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I sure as heck do not know where the time goes nowadays. No sooner was I decompressing from my trip out to Los Angeles for the TCM Film Festival, were my sights set again to my hometown (-ish) festival, Tribeca!

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It’s the day before the official start, early screenings down and schedules sorted, so here is a quick list of what I am looking forward to ….

For Your Consideration

Slow West – Saw this Sundance award winner in January and am still recommending it her; check out my review on FlixChatter. Narrative

On My ‘Plan to See’ List

As I Am: The Life and Times of DJ AM – Often told in his own voice, the story of Adam Goldstein (known professionally as DJ AM), chronicles the musician’s meteoric rise onto the L.A. party scene to his equally precipitous and very tragic fall. Documentary

Indian Point – This one hits a little close to home (as I live in the Greater Hudson Valley); I am almost afraid to find out the status of this nuclear facility, the safety of which has been a constant presence in our local news in recent years. Documentary

A Ballerina’s Tale – A profile of Misty Copeland, the first African American soloist at the American Ballet Theatre® in decades. Note: this special screening scheduled for this Sunday (4/19) will be followed by a Q&A with Copeland and a dance performance. Documentary

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Mary J Blige: The London Sessions – A behind the scenes look at the recording of the R&B stalwart’s 13th studio album which takes place in … you guessed it – London. Note #2: this screening on Thursday (4/16) will be followed by a performance by the woman herself. Documentary

Monty Python’s The Meaning of Live – Part of TFF’s celebration of the legendary British comedy troupe, The Meaning of Live inter-cuts archival footage with a behind the scenes look at the team as they prepare for their final live show in 2014. Documentary

Far From Men (Loin Des Hommes) – A French language film set in mountainous Algeria starring Viggo Mortensen and scored by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis. C’mon, now. Narrative

The Emperor’s New Clothes – A documentary from award-winning director Michael Winterbottom (Jude, 24 Hour Party People) features comedian/social justice warrior Russell Brand in a no-holds-barred look at the worldwide financial crisis and its consequences. Documentary

Prescription Thugs –I am guessing this film will deliver what is exactly on the tin – a look inside the commerce and personal conflicts that have arisen from the alarming epidemic of prescription drug addiction. Also of note – filmmaker Chris Bell’s (Bigger Stronger Faster) own family suffered a personal loss directly related to this problem. Documentary

Of Interest

Franny – I am curious about this one because a couple of years ago, I attended to a Sundance Institute’s writing workshop/table read for this ‘work in progress.’ Now, it is finished and stars Richard Gere, Dakota Fanning and Theo James (Insurgent film series). Gere portrays an eccentric man who inserts himself into the lives of a newlywed couple (Fanning and James). It would be cool to see the final product. Narrative

The Armor of Light – Abigail Disney’s directorial debut looks at Reverend Rob Schneck, an evangelical minister who, likely going against many with whom he shares a common religious affiliation, is spreading a message criticizing the blight gun violence is having on our society. Documentary

Down in the Valley – A sports documentary by way of Emmy award winning Jason Hehir (The Fab Five) about the city of Sacramento’s efforts to prevent their NBA franchise (The Sacramento Kings) from leaving for greener (kaching!) pastures. Documentary

Tumbledown – With a cast headlined by Rebecca Hall and Jason Sudekis and a synopsis that put a smile on my face, I am more than a little curious. Narrative

Hannah (Rebecca Hall) and Andrew (Jason Sudeikis).Photography by Seacia Pavao

And Time Permitting …

There are a bunch of Tribeca Talks® and Short Programs (support the shorts!) that I am interested in attending as well, but I will take these in stride and attend as I am able to fit them into my schedule.

I am probably missing something but as you can see, there is a lot going on in Lower Manhattan over the next eleven days.

Anyone attending this year’s festival? What are you most looking forward to?

* Film synopses’ source: the official Tribeca Film Festival‘s Film Guide; photo credits: Tribeca Film Institute.

This is my first in a series of recap dispatches from the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival. Subsequent posts will include summaries of the documentaries and narrative films I had the pleasure of seeing over the nearly two week period.

The presentation of shorts at the Tribeca Film Festival is typically done in 80-90 minute programming blocks so that you can view a series of films in just one sitting. This year, my viewing of the shorts was a bit more random so while I did get to see a few shorts, they were not a part of any one of the seven Tribeca programming blocks (Men-Hattan, Status Update, Long Story Short, Journeys Across Cultural Landscapes, Help Wanted, Fallout, and Triptych).

Below are my general impressions from those I did have the pleasure of seeing as well as a shortlist of the films I missed out on catching.

Pitch Black Heist (directed by John Maclean)

This is definitely one of the films I was looking forward to during the festival. Yes it is a short, but it was an entertaining one at that. Directed by John Maclean, this project was a reunion of sorts – for actor/director (Michael Fassbender and Maclean collaborated on the 2009 short Man on a Motorcycle) and for the leads (Fassbemder and Liam Cunningham co-starred in Steve McQueen’s Hunger).

This is definitely not your everyday heist … a surprise plot twist at the end makes sure of that.

CatCam (directed by Seth Keal)

I cannot proclaim to be a cat person but this film is just adorable!

This short tells the tale of a family who just moved from Germany to South Carolina. Soon after, they find a stray cat on their property. The owner of the house, Jürgen Perthold, becomes increasingly curious about the life of this stray cat, with the world of Mr. Lee (the cat). The result: he uses his engineering know how to rig a camera to Mr. Lee. Among other things, this film gives us an interesting perspective on the social life of cats.

I am sure that if you see it you will love it!

The Perfect Fit (directed by Tali Yankelevich)

Another good short; this one gives us a glimpse inside the factory that makes pointed toe ballet shoes. The short highlights the contrast between the hands that make the shoes for a craft that is so beautiful, delicate and graceful.

Paraíso (directed by Nadav Kurtz)

Paraíso is a look at the world of the Chicago window washers, at times from their perspective. We follow three men as they describe their hopes, fears and challenges faced in doing such a dangerous job.

BFF (directed by Neil LaBute)

This film has auteur Neil LaBute’s name attached to it so I had high hopes. It is the story of a girl who confides in her ‘BFF’ about her current relationship problems …

Overall, my response to this short was rather lukewarm; I kind of knew where it was going.

Prima (directed by Miguel Calayan)

Another one with an interesting twist. This short reminds me of The Twilight Zone episode “Five Characters in Search of an Exit” (possible spoiler).

WHAT I MISSED (BUT WANTED TO SEE)

Baseball in the Time of Cholera