NYWIFT Blog

By Tammy Reese 

It’s that time again! The Tribeca Festival returns to New York City from June 4–15, 2025, bringing together visionaries, changemakers, and creatives across film, television, immersive experiences, games, audio storytelling, and more.

Covering this prestigious festival is always an honor, and this year, I’m thrilled to return on behalf of New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT) alongside my long-time media partner and fellow NYWIFT member, LaKisa Renee.

A huge congratulations to all of our fellow NYWIFT members with projects featured in this year’s lineup. Your brilliance continues to inspire and elevate the art of storytelling. Learn more here: https://www.nywift.org/nywift-tribeca-2025/

Stay tuned — we’ll be bringing exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes content, red carpet snapshots, and insight into the premieres and panels that everyone will be talking about.

Must-See Screenings I Previewed and Highly Recommend:

New York Day Women (Short Film)

New York Day Women follows a Haitian American woman who unexpectedly sees her mother in Manhattan during a workday — sparking an intimate exploration of identity, generational distance, and maternal strength. The film is directed, written, produced, and edited by NYWIFT Member Fredgy Noël. 

Barbara Walters: Tell Me Everything (Spotlight Documentary)

This gripping documentary charts the groundbreaking journey of 1997 NYWIFT Muse Honoree Barbara Walters, the first woman to break into network evening news and redefine journalism for generations to come. From her early days on The Today Show to co-creating The View, Walters shattered glass ceilings with poise, intellect and relentless curiosity.

Known for her fearless interviews with world leaders, celebrities and controversial figures, Walters redefined broadcast journalism with her unique blend of empathy and tenacity that had millions of people watching. NYWIFT Member Marcella Steingart is a producer of the film.

For Venida, For Kalief (Documentary Competition)

Kalief Browder’s tale comes into full focus when his life and his mother’s, Venida Brodnax Browder, are tragically upended following years of malintent from the justice system.

This is not a retelling of Kalief’s case. Instead, Venida’s poems anchor a temporal odyssey as they are weaved through archival discovery and contemporary political movements to honor the Browders’ legacy within their community and beyond. The piece reveals how an individual’s life — and afterlife — can transcend boundaries to ignite social and cultural change once thought unattainable.

NYWIFT Member Mattie Akers is an Archival Producer of the film. 

Watch Over Us (Shorts)

Watch Over Us is an unflinching, intimate documentary about Victoria Lopez, a Minnesota mother granted one year with her newborn twins before serving seven years in prison on drug charges.

I Was Born This Way (Spotlight Documentary)

Surviving childhood abuse during his upbringing in Baltimore, Archbishop Carl Bean forged a path to New York and Hollywood to do the one thing he knew he was put on earth to do: sing. Making his mark first as a gospel singer, Bean got the break of his life when Motown tapped him in 1977 to record the disco song “I Was Born This Way,” which quickly became the first gay anthem at a time when it was uncommon to be out and proud. When the AIDS crisis hit, however, Bean soon found himself drawn to a different calling: compassionate activism. Instead of pursuing the momentum of his promising music career, he founded the Minority AIDS Project and the Unity Fellowship Church — the first LGBTQ+ church for people of color.

YANUNI (Closing Night Gala)

This deeply moving documentary is a call to action and a tribute to resilience and legacy. It is the story of Juma Xipaia, Brazil’s first female Indigenous chief, and her fight to protect her people and land.

What to Expect at This Year’s Festival:

• World-class premieres of feature films, shorts, and documentaries.
• Tribeca NOW: independent episodic work across narrative and documentary forms.
• Television premieres with cast and creator panels.
• Immersive storytelling at its best with In Search of Us — a bold exhibition in partnership with Onassis ONX and Agog.
• Audio storytelling that moves the needle with originality and depth.
• Tribeca Games Gallery: Play demos of the latest selections at Pier 57 (June 11–15).
• Tribeca X (June 9–10): Where brands and entertainment converge, fostering innovation in storytelling.

Founded in 2002 by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff, the Tribeca Festival remains a beacon for diverse, daring, and socially resonant storytelling that moves culture forward.

Let the 2025 festival begin!

Learn more about the 2025 Tribeca Festival here: https://www.tribecafilm.com/