The 19th annual Tribeca Film Festival (April 15-26), presented by AT&T, announced its 2020 Shorts Program lineup. Setting a record with over 6,100 submissions, the final program roster includes 64 diverse and captivating short films from 20 countries around the globe, and features 46 world premieres, including DreamWorks Animation’s new animated short To: Gerard. The short films will be presented in 10 distinct competition programs which include five narrative, four documentary, and one animation program.
“In this important election year we have a political doc shorts program that illustrates contemporary issues facing our country, as well as a music doc shorts program that’s very diverse,” said Sharon Badal, Vice President of Filmmaker Relations and Shorts Programming, Tribeca Film Festival. “Everyone needs some escapism too, so our comedy shorts, sci-fi shorts, and New York shorts programs are back by popular demand.”
For the fourth consecutive year, 40 percent of the selections are directed by female filmmakers. Queen Collective by Procter & Gamble in partnership with Queen Latifah, Flavor Unit Entertainment and Tribeca Studios is back, a program dedicated to supporting gender and racial equality behind the camera. The 2020 shorts lineup is programmed by Sharon Badal and Ben Thompson. International storytelling will be celebrated in Tribeca’s Short Film program, with 44 percent of its selections originating from 20 different countries.
Recipients of the Tribeca Film Festival awards for Best Narrative Short, Best Documentary Short and Best Animated Short will qualify for consideration in the Academy Awards’ Short Films category; the festival also gives out a Student Visionary Award.
The selection includes…
Animated Shorts Curated by Whoopi G
Imaginative storytelling and captivating craft. Suggested for those 14 and older.
Grandad Was A Romantic, directed and written by Maryam Mohajer. (U.K.) – New York Premiere, Short Animation. Grandad first fell in love with granny seeing her picture. It sounds like a fairy tale. All it needs is a happy ending. With Maya Naraghi.
Umbrella, directed and written by Helena Hilario, Mario Pece. Produced by Helena Hilario. (Brazil) – New York Premiere, Short Animation. Inspired by true events, Umbrella is a short film that follows Joseph, a boy who lives in an orphanage and dreams of having a yellow umbrella.
The Tiger Who Came to Tea, directed by Robin Shaw, written by Joanna Harrison, Judith Kerr. Produced by Ruth Fielding, Camilla Deakin. (U.K.) – World Premiere, Short Animation. A mysterious tiger turns up unannounced and invites himself in for afternoon tea. With David Oyelowo, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tamsin Greig, Clara Ross, David Walliams.
Beyond Noh, directed by Patrick Smith, written by Patrick Smith, Kaori Ishida. Produced by Kaori Ishida. (U.S.) – World Premiere, Short Animation. Beyond Noh rhythmically animates 3,475 individual masks from all over the world.
Kapaemahu, directed by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson. Produced by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson. (U.S.) – World Premiere, Short Animation. Four mysterious boulders on Waikiki Beach have a hidden history; within them, there are legendary transgender healing spirits. In Hawaiian with English subtitles.
Bathwell in Clerkentime, directed, written and produced by Alex Budovsky. (Colombia, U.S.) – World Premiere, Short Animation. This is the animated short that completes the trilogy about cuckoos from Clerkenwell going nuts. In this episode birds face problems with marriage, raising kids and alcohol.
Friends, directed, written and produced by Florian Grolig. (Germany) – North American Premiere, Short Animation. The “small” one is, well, small, and the “big” one is definitely very very big. They are friends.
To: Gerard, directed and written by Taylor Meacham. Produced by Jeff Hermann. (U.S.) – World Premiere, Short Animation. A sprightly elderly man brightens the day of a little girl through magic.
www.tribecafilm.com/festival
