In its 17th year running, the Tribeca Film Festival is one of New York’s most important cultural events, and constantly expanding storytelling in all its forms. Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff started the festival back in 2001 as a way to invigorate cultural and economic growth around downtown Manhattan on the after the World Trade Center attacks. Tribeca as a result, became a major platform for creative expression and immersive entertainment that champions emerging and established voices; discovers award-winning filmmakers and creators; curates innovative experiences; and introduces new technology and ideas through premieres, exhibitions, talks, and live performances.

This year’s festival includes special screenings of the feature documentary film, Horses, Patti Smith and her Band, directed by Steven Sebring. The film’s world premiere documents last concerts of the fortieth anniversary of Smith’s pioneering album Horses, performed at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles. After the screening on Monday, April 23, Patti Smith and her Band will perform at the Beacon Theatre at 7:00 PM.

Scarface, Schindler’s List and In the Soup will all be honored at this year’s festival, with conversations with De Palma, Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Spielberg, Liam Neeson and more. New to the festival this year is Tribeca Talks: Storytellers, where creators working across mediums will speak about their craft. Entertainers like Alec Baldwin, Edward Burns, Bradley Cooper, and Spike Lee, among others, will speak during the event. The feature film program alone will feature 96 films from 103 filmmakers, of which 44% are directed by women, which is the highest percentage in the festival’s history.

For the first time, Tribeca Film Festival partnered with TIME’S UP, in response to the strengthening national movement. Female businesses leaders, storytellers, activists, film makers, media figures and so on, will speak about inequality in the workplace, and the next steps to establish lasting changes across industries. Ashley Judd and Julianne Moore are just a few of the pivotal women in the TIME’S UP movement, who will speak during the program.

“We are proud to present a lineup that celebrates American diversity and welcomes new international voices in a time of cultural and social activism,” said Paula Weinstein, Executive Vice President of Tribeca Enterprises. “Our films succeed in being both entertaining and illuminating which is what you desire from great storytellers.”

The 2018 Tribeca Film Festival takes place April 18-29. For more information and tickets, visit www.tribecafilm.com/festival

Words By Rocky Casale