Sure, there are hundreds of great films to see at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival, but there are also plenty of fun events, parties, and special premieres that you may not have heard about.
Hit the red carpet for gala premieres, mingle with the stars at Tribeca Talks panels and Meet the Filmmaker events, see movies under the stars at the Tribeca Drive-In, enjoy a day of outdoor fun at a family street festival, and get a first look at all of the festival's most buzzworthy films.
1. Gala Premieres -- The Five-Year Engagement and The Avengers
It wouldn't be the Tribeca Film Festival without gala Hollywood premieres. This year, on opening night of the festival, you can catch the world premiere of The Five-Year Engagement, an irreverent new romantic comedy from producer Judd Apatow and director/writer/producer Nicholas Stoll and writer/star Jason Segel.
The big event on closing night will be Marvel's The Avengers, directed by Joss Whedon and starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Tom Hiddleston, with Stellan Skarsgård and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury. Everyday heroes from police agencies, fire departments, and the military will be invited to join the movie superheroes at the screening.
2. Tribeca Drive-In
Enjoy movies under the stars at the Tribeca Drive-In, the free outdoor screening series at the World Financial Center Plaza from April 19 through April 21, 2012.
On Thursday, see the still-terrifying Jaws and enjoy trivia contests and live music before the movie.
On Friday, catch the '80s kids' classic The Goonies and participate in the first-ever Tribeca Treasure Hunt.
Saturday's screening is the baseball documentary The Knuckleball. Arrive early for pitching clinics with pro knuckleball pitchers R.A. Dickey, Tim Wakefield, and Jim Bouton.
All drive-in program activities begin at 6pm, movie screenings begin at dusk (about 8PM).
3. Tribeca Talks Panel Discussions
Every year, the Tribeca Film Festival hosts a series of special panels and discussions with filmmakers and stars. The 2012 panel line-up includes a special Directors Series featuring conversations between Michael Moore and Susan Sarandon and Jim Sheridan and daughter Naomi.
To celebrate 100 years of Universal Pictures, Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, and Judd Apatow will share their favorite moments from Universal's history.
Also, my favorite After the Movie panel series is back with screenings of featured films followed by panel discussions with directors, actors, pundits, and film industry insiders. This year's topics will include revisiting War Games (discussion with director John Badham, actress Ally Sheedy, computer security experts), a battle over art, the most famous high school chorus ever, religious apparitions, and the Metropolitan opera.
4. New York Films at the Tribeca Film Festival
See great films by New York City filmmakers and stories inspired by and/or set in New York. This year's NYC-centric offerings include new films by Ed Burns and Julie Delpy; documentaries about New Yorker cartoonists, Joe Papp, and the Metropolitan Opera; and more New York stories and storytellers.
6. Tribeca/ESPN Sports Day
Just around the corner from the Tribeca Family Festival, sports fans can enjoy interactive games, events, and opportunities to mingle with top New York athletes at Tribeca/ESPN Sports Day.
You can shoot hoops, sharpen your fencing skills, learn how to throw the perfect pitch, and watch BMX riders fly through the air and show off their tricks.
7. Filmmaking Events and Workshops at the Apple Store Soho
Some of the leading talents in the film industry will appear at Apple's Meet the Filmmakers series during the Tribeca Film Festival. Apple will also be hosting free filmmaking workshops to help you learn how to bring your own vision to life.
8. NYFEST Celebrity Soccer Tournament
On Saturday, April 21, see celebrities battle on the soccer field at New York's second annual NY Film and Entertainment Soccer Tournament (NYFEST). The tournament will bring together an enthusiastic crowd of celebrities and entertainment industry professionals -- and New York kids can join the fun and improve their soccer skills.
This year's celebrity players have not yet been announced, but last year's high-profile names included Orlando Bloom, Ethan Hawke, Gael Garcia Bernal, and John McEnroe. The free youth soccer carnival (10AM-4PM) is for kids of all ages, all skill levels and all backgrounds. Participants can learn about soccer from professional coaches and celebrities, participate in soccer clinics or compete in skills competitions.
9. Queen: Days of Our Lives
10. 2012 Tribeca Film Festival Art Awards
The 2012 Tribeca Film Festival Art Awards, sponsored by CHANEL, celebrate the exceptional accomplishments of one art form with another by awarding original pieces of art to winning filmmakers from our film competition.
See the work of the acclaimed contributing artists (including Peter Dayton, Walton Ford, Stephen Hannock, JR, Kim Keever, Clifford Ross, Nathan Sawaya, Cindy Sherman, Hugo Tillman, Kara Walker, and Stanley Whitney) for free during the festival at the New York Academy of Art (111 Franklin Street) before they are presented at the Tribeca Film Festival Awards Ceremony on the evening of April 26.
