Tribeca Festival Celebrates Juneteenth with Special Events and Awards

As Juneteenth draws closer, the 2021 Tribeca Festival has big plans to showcase Black creators with new programs, awards, and special events. The 20th Edition of the Festival will include new awards, Tribeca Talks panels, and film screenings that highlight voices from the African Diaspora.

Tribeca Film Festival 2021
Saturday 6pm June 19th #juneteenth
“The Five Heartbeats” SOLD OUT!!
The #movie that lives on #forever
Thx! @tribeca #thefiveheartbeats #classic #tribecafilmfestival #filmfestival #blackexcellence #musicmovie #dramedy #drama #singinggroup #brothers pic.twitter.com/boMtjogm3H

— LEON (@justleon) May 21, 2021

“We are aiming to uplift and amplify the voices of today’s most exciting Black storytellers, artists, and creators and also to pay homage to those who have come before them,” Loren Hammonds, VP, Immersive Programming, Senior Programmer Film & Immersive at Tribeca Festival, said in a statement. “Juneteenth is a holiday of celebration and remembrance, and I sincerely hope that we’ve captured that spirit with this collection of work.”

The Harry Belafonte Voices for Social Justice Award was created honoring the intersection of the arts with activism. Political activist Stacey Abrams is the award’s first recipient, which recognizes her dedication to fighting injustice in her community.

Kicking off the #Tribeca film festival with the live-action short CHERRY LEMONADE, directed by Aisha Ford, as part of the Juneteenth programming.

On a hot summer day in the hood, a Black girl (Eris Baker) learns to take the lead on her own terms.#TribecaAtHome #FilmPosers pic.twitter.com/ertcnK93Xn

— Film Posers™️ @ Tribeca 🌈 (@FilmPosers) June 10, 2021

Along with outdoor screenings of modern Black classic cinema like Selma, the Juneteenth programming highlights the creative achievements of Black storytellers. Shining Stars consists of six short films, each one exploring a different aspect of life and history.

• Magnolia Bloom: In just 15 minutes, Magnolia Bloom follows an unnamed Black singer (Lex Scott Davis) on the verge of a big break in 1950s Las Vegas. But she is faced with an ethical crisis of identity when she discovers that her audience is not integrated.
• Cherry Lemonade: Eris Baker (This is Us) stars as a young Black girl in the hood. On one hot summer day, she’s faced with the need to fend for herself.

A series of feature films will be showcased throughout the Festival’s duration. These films can be out of competition, in competition, anniversary films, or part of the Tribeca at Home experience.

• Queen of Glory (US Narrative Competition): a standout piece directed by, written, and starring Ghanian-American Nana Mensah. Mixing fiction with reality, Sarah (Mensah) leaves her ivy league education behind to follow pursue an affair across the country. But when Sarah’s mother suddenly passes, she is left to manage a family bookstore back home.
• Stateless (2020 Official Selection: Features): This powerful documentary explores the complex history and politics of the Dominican Republic in 2013. When the government revoked the citizenship of anyone with Haitian parents, nearly 200,000 people were left without that identity. Stateless follows one woman’s fight for her rights.
• Stockholm Syndrome (Spotlight Documentary): Directed by The Architects, Stockholm Syndrome follows the life of musician and fashion icon A$AP Rocky after serving time in a Swedish prison. This story reaches around the world and to some of the most powerful politicians; but how did the experience shape A$AP Rocky’s character once he was released?
• as of yet (Viewpoints): A clever documentary told through video calls and digital diaries, Taylor-Garron directs and stars in this tale of budding romances and annoying roommates during the last year of COVID lockdowns.

On June 17, “Game Changer” will premiere at #Tribeca2021 as part of @IAMQUEENLATIFAH‘s #QueenCollective, a program enabling more Black female directors to share our perspective through film. Watch my movie on #TribecaAtHome from June 18-23: https://t.co/mvLdTW2pb8 pic.twitter.com/QpYrXyEoVH

— Tanya @Tribeca – Game Changer – Premieres 6/17 (@cypheroftyr) June 11, 2021

A fan-favorite, Queen Collective, is also returning for the Festival. Four young women will present their documentaries, each one focused on gender and racial parity within production. New to Tribeca Festival are the 8:46 Films. These digital shorts take the time between George Floyd’s life and death and are reclaiming those eight minutes and 46 seconds to tell a story of hope.

The news is out!! My next animated short will be at this year’s @tribeca film festival as part of their 8:46 program – reclaiming each second used to ruthlessly end George Floyd’s story by telling another with black joy at the center. We’ll see you in June. 😉 #SheDreamsAtSunrise pic.twitter.com/Yw42qSBfs0

— Camrus Johnson (@CamrusJ) April 23, 2021

Tribeca Festival is revamping itself, so be sure to check out their podcast selections and Tribeca Immersive VR experience. As with the rest of the Festival’s Juneteenth program, these digital pieces follow racial injustice in America, activism, and art as a form of healing.

You can find tickets and information here.