Tribeca: Preems, panels & pow wows

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This year’s Tribeca Film Festival is the 10th, but calling it an “anniversary” might seem insensitive given the tragedy that inspired downtown New York’s film community to band together in the first place. Instead, the festival has chosen to quietly mark this milestone with a couple of unique offerings, while for the most part letting the films and filmmakers speak for themselves. “A lot looks the same,” acknowledges festival director Nancy Schafer, “but that’s because we think we’ve found the right rhythm.”

When tossing around ideas for “10,” they were more interested in looking forward than back, Schafer adds. “We didn’t want to show films from the last 10 years. What we decided to do was get really in-depth on the process of filmmaking.”

Thus was born the compelling Directors Series addition to Tribeca Talks, featuring New York helmers Robert De Niro (also a fest co-founder), Martin Scorsese, and Alec Baldwin, in conversation with Brian Williams, Malian director Souleymane Cisse and Doug Liman, respectively. In a last-minute move, Julie Taymor and Mira Nair will join this group.

However, the 2011 Festival’s most notable change was turning the exclusive opening night screening, held at the Ziegfeld Theater for the past couple years, into a public event. On April 20, Cameron Crowe’s Elton John-Leon Russell documentary, “The Union,” will have its premiere outdoors at the North Cove at the World Financial Center Plaza, which holds 7,000 people. John will also give a short live performance after the film.

“We’re doing (this) for the community,” says Schafer of the event, which is free but requires tickets. “We think it’s a great way to bring a lot of people together around film, which is why we started the festival to begin with.”

7:45 p.m.
Opening night film: Cameron Crowe’s “The Union,” outdoor screening at World Financial Center Plaza, free to the public but ticketed.

6 p.m.
Tribeca Drive-in outdoor screening of “Fame,” World Financial Center Plaza

9 p.m.
Filmmaker Welcome Party* hosted by Apple, Apple Store, Soho

12:30 p.m.
Tribeca All Access: Key Ingredients Lunch; Bouley’s test kitchen*

2:30 p.m.
Tribeca Talks: Industry — Amplify the Message: Social Media; SVA Theater 2

5 p.m.
Documentary Filmmaker and Media Cocktail Party*; Cadillac Tribeca Press Lounge

6 p.m.
“When the Drum Is Beating,” outdoor screening at World Financial Center Plaza, followed by a live performance

9 a.m.-6 p.m.
NYFEST at TFF, featuring industry soccer tournament and celeb soccer match; Pier 40

1 p.m.
Tribeca Talks: Pen to Paper: Based on True Events; Barnes and Noble Union Square

2:30 p.m.
Tribeca Talks: Industry — Meet the Documentary Broadcasters; SVA Theater 2

3 p.m.
Tribeca Talks: Directors Series: Robert De Niro with Brian Williams; BMCC Tribeca PAC, ticketed

5 p.m.
Tribeca Talks: After the Movie: Panel discussion following screening of Chris Paine’s “Revenge of the Electric Car”; SVA Theater 2, ticketed

6 p.m.
Tribeca Drive-in outdoor screening of “The Muppets Take Manhattan”; World Financial Center Plaza

1 p.m.
Tribeca Talks: Pen to Paper: In Conversation with Peter Bart; Barnes & Nobel Union Square

2:30 p.m.
Tribeca Talks: Industry — Are Documentary Films Changing the World?; SVA Theater 2

5:30 p.m.
Tribeca Talks: Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival Panel following Alex Gibney’s “Catching Hell”; SVA Theater 2, ticketed

10 p.m.
Cinemaniac Party*; Tribeca Cinemas

10 a.m.
Women’s Filmmaker Brunch*; W Hotel Downtown

1 p.m.
Tribeca Talks: Pen to Paper — Writing the Documentary; Barnes & Noble Union Square

5:30 p.m.
Tribeca Talks: After the Movie: A live interactive demonstration/screening and discussion about Rockstar Games’ new videogame “L.A. Noire”; SVA.

7:30 p.m.
Chanel Dinner* in Celebration of the 2011 Tribeca Artist Awards; The Odeon

Noon
Directors Brunch* sponsored by Persol; City Hall Restaurant

2:30 p.m.
Tribeca Talks: Industry — Digital by Design sponsored by SAP; SVA

5:30 p.m.
Tribeca Talks: After the Movie: a conversation with exec producer Sean Penn and others following the screening of Dana Nachman and Don Hardy’s “Love Hate Love”; BMCC Tribeca PAC, ticketed

6 p.m.
Tribeca Talks: Directors Series: Doug Liman with Alec Baldwin, SVA, ticketed

8 p.m.
Shorts Filmmakers Party* Sponsored by Bing; Avenue

2:30 p.m.
Tribeca Talks: Industry — The Business of Entertainment sponsored by Bloomberg; SVA Theater 2

8 p.m.
The A&E Indiefilms/Tribeca Documentary filmmmaker party* sponsored by A&E IndieFilms; The Griffin

11 a.m.
TFI Awards*; Riverpark NYC

2:30 p.m.
Tribeca Talks: Industry — Shooting Film on a Budget sponsored by Kodak; SVA Theater 2

4 p.m.
HBO/TFI Documentary Fund reception and panel*; HBO Screening Room

6:30 p.m.
TFF Awards Night* hosted by the W Hotel; W Hotel Union Square

8 p.m.
Filmmaker/Industry party* sponsored by Kodak; Marquee

9 p.m.
Tribeca All Access Legacy Tribute: Quincy Jones*; Hiro Ballroom

2:30 p.m.
Tribeca Talks: Industry — Shooting Anamorphic sponsored by Panavision; SVA Theater 2

4 p.m.
Tribeca Talks Directors Series: Souleymane Cissé with Martin Scorsese; SVA Theater 1, ticketed

5:30 p.m.
Tribeca Talks: Youth Radicalization Redefined: panel discussion presented by TFF, Google Ideas, and the Council on Foreign Relations; SVA Theater 2

10 a.m.-6 p.m.
The Tribeca Family Festival Street Fair; Greenwich Street (from Hubert to Chambers streets)

3 p.m.
Tribeca Talks: After the Movie: a conversation following the 10th anniversary screening of “A Beautiful Mind,” sponsored by Alfred P. Sloan Foundation; SVA, Theater 1, ticketed

6:30 p.m.
Closing Night Film: Edward Burns’ “Newlyweds”*; BMCC Tribeca PAC, with after-party at MI-5

* invitation only