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The Tribeca Film Festival (TFF), presented by founding partner American Express, today announced a variety of programming that will allow domestic audiences to experience the Festival from across the country, including the lineup and programming for the Tribeca Online Festival, and Tribeca Film’s video-on-demand offerings during TFF. The 12th annual Tribeca Film Festival runs from April 17-28 in lower Manhattan.
“We are always looking for ways to expand our community and engage new audiences,” said Geoff Gilmore, Chief Creative Officer, Tribeca Enterprises. “For the past three years, viewers nationwide have been able to take in a selection of Festival films and activities, even if they aren’t able to make it to Tribeca. This year we have expanded the opportunity for the public to participate in the Festival not just as observers, but also as creators through our first ever Vine competition, which is open to anyone with an imagination and a Vine app.”
The Festival announced the program for the fourth annual Tribeca Online Festival, a digital initiative that offers front row access to exclusive Festival content and new storytelling opportunities. New this year is the launch of Tribeca Film Festival’s #6SECFILMS Vine Competition, an online juried competition using the six-second, micro-movie making app. Filmmakers can submit in one of four categories — #genre, #auteur, #animate and #series – using both the category hashtag and #6SECFILMS. Shortlists in each category will be viewable for the public on April 17 and will compete for cash prizes of $600. Submissions are now open through midnight on April 7. Winners will be announced by the Tribeca Online Festival on April 26.
As in years past, the Tribeca Online Festival (TOF) will provide free streaming of Festival films. Seven titles including features Alias Ruby Blade: A Story of Love and Revolution, Lil Bub & Friendz, and Farah Goes Bang (which will be streamed just after their Festival theatrical premieres), and short films RPG OKC, Delicacy, The Exit Room, and A Short Film About Guns will be accessible on tribecaonlinefestival.com . Via TribecaOnlineFestival.com audiences can vote on the best online feature and short, with the winners receiving a total of $16,000 in prize money.
The Tribeca Online Festival will stream a number of highly anticipated conversations during the Festival as well as the 2013 TFF awards show on Thursday April 25, 2013.
Tribeca Film will also release 2013 TFF selections What Richard Did, Greetings from Tim [...]

Tonight, Madonna took the stage at the 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards to present the Vito Russo Award to advocate, award-winning journalist, author and talk show host Anderson Cooper. The Vito Russo Award is presented to an openly LGBT media professional who has made a significant difference in promoting equality.
Madonna wore a Boy Scouts outfit as part of GLAAD’s year-long campaign to end the Boy Scouts of America’s ban on gay scouts and leaders.

Madonna and Anderson Cooper joined hosts Lara Spencer, Josh Elliott and Sam Champion (Good Morning America); Jake Shears (Scissor Sisters); NFL players Brendon Ayanbadejo (Baltimore Ravens) and Chris Kluwe (Minnesota Vikings); Christian Borle, Andy Mientus, Krysta Rodriguez (Smash); Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey); Jenni “JWOWW” Farley, Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi (The Jersey Shore, Snooki & JWoww); Annie Clark, Cristine Prosperi (Degrassi); Straight But Not Narrow founder Avan Jogia; Milla Jovovich (Resident Evil); John Leguizamo (Ice Age, Moulin Rouge); Laverne Cox (Musical Chairs); GLAAD’s Strategic Giving Officer Wilson Cruz (My So-Called Life); producing dream team Neil Meron and Craig Zadan and others at the GLAAD Media Awards in New York, which helps fund GLAAD’s work to amplify stories from the LGBT community that build support for equality.
Photos Courtesy GLAAD Awards and PRPhotos.com
For a complete list of winners, click here.
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30,000 people donated an average of $64 during a several hour period yesterday, and thus we will be getting a Veronica Mars movie sometime next summer.
Creator Rob Thomas and star Kristen Bell used Kickstarter to basically prove to Warner Bros. that there is indeed an interest in a continuation of the cult detective drama that ran for three low-rated seasons on the CW back in 2004-2007.
The deal was basically to raise $2 million in a month and Warner Bros. would agree to distribute and market the film, giving it a limited theatrical release and the various home-viewing options. They hit their target at 5:55 pm this evening. I made a bitchy joke earlier in the day about raising money to find domestic ‘food insecurity’ among American children by calling such an initiative ‘Save Firefly!’ or something to that effect. My first instincts were ones of priorities and what this said about our ‘entitlement culture’. Upon reflection (I purposely didn’t write anything immediately), I’m still not sure how I feel about this. This is indeed very interesting, it may even be *news*. But is it good news overall.
To read more go to Mendelson’s Memos
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It is on The Great Gatsby by Australian director Baz Luhrmann, that the curtain will rise at the inauguration of the 66th Festival de Cannes, on Wednesday 15th May, in the Grand Théâtre Lumière du Palais des Festivals, out of Competition in the Official Selection.
Adapted from the famous novel by American author Francis Scott Fitzgerald and set against the roaring twenties on the East Coast of the United States, the film depicts the romantic and tragic figure of Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio), as narrated by his friend Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire). Carey Mulligan is Daisy Buchanan, whose husband is played by Joel Edgerton.
This prestigious occasion will also be graced with the presence of Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan, as well as the American pop star, rapper Jay-Z
To read more go to Festival de Cannes
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Our selected celebrity to be included in our “Hollywood TV Star of the Week Photo Gallery” is Tina Fey.

Elizabeth Stamatina “Tina” Fey (born May 18, 1970) is an American actress, comedienne, writer and producer, known for her work on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live (SNL) (1997–2006), the critically acclaimed NBC comedy series 30 Rock (2006–2013), and such films as Mean Girls (2004), Baby Mama (2008) and Date Night (2010).
Fey first broke into comedy as a featured player in the Chicago-based improvisational comedy group The Second City. She then joined SNL as a writer, later becoming head writer and a performer, known for her position as co-anchor in the Weekend Update segment. In 2004 she adapted the screenplay Mean Girls in which she also co-starred. After leaving SNL in 2006, she created the television series 30 Rock, a situation comedy loosely based on her experiences at SNL. In the series, Fey portrays the head writer of a fictional sketch comedy series. In 2008, she starred in the comedy film Baby Mama, alongside former SNL co-star Amy Poehler. Fey next appeared alongside Steve Carell in the 2010 comedy film Date Night and with Will Ferrell in the animated film Megamind.
Fey has received seven Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, five Screen Actors Guild Awards, four Writers Guild of America Awards and has been nominated for a Grammy Award for her autobiographical book Bossypants, which topped the The New York Times Best Seller list for five weeks. In 2008, the Associated Press (AP) gave Fey the AP Entertainer of the Year award for her satirical portrayal of Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin in a guest appearance on SNL.
In 2010, Fey was the recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, the youngest-ever winner of the award. On January 13, 2013, Fey hosted the Golden Globe Awards, along with her long-time friend and fellow comedian, Amy Poehler. This was the first time the awards ceremony was hosted by a woman. Their performance was critically acclaimed, with ABC News describing it as “spectacular.”
To read more go to TINA FEY
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The Producers Guild of America (PGA) is pleased to announce the opening of submissions for the ninth annual PGA Producing Workshop: “The Power of Diversity.” This multi-session workshop will run from May 28 through July 13 in Los Angeles, and is designed to foster the development of aspiring and seasoned producers who bring diverse perspectives to television, film and digital media.
This annual program provides ten participants with one-on-one mentoring sessions with members of the Guild’s Diversity Committee as well as master classes with some of today’s top producers. Topics are tailored to the participating producers and their projects, and will include all aspects of producing such as story development, pitching, packaging, financing, marketing and digital media.
“We’re excited to offer this unique and career-enhancing workshop to entertainment professionals,” said workshop chair Deborah Calla, who also chairs the PGA Diversity Committee. “Reflecting diverse communities through accurate and informative storytelling is an incredibly powerful tool that brings us all closer together. As PGA producers, we have a responsibility not just to appreciate different perspectives, but to empower such producers with the tools, resources and capacity to assist them in bringing their projects to fruition.”
Past mentors have included such top producing talent as Bruce Cohen (SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, AMERICAN BEAUTY), Mark Gordon (“Grey’s Anatomy,” SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, 2012), Marshall Herskovitz (DEFIANCE, BLOOD DIAMOND, THE LAST SAMURAI), Damon Lindelof (LOST, STAR TREK), Caryn Mandabach (“Nurse Jackie,” “That 70s Show”), Lori McCreary (INVICTUS, THE MAIDEN HEIST), Shonda Rhimes (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Private Practice”), Darren Star (“Sex in the City,” “90210”), Mike Tollin (“Smallville,” “One Tree Hill”) and Ralph Winter (X-MEN, FANTASTIC 4), among many others.
Past mentees have included Ben Lobato (“The Unit,” “Justified”), Aaron Rahsaan Thomas (“Southland”), Sarah DeLio (BLESS ME, ULTIMA) and Holly Overton (“The Client List”).
“The mentors’ enthusiasm, support and feedback were crucial to my development as a working writer and aspiring producer,” said Overton. “They brought in the best producers, directors and executives in the business and have continued to foster relationships with all the workshop participants. I completed the workshop with a newfound confidence and an understanding of the various facets of producing. This amazing opportunity provided me with skills I continue to use on a daily basis.”
Submissions for the “Power of Diversity” workshop will open on March 11 and close on April 19 at midnight Pacific Time. Ten participants will be selected to take part in the workshop at no charge.
For [...]

The next Oscars? The new season begins, like, now, with “The Sapphires” opening on March 22nd. Pencil it in for Golden Globe Comedy/Musical, and if it takes, off, well, who knows what else?
Mainly next winter we will be looking hard at Julia Roberts and Meryl Streep in “August: Osage County” and Nicole Kidman in “Grace of Monaco.” Streep will probably go into Supporting. Kidman is said to on track to win. Naomi Watts will be back as Princess Diana, and Leonardo DiCaprio will make a bid for Best Actor in Martin Scorsese’s “The Wolf of Wall Street.”
The Weinstein Company has 14 films for 2013, with lots of potential nominees. But Tarantino is off duty this year, so don’t count on him. The Coen Brothers’ “Inside Llewyn Davis” could bring gold for the bros, plus Oscar Isaac and John Goodman. There’s a new Woody Allen movie said to be “one of his greats” like “Midnight in Paris.” Pedro Almodovar is back in form with a comedy. Robert Redford directed “The Company You Keep” and stars in JC Chandor’s new film. Bradley Cooper and Ryan Gosling are superb in Derek Cianfrance’s “Place Beyond the Pines,” which was screened in Toronto.
Then there’s Kristen Wiig in the very funny retitled “Imogene” now called “Girl Most Likely.” Wait til you see Matt Dillon steal that show. Sundance will contribute “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints” with Casey Affleck. There’s Terrence Malick’s “To the Wonder” (forget it) and maybe a better one called “Knight of Cups.” George Clooney acts in “Gravity” with Sandra Bullock and directs “Monuments Men.” Luc Besson could have a good film with Robert DeNiro, Tommy Lee Jones, and Michelle Pfeiffer. Cross your fingers.
T read more go to www.showbiz411.com
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The Tribeca Film Festival (TFF) today announced that the world premiere of Mistaken for Strangers, executive produced by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Marshall Curry and produced by Matt Berninger, Carin Besser and Craig Charland, will open the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival, presented by American Express. Director Tom Berninger chronicles his experience on tour with his brother, The National’s frontman Matt Berninger, in this funny and affecting film, which will also play during the Festival’s 12th edition. The premiere, taking place on Wednesday, April 17, will be followed by a special performance by The National. The Festival will run through April 28.
Mistaken for Strangers follows The National on its biggest tour to date. Newbie roadie Tom (lead singer Matt Berninger’s younger brother) is a heavy metal and horror movie enthusiast, and can’t help but put his own spin on the experience. Inevitably, Tom’s moonlighting as an irreverent documentarian creates some drama for the band on the road. The film is a hilarious and touching look at two very different brothers and an entertaining story of artistic aspiration.
“Mistaken for Strangers exemplifies the independent spirit and vitality that Tribeca is excited to showcase every year,” said Geoff Gilmore, Chief Creative Officer. “We are thrilled to open with a film that embodies the journey of an independent filmmaker, and is at its core a highly personal and lighthearted story about brotherly love. It will be a great night of both indie film and music.”
“We’re really happy to premiere this movie at Tribeca, as New York has been home to us for these past 15 years,” Matt Berninger said. “I was happy to give my brother whatever access he needed. I just didn’t expect this movie to include shower scenes.”
“When my brother asked me along on tour as a roadie, I thought I might as well bring a camera to film the experience,” explained director Tom Berninger. “What started as a pretty modest tour documentary has, over the last two and a half years, grown into something much more personal, and hopefully more entertaining. It’s a huge thrill to be showing this movie at the Tribeca Film Festival.”
The National band members include Matt Berninger, Bryce Dessner, Aaron Dessner, Bryan Devendorf and Scott Devendorf. In 2010 the band released High Violet, which sold more than half a million copies worldwide. A brand new studio album from The National is slated for a May release on 4AD with [...]

By Michael Russnow
In the aftermath of my review of the Oscars and that of many others who seemed to agree Seth MacFarlane’s humor was often wanting, I thought I’d offer a postscript as to why for most people the John Wilkes Booth joke didn’t work.
It had nothing to do with Lincoln being a sacred cow and, no, paraphrasing MacFarlane, who defensively rejoindered sarcastically when his joke bombed, it wasn’t a case of it being too soon since Lincoln’s death.
Simply put, along with a host of national critics I found Seth MacFarlane sophomoric, appealing to the basest form of humor, rather than seeking what many might prefer as a cleverer approach, finding unexpected irony while satirizing a situation. And before you point out that the ABC ratings were higher than last year’s, it had little or nothing to do with MacFarlane. The host’s popularity or lack thereof has only a small degree of audience pull. It’s been proven that the highest ratings usually accompany the popularity of the year’s nominees, and most of the 2012 best picture nominees grossed more than $100 million.
Nonetheless, in a discussion with a young actor Monday night, he said he found the Oscar host quite funny, including the John Wilkes Booth remark. I tried to explain my point of view, which was that, rather than cutting edge, to me it was cheap, sort of like banana peel humor. He responded that there were many fans of MacFarlane and that there should be room for that sort of humor on the Oscar show, in order to appeal to all segments of society. I should add that, during all this, he was most respectful and accepting of my point of view, as opposed to the personally insulting comments my review engendered from mostly anonymous readers.
I don’t mind the sort of argument my friend put forth, but still believe the Oscar show should elevate itself above playground or frat party humor. A lot of tween types find gross situations very humorous, and this extends into the teen years and for some even into their third decade. However, it is also true that life among school-age kids can be hell for those who are dissimilar, with cliques abounding, separating the in-crowd from those it deems wanting.
If you’re different, maybe not athletic or pretty or, God forbid gay (yes, even in today’s more tolerant age) life can be pretty horrid. Fortunately, [...]

By Michael Russnow
This year’s Oscars show on ABC wrapped after a bit over three and a half hours and there were a bunch of great moments, a bit of tedium and a lot of disappointment over the tasteless antics of host Seth MacFarlane.
Look, I’m not a prude, though I’ve ranted at the likes of Ricky Gervais when he hosted the Golden Globes. You don’t have to be sweetness and light and/or just mildly funny, but as Tina Fey and Amy Poehler displayed at the Golden Globes you can find the right mix to be biting and clever without resorting to cheap, shocking and sometimes hurtful jokes.
I was neither backstage nor in the control booth, but I can guess something must have happened after the overlong 17-minute opening segment, wherein MacFarlane early on cast mock aspersion at last year’s Best Actor winner, Jean Dujardin, as essentially having since disappeared, when it’s clear his stellar career is mostly anchored in France. And a sometimes funny bit with William Shatner, beaming in from the future as Star Trek’s Captain Kirk, became somewhat surreal when he warned MacFarlane that his reviews were destined to be pretty bad.
Mercifully interspersed with the host’s puerile humor were musical bits during which Channing Tatum danced quite masterfully with Charlize Theron, and Daniel Radcliffe and Joseph Gordon-Levitt sang and danced, aided by the surprisingly excellent vocal talents of Mr. MacFarlane. He wasn’t just on-key, he sang like he’d been in musical theatre. And, upon doing some follow-up research, I learned he’d sung at Carnegie Hall and Royal Albert Hall in London. Who knew?
During these moments and when he played it straight, he was great — poised, handsome and charming. But on occasion he spewed classless material, which I’m sure he thought was very funny. He absolutely bombed in a joke ostensibly crediting Daniel Day-Lewis with getting into Lincoln’s head, but then indicated he hadn’t done as well as had John Wilkes Booth. The audience gasped.
From that point on, when he was on camera he essentially introduced the next guests and did so with professional aplomb. Was it a coincidence or did someone rip up the rest of his cue cards?
As to the rest of the show, it was professional and sometimes spectacular. The spoof of Flight with hand puppets was delightful and the tribute to a few recent musicals with some of the casts singing live was terrific, [...]