Festivals - Tribeca 2021 - Documentary Competition

By Mulder, 20 april 2021

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.

All These Sons (United States) (World Premiere)
directed by Bing Liu, Joshua Altman
Produced by Zak Piper, Kelsey Carr, Bing Liu, Joshua Altman.
On Chicago's South and West sides, the scourge of guns and gangs is destroying countless lives. Taking matters into their own hands, two men dedicate their lives educating, empowering and healing young Black men at high risk for being victims—or perpetrators—of deadly gun-violence.

Ascension (Ascension ???) (United States) (World Premiere)
directed by Jessica Kingdon
Produced by Kira Simon-Kennedy, Jessica Kingdon, Nathan Truesdell..
The absorbingly cinematic Ascension explores the pursuit of the “Chinese Dream Driven by mesmerizing—and sometimes humorous—imagery, this observational documentary presents a contemporary vision of China that prioritizes productivity and innovation above all.

Blind Ambition (Australia) (World Premiere)
directed by Robert Coe, Warwick Ross
written by Warwick Ross, Robert Coe, Paul Murphy, Madeleine Ross
Produced by Warwick Ross, Robert Coe.
The inspiring story of four Zimbabwean men who form their country’s first Wine Tasting Olympics team and the mission that drives them to compete. In English,

Fathom (United States) (World Premiere)
directed by Drew Xanthopoulos
Produced by Megan Gilbride.
Filmmaker & cinematographer Drew Xanthopoulos delivers a visual and aural wonder of a documentary—an immersive and sensorial film that follows researchers working to finally decode the communication of humpback whales. With Dr. Michelle Fournet, Dr. Ellen Garland. An Apple TV+ release.

The Kids (Australia) (World Premiere)
directed by Eddie Martin
Produced by Shannon Swan.
26 years after indie cult classic Kids was released to an unsuspecting nation, this documentary explores the divergent paths of the original cast, delivering an unflinching look back at one of the most iconic films of the 1990’s.

Like a Rolling Stone: The Life & Times of Ben Fong-Torres (United States) ‘World Premiere)
written, directed and produced by Suzanne Joe Kai.
Suzanne Joe Kai’s intimate documentary shows us how the Rolling Stone writer and editor defined the cultural zeitgeist of the ’60s and ’70s. With Ben Fong-Torres, Cameron Crowe, Annie Leibovitz, Carlos Santana, Elton John, Steve Martin, Bob Weir, Quincy Jones, and more.

On the Divide (United States) (World Premiere)
directed and written by Leah Galant, Maya Cueva
Produced by Diane Becker, Melanie Miller, Amanda Spain, Elizabeth Woodward.
On the Divide brings us into the lives of three Latinx people in McAllen Texas, whose different beliefs end up coming to a head at the last abortion clinic in the US/Mexico border.

The Scars of Ali Boulala (Sweden, Norway) (World Premiere)
directed by Max Eriksson
written by Max Eriksson, Mikel Cee Karlsson.
Produced by Mario Adamson, Ashley Smith..
With Ali Boulala, Rune Glifberg, Arto Saari, Ewan Bowman, Dustin Dollin, Kevin "Spanky"
In Max Eriksson’s audacious debut, Swedish skateboarding prodigy Ali Boulala—alongside other pros like Rune Glifberg and Arto Saari—looks back on the DIY videos and fast-paced lifestyle of his coming-of-age in the ’90s skating scene.

(Source : press release)