NewEnglandFilm.com

In a mere three years, Tribeca has built a solid reputation that’s rocketed into the class of long-standing festivals such as Sundance (23 years), Toronto (28 years) and South by Southwest (17 years). Of course with start-up star power of the likes of Robert Deniro and Martin Scorsese as festival founders, it certainly had much better odds than most fests.

Along with the festival’s top-tier status comes the balancing act of showcasing a wide range of films — mainstream releases ("New York Minute" starting the Olson twins and "Raising Helen" starring Kate Hudson), indie heavyweights (Jim Jarmusch’s "Coffee and Cigarettes"), and mostly (thankfully) undiscovered gems. These accounted for the 250 films from 42 countries showcased at the 2004 Tribeca Film Festival in May.

Most screenings sold out and in many cases films drew long lines of viewers hopeful for rush seats. According to reports, the festival’s first year drew 150,000 people and generated over $10.4 million in revenues for the downtown NYC economy. Last year, the fest drew nearly 350,000 people and generated nearly $50 million for the economy. As well, the submissions have risen dramatically — from 2,400 last year to 3,300 in 2004.

Despite the obvious glam factor present throughout the festival, it was clear that the programmers worked hard to find thought-provoking, independent spirited shorts, documentaries and features from across the globe. Some truly wonderful and unique films screened to packed crowds — an accomplishment in itself.

Once such film, "Terkel in Trouble," the first Denmark computer animation film, took a typically children’s format and beautifully corrupted it. The film follows the pre-teen Terkel as he tries to fit in amidst cruel bullies, comatose parents and a drunken uncle. It had some of the sarcasm of "Family Guy" or "The Simpsons" but a lot sicker and gorier. It was no "Finding Nemo" and as such came as a terrific surprise. A must see if you can find a screening.

On the opposite side of the spectrum was "Zaman, the Man from the Reeds," a narrative film from Iraq (pre-US overthrow) and filmed with French financing. In a documentarian style, the film follows a peasant from the marshlands of southern Iraq who journeys up the Tigris to Baghdad to find medicine for his wife. The slow pace of the film breathes the seemingly endless and frustrating journey of the man and offers a glimpse into the quickly disappearing lifestyle of the Shia Marsh Arabs.

Dozens of documentaries screened at the fest. "The Beauty Academy of Kabul," directed by Harvard grad Liz Mermin, followed the first beauty school in Kabul after the US invasion of Afghanistan. The director does a wonderful job of leaving the film with all its complexities. On the one hand, a beauty salon seems like a triviality. Yet on the other hand, the women of Afghanistan have seen the Taliban torture and kill women for less and the beauty salon becomes a symbol of their freedom. The strength of the women and the quirks of the British and American women imported to teach them the trade shine through beautifully in this enlightening documentary.

The festival also featured several entrancing and beautifully shot short films, such as "Hope to Die" and "Tackle Box." Seth Grossman’s "Shock Act," which won Best Narrative Short, at the festival, told the story of an actor preparing for his role in a prison research experiment, playing a condemned man being dragged to the electric chair. Or wait, is he a prisoner dreaming he’s an actor? Or an actor imagining he’s a prisoner dreaming of being an actor? An impressive number of turnarounds and some twisted humor as well.

Perhaps most notably, Tribeca launched an important new program in 2004 called Tribeca All Access, which linked filmmakers and writers of color with leading industry professionals for private pitch sessions. Because of the notoriety of Tribeca, the program’s first year brought 255 narrative and 80 documentary submissions which they whittled down to 15 and 9, respectively.

New England filmmaker and screenwriter Ellie Lee ("Repetition Compulsion" "Dog Day") participated in the program for her screenplay "The Road Home," which tied for the narrative section prize. "The Road Home" portrays a strained relationship between a Chinese American daughter and her immigrant father who is struggling with the early signs of Alzheimer’s.

Lee recalled the initial spark which took place at a South by Southwest panel about the quantity and quality of submissions. The founders asked, "Why isn’t there more diversity? What’s inhibiting them to make films?" Yet rather than organize another panel discussion about the ‘glass ceiling,’ the group decided to take action. And thus, All Access was born.

As part of the program, Lee met with 25 industry professionals — agents, TV executives, producers — for pitches. "As an independent filmmaker, I’m not really used to pitching but it was a very comfortable, easy session," Lee said. "Tribeca opened doors for filmmakers like me. Those doors would have either been closed or it would’ve taken years to set up all those meetings."

Lee came away from the meetings with a renewed inspiration to revise her script and to follow up with her new contacts. "I’m optimistic, but I’m also realistic," she said.

Still, she got kudos from hip-hop artist Q-Tip (one of the narrative jurors) and got to shake hands with both Deniro and Scorsese. And such is the star power of Tribeca.