USA: In its sixth year New York's Tribeca film festival is bigger than ever, and founding father Robert De Niro says he hopes the festival will become a tradition in his beloved home town

As the Tribeca Film Festival kicks off its sixth year on Wednesday (April 25), the event that began as a one-off effort to revitalise lower Manhattan after the September 11th attacks in 2001, is proving to be one of the biggest film festivals in the United States. Co-founder Robert De Niro says the biggest measure of the festival's success is the fact that it's still running. "Well the fact that it's still going, that it's been received so well, that's it's made a decent I can say contribution to the area - that in itself - and if it becomes a New York tradition that lasts forever in New York, as long as New York lasts, I'm happy." It looks like De Niro will keep on smiling. The festival has grown this year and in film industry circles is becoming an increasingly important place for acquisitions. Big budget feature films have proven to draw large crowds, and this year organisers are adding three new theatre locations. The festival has also teamed up with sports giant ESPN and created a sports themed section of the festival. There's a price for all this expansion though, which has resulted in increased ticket prices this year. Organisers say the event is still operating in the red, but all this growth is expected to pay off in the long run. This year the festival will host 73 world premieres and 28 North American premieres. "Spider-Man 3," which will make its U.S. debut in Queens - the home of Peter Parker - is expected to draw large crowds. There is a vast range in this year's line-up, from big budget films to pictures with political themes like "Postcards from Tora Bora," about the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, as well as "Brando," a look at the popular culture icon with commentary by celebrity actors like Al Pacino. The festival opens with a global warming themed short film program hosted by Al Gore, and is scheduled to close with the HBO's "The Gates," which chronicles the saffron coloured drapes dotted throughout New York's Central Park by artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude in 2005. Asked what the draw is to the city that never sleeps - it's simple De Niro says. "New York is my home, so I would always rather do a movie here than anywhere else. Sometimes I have to go other places for various reasons, but it's my home. I'll be here as much as I can, which is a lot." The Tribeca Film Festival runs from Wednesday April 25th through Sunday, May 6th.

ITN Source | April 27, 2007

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