At one point during Lucy Schulman, the titular character (played by writer, director Ellie Sachs) is getting to know a promising potential love interest while enjoying a late-night diner meal. It’s a small moment. Yet for Sachs, the scene, along with the walk through a darkened Central Park that follows, represents something quintessentially New York.
The 2026 Tribeca Festival, marking its 25th anniversary, continues its long tradition of balancing intimate New York storytelling with adventurous indie cinema. But a clear theme emerged across several of the titles this year: the varied, complex experiences of the artist’s life. Whether grappling with creative reinvention, pursuing long-abandoned dreams, or questioning the value of public recognition, these five films chronicled the artist’s journey in rare and riveting ways.
In 1959, John Knowles released the coming-of-age novel A Separate Peace, depicting the relationship between two young men at a New England boarding school in the 1940s. Though World War II rages on in the background, the story is focused on the fractures in their relationship versus those inflicted by bombs. Yet throughout the story, the seemingly protected spaces the teens occupy begin to reflect the haunting realities of the time.
During the 16-year-run of his WTF podcast series, Marc Maron talked to 1,600 guests. HIs main takeaway after sitting down with a steady stream of entertainers for in-depth discussions: “Everybody’s got problems.”
In the summer of 2021, while filming the final season of Better Call Saul, Bob Odenkirk suffered a heart attack on set and nearly lost his life. In the wake of that near-death experience, the actor has starred in a string of shows and films and released two books: his memoir, ‘Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama,’ and ‘Zilot & Other Important Rhymes,’ which he co-wrote with his children, Erin and Nate.
San Luis Obispo has long been a place where art passes through and leaves something behind. From the ’70s through the early 2000s, the city became a stop for touring musicians and emerging acts, from early punk bands like Black Flag to future indie favorites like Matt Costa and Delta Spirit. While Cal Poly concerts drew exciting new performers, local staple Boo Boo Records stocked its shelves with edgy, undiscovered albums.
It’s strange to call a hauntingly dark film moving, but Damian McCarthy’s Hokum manages to be just that.
Every major film festival has a story about the first time a now-revered director appeared there.
The 43rd edition of the Miami Film Festival featured high-concept thrillers, intimate romantic dramas, and human rights narratives that both celebrated and uplifted character-driven cinema.
Programming film festivals isn’t just about selecting productions for exhibition. It’s a means of advocating for bold new works of cinema that audiences can discover.