Tribeca Festival 2021 Day 8

Day 8 of Tribeca Festival ended with the iconic punk band Blondie, but not before a full day of engaging talks, a live A.I. music showcase, podcasts, and head-turning premieres. Some of today’s highlights include:

• Blondie members Debbie Harry and Clem Burke, director Rob Roth,
• Tribeca Festival co-founder and CEO Jane Rosenthal,
• Special guests Fab 5 Freddy, Rebecca Hall, and Morgan Spector who walked the red carpet at the screening of Blondie: Vivir En La Habana.

The film documents the legendary rock band’s 2019 performance in Havana, Cuba. After the film, the audience was treated to a spectacular concert, and everyone cheered, danced, and sang along as Blondie performed some of their biggest hits, including, “Rapture,” “Call Me,” “One Way or Another,” and “The Tide is High.” Debbie dedicated the set to director Rob Roth and thanked Tribeca for the wonderful welcome, as the crowd applauded and called for an encore. 

Indeed, the world’s number one job site, partnered with Emmy Award-winning writer, creator, and actor Lena Waithe and her company, Hillman Grad Productions, to create the Rising Voices initiative, which aims to uncover, invest in, and share stories created by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) filmmakers and storytellers around the singular theme of the meaning of work, and the idea that jobs can change us all.

Each of the initiative’s 10 films premiered during today’s special event at Pier 76. Waithe was in attendance, along with Indeed CEO Chris Hyams, Tribeca Festival co-founder and CEO Jane Rosenthal, Hillman Grad Productions President of Film/TV Rishi Rajani, Indeed Group Vice President of Environmental, Social & Governance LaFawn Davis, and all 10 of the emerging filmmakers.

As part of Tribeca Immersive, AI-powered virtual artists performed along-side three dynamic human artists for a first-of-its-kind, audience-interactive, live music showcase, the WarpSound Music Experience. The musical performances included both a hyper-creative, half-reptilian DJ and a former DMC World Champion turntablist, DJ Dragoon, plus Nayomi, A-Trak, Princess Nokia and Cookies Kawaii. The in real life and virtual artists tag-teamed for a series of genre- and mind-bending duets. Powered by Authentic Artists’ Virtual Artist Platform, the WarpSound Music Experience was a first-ever performance by AI-driven virtual artists producing and performing fresh, original, adaptive music live on stage.

Writer, Creator and Producer Adam Goldman introduced the film created by LGBTQ creatives followed by Director Alan Cumming and Actor/Comedian Bowen Yang who spoke to the podcast through pre-recorded videos. Fabulous fashion moments and performances followed with Vander Von Odd, Neon Calypso, West Dakota, Sasha Colby, Miss Malice, K.James also in attendance. 

 Paula Weinstein and Nina Chaudry of Tribeca Studios chatted and took photos with the filmmakers ahead of the screening at Hudson Yards to support the premiere. Also in attendance was Igor Volsky, Fred Guttenberg, Wes Siler, Aidan Tumas, Elena Gaby.

Media Contacts: Jennifer Nguyen| Nguyen@sunshinesachs.com