11, the Tribeca Film Festival (TFF) shows its true colors with consistently
fresh programming. Now in its 11th year, the festival—which takes place April 18-29—received its highest number of submissions yet (almost 6,000!). And
after combing through the finalists, we’ve hand-picked five choice films (and
perhaps you’ll find a few other gems yourself)—showcasing especially strong in
fields like sports and high school dramatics. So the question remains: why
should you expose your tween to a primarily adult-focused film festival?
Because going to the movies should not only be about escape, but also about
growth. Here’s what we think you can learn from this year’s line-up.

KNUCKLEBALL! – Documentary
Two men, Red Sox veteran Tim
Wakefield and the Mets’ own R.A. Dickey, made the unpredictable
knuckleball their own. Find your seats for this inspiring sports story of two MLB players and their struggles and triumphs with the
rare pitch.
FOR FANS OF: Major League Baseball

STRUCK BY LIGHTNING – Narrative
Let the “Please, can we
go?” beg-a-thon begin for this coming-of-age indie written by Glee‘s ever-endearing Chris Colfer. From
blackmail to high school cliques, the superstar smarts of Allison Janney,
Christina Hendricks and Modern Family‘s
Sarah Hyland bring a series of flashbacks to comedic glory.
FOR FANS OF: Glee; Mean Girls;
Saved!

on_the_mat_1.jpg_cmyk.jpg ON THE MAT – Documentary
You’ll recognize the
familiar voice behind this high school success story—Parks and Recreation‘s Chris Pratt, who also happens to be a
wrestling alum of Washington’s Lake Stevens High. Follow this championship team
through a season of injury and academia. (Contains some adult language.)
FOR FANS OF: Win Win; Moneyball

TOWN OF RUNNERS – Documentary
Bekoji is a small, rural
town in Ethiopia where the young feel they have two options for a hopeful
future: education or athletics. This touching film gives a three-year insight
into two females as they run for the better. (In Amharic, Oromo with subtitles.)

FOR FANS OF: The London 2012 Summer
Olympics

FAME HIGH – Documentary
New
York teens,
meet your West Coast match: the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. Shown over the course of one year, this
film documents how aspiring fame_high_1.jpg_cmyk.jpg freshmen and senior students discover their performance
passions while squabbling for the same roles.
FOR FANS OF: The East Coast Fame;
reality vocal/dance programs

TICKETS
$8 – late night/weekday matinees

$16 – evening/weekend
screenings

Sales begin April 16, search showtimes at tribecafilm.com.

TFF’s Fun Family Events

In addition to a bevy of films—the festival puts on three huge, free family
events each year. We suggest you get there early!

NYFEST SOCCER DAY
Saturday, April 21 | 9am-6pm | Free
Pier 40, 353 West Street

Get your game face on!
This soccer soiree features a celebrity showdown, a youth showcase, plus soccer
clinics and skills competitions for all footballin’ levels. Pro coaches will be
on hand to help out.

STREET FAIR
Saturday, April 28 | 10am-6pm | Free
Greenwich
Street
(between Chambers and Hubert Streets)

Last year’s fair attracted
nearly 300,000 people! Don’t miss the infamous kite and bubble gardens,
performances from some of your favorite Broadway shows and plenty of arts &
crafts.

TRIBECA/ESPN SPORTS DAY
Saturday, April 28 | 10am-6pm | Free
North Moore Street (from Greenwich Street to West Street)

From fencing to b-ball, hopeful athletes can sharpen their skills with games, challenges and meet-and-greets with sports personalities and mascots. BMX riders will be performing in the afternoon.

Play On! Studios

Play On! Studios offers theater day camps and after-school classes on the UWS that are guaranteed to give kids a summer full of acting, music, and fun they won't soon forget! Young actors will rehearse and perform in a full production, work with professional NYC actors/teaching artists, build up their skills in a nurturing, non-competitive environment and play lots of drama games! Creative Drama Camps are perfect for kids entering grades K-4. Campers will work each week to put on a brand-new show! Each session, they will receive a script, rehearse a production, make a set and costumes, and perform their play. Kids will also play drama games, play outside (weather permitting), and have tons of fun! Musical Theater Camps are aimed at kids entering grades 4-9. In Musical Theater Performance Camp, campers put on a complete musical production in a professional NYC theater! Campers will stretch their skills with drama exercises and games, vocal coaching, field trips, and building a professional set. Our incredible teaching artists and campers come together to put on a truly remarkable show! During the school year, classes are great for beginners or more experienced actors - sing, dance, and put on a play! Whether your child is just starting out, or ready for Broadway, we&rsquo;ve got the class for them. Classes are available for grades PreK-8, after school or on Saturdays! Come play with us. &nbsp;

Broadway Dance Center Children and Teens

With more than 35 years of experience, Broadway Dance Center Children &amp; Teens provides young movers ages 3-18 with exceptional training. BDC delivers the finest all-around dance experience for students by offering a wide variety of styles and levels, performance opportunities, and the highest caliber dance instruction that only New York City and BDC Children &amp; Teens can provide. This studio is so much more than a training course for young dancers; it is a diverse, family-friendly community for budding creatives. It has an exemplary faculty who follow the vision to not only develop a dancer&rsquo;s love and ability in dance, but to do so in a nurturing and supportive way.

HudsonWay Immersion School

A pioneer in language immersion since 2005. After school language classes provide a fun and effective way for preschool and elementary children to learn Mandarin or Spanish language skills through project based learning and fun, engaging themes.