The Tribeca Festival marks a milestone edition running June 3-14 as the event presents a concentrated program of live conversations, reunions, and restored screenings. This iteration leans into in-person happenings that celebrate creative careers, cultural moments, and newly completed works. Audiences can expect a mix of intimate interviews, large-scale tributes, and curated retrospective presentations that reflect both the festival’s history and its current priorities.
Across the slate, the festival highlights a range of formats: feature world premieres, anniversary presentations of influential films, and the return of the Storytellers Series, a program designed to foreground personal conversations with artists. Programming spokespeople emphasize the communal aspect of cinema — screening rooms, stages, and post-film dialogues are positioned as sites for renewed exchange between makers and fans during this 25th anniversary year.
Major tributes and honors
Bruce Springsteen and the social justice award
One of the marquee moments is the presentation of the Harry Belafonte Voices for Social Justice Award to Bruce Springsteen. The award, established by the late Paula Weinstein, is being presented as a recognition of artists who leverage their platform for civic and humanitarian causes. In a program highlight, Springsteen will join Bono for a public conversation, with appearances from Patti Smith and festival co-founder Robert De Niro as part of the tribute. The event is framed as both a celebration of artistic impact and a recognition of long-term activism.
Anniversary screenings and restored presentations
Landmark films back on the big screen
The lineup includes several anniversary presentations staged with contextual conversations. A 50th anniversary screening of Taxi Driver will feature a conversation with Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese, while Bridget Jones’s Diary marks its 25th year with a discussion including director Sharon Maguire and Renée Zellweger. A newly restored 4K presentation of Daft Punk’s Electroma commemorates the film’s 20th anniversary and will be followed by a conversation with Thomas Bangalter.
The program also revisits cult favorites and influential documentaries. The neo-noir Bound is back for its 30th anniversary in association with Anarchists United, accompanied by a conversation with director Lilly Wachowski and stars Gina Gershon and Joe Pantoliano. The documentary Small Town Gay Bar, executive produced by Kevin Smith and directed by Malcolm Ingram, receives a special screening recognizing its portrayal of two Mississippi gay bars and the communities it documents.
World premieres and curated conversations
New films and filmmaker retrospectives
On the premiere front, the festival will host the world premiere of Katy Perry: The Lifetimes Tour — Live in Paris, followed by a post-screening conversation with Katy Perry. Additionally, Tony Kaye presents Humpty Dumpty X, a film that traces his creative path after directing American History X in 1998. These premieres are part of a broader film slate; Tribeca has also shared a previously announced list of world premieres and a separate lineup of television and podcast projects for attendees and press to consult.
Television and audio projects
Alongside theatrical and concert film premieres, the festival continues to spotlight episodic and audio storytelling. The inclusion of a curated TV and podcast roster reflects Tribeca’s ongoing interest in multiplatform narratives and the ways conversations on stage can amplify serialized and audio-first work throughout the event.
Storytellers series and special guest conversations
Profiles in conversation
The Storytellers Series brings a mix of cultural figures into conversational settings that probe career arcs and social engagement. Sean Penn will sit down with CNN journalist Kaitlan Collins for a discussion oriented around activism and global influence. Musician and composer Este Haim will share perspectives on performance and scoring, offering insight into the crossover between band life and film composition.
Other featured conversations include career retrospectives and cross-disciplinary reflections: Paul Rudd examines his diverse body of work; NBA Hall of Famer and entrepreneur Dwyane Wade speaks about influence across sports and business; Finneas appears with emerging composer Anthony Willis; and Keke Palmer closes the series with a conversation alongside Whoopi Goldberg. Together, these sessions underscore the festival’s goal of pairing established names with contemporary voices for candid, wide-ranging exchanges.