May 21st, 2026 Press Assets Available Here25TH TRIBECA FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES 2026 JURY AND TRIBECA & CHANEL ARTIST AWARDS PROGRAM
Nas, Mira Nair, Catherine Hardwicke, Alexis Bledel, Sheila Nevins, Ego Nwodim, Janicza Bravo, Haley Lu Richardson, Luis A. Miranda, Jr., Moses Sumney, Cazzie David, MUBI's Arianna Bocco, and more will select this year's award-winning filmmakers and storytellers
Festival winners will receive original works of art through the Tribeca and CHANEL Artist Awards Program; cohort of artists include Carrie Mae Weems, Kiki Smith, Hank Willis Thomas, Tavares Strachan, and more
Tribeca Festival Co-Founders Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal to Present annual Founders Award for Best U.S. Narrative Feature at Tribeca Festival Awards Ceremony on June 11
Limited Public Tickets to the Awards Ceremony On Sale at TribecaFilm.com
New York, NY - May 21, 2026 - The 25th Tribeca Festival, presented by OKX, today announced the acclaimed 2026 jury tasked with selecting breakthrough talent across film, games, and podcast selections. Tribeca and CHANEL also announced the artists selected for the annual Artist Awards Program, which celebrates creative excellence by commissioning original works of art presented to the Festival's award-winning filmmakers and storytellers.
This year's jury and artists represent the creative energy that has always defined Tribeca. What makes the Artist Awards program especially meaningful is that these original works are created by artists in honor of other storytellers, a reflection of the creative exchange and community that has been at the heart of Tribeca for 25 years, said Tribeca Festival Co-Founder Jane Rosenthal.
This year's jury is comprised of acclaimed filmmakers, artists, performers, executives, and cultural voices from across entertainment, including GRAMMY-award winning rap icon Nas, Oscar-nominated director Mira Nair, Catherine Hardwicke, Emmy-winning actor Alexis Bledel, Emmy-winning producer Sheila Nevins, Ego Nwodim, Janicza Bravo, Haley Lu Richardson, Luis A. Miranda, Jr., Moses Sumney, Cazzie David, MUBI's Arianna Bocco, New York Magazine Editor-in-Chief David Haskell, Entertainment Weekly Editor-in-Chief Patrick Gomez, and more.
More than 30 hand-selected jurors will recognize standout work across Tribeca's feature, short film, games, and podcast competitions at the 25th Anniversary Tribeca Festival Awards Ceremony on June 11. Jurors will present honors across competition categories, including the Founders Award for Best U.S. Narrative Feature, presented by Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal, and the Nora Ephron Award, celebrating the spirit and legacy of the iconic filmmaker and writer.
This year's jury reflects the spirit of creativity and artistic collaboration that has always shaped Tribeca - from visionary filmmakers and groundbreaking artists to influential cultural voices and bold new storytellers. Their perspectives will help spotlight the discoveries, innovations, and emerging talent that define the Festival at its best, said Executive Vice President of Artist Relations and Special Events Nancy Lefkowitz.
Also at the June 11 ceremony, award-winning filmmakers and storytellers will receive original artworks specially commissioned through the Tribeca and CHANEL Artist Awards Program. Tribeca and CHANEL, working in collaboration with curator Zoe Lukov, have assembled a collective of contemporary artists whose practices span film and visual art. Working across mediums, they expand how stories are made, seen, and experienced. Together, they reflect Tribeca's commitment to artists who redefine storytelling. This year's ten artists include Bony Ramirez, Brendan Fernandes, Carrie Mae Weems, Hank Willis Thomas, Jason Bard Yarmosky, Joshua Woods, Kiki Smith, Soull & Dynasty Ogun, Tavares Strachan, and Tosh Basco.
The Tribeca and CHANEL Artist Awards Program celebrates creative disciplines and New York City's role as a global center of cultural innovation. Rooted in Tribeca's founding mission to help revitalize downtown Manhattan after 9/11, the program reflects 25 years of sustained commitment to artistic vision, community, and cultural impact.
CHANEL continues its support of the annual Artist Awards Program, celebrating the filmmakers and artists shaping contemporary culture. Since its founding, the House of CHANEL has placed art at its center, with Gabriel Chanel surrounding herself with the leading artists of her time. That legacy continues today through CHANEL's commitment to creativity across disciplines and its partnership with the Tribeca Festival.
Visual artists invited to participate this year were encouraged to explore ideas of character, costuming and performance. The works address the adornment and revelation of the body in both abstract and figurative ways - how we obscure, embellish, reveal, bare and become, said curator Zoe Lukov. Artwork images can be found HERE.
2026 TRIBECA FESTIVAL JURY DETAILS
FEATURE FILM COMPETITION CATEGORIES
The Founders Award - 2026 U.S. Narrative Feature Competition Jury:
Rob Williams
Rob Williams is President of Sumerian Pictures, where he oversees the curation and theatrical distribution of a slate of independent films, including The Incomer, Josephine, and Mile End Kicks. Prior to joining Sumerian, Rob spent a decade at Participant as Senior Vice President, developing distribution and acquisition strategies for acclaimed films and series including All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, Green Book, Roma, and American Factory. He has also held executive positions at Netflix and Lantica Studios. Rob is a member of the Executive Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) and has served on the Board of Directors of the Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA), as well as the advisory board of MIA Rome.
