Tribeca Film Institute

The Tribeca Film Institute has announced the lineup for its fifth Tribeca All Access program, which spotlights filmmakers from "traditionally underrepresented communities." The lineup marks TAA's largest showing ever: 37 narrative and documentary projects—the directors and screenwriters of which will get the chance to market to industry executives during the upcoming Tribeca Film Festival—vying for awards totaling $44,500. This year's TAA panel of 10 jurors includes Law & Order stars Jesse L. Martin and Adam Beach (of SVU), actress and former Tommy Hilfiger model Joy Bryant, and documentarian William Greaves. The full list of films is after the jump.  read more »

Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal will co-chair a bigger and stronger version of the Tribeca Film Institute. TFI is merging with the Rockefeller Foundation's Renew Media to deliver more than $1 million film, media and arts grants annually. The two not-for-profit groups are expected to complete their union by April, setting a goal to create a permanent exhibition space, screening venue and artist workspace in downtown Manhattan, according to the Hollywood Reporter.  read more »

The Tribeca Film Institute and Gucci are partnering to launch the Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund, which will offer grants totaling $80,000 to a minimum of three filmmakers in 2008. Recipients will be selected by the Tribeca Film Institute along with Gucci and a selection committee of documentary filmmakers.

Robert De Niro will host a dinner celebrating the fund on Dec. 18.

Full release after the jump.  read more »

“Guess what? The Lower Manhattan Development Corporation just gave away $28 million to all sorts of groovy cultural groups downtown. They are really going to make that neighborhood exciting.”

“Oh, yeah. Let me guess. Was the Tribeca Film Institute one of them?”  read more »

“Uh, yeah. How’d you know?”