Festivals - Tribeca 2021 - Spotlight narrative

By Mulder, 20 april 2021

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. This year’s Spotlight section will open with the world premiere of Pan Nalin’s The Last Film Show.

False Positive (United States) (World Premiere)
With Ilana Glazer, Justin Theroux, Gretchen Mol, Sophia Bush, Zainab Jah, and Pierce Brosnan.
directed by John Lee
written by John Lee & Ilana Glazer
Produced by John Lee, Ilana Glazer, Jonathan Wang.
Synopsis : After fertility struggles, a couple seem to have found their savior in a celebrated reproductive specialist. But as hope transforms to happiness, the now-expectant mother is thrown into a spiral of suspicion, threatening her grasp on reality.

How It Ends (United States) (New York Premiere)
directed and written by Daryl Wein, Zoe Lister-Jones.
Produced by Daryl Wein, Zoe Lister-Jones..
With Zoe Lister-Jones, Cailee Spaeny, Olivia Wilde, Fred Armisen, Helen Hunt, Lamorne Morris, Nick Kroll.
Synopsis : It’s the end of the world as we know it…and Liza feels…fine?! Featuring a who’s who of comedic favorites, and shot completely during the quarantine of 2020, How It Ends is a hilarious and poignantly resonant, pre-apocalyptic comedy for our collective ages.

India Sweets and Spices (United States) (World Premiere)
directed and written by Geeta Malik
Produced by Gigi Pritzker, John Penotti, Naomi Despres, Sidney Kimmel.
Synopsis In Geeta Malik’s fresh and fun take on the classic coming of age story, a college freshman confronts her parents' values in order to understand her own evolving identity. With Sophia Ali, Manisha Koirala, Adil Hussain, Deepti Gupta, Rish Shah.

Italian Studies (United States) (World Premiere)
directed and written by Adam Leon
Produced by Brad Becker-Parton, Joshua Astrachan, Jamund Washington, Andrea Roa, Jason Reif.
With Vanessa Kirby, Simon Brickner, Annika Wahlsten, Annabel Hoffman.
A mysterious woman (Vanessa Kirby) wanders the streets of Manhattan in a confused state. Finding herself inexplicably drawn to a charismatic teenager, she embarks on an adventure with him through the cityscape and into the unknown.

The Last Film Show (India) (World Premiere) (Opening Night Film Spotlight Section)
directed and written by Pan Nalin
Produced by Dheer Momaya.
With Bhavin Rabari, Vikas Bata, Richa Meena, Bhavesh Shrimali, Dipen Raval, Rahul Koli.
Synopsis : A 9-year-old boy in a remote village in India begins a lifelong love affair with cinema when he bribes his way into a rundown movie palace and spends a Summer watching movies from the projection booth.

No Man of God (United States) (World Premiere)
directed by Amber Sealy
written by Kit Lesser
Produced by Daniel Noah, Lisa Whalen, Elijah Wood, Kim Sherman.
With Elijah Wood, Luke Kirby, Aleksa Palladino, Robert Patrick.
Synopsis : To better understand the infamous serial killer’s crimes, FBI investigator Bill Hagmaier sits down with Ted Bundy for multiple jailhouse interviews over five years. Their conversations lead to unexpected results, both philosophically and personally.

12 Mighty Orphans (United States) (New York Premiere)
directed by Ty Roberts.
Produced by Houston Hill, Brinton Bryan, Michael De Luca, Angelique De Luca, Ty Roberts.
With Luke Wilson, Vinessa Shaw, Martin Sheen, Robert Duvall, Wayne Knight, Jake Austin Walker, Scott Haze, Levi Dylan, Jacob Lofland
Synopsis : The true story of the Mighty Mites, the football team of a Fort Worth orphanage who, during the Great Depression, went from playing without shoes—or even a football—to playing for the Texas state championships. Over the course of their winning season these underdogs and their resilient spirit became an inspiration to their city, state, and an entire nation in need of a rebound, even catching the attention of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Werewolves Within (United States) (World Premiere)
directed by Josh Ruben
written by Mishna Wolff
Produced by Jason Altman, Margaret Boykin, Andrew Lieberman, Natalie Metzger, Matt Miller, Benjamin Wiessner, Sam Richardson.
Synopsis : In Josh Ruben’s video game-inspired horror-comedy, a newly assigned forest ranger checks into a quaint Vermont inn just as a snowstorm cuts him and the eccentric townsfolk off from civilization. Yet frigid weather isn’t their biggest concern—that’d be the bloodthirsty creature picking them off one by one. With Sam Richardson, Milana Vayntrub, Michaela Watkins, Cheyenne Jackson, Glenn Fleshler.

(Source : press release)