LIVE FROM NEW YORK!: IT'S OPENING NIGHT OF THE 2015 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL February 12th, 2015 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE LIVE FROM NEW YORK!: IT'S OPENING NIGHT OF THE 2015 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL
*** TFF's 14th Edition to open on April 15 with the world premiere of Saturday Night Live documentary in celebration of the iconic show's 40th Anniversary
NEW YORK, NY (February 12, 2015) The Tribeca Film Festival (TFF), presented by AT&T, announced today that the world premiere of the documentary Live From New York!, will open the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival on Wednesday, April 15. Saturday Night Live has been reflecting and influencing the American story for 40 years. Live From New York! explores the show s early years, an experiment that began with a young Lorne Michaelsand his cast of unknowns, and follows its evolution into a comedy institution. Archival footage is interwoven with stolen moments and exclusive commentary from SNL legends, journalists, hosts, crew and others influenced by the comedy giant. Live From New York! captures what has enabled SNL to continually refresh itself over nearly 800 episodes and keep America laughing for 40 years. Live From New York! is directed by Tribeca alum Bao Nguyen and produced by JL Pomeroy and Tom Broecker. Tickets for the TFF 2015 Opening Night Gala go on sale on March 23 at tribecafilm.com/festival. The Tribeca Film Festival runs April 15 to April 26.
'SNL's' contribution to the arts and to pop culture has been and continues to be groundbreaking, and Live From New York! offers an inside look at the show's inimitable ability to both reflect and impact American news, history and culture, said Jane Rosenthal, co-founder of the Tribeca Film Festival. This is the story of a creative journey from pilot to institution and a tribute to the moments that kept us laughing and talking long after the episodes aired. We are excited to welcome Bao Nguyen back to Tribeca to open our 14th Festival with the world premiere of Live From New York!.
After 40 years, the timing just felt right, said Lorne Michaels.
The selection of Live from New York! to open the 14th Tribeca Film Festival is personally gratifying to me on several levels. Having hosted SNL three times, and guested on several occasions, I speak from a first-hand experience about SNL's rightful place in our culture as well as a welcome addition to our Festival, said Robert De Niro, co-founder of the Tribeca Film Festival.
'Saturday Night Live is such a revered institution and we really wanted to make a film that reflected its significance not just to the American comedic tradition but also to American culture and society, said director Bao Nguyen. I want to thank Lorne Michaels for allowing us to film in the storied halls of Studio 8H. I d also like to thank JL Pomeroy and Tom Broecker for trusting me with their creative vision. Finally, I can t thank Tribeca enough for all their support. We couldn t dream of a better place to world premiere Live From New York! than at New York City s own Tribeca Film Festival.
The 2015 Tribeca Film Festival will announce its feature film slate the first week of March.
PHOTO/EDITOR NOTE: A film still can be downloaded at: http://tribecafilm.com/press-center/festival/live-from-new-york
About Bao Nguyen:
Bao Nguyen's most recent film, 2030 (supported by the TFI Sloan Filmmaker Fund), a sci-fi feature set in Vietnam in 2030 after global warming has affected southern Vietnam, was selected as the opening night film of Panorama at the 64th Berlin International Film Festival. He has directed, produced and shot a number of short films and music videos, which have played internationally in numerous festivals and museums including MoMA PS1 and the Smithsonian. He produced Once in a Lullaby, a feature documentary that premiered at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival and won the Audience Award at the Woodstock Film Festival. Bao is a 2011 PBS/WGBH Producers Workshop Fellow, an alumnus of the 2012 Berlinale Talent Campus, a Tribeca All-Access participant, and a Firelight Media Producers Lab Fellow. He recently moved to Saigon, Vietnam after spending 12 years in New York City.
Connect with Tribeca: To keep up with Tribeca, visit www.tribecafilm.com/festival. Like the Tribeca Film Festival Facebook page at facebook.com/TribecaFilm. Follow us on Twitter @TribecaFilmFest and on Instagram @tribeca and join the conversation by using the hashtag #TFF2015.
Connect with Live From New York! at www.livefromnewyorkmovie.com. Like the Facebook page at facebook.com/Livefromnewyorkmovie. Follow the film on Twitter at @lfnymovie and on Instagram @lfnymovie
About the Tribeca Film Festival
The Tribeca Film Festival helps filmmakers reach the broadest possible audience, enabling the international film community and general public to experience the power of cinema and promote New York City as a major filmmaking center. It is well known for being a diverse international film festival that supports emerging and established directors.
Founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff in 2001, following the attacks on the World Trade Center, to spur the economic and cultural revitalization of the lower Manhattan district through an annual celebration of film, music and culture, the Festival brings the industry and community together around storytelling.
The Tribeca Film Festival has screened more than 1,600 films from more than 80 countries since its first edition in 2002. Since inception, it has attracted an international audience of more than 4.9 million attendees, and has generated an estimated $900 million in economic activity for New York City.
About the 2015 Festival Sponsors
As Presenting Sponsor of the Tribeca Film Festival, AT&T is committed to supporting the Festival and the art of filmmaking through access an
