The Tribeca Festival, originally launched in 2002 in the months following the 9/11 terror attacks to help revitalize Lower Manhattan, has grown beyond its original purpose, and now stands as one of New York City's premier cultural events, showing world premiere films and hosting industry seminars, podcasts, live music and gaming demos. 

Marking its 25th anniversary, the 2026 festival opens Wednesday and runs through June 14, with a program that celebrates music, Broadway and New York stories.

The festival lineup includes nearly 120 feature films (including 103 world premieres) and short film programs. Films and events will be held at venues throughout the city. 

The festival's gala screenings (all world premieres) include the boisterous opening night feature "Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial VS That's the Weight of the World)," the latest film by Questlove (who won an Oscar for "Summer of Soul"), about the legendary R&B/funk group and its founder, Maurice White (June 3, 4, 13). 

Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles, who'd been away from the recording studio for several years, returns in an emotional fly-on-the-wall documentary in which she regroups with friends at a studio in upstate New York to record a new album, a collection of songs about loss, grief, love and hope, called "Sara Bareilles: Good Grief" (June 4, 5, 10, 14). 

Earth, Wind & Fire with The Roots, and Bareilles will perform live following the respective premieres.

The festival's closing night film is "Alicia Keys: Girl From Hell's Kitchen," in which the native New Yorker recounts her musical journey from the streets ,of the West Side to the stages of Broadway (June 13, 14).

"Katy Perry: The Lifetimes Tour - Live from Paris" (June 8, 10, 11) is a full-length concert film, while "Hadestown: The Musical" (June 8, 9, 12) is a recorded performance of the Tony Award-winning hit, featuring the original Broadway cast members (Reeve Carney, Eva Noblezada, Patrick Page, Amber Gray and Tony-winner André De Shields).

Other musical subjects include rocker Peter Frampton ("Frampton," June 4, 5, 6); Mumford & Sons ("Mumford & Sons: The House Band," June 12, 13, 14); the alternative pop duo Magdalena Bay ("Imaginal Disk," June 4, 5, 6, 8); Israeli pop star Noga Erezt ("Noga," June 7, 8, 11); the Yonkers-based rap trio The LOX ("Trinity: The Story of The LOX," June 11, 12, 14); and a recording studio built inside a prison in Cameroon ("Jail Time Records," June 6, 7, 11).

In "Time Warp," a drag theater company in Rock Springs, Wyoming, sets out to put "Rocky Horror" on stage (June 6, 8, 13), while the Canadian comic-horror film "Turn It Up!" tells the story of an indie rock band whose new guitar riff turns out to be cursed (June 4, 5, 7). In the musical drama "Funk," a young woman strives to become a queen of the Brazilian funk world (June 5, 6, 8).

Madonna is on hand to premiere a short film from her upcoming album, "Confessions II," followed by a conversation with Jimmy Fallon (June 5). 

Also, Bruce Springsteen will be awarded the 2026 Harry Belafonte Voices for Social Justice Award, when he will be joined in conversation with U2 frontman Bono (June 13).

New York stories

"Mario" traces the story of Mario Cuomo, a New York Democrat whose political star rose to the governor's office, and almost beyond (June 4, 5, 6, 10). A dozen individuals recall the effects of 9/11 on their lives in "IX XI" (June 4, 5, 6, 14). 

"House of Criticism" explores the marriage and artistic passions of New York art critics Roberta Smith and Jerry Saltz (June 12, 13, 14). Sean Ono Lennon directs "threeASFOUR: Full Circle," a documentary about radical New York City fashion designers Gabi Asfour, Angela Donhauser and Adi Gil (June 7, 8, 11). 

Life in the big city is illustrated in "Human Theories," a series of 40 intertwined vignettes about New Yorkers seeking connections with one another (June 6, 7, 13, 14). 

He's an attorney, but most New Yorkers recognize George Whipple (and his eyebrows) from his years as an entertainment reporter on the Great White Way for local cable outlet NY1. "Whipple's World" turns the camera onto Whipple and the many facets of a dynamic character (June 12, 13, 14). A very different kind of NYC cable personality is profiled in "Bang My Box: The Robyn Byrd Story" (June 9, 12, 13). 

The 1980 Al Pacino drama "Cruising," about a homicide detective going undercover in New York's gay clubs to find a serial killer, was a lightning rod for protests by the city's gay community. "Mineshaft: The Cruising Murders" looks at the controversy that film's production stirred, as well as the movie's legacy (June 6, 7, 9). 

One of the most familiar of New York faces is socialite Jocelyne Wildenstein, whose plastic surgery transformed her into the tabloid figure known as Catwoman. She tells her story in "The Lion Queen" (June 11, 12, 13).

Inside the arts

The documentary "Jean-Michel" examines the life and impact of the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat (June 5, 6, 13).

"The Symphony of Dance" follows married "Dancing With the Stars" dancers Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert Hough as they struggle through a near-fatal health crisis (June 7, 8, 11). The art of presidential comedy is recounted in "Playing POTUS," in which Chevy Chase, Dana Carvey, Will Ferrell, Keegan-Michael Key, Alec Baldwin, Kate McKinnon, Maya Rudolph and others describe the challenges of impersonating presidents and presidential wannabes (June 6, 7, 9).

"In the Hand of Dante," a narrative feature by director Julian Schnabel ("The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"), stars Oscar Isaac in dual roles: 14th century poet Dante Aligheri, author of "The Divine Comedy"; and 20th century novelist Nick Tosches, who becomes embroiled in a mafia plot involving Dante's writings (June 10, 11).

An Irish punk musician becomes a punk artist in "Guggi" (June 13, 14). Magician Andi Gladwin goes on a search for a mysterious figure who is pilfering and selling the secrets of illusionists in "Stealing Magic" (June 5, 6, 7, 14). 

An experimental dance workshop in rural Maine is the setting for "Mother Future Self," in which two long-estranged women (Imani Jade Powers and Betsey Brown) reunite, and by turns reconcile and clash anew. Featuring choreography by dance artist K.J. Holmes (June 5, 6, 13, 14). In the thriller "Act One," Ella Beatty (daughter of Annette Bening and Warren Beatty) stars as a high school-age actress who joins a drama company, where becoming the favorite student of the troupe's acting instructor (Ari Graynor) proves problematic (June 10, 12, 13).

Profiles

"Chris & Martina: The Final Set" is a portrait of tennis legends Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova (June 10, 11, 14). "Doc Meets World" follows the stars of the '90s show "Boy Meets World" (Danielle Fishel, Will Friedle, and Rider Strong) as they regroup for a podcast and stage tour (June 6, 7, 10).

NBA superstar Carmelo Anthony is the subject of "Born Melo" (June 12, 14), while "Full Circle: The First All Black Everest Ascent" follows an all-Black mountaineering expedition to conquer the world's highest peak (June 7, 10, 14).

Five chefs who happened to cook for five of the most murderous tyrants in human history explain the choice menu items they served their customers (Pol Pot, Idi Amin, Saddam Hussein, Augusto Pinochet and Kim Jong-il), and the rationales they served themselves, in "How to Feed a Dictator" (June 10, 11, 13). 

Social issues

"The A-Word: The Future of Aging" looks at efforts to extend life (June 5, 8, 13), while "Death Boom" looks at how the funeral industry is addressing the inevitable outcome of the Baby Boom (June 9, 10, 13). 

"4000 Days" follows families seeking accountability for fraternity hazing on college campuses (June 10, 11, 14). 

"Hollywood Does Abortion" explores how films and TV have used abortion as a dramatic device, and consequently changed the national conversation on the topic (June 7, 8, 10). The environmental protest group Climate Defiance is the subject of "Just Look Up" (June 11, 12, 13, 14). 

A follow-up to the director's 2011 documentary "Miss Representation," Jennifer Siebel Newsom's "Miss Representation: Rise Up" looks at how women's progress has face obstacles, often hostile, in the digital landscape (June 7, 8, 11).

The origins and potential future of artificial intelligence are explored in the ironically titled "AI: Probably Nothing to Worry About" (June 6, 7, 11), while social media influencers confront a possible nationwide ban of TikTok in "TikTok Never Dies" (June 4, 5, 13). 

History

The rare footage and photos in "Odyssey" tell the story of NASA, from the earliest days of the space race to the Apollo 13 rescue (June 7, 9, 11). 

Interviews and archival materials trace the story of a Black-owned Memphis hotel that would become infamous as the site of Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination in Sam Pollard's "The Lorraine" (June 5, 6, 13). 

"Spin Wars" spins the story of how cycling companies like SoulCycle, Flywheel and Peloton peddled their business plans to became part of a health and fitness revolution (June 9, 10, 12, 13). 

"Micronations" looks at the eccentric founders of tiny states that "real" countries don't recognize as sovereign, even if they have self-declared monarchs, and their own flags, languages and constitutions (June 5, 6, 11). 

World stories

In the thriller "Summer War," an adaptation of Roberto Bolaño's novel "The Third Reich" set in Chile during the Pinochet regime, a coastal vacation becomes the setting of war games with a mysterious stranger (June 7, 8, 12). 

Shot over a 13-year span, the documentary "Crocodile" showcases the work of a group of Nigerian youths-turned-guerilla filmmakers (June 5, 6, 8). In "Vanishing Tracks," Qashqai nomads in Iran must deal with the theft of their sheep (June 7, 8, 10).

"One Woman One Bra" follows a young woman staking a claim to her family's property in a Kenyan village (June 5, 6, 12). In the queer romance "Ephemera," two women with different trajectories wander the streets of Shanghai (June 7, 8, 12, 13). 

The death of an unknown teenage girl found outside a desert town in Saudi Arabia attracts a lover of true-crime podcasts to try to solve the mystery in "Unidentified," by director Haifaa Al Mansour ("Wadjda") (June 9, 10, 11).

 and the protests that broke out earlier this year in that country, inspired "Dreams of Violets," a docudrama that is the first fully AI-generated film. Director Ash Koosha told CBS News' "The Daily Report" that artificial intelligence was used to create the footage because of the logistical difficulty of making a film on this subject matter in Iran quickly. 

"Speed here mattered for me," Koosha said. "It was my choice simply because this is a very personal story. It needs to be told very quickly. It's a very poetic, impulsive piece of work." 

Drama

Narrative films making their world premieres include "The Accompanist" starring Susan Sarandon and Aubrey Plaza (June 4, 5, 7, 12). "Killing Castro" is a thriller that reimagines the Cuban revolutionary's visit to New York City in 1960, starring Diego Boneta and Al Pacino (June 9, 13, 14). 

"The Last Day," an adaptation of Virginia Woolf's "Mrs. Dalloway" set in New York City, stars Alicia Vikander, Victoria Pedretti and Wagner Moura (June 6, 7, 12). "Happy Hours," written and directed by Katie Holmes, stars Holmes and Joshua Jackson as former lovers reunited (June 6, 9, 13).

"The Leader" stars Tim Blake Nelson and Vera Farmiga in the true story of the Heaven's Gate cult, whose members believed they would be transported away from Earth (June 5, 8, 10).

Zach Braff stars as a Maryland narcotics officer whose teenage daughter (played by Esther McGregor) becomes addicted to opioids in "Clean Hands" (June 7, 8, 11). Paul Rudd stars in "Rain Reign," as the uncle of a neurodivergent 12-year-old girl (Felice Kakaletris) who goes in search of her dog missing in a rainstorm (June 6, 7, 11, 14). 

The improvisational romantic drama "Only What We Carry," set on the Normandy coast, features a cast that includes Simon Pegg, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Lizzy McAlpine, Liam Hellmann, Sofia Boutella and Quentin Tarantino (June 6, 7, 10). 

Emilia Clarke stars in the romantic drama "Next Life," in which her timelines diverge from a jazz musician (Édgar Ramírez) to her ex-fiance (Jack Farthing) (June 5, 6, 9). "Squid Game" star Lee Jin-wook and South Korean actress and former K-pop star Suzy are the leads in the Seoul-set romantic drama "Seven O'Clock Breakfast Club for the Brokenhearted" (June 11, 12, 14). 

The coming-of-age drama "Summer of Three" follows a young man returning to Puerto Rico who becomes involved in a love triangle (June 8, 9, 11). 

The period drama "Young Washington" stars William Franklyn-Miller as George Washington as a young soldier opposite co-stars Andy Serkis, Kelsey Grammer and Ben Kingsley (June 13, 14). 

Comedy

Marc Maron, Michael McKean, Talia Ryder, Lily Gladstone, Judy Greer and Sharon Stone star in "In Memoriam," in which a terminal diagnosis gives new life to an actor seeking validation (June 7, 9, 12, 14).

In writer-director Edward Burns' "Finnegan's Foursome," two Irish-American brothers, sons of a golf pro, honor their late father by traveling to Ireland to hit the links (June 7, 8, 13). 

Ellie Sachs writes, directs and stars in "Lucy Schulman," about a woman in her late 20s who, after a bad breakup, moves back home with her dad, only to find being home isn't much easier (June 5, 6, 8, 11).

They say you can't go home again. But can you go to high school again? Members of the Class of 2008 find out they must return to finish old business (and maybe to old flames) in "Never Change!" (June 9, 10, 12). A young married mother's yearning for wildness is boosted when she befriends a teenage girl in the satire "She Keeps Me Young" (June 4, 5, 9). 

There are dozens more films and short programs scheduled. Check the Tribeca Festival website for descriptions, screening times and venues.    

Q&As and panel discussions

Tribeca Festival co-founders Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal sit down for a conversation to reflect on the festival's first quarter-century (June 11).

Storytellers is a series of conversations with such notable figures as actors Paul Rudd (June 4) and Sean Penn (June 5);  actresses Teyana Taylor (June 7) and Keke Palmer (June 8); musicians Finneas O'Connell (June 8) and Este Haim (June 13); and former NBA star Dwyane Wade (June 10).

The Vulture Festival features talks with Elisabeth Moss, Chase Infiniti and Lucy Halliday, stars of "The Handmaid's Tale" sequel "The Testaments" (June 13); Jason Bateman (June 13); Tracy Morgan and the co-creators of "The Fall and Rise of Riggie Dinkins," Robert Carlock and Sam Means (June 14); and musical artist Solange (June 14). 

A popular feature of film festivals are all-star reunions discussing the making of a fan favorite. Tribeca does the next best thing, with four stars of the comedy streaming service Dropout TV pretending to be the stars of a fake movie, whose title is suggested by the audience (June 14).

TV

Tribeca spotlights episodic series, TV documentaries and pilots. The first two chapters of the HBO documentary series "The Man Will Burn," about the Burning Man festival, will be shown June 9 and 13. Also shown: FX's ensemble comedy "Adults" (June 11); Britain's "Alice and Steve," billed as an "anti-romantic comedy" (June 4); and the National Geographic documentary series "9/11: Reunited," in which people whose lives were changed on Sept. 11, 2001, meet again (June 13). 

On June 6, a "Survivor 50th Season Anniversary Panel" will feature fan favorites Cirie Fields, Rob Cesternino, Kyle Fraser, Kamilla Karthigesu, Teeny Chirichillo and Jonathan Penner. 

Games

The Games Gallery on Pier 57 offers demos of unreleased games free for the public (June 10-14). Among them: the musical mystery "There Are No Ghosts At The Grand"; the action adventure "Demi and the Fractured Dream"; the road trip "Forever Ago"; "Rivage," set aboard a space station whose crew has gone missing; "ROCKBEASTS," a RPG in which you manage a rock group; the manga-inspired "Truck-Kun Is Supporting Me From Another World?!"; and "LOFSÖNG," an art-driven adventure set in vast brutalist landscapes.

"Escape the Internet: Part 1" is an immersive multiplayer game in which theater attendees must work together as characters trapped on an island to escape an "A.I. apocalypse" (June 4, 14).  

The festival runs from June 3-14. For more information about films, special events, exhibits, and ticketing (single tickets and multiple-screening passes), visit the Tribeca Festival website.