For his debut feature, The Land, Steven Caple Jr. pulled off an impressive feat. He attracted top talent from the music industry, including Nas as executive producer producer and Erykah Badu and Machine Gun Kelly in supporting roles. The Cleveland-set drama, which focuses on four teens living in the projects, premiered earlier this year at The Sundance Film Festival’s Next section. In advance of the film’s premiere at Sundance, the director told Filmmaker Magazine that each of the four boys in the film represents a different aspect of his life. “On surface you see a film about four boys who […]
by Paula Bernstein on May 9, 2016Last year the Tribeca Film Festival opened with Mistaken For Strangers, a sideways documentary view of The National followed by a performance from the band. Attendees moved from screening venue to a separate show space, but this year both opening night parts were combined at Madison Square Garden’s Beacon Theater. First came One9’s Time Is Illmatic, a history of Nas’ seminal 1994 album, then the 20th anniversary performance. You can go here to read Brandon Harris’ take on the movie (which plays once more on Friday). Ten years in the making, One9’s debut documentary tracks the making of the instant […]
by Vadim Rizov on Apr 21, 2014No one gets confused anymore that going to the Tribeca Film Festival can mean being on the Upper West Side to watch a rapper perform. What’s to be confused about? The festival outgrew Tribeca. In the “Tribeca” of the mind — at least for those living outside New York — the Triangle Beneath Canal is synonymous with the festival started by Robert DeNiro and Jane Rosenthal in the wake of 9/11. But festival venues aren’t down there: global brands don’t trade in symbolism unless it makes economic sense. Why shouldn’t the Big Ten have twelve teams? Nobody cares. Certainly not […]
by Brandon Harris on Apr 21, 2014