This year’s Tribeca Film Festival has been postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Of 114 features that were set to screen, 44 were directed or co-directed by a woman, amounting to about 39 percent of the slate. Originally scheduled to take place April 15-26, the 18th edition of the fest has yet to be rescheduled. We wanted to take this chance to highlight some of the women-helmed offerings we were most looking forward to seeing at the fest, including “Pray Away,” an exploration of gay conversion programs, and “Landfall,” a portrait of the relationship between the U.S. and Puerto Rico post-Hurricane Maria. We don’t know when or where folks will have the chance to check these titles out, but they’ll stay on our radars and hopefully yours, too.
All pics and synopses courtesy of Tribeca.
“Jacinta” (Documentary) – Directed by Jessica Earnshaw
“Jacinta”
What it’s about: An astonishing and ultimately hopeful record of the hereditary nature of trauma, “Jacinta” follows the lives of three generations of women struggling to maintain stability.
Why we’re excited: We think of certain physical and mental health issues as hereditary, but what about other problems — such as trauma, incarceration, and addiction? “Jacinta,” Jessica Earnshaw’s first feature, centers on the effect the opioid crisis has had on three generations of women. The titular character is released from prison, but her mother is still there, serving out her sentence. Upon coming home, Jacinta must get to know her own daughter, Caylynn, again, and try to maintain her sobriety. The question, the film implicitly asks, is, “Will history repeat itself?” In other words, what does the future hold for Caylynn?
With “Jacinta,” Earnshaw offers an empathetic eye to a family that’s like so many others in the United States — suffering due to opioid addiction, and yet largely ignored, or looked down upon, by society.
“Landfall” (Documentary) – Directed by Cecilia Aldarondo
What it’s about: Chronicling the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, “Landfall” is a sensitive and urgent portrait of the continued fraught relationship between the U.S. and Puerto Rico, a land in mourning and resistance.
Why we’re excited: Among the many evils that have occurred during the Trump administration is its shameful handling of Hurricane Maria and the resulting hardships Puerto Rico has contended with. Basically, the States shrugged and offered a callous, “Sounds like your problem” at the devastation the natural disaster caused. Due to Trump’s curious ability to avoid any consequences for his actions, and the many other controversies during his presidency that have drawn attention — his ties with Russia, the impeachment, his (mis)handling of the pandemic, etc., etc. — we don’t talk about post-Maria Puerto Rico nearly as much as we should. Thankfully, Cecilia Aldarondo brings the territory front and center in “Landfall,” examining the effects the hurricane had and the United States’ history of only paying attention to Puerto Rico when it has to.
“Pray Away” (Documentary) – Directed by Kristine Stolakis
“Pray Away”
What it’s about: “Pray Away” is a powerful exposé on gay conversion programs, revealing the damage inflicted by shame and repression through intimate testimonies from current members and former leaders of the pray the gay away movement.
Why we’re excited: Just 20 of 50 states in the U.S. have banned conversion therapy, a dangerous and discredited practice designed to alter “patients'” sexual orientation or gender identity by humiliating and traumatizing them. Despite being proven ineffective — never mind morally reprehensible — this form of “treatment” persists. LGBTQ youth are subjected to abusive rhetoric that equates being LGBTQ with being mentally ill.
“Pray Away” promises to offer an informative, and no doubt horrifying, glimpse into programs that profit from parents and communities desperate to “cure” LGBTQ youth, shining a much-needed light on the real problem: homophobia, transphobia, and prejudice.
“Asia” – Written and Directed by Ruthy Pribar
What it’s about: Asia is not your average mom. She’s free-spirited, open-minded, and non-judgmental; but all that is put to the test when her teenage daughter – who happens to be differently abled – announces that she’s ready to lose her virginity.
Why we’re excited: Shira Haas broke our hearts as a young Hasidic woman finding herself in “Unorthodox,” and in “Asia,” she’s playing another character ready to assert her independence. Haas is portraying the titular character’s daughter, a teen living with disability and exploring her sexuality. Reminiscent of the plot of “Blockers,” “Asia” delves deep into the specific bond between parents and their children, and how it must change if kids have any chance of growing up — not that that makes it easier for their parents. The truth is, no matter how enlightened the mother or father in question is, things are bound to get tense when children start making their own decisions. It’s natural and necessary, but it’s difficult for everyone, whether they’re able-bodied or not. It seems “Asia” is the rare film that recognizes that, and avoids treating its differently abled protagonist as an asexual being.
“The Half of It” – Written and Directed by Alice Wu
What it’s about: In a modern-day Cyrano-meets-Pygmalion, Ellie, a shy Chinese-American straight-A student, finds herself helping the school jock woo the girl they both secretly love.
Why we’re excited: As the incredible success of “Crazy Rich Asians,” “The Farewell,” and “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before” and its sequel proved, there’s a huge market for stories that center on three-dimensional Asian-American characters. Written and directed by Alice Wu (“Saving Face”), “The Half of It” puts a fresh spin on the teen rom-com. The pic takes the familiar formula of bringing together a nerd with a jock, but this time around, the pair don’t develop romantic feelings for one another. Instead, they share a mutual crush in common — one of their female classmates.
It’s rare to see a teen film center on a queer character, let alone a Chinese-American one, and “The Half of It” promises to inject a welcome twist to the genre.
“She Paradise” – Directed by Maya Cozier; Written by Maya Cozier and Melina Brown
“She Paradise”
What it’s about: When naïve teenager Sparkle joins a dance crew of confident older girls, she encounters an alluring but unsettling new world of sex and money in this snapshot of sisterhood in Trinidad and Tobago.
Why we’re excited: For her feature narrative directorial debut, Maya Cozier wanted to focus on a young woman feeling seen for the first time. She told Vice that she drew upon her own experiences for “She Paradise.” “Growing up on an island, there was always this feeling that there was this larger world out there. For a young woman [Sparkle’s] age, it felt like a moment of transformation where she could find some form of visibility, whatever that meant to her, and use that to pursue her dream,” the filmmaker said. “There was that feeling of wanting to experience something out there greater than your actual reality.”
“She Paradise” isn’t just about a teenager finding herself in over her head in a world she doesn’t understand — it’s also a coming-of-age story and a celebration of female autonomy and camaraderie.
“The Stand-In” – Directed by Jamie Babbitt
“the Stand-In”
What it’s about: Drew Barrymore stars in this comedy about a Hollywood actress who trades places with her enthusiastic stand-in so that she can take a break from the public eye.
Why we’re excited: We wish we saw more of the always-charming Drew Barrymore on-screen. “The Stand In” promises to show a different side of the “Santa Clarita Diet” alumna. She plays two roles in the pic: Candy, a movie star charged for tax evasion who is sentenced to rehab, and Candy’s stand in, Paula, whom Candy enlists to take over the less pleasant responsibilities in her life, including traffic school and talk show appearances.
We’re keen to see Barrymore, who has spent nearly her whole life in the public eye since shooting to international stardom in “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” leading a film that explores fame and identity. Jamie Babbitt, best known for helming LGBTQ cult classic “But I’m a Cheerleader” and series such as “Russian Doll,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” and “Girls,” is directing “The Stand In.” She and Barrymore previously worked together on an episode of “Santa Clarita Diet,” and their collaboration on this deadpan comedy demands to be seen.
“Athlete A” (Documentary) – Directed by Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk
What it’s about: In the riveting “Athlete A,” filmmakers Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk delve into the world of elite competitive gymnastics and the toxic culture within that allowed sexual abuse to go on for decades unchecked.
Why we’re excited: Erin Lee Carr’s “At the Heart of Gold: Inside the USA Gymnastics Scandal” made our list of 2019’s best documentaries. The HBO title sees survivors of USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University doctor Larry Nassar speaking out about their abuser, a man they viewed as a trusted physician and friend. “At the Heart of Gold” also explores how the system enabled Nassar to exploit and abuse his patients for more than three decades, but there’s still plenty more ground for “Athlete A” to cover — this tragic story has so many dimensions.
Directors Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk previously tackled sexual assault and its impact on survivors in 2016’s “Audrie and Daisy,” a sensitive and thoughtful look into how two teenage girls’ lives were forever changed in the aftermath of abuse. We’re confident that they’ll have plenty to offer in “Athlete A,” another look into the scandal that rocked the world of sports — and hopefully changed it forever.
“This Is Paris” (Documentary)- Written and Directed by Alexandra Haggiag Dean
“This is Paris”
What it’s about: There’s Paris Hilton and there’s “Paris Hilton,” the latter a character created by a teenage girl desperate to escape into a fantasy. Alexandra Dean’s revealing documentary offers the real Paris’ untold story.
Why we’re excited: Alexandra Dean described her first documentary, “Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story,” as a “film about a girl who wanted to make her mark in the world, but the world could not see past her face.” Best known for her work as an actress on the big screen, Austria-born Hedy Lamarr was also an accomplished inventor: she invented technology to help Allied warships torpedo Nazi submarines in WWII, and that communication system was later used as the basis for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Though Lamarr was posthumously inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2014, her achievements remain largely ignored.
Tribeca’s description of Dean’s latest, “This Is Paris,” hints that Paris Hilton is another pop culture icon who’s been misunderstood and underestimated and promises to show another side to her. It makes sense that Dean, who spent years profiling inventors and innovators for Bloomberg Television and Businessweek, was drawn to Hilton. There’s no denying the “Simple Life” star’s influence on how media is produced and consumed today.
“La Madrina: The Savage Life of Lorine Padilla” (Documentary) – Written and Directed by Raquel Cepeda
What it’s about: While the Bronx burned, Lorine claimed her place as queen of the NYC street gang The Savage Skulls. Forty years later, she examines her impact in the intervening years: as mother, spiritual advisor, activist, and keeper of a controversial legacy.
Why we’re excited: Don’t let the word “gang” fool you. Lorine Padilla is the former first lady of South Bronx’s biggest street gang, but it’s probably more accurate to describe her as a changemaker. She and her fellow Skulls clashed with rivals while also working to drive out drug dealers and focusing on bettering the community for everyone. “We got politicized by the Black Panthers and Young Lords, who taught us to appreciate our culture and invest in our communities. We played a big role in the revitalization of the Bronx,” Padilla has said. She, alongside other gang members, teamed up the the South East Bronx Community Organization to rehabilitate the area, and also served as a social worker.
It’s tempting to dismiss Padilla as a criminal after learning she was in a gang, which makes Raquel Cepeda’s documentary even more important. Our culture tends to label people as one-dimensional villains or heroes, but the story is usually much more complicated than that. “La Madrina” seems to suggest that Padilla isn’t a former evildoer who saw the error of her ways. Instead, she’s a real person who has done good and bad deeds, and whose past informs her present.
“The State of Texas vs. Melissa” (Documentary) – Directed by Sabrina Van Tassel
“The State of Texas vs. Melissa”
What it’s about: Melissa Lucio was the first Hispanic woman sentenced to death in Texas. For 10 years she has been awaiting her fate, and now faces her last appeal. Sabrina Van Tassel’s urgent documentary is the portrait of a woman against the entire system.
Why we’re excited: In a situation that will sound familiar to anyone who knows the Exonerated Five case, or has watched “When They See Us,” Melissa Lucio falsely admitted she abused her daughter after hours of harsh police interrogation. She was being questioned after her daughter’s death. The police got Lucio to say she abused her daughter, so she must have killed her too, right? This provides the basis for the case against Lucio, who has been on Death Row for 10 years and is appealing the ruling.
Sabrina Van Tassel’s latest doc follows Lucio during her last appeal, and also promises to delve into the horrors of incarceration and life for those who have been sentenced to death, territory the director previously explored in “Women On Death Row.” But, more than anything else, “The State of Texas vs. Melissa” is Lucio’s specific story. This is a woman who suffered an unimaginable tragedy, is facing death for a crime she may not have committed, and is determined to fight until the very end.
“Through the Night” (Documentary) – Directed by Loira Limbal; Written by Loira Limbal and Malika Zouhali-Worrall
“Through the Night”
What it’s about: This poignant and intimate documentary examines the emotional toll on families in pursuit of the American dream, told through the lens of a 24-hour daycare center in Westchester, New York.
Why we’re excited: Loira Limbal’s feature debut shines a light on childcare. With many caregivers taking second jobs and/or working odd hours to pay the bills in the U.S., daycare centers become a necessary part of their routines. “Through the Night” offers access into a 24-hour center run by Nunu, who is described as “the primary caregiver and a hero to many families in need of a safe space to bring their children,” and introduces audiences to some of the families who rely on her.
In addition to offering great people-watching, “Through the Night” also seems poised to offer commentary about what life in the U.S. is like today — and the personal costs that come along with living in an economy that benefits so few and exploits so many.
