AT&T TO AWARD $1 MILLION GRANT TO UNDERRESPRESENTED FILMMAKER AT 2017 TRIBECA FILM FESITVAL

AT&T TO AWARD $1 MILLION GRANT TO UNDERRESPRESENTED FILMMAKER AT 2017 TRIBECA FILM FESITVAL April 10th, 2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AT&T TO AWARD $1 MILLION GRANT TO UNDERRESPRESENTED FILMMAKER AT 2017 TRIBECA FILM FESITVAL

5 Talented and Diverse Filmmakers Vie for Top Prize as Part of New Film Initiative, AT&T Presents: Untold Stories

NEW YORK, NY- APRIL 10, 2017 -AT&T* and Tribeca are teaming up to launch a new film initiative, AT&T Presents: Untold Stories. An Inclusive Film Program in Collaboration with Tribeca. AT&T will provide funding of up to $1 million for 1 talented filmmaker to create his or her film, and Tribeca will provide mentorship from seasoned industry professionals. AT&T plans to distribute the winning film across several of its video platforms, including DIRECTV NOW, AT&Ts streaming over-the-top service.

The new film initiative is a multi-year, multi-tier alliance between AT&T and Tribeca along with the year-round nonprofit Tribeca Film Institute. It will debut at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival, which begins on April 19 in New York City. AT&T will serve as the presenting sponsor of the Festival for the fourth straight year.

AT&T Presents: Untold Stories is about pushing the boundaries of storytelling, connecting our customers to new and exclusive content and celebrating diversity, said Fiona Carter, AT&T Chief Brand Officer. At AT&T, we're passionate about innovation, culture and community - the same values that drive the Tribeca Film Festival. By launching this program with Tribeca, we are helping to give underrepresented filmmakers in the industry opportunities they have not had before.

As a champion of supporting underrepresented filmmakers for over a decade, Tribeca Film Festival and Tribeca Film Institute are proud to collaborate with AT&T on AT&T Presents: Untold Stories, a significant and essential program that goes beyond the generous funding, said Jane Rosenthal, co-founder and Executive Chair of the Tribeca Film Festival and co-founder and co-chair of the Tribeca Film Institute. To be able to say to a filmmaker that we are not only going to help get your important story made, but we will provide the mentoring, guidance and guaranteed distribution so it will get seen, is an incredible feeling.

We are excited to collaborate with AT&T on this timely and critical new initiative, AT&T Presents: Untold Stories, said Amy Hobby, Executive Director of Tribeca Film Institute. This program fits squarely within our year-round work at TFI - to bring stories from underrepresented filmmakers to audiences around the world - and we look forward to providing guidance to all of the talented pitch participants to help fully realize these amazing projects.

AT&T Presents: Untold Stories kicks off April 18 with a live pitch event in New York City. Five talented and diverse filmmakers (listed below), curated by Tribeca Film Institute, will present their story ideas, budgets and film scripts to a Greenlight committee, including Fiona Carter (AT&T Chief Brand Officer), Jeffrey Wright (Actor), Anthony Mackie (Actor), Josh Deutsch (Chairman and CEO, Downtown Records), Lee Daniels (Film Producer), Len Amato (President, HBO Films) and Frida Torresblanco (Film Producer).

Tribeca will livestream the pitch event on its Facebook page for fans to follow along. The Greenlight committee will then narrow the selection to 1 filmmaker who will receive the $1 million grant. The chosen filmmaker will be announced later that day at a luncheon that celebrates inclusivity in storytelling.

The winning filmmaker will then create his or her film project, using the $1 million grant to help produce the film. In addition to the $1 million, AT&T and Tribeca will help with awards submissions, qualifying screenings, advertisements and promotion of the film. The finished film will premiere at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival and will run across several of AT&Ts video platforms, including DIRECTV NOW. AT&T will provide to the other 4 participating filmmakers a grant of $10,000 each to help achieve their respective film goals.

AT&T will host several events at this year's Festival:

April 19 - AT&T Presents TFI Network: a part of the Tribeca Film Festival and the AT&T Untold Stories Program. Day 1 of this three-day networking event for Tribeca Film Institute grantees and other selected filmmakers will include various panels and presentations from some of the industry's most iconic filmmakers and experts.

AT&T Presents: Untold Stories will be the focus of 1 of the panel discussions. The $1 million grant recipient will sit on the panel, along with AT&T Chief Brand Officer Fiona Carter.

April 26 - AT&T's DIRECTV Premiere of the film, The Exception, will begin with a red carpet event. Directly following the premiere, attendees will be joined by the film's cast at an after party.

The Exception, directed by David Leveaux, is a World War II drama about a German officer who begins a dangerous affair with a young Dutch-Jewish woman.

April 28 - AT&T's Free Film Friday awards fans the opportunity to see exclusive film screenings for free. For more information and official rules, please visit TribecaFilm.com/ATTFreeFilmFriday.

Additionally, AT&T Presents: Untold Stories is the focus of this years official Tribeca Film Festival trailer that will be shown before every film during the Festival. The trailer includes various notable actors, storytellers and film industry experts. To view the trailer, and for more information on AT&T Presents: Untold Stories, go to TribecaFilm.com/ATTUntoldStories.

Fans can stay up-to-date by downloading the official Tribeca Film Festival mobile app, presented by AT&T, through iTunes, Google Play, or your app store today.

AT&T Presents: Untold Stories' Selected Projects and Filmmakers

(Photos available upon request)

Forever Eve

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