Screening Tribeca: Rosenthal Lays it Out

Some of today's movie news of note from around the Tribeca Film Festival:

--Don't let its facile headline fool you: Hollywood Reporter ace Gregg Goldstein has probably the definitive story so far about the scope, scale, ambitions and troubles of the Tribeca Film Festival. "Last year, I was looking around and saying, 'This is our fifth and final one.' It became just survival," TFF co-founder Jane Rosenthal told him. "The festival has run at a deficit for five years, and there may still be one. I continue to personally take a hit each year. ... Do you need a Kleenex now?" Then Goldstein gets to the numbers. Love or hate the festival, if you watch movies in New York, then this is a must-read.

--The festival this year has almost as many jurors as it does films: A slate including Whoopi Goldberg, Edie Falco, Chris Cooper, Barry Sonnenfeld, Heidi Ewing, Quincy Jones and John Leguizamo will award cash and prizes in 16 categories. Every year, of course, I have my favorite jury; last year it was the narrative short film bunch, but this year, it's the sure-to-be-dysfunctional NY Loves Film Doc Competition jury: Eric Bogosian, Marshall Fine, Susan Lyne, Patrick McCarthy, Sheila Nevins, Gene Seymour and Ivanka Trump. I decline to pass judgment, but I will ask: Who the hell is Patrick McCarthy? (Follow the jump for the rest of the jury lists.)

--And the Tropfest@Tribeca series that employed manhole covers (and Naomi Watts) to such scintillating effect in 2006? It's been pushed back to a stand-alone outdoor event on Sept. 16. This year's theme? "Slice." Submissions are being accepted through Aug. 10.

World Narrative Competition: Chris Cooper, Edie Falco, Goran Paskaljevic, Catalina Sandino Moreno and Barry Sonnenfeld

World Documentary Competition: Heidi Ewing, Whoopi Goldberg, Jehane Noujaim, Raoul Peck and Gideon Yago

“Made in NY” Narrative Feature Award: Minnie Driver, Dave Fear, Alex Gibney, Leah Rozen, Oren Rudavsky and Mercedes Ruehl

“NY Loves Film” Documentary Feature Award: Eric Bogosian, Marshall Fine, Susan Lyne, Patrick McCarthy, Sheila Nevins, Gene Seymour and Ivanka Trump

Narrative Short Award: Elizabeth Banks, Lee Daniels, Thelma Golden, Quincy Jones, Dany Levy, John Leguizamo, Alfred Molina and Todd Wagner

Documentary and Student Short Awards: Frank Deford, Barbara Gladstone, Mario d’Urso, Ted Leonsis, Dan Lohaus, Emmy Rossum and Helen Zell

Tribeca All Access Creative Promise Award (Narrative): Elizabeth Avellan, Susie Castillo, Ashwin Navin, Freddy Rodriguez, Andre Leon Talley and Kerry Washington.

Tribeca All Access Creative Promise Award (Documentary): DJ Spooky (Paul Miller), Shola Lynch and Rachel Roy.

Tribeca All Access Creative Promise Award (Screenwriting): Heavy D (!), Tracey Edmonds and Milton Liu

Posted at April 25, 2007 9:06 AM