The 2022 Tribeca Film Festival is rapidly approaching, and its lineup of features and shorts are certainly ones to be excited for! Taking place from June 8th–19th all over the beautiful city of New York, I will be doing my best to cover as much as possible out of the wonderful selections. There will be plenty to choose from, as the features program spans ten categories and is showcasing 111 feature films from 151 filmmakers across 40 countries. Even more fun, over half of these are world premieres! More than 64% of the feature films are directed by female, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ filmmakers. Below, you will find just a taste of the incredibly diverse and exciting features playing at the festival, many of which we hope to cover right here on wtrpod.com! If you’re curious about the rest of the lineup, including all the shorts that have been selected as well, head right here to see all the 21st edition of Tribeca Film Festival has to offer!

U.S. Narrative Competition - Tribeca's U.S. Narrative Competition showcases extraordinary world premieres that will vie for the Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature, and the Awards for Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Performance.

- The Drop (United States, Mexico) – World Premiere. In this clever cringe comedy, a seemingly happy married couple confronts a test of their marriage when one of them drops a baby while at a destination wedding at a tropical island. Directed by Sarah Adina Smith. Written by Sarah Adina Smith, Joshua Leonard. Produced by Jonako Donley, Mel Eslyn, Sarah Adina Smith, Joshua Leonard, Shuli Harel, Tim Headington, Lia Buman. With Anna Konkle, Jermaine Fowler, Jillian Bell.

- Four Samosas (United States) – World Premiere. Determined to disrupt the wedding of his ex-girlfriend by bankrupting her family, underachieving, wanna-be rapper Vinny and his neighborhood pals concoct a plan to steal her family’s jewels from a supermarket safe. Directed and written by Ravi Kapoor. Produced by Ravi Kapoor, Venk Potula, Rajiv Maikhuri, Craig Stovel.

- God's Time (United States) – World Premiere. A heart-racing, NYC-set dark comedy that sees two best bros in recovery for addiction trying to prevent the potential murder of their mutual crush’s ex-boyfriend. Directed and written by Daniel Antebi. Produced by Emily Korteweg, Andrew Hutcheson, Reid Hannaford. With Ben Groh, Dion Costelloe, Liz Caribel Sierra, Jared Abrahamson, Christiane Seidel.

- Next Exit (United States) – World Premiere. In a world where ghosts are real and front-page news, a controversial new medical procedure allows people to peacefully kill themselves. In the midst of this breakthrough, two strangers travel cross country together to end their lives, only to unexpectedly find what they’ve been missing along the way. Directed and written by Mali Elfman. Produced by Derek Bishé, Narineh Hacopian. With Katie Parker, Rahul Kohli, Rose McIver, Karen Gillan, Tongayi Chirisa, Diva Zappa.

- The Year Between (United States) – World Premiere. Forced to return home from college after her erratic behavior alienates everyone around her, Clemence begrudgingly begins a new chapter in the suburbs, hell-bent on defying her mom, dad, younger siblings, therapist—and a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Directed and written by Alex Heller. Produced by Eugene Sun Park, Amanda P. Phillips, Sonya Lunsford, Rachel Gould, Caterin Camargo-Alvarez.

International Narrative Competition - The New-York based Festival breaks its geographical boundaries with the International Narrative Competition, welcoming filmmakers from abroad to join a global platform for contemporary world cinema. These films will compete for Best Narrative Feature, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Performance.

- Blaze (Australia) – World Premiere. After a young girl witnesses a violent crime, she summons an imaginary dragon to help process her anger and protect her on her journey into womanhood. Directed by Del Kathryn Barton. Written by Del Kathryn Barton, Huna Amweero. Produced by Samantha Jennings. With Julia Savage, Simon Baker, Yael Stone, Josh Lawson, Sofia Hampson.

- Karaoke (Israel) – World Premiere. A comedy about a married middle-class suburban couple in their 60s who are drawn to their new neighbor, a charismatic bachelor who has karaoke evenings at his apartment. Directed and written by Moshe Rosenthal. Produced by Efrat Cohen. With Sasson Gabay, Rita Shukrun, Lior Ashkenazi. In Hebrew with English subtitles.

- Pink Moon (Italy, Netherlands, Slovenia) – World Premiere. An adult daughter kidnaps her father, whisking him away to a cabin in the snow, hoping to alter his unexpected announcement that he has had enough of life and will end it by his next birthday. Directed by Floor van der Meulen. Written by Bastiaan Kroeger. Produced by Derk-Jan Warrink and Koji Nelissen. With Julia Akkermans, Johan Leysen, Eelco Smits, Anniek Pheifer, Sinem Kavus.

- Woman on the Roof (Poland, France, Sweden) – World Premiere. One morning a 60-year-old midwife does something extremely unexpected, which breaks her family and life apart. Inspired by a true story, this is a complex character portrayal told with outstanding cinematic realism. Directed and written by Anna Jadowska. Produced by Maria Blicharska. With Dorota Pomykala, Bogdan Koca, Adam Bobik. In Polish with English subtitles.

- Two Sisters and a Husband (India) – World Premiere. Tara and Amrita are sisters. One is married to hotel manager Rajat, while the other is expecting his child. Set in the beautiful Himalayan foothills, this is a compelling drama about a thorny domestic arrangement. Directed by Shlok Sharma. Written by Shilpa Srivastava, Shlok Sharmaand. Produced by Navin Shetty, Shlok Sharma, Anurag Kashyap. With Avani Rai, Dinker Sharma, Manya Grover, Himanshu Kohli, Ashutosh Pathak. In Hindi with English subtitles.

Documentary Competition - Over Tribeca’s 20-year history, the non-fiction film selections have exhibited work from emerging and renowned filmmakers, including future Academy Award® winners. This year's films will compete for Best Documentary Feature, Best Cinematography, and Best Editing.

- Battleground (United States) – World Premiere. Heading distinctly different anti-choice organizations, three women lead the charge in their single-minded quest to overturn Roe v. Wade, as they face down forces equally determined to safeguard women’s access to safe and legal abortions. Directed by Cynthia Lowen. Written by Cynthia Lowen, Nancy Novack. Produced by Rebecca Stern, Cynthia Lowen. With Alexis McGill Johnson, Jenna King, Nancy Northup.

- The Cave of Adullam (United States) – World Premiere. Living by the mantra 'it's easier to raise boys than to repair broken men', martial arts sensei Jason Wright tenderly guides his often-troubled young Detroit students with a beautifully effective blend of compassion and tough love. Directed by Laura Checkoway. Produced by Laurence Fishburne, Helen Sugland, Roy Bank, Joe Plummer, Laura Checkoway. With Jason Wilson, Kevin L. Collins Jr., Gabriel Davenport, Daniel White, Tamarkus Williams.

- The Wild One (France) – World Premiere. Jack Garfein — Holocaust survivor, theater and film director, key figure in the formation of the Actors Studio — vividly, animatedly, passionately recalls a life where historical tragedy and personal art formed a unique, driving, uncompromising vision. Directed, written, and produced by Tessa Louise-Salomé. With Jack Garfein, Willem Dafoe, Peter Bogdanovich, Irène Jacob, Boby Sotto, Dick Guttman, Blanche Baker, Patricia Bosworth, Foster Hirsch, Geoffrey Horne, Kate Rennebohm.

- Subject (United States) – World Premiere. Subject unpacks the ethics and responsibility inherent in documentary filmmaking by examining well-known documentaries of the past decade and revealing the impact their commercial success has had on the lives of the onscreen subjects. Directed by Jennifer Tiexiera, Camilla Hall. Produced by Camilla Hall, Jennifer Tiexiera, Joe Caterini. With Arthur Agee, Ahmed Hassan, Margie Ratliff, Michael Peterson, Mukunda Angulo, Jesse Friedman, Elaine Friedman, Lisa Walsh, Susanne Reisenbichler.

- Sophia (United States) – World Premiere. This stirring and visually-immersive documentary brings us inside the spirited pursuits of David Hanson – a restless inventor aiming to perfect the world’s most life-like A.I. With freewheeling energy and storytelling gusto, Kasbe’s & Moselle’s probing film masterfully ponders the future of artificial intelligence – and humanity’s shared need for connectedness. Directed by Jon Kasbe, Crystal Moselle. Written by Daniel Koehler. Produced by Bits Sola. With David Hanson. In Chinese, English with English subtitles. A Showtime Documentary Films release.

Spotlight Narrative - Anticipated premieres from acclaimed filmmakers and performers are the focus of the Spotlight Narrative section which continues to be a launching pad for the most buzzworthy new films.

- Acidman (United States) – World Premiere. After a decade apart, Maggie tracks down her elusive father. His fixation with UFOs has intensified over the years, which frustrates her attempts to communicate some big news. Directed by Alex Lehmann. Written by Alex Lehmann, Chris Dowling. Produced by Liz Cardenas, Alex Lehmann, Dianna Agron, Christian Agypt. With Thomas Haden Church, Dianna Agron, Sameerah Luqmaan-Harris.

- Corner Office (Canada) – World Premiere. In this office satire, Jon Hamm plays Orson, a straight-laced employee who retreats to a blissfully empty corner office to get away from his lackluster colleagues. But why does this seem to upset them so much? Directed by Joachim Back. Written by Ted Kupper. Produced by David Milchard. With Jon Hamm, Danny Pudi, Christopher Heyerdahl, Sarah Gadon.

- Official Competition (Spain, Argentina) – US Premiere. When a billionaire entrepreneur decides to get into the movie business, he commissions international auteur director Lola Cuevas, Hollywood heartthrob Felix Rivero, and titan of the stage Ivan Torres to collaborate on a cinematic masterpiece. But when these larger-than-life egos arrive for the shoot, they encounter an unexpected series of "rehearsals" set by Lola in this sharp showbiz satire. Directed by Mariano Cohn, Gastón Duprat. Written by Andrés Duprat, Mariano Cohn, Gastón Duprat. Produced by Jaume Roures. With Penélope Cruz, Antonio Banderas, Oscar Martínez. In Spanish with English subtitles. An IFC Films release.

- Somewhere in Queens (United States) – World Premiere. An Italian-American dad from Queens gets increasingly involved in ensuring his son’s high school basketball success in Ray Romano’s directorial debut. Directed by Ray Romano. Written by Ray Romano, Mark Stegemann. Produced by Albert Berger, Ron Yerxa, Ray Romano, Mark Stegemann. With Ray Romano, Laurie Metcalf, Tony Lo Bianco, Sebastian Maniscalco, Jennifer Esposito.

- Space Oddity (United States) – World Premiere. A space-obsessed man gets the opportunity of a lifetime thanks to a Mars colonization program but finds his plans compromised by his feelings for a woman who brings him down to Earth. Directed by Kyra Sedgwick. Written by Rebecca Banner. Produced by Valerie Stadler, Kyra Sedgwick, Meredith Bagby, Richard Arlook, Jack Greenbaum, Mark Maxey. With Kyle Allen, Alexandra Shipp, Madeline Brewer, Carrie Preston, Simon Helberg, Kevin Bacon.

Spotlight Documentary - Documentaries consistently make waves at Tribeca as notable filmmakers and major stories are represented in this section through high-profile premieres.

- Body Parts (United States) – World Premiere. An eye-opening investigation into the making of Hollywood sex scenes, shedding light on the real-life experiences behind classic scenes of cinema and tracing the legacy of exploitation of women in the entertainment industry. Directed by Kristy Guevara-Flanagan. Produced by Helen Hood Scheer. With Jane Fonda, Joey Soloway, Angela Robinson, Karyn Kusama, Rose McGowan, David Simon.

- Lynch / Oz (United States) – World Premiere. Victor Fleming’s 1939 film The Wizard of Oz is one of David Lynch’s most enduring obsessions. This new documentary goes over the rainbow to explore this Technicolor through-line in Lynch’s work. Directed and written by Alexandre O. Philippe. Produced by Kerry Deignan Roy. With Amy Nicholson, Rodney Ascher, John Waters, Karyn Kusama, Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead, David Lowery.

- Rudy! A Documusical (United States) – World Premiere. The definitive Rudy Giuliani documentary, charting his fall from the cover of Time Magazine to the parking lot of Four Seasons Total Landscaping. Directed and written by Jed Rothstein. Produced by Ross M. Dinerstein, Sarit G. Work.

- The YouTube Effect (United States, Brazil, Germany, India, Taiwan R.O.C., Chile) – World Premiere. YouTube has garnered over 2.3 billion users and is worth up to $300 billion dollars. At its center is its algorithm, something that threatens to destroy not only the platform, but the entire Internet. Directed and written by Alex Winter. Produced by Alex Winter, Gale Anne Hurd, Glen Zipper. With Caleb Cain, Steve Chen, Carrie Goldberg Loann, Ryan and Shion Kaji, Anthony Padilla, Andy Parker, Susan Wojcicki, Brianna Wu, Natalie Wynn.

- American Pain (United States) – World Premiere. American Pain tells the jaw-dropping story of twin brothers Chris and Jeff George who open up a chain of pain clinics in Florida where they hand out pain pills like candy. Directed by Darren Foster. Produced by Darren Foster, Julie Goldman, Christopher Clements, Carolyn Hepburn, Diane Becker. A CNN Films Release.

Viewpoints – Viewpoints, which includes narratives and documentaries, recognizes distinct voices in independent filmmaking by creating a home for bold directorial visions and embracing distinct characters and points of view.

- Carol & Johnny (United States) – Feature Documentary, World Premiere. Two of the most infamous bank robbers in American history, Carol Marie Williams & Johnny Madison Williams Jr., tell their love story in their own words. Directed and written by Colin Barnicle. Produced by Barnicle Brothers with Words and Pictures. With Johnny Madison Williams, Carol Hawkins Williams.

- Dreaming Walls: Inside the Chelsea Hotel (France, Belgium, United States, Netherlands, Sweden) – Feature Documentary, North American Premiere. Manhattan’s Chelsea Hotel is a counterculture legend as well as a brick-and-mortar structure. Dreaming Walls documents a critical juncture in Chelsea’s history, as it prepares to evict longtime residents and transform into a luxury hotel. Directed by Amélie van Elmbt, Maya Duverdier. Produced by Hanne Phlypo, Quentin Laurent. A Magnolia Release.

- Hommage (오마주) (South Korea) – Feature Narrative, North American Premiere. A struggling filmmaker finds unexpected solidarity and validation when she takes on the job of restoring a classic 1960s film directed by the first known female South Korean director. Directed and written by Shin Su-won. Produced by Francis C.K. Lim, Shin Su-won. With Lee Jung-eun, Kwon Hae-hyo, Tang Jun-sang. In Korean with English subtitles.

- Liquor Store Dreams (United States) – Feature Documentary, World Premiere. So Yun Um’s debut feature is a moving portrait of two Korean American children of liquor store owners reconciling their dreams with those of their immigrant parents, against the backdrop of struggles for racial equity in Los Angeles. Directed by So Yun Um. Written by So Yun Um, Christina Sun Kim. Produced by So Yun Um, Eddie Kim. With So Yun Um, Hae Sup Um, Danny Park, May Park, Mark Burton. In English and Korean with English subtitles.

- You Can Live Forever (Canada) – Feature Narrative, World Premiere. Two teenage girls begin a secret relationship in a strict Jehovah’s Witness community. Directed and written by Sarah Watts, Mark Slutsky. Produced by Robert Vroom. With Anwen O'Driscoll, June Laporte, Liane Balaban, Deragh Campbell, Tim Campbell, Antoine Yared. In English, French with English subtitles.

Midnight - Always surprising and boundary-pushing, Tribeca Midnight is the destination for the best in horror and genre discoveries.

- Attachment (Natten Har Øjne), (Denmark) – Feature Narrative, International Premiere. Maja and Leah’s new relationship is interrupted when mysterious things start happening in their London flat. It seems that Leah’s disapproving mother, who lives downstairs, is using Jewish folklore to come between them. In Danish and English with English subtitles. Directed and written by Gabriel Bier Gislason. Produced by Thomas Heinesen. With Josephine Park, Ellie Kendrick, Sofie Gråbøl, David Dencik. A Shudder release.

- The Black Phone (United States) – Feature Narrative, New York Premiere. Locked in a soundproof basement by a masked child killer, a teenage boy finds the possibility of hope through an unexpected and supernatural lifeline: a telephone on which he receives motivational calls from the killer’s past victims. Directed by Scott Derrickson. Written by Scott Derrickson, C. Robert Cargill. Produced by Jason Blum, Scott Derrickson, C. Robert Cargill. A Universal Pictures release.

- Family Dinner (Austria) – Feature Narrative, World Premiere. Overweight and insecure, Simi spends Easter weekend with her famous nutritionist aunt. The hope is that it’ll help her get on a healthier track, but as the aunt’s family’s icy dynamics and an increasingly malevolent atmosphere leave Simi feeling uneasy, weight isn’t the only thing she’s about to lose. Directed and written by Peter Hengl. Produced by Lola Basara. With Pia Hierzegger, Nina Katlein, Michael Pink, Alexander Sladek. In German with English subtitles.

- Huesera (Mexico) – Feature Narrative, World Premiere. Valeria has long dreamed about becoming a mother. After learning that she’s pregnant, she expects to feel happy, yet something’s off. Nightmarish visions and an unshakeable paranoia have her questioning what she wants, and an ancient evil spirit may be the cause. Directed by Michelle Garza Cervera. Written by Michelle Garza Cervera, Abia Castillo. Produced by Paulina Villavicencio, Edher Campos. With Natalia Solián, Alfonso Dosal, Mayra Batalla, Mercedes Hernández, Aída López, Martha Claudia Moreno. In Spanish with English subtitles. An XYZ release.

- A Wounded Fawn (United States) – Feature Narrative, World Premiere. It’s the perfect plan: A serial killer brings an unsuspecting new victim on a weekend getaway to add another body to his ever-growing count. She’s buying into his faux charms, and he’s eagerly lusting for blood. What could possibly go wrong? Directed by Travis Stevens. Written by Travis Stevens, Nathan Faudree. Produced by Joe Barbagallo, Laurence Gendron, Travis Stevens. With Josh Ruben, Sarah Lind, Malin Barr, Katie Kuang, Laksmi Hedemark, Tanya Everett, Marshall Taylor Thurman, Leandro Taub, Neal Mayer.

Once again, the listed films are just a handful of the exciting Tribeca Film Festival lineup. If there are any particular films you would love to see covered (whether listed here or not), please reach out and we will do everything in our power to get that coverage live!

This year’s Tribeca Film Festival takes place from June 8th-19th, 2022.