By Kat Harrison for New York Family Magazine

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!

To read the full article at New York Family click here.