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Cult Classic Flicks Come Outdoors

NYPress — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 16:08:09 +0000

Films in Tompkins Square Park returns

—Text by Marissa Maier, Photos by Sahar Vahidi

Off-beat classics, à la Rocky Horror Picture Show, are usually relegated to private home screenings or dusty art house theaters. This summer, however, Howl Arts and a number of sponsors, including Two Boots pizza company and NYC & Company, bring quirky cinema to the East Village with their Films in Tompkins Square Park series. Showing flicks outdoors in Tompkins Square Park, the festival kicked off last Thursday with Robert De Niro’s tour de force performance in Taxi Driver.

Every Thursday night through Aug. 16, expect a new screening. The lineup includes Goldfinger, Poltergeist and Summer of Sam, and each event is paired with a live musical performance from acts like Main Squeeze Orchestra and The Debonairs.

Expect an extra special treat on Aug. 2 and 9: To commemorate their 25th anniversary, Two Boots will dish out free pizza at the already gratis screenings.

Nancy Shafer, Executive Director of the Tribeca Film Festival

admin — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:28:15 +0000

There will be a film at the festival that will wow audiences in a way I have not predicted. We’re pretty good at knowing who the audience is for most films, but there are always one or two that surprise us!
It will be sunny at the Family Festival Street Fair on April 28 and 250,000 people will come support our Tribeca community!

We will continue our Director’s Series—last year featured Robert De Niro, Doug Liman, Soulemane Cisse and Julie Taymor—and this year’s lineup will rival last year’s!

Tribeca Film Fest Programmer Steps Down

NY Press — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 21:05:54 +0000

The Tribeca Film Festival has been a key aspect of New York culture for a decade. This week David Kwok, the Festival’s program director, announced that he would be stepping down.

Kwok notified friends and colleagues by email, “As many of you know, I have stepped down as Director of Programming of Tribeca after almost ten fantastic years,” he wrote, ” It has been a pleasure working with you over the years.”

Kwok has been a part of the Festival since its beginning. He helped get it off the ground int he wake of 9/11 in an attempt to boost spirits in Lower Manhattan when he was brought in to program the first event in 2002.

The Tribeca Film Festival was founded by Robert DeNiro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff and has been responsible for the screenings of thousands of films. Kwok viewed the Festival as both an opportunity for filmmakers and New Yorkers alike to benefit, “”For me, that’s what makes putting together the program together exciting—the chance to view all these films from around the world—and bring them together in one place. Now, more than ever, we can say that our film program really has something for everyone.”

While Kwok is leaving his position as program director, he will consult for the organization. One thing is for certain though, his replacement will have large shoes to fill.