Full Breakdown
Tribeca Film Festival 2026 Marks 25th Anniversary
6/4/2026, 4:27:13 AM
Opening Night
The festival runs June 3-14 across New York City, opening with Questlove’s documentary “Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial VS That’s the Weight of the World)” and a live performance. The slate features over 100 features, dozens of shorts, three competition sections (narrative, documentary, international), music documentaries on Earth, Wind & Fire, Peter Frampton, Sara Bareilles, Madonna, Katy Perry, Alicia Keys, plus Latin American titles “Summer of Three,” “Killing Castro,” “Funk,” “Mexicanamerican,” and “Jean-Michel.” Closing night premieres “Alicia Keys: Girl from Hell’s Kitchen.”
Founding Vision
Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal founded Tribeca in 2002 after the September 11 attacks to “celebrate the power of filmmaking” and “revitalize our neighborhood that was devastated on September 11.” Over 25 years the festival has become an international showcase for independent film, podcasts, video games, and live music.
Leadership
De Niro and Rosenthal remain the festival’s faces. Vincent Cassous, head of music, curates the music-doc program and live shows; Questlove (Ahmir Thompson) also appears as filmmaker and performer. Lineup highlights emerging Latin American voices alongside legacy acts.
Impact
Cassous reports a 100 % rise in attendees under 25, driven by “word of mouth via social channels.” Pairing documentaries with concerts creates “a really special moment,” blending legacy artists with younger talent and reinforcing the goal of drawing visitors back to Lower Manhattan.
Official Statements
Rosenthal reiterated the festival’s purpose remains to revitalize the post-9/11 community. Cassous emphasized each music documentary is built around a performance or interview to deepen engagement. De Niro noted he continues to make films “so that they could be in the festival as the years go on.”
Verbatim Quotes
- “Surreal,” recalls De Niro. “The whole thing was so strange. Every day and night, there were trucks going up from ground zero, bringing debris from it.” — Robert De Niro, co-founder
- “Each documentary, we're trying to build something around it, whether it's a performance from Earth, Wind & Fire with The Roots or a talk with Madonna around her new album,” — Vincent Cassous, head of music
- “Whether it’s a legacy artist or someone younger, you get to see the story of how they made that album like for Sara Bareilles or Mumford & Sons. And then the screen goes up and the artist is behind it playing and that’s a really special moment,” — Vincent Cassous, head of music
What’s Next
The festival closes June 14 with “Alicia Keys: Girl from Hell’s Kitchen.” June 13 features Bruce Springsteen receiving the Harry Belafonte Voices for Social Justice Award, a conversation with Bono, and a Patti Smith performance. An AI-driven docudrama “Dreams of Violets” and the 4K “Electroma” remaster are slated for mid-festival screenings, underscoring Tribeca’s blend of legacy, innovation, and global storytelling.
