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Geek Vibes Nation
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Vibes Nation
‘Charliebird' Filmmakers On Winning Best Narrative Feature And Why They Chose To Make A Film In A 1:1 Aspect Ratio
When attending a seasoned film festival like Tribeca, it's difficult for a film to truly surprise you. This isn't to suggest the many lovely indie narratives debuting at the festival don't have their merits, but with limited resources often comes limited opportunities to reinvent the wheel. However, Charliebird is an exception to that rule, if only because it is the only film across the entire festival (and likely several editions of the festival) to be presented in a 1:1 aspect ratio. Notably thinner than a standard 1.33:1 aspect ratio often seen in classic cinema but not thin enough to evoke a smartphone screen, it's a bold choice to make for your directorial debut. Yet, it came naturally for Charliebird's director, actress Libby Ewing. 'It all happened really organically,' Ewing told Geek Vibes Nation mere hours before it was announced the film won two Tribeca Festival awards, including Best U.S. Narrative Feature. 'I was really drawn to the images of Petra Collins and snapshots, frames within frames, and portraits. When Luca got on board, he suggested turning an anamorphic lens vertically.' Rather than shoot the film with a traditional widescreen lens and crop in to present the film in a thinner aspect ratio, cinematographer Luca Del Puppo took a 1.5:1 anamorphic lens and squeezed it to make for a taller, longer image. 'The idea was to not start with a spherical lens on a digital negative, which is usually a 1.78:1 sensor or a 1.5:1 cropped in, but instead apply a 1.5:1 anamorphic to a 1.5:1 sensor and extend the negative vertically,' Del Puppo says. 'It's uncropped, but you'll never know that watching it.' 'For me, it always comes back to story,' Ewing said. In Charliebird, screenwriter Samantha Smart portrays Al, a music therapist who works with terminal children in a Texas hospital. Most of her patients are very young children, but one day she is assigned to Charlie (Gabriela Ochoa Perez, who won the Tribeca Award for Best Performance in a U.S. Narrative Feature), a teenage patient who has already given up on her own life. As Al breaks down Charlie's walls and makes a true friend, Al's own trauma begins to bubble up to the surface. 'This woman is boxed in by her own design. For me, it was a no-brainer. She is not facing her past; she's immediately in the center of her life and not doing anything about it. For me, [1:1] was a no-brainer.' 'Something that was immediately important to us was that we were using the full canvas, the full digital negative,' explains Del Puppo. 'By compressing and re-expanding, it seems like you're doing needless work, but it does affect the depth of field and the size of the image…you're going to see a very restricted frame, but it's a much wider vertical than anything you're used to seeing.' This is how Del Puppo could shoot extremely intimate scenes with Smart without losing any visual information. For example, Del Puppo shot many scenes of Smart driving a truck while in the passenger's seat. This is extremely close to his subject, but the film's full format sensor allowed Del Puppo to have a broader depth of field that could capture Smart and her surroundings while still being close up. Naturally, this made for a uniquely intimate shoot. 'There was a kinship there,' said Smart, referring to the trust she had with both Ewing and Del Puppo on set. 'After every take, Libby was holding my hands with ice cubes because she knew, as an amazing actress herself, what I was going through and what I needed. Luca and our sound mixer were so delicate and tender and emotionally with me that it felt a little bit like flying…it was like I knew he was there, also like I didn't know he was there. We just knew it felt sacred, and I cannot imagine having done this film without them, with that energy and that trust.' Moments after our virtual interview, Tribeca announced Charliebird's twofold awards win, a delightful surprise for a competition slate featuring big names and seasoned veterans. Shortly after the announcement, Ewing took to Instagram. 'I have no words…just immense gratitude.' In our full interview with the trio, condensed for brevity and clarity below, they dive into the process behind making the 1:1 aspect ratio a reality, how they formed trust on set, and how Smart dug into her own experience to write a deeply personal story. – Let's cut right to the chase: this is the first time I've seen a 1:1 aspect ratio on screen. What was the conception behind it, as well as the unique challenges that come from making a film this way? Libby Ewing (director): As I was pulling my look book together, I was really drawn to the images of Petra Collins and snapshots, frames within frames, and portraits. When Luca [Del Puppo] got on board, he suggested turning an anamorphic lens vertically. Sam [Smart] was gracious enough to do some test runs with us, and we sent it to our colorist. It came back, and it was the choice that made the most sense to us. It all happened really organically. It feels like a bold idea – this is my first feature, is this like a statement I'm making? – but it was so supported by the story. For me, it always comes back to story. This woman is boxed in by her own design. She has no horizons forward. She is not facing her past; she's immediately in the center of her life and not doing anything about it. That fed into this idea that all the characters are boxed in. For me, it was a no-brainer. I know it's a really bold choice, but it didn't feel like a bold choice. Luca Del Puppo (cinematographer): Something that was immediately important to us was that we were using the full canvas, the full digital negative. The idea was to not start with a spherical lens on a digital negative, which is usually a 1.78:1 sensor or a 1.5:1 cropped-in, but instead apply a 1.5:1 anamorphic to a 1.5:1 sensor and extend the negative vertically. It's uncropped, but you'll never know that watching it. Ah! I assumed you were using a standard horizontal aspect ratio and cropping in. My interest is piqued! What did you shoot with? Del Puppo: We started with a full-frame camera, the Sony VENICE, which is a 1.5:1 native aspect ratio. It has the same aspect ratio as your dad's old Nikon that he used to take all the family photos, which comes back to something else Libby and Sam wanted. They wanted to have that feeling. Then, for the 1.5:1 anamorphic squeeze, Atlas makes these great lenses [the Orion series]. They're a new company, but they've been used on really major pictures like Anora and Everything Everywhere All at Once. They had two things. The lens is a 1.5 squeeze, so we knew we would get a one-to-one negative, and it had a great close focus, so I could get close to Sam in certain key moments. By compressing and re-expanding, it seems like you're doing needless work, but it does affect the depth of field and the size of the image so that it gets much closer to a medium format negative. You're going to see a very restricted frame, but it's a much wider vertical than anything you're used to seeing. It's a very different perspective shift. There are scenes in this movie where you are in the car with Sam, and there is so much more depth of field than if you were trying to shoot it with a typical digital close-up lens, right? Luca: Right. You're getting more depth of field vertically and less depth of field horizontally. That is amazing, thank you for that insight. Sam, you're both the star and screenwriter of Charliebird, and I love a good piece of autofiction. To the best of your ability, where exactly do you end and the story begin? Samantha Smart (screenwriter/star): Oh, that's a good question. God, it's funny, early on I was writing this film and presenting it to Libby and was like, 'I think I wanna play this character and I want you to direct it.' I always thought it would serve the story to have an outside perspective, and Libby's so brilliant and collaborative. I have such trust in her. I never once thought I would need to do more than what I did, but after a couple of years creating Al [Sam's character], I got to the point where I told Libby, 'You're gonna have to cast someone else. It's so far from me. She's bleach blonde, she's tatted up. I'm not gonna be able to do this.' I got a little bit scared, but Libby helped me find her. In a way, I think almost every character [in the film] is a triad of myself, someone else I knew in Texas, and then a third entity I can't really explain. Without wanting to sound lofty, it's all me and it's all not me. Once I found each character's voice and who they were, I just listened to them and wrote what they said, which sounds really…whatever. [laughs] I don't know another way to write. There's a very meta thing that happens as you watch the movie. You meet Al, and the first thing you learn about her is that she is forced to confront the most emotionally devastating things, and she is compartmentalizing that in order to do the job. Then, the audience is also forced to engage with that same material, and then they have to compartmentalize it in order to continue watching the movie. I'm curious if you had to confront that same compartmentalization. Smart: I had the idea [for the film] and then unfortunately went through some stuff that enabled me to write it, some personal loss that is very different from Al's. I've been leaving Texas my whole adult life, but when I began writing, I found myself right back where I started. The backstory of Al as a kid – even though we went with a more ambiguous choice – that's very much based on things that I experienced growing up, and I realized I needed to deal with it on the page. I want to go back to the camera work and the close focus. Sam, I can imagine this was a unique shooting experience given the intimacy of both the material and the camera. How did you approach your relationship to the camera on set? Samantha: It started with the trust between me and Libby. I've worked with her before. We're very close, and I knew that, with anything I was gonna try, she would hold me up, build me up, and direct me in the right way. Then, Luca and I had just filmed a short about a year before, so we had a dialogue and a comfort between us. The three of us are just film nerds, photography nerds. There was a kinship there. On day three, we were starting with the scene where Al is at home in a drunken state. That was obviously very difficult for many reasons, but Libby had given me choreography. After every take, Libby was holding my hands with ice cubes because she knew, as an amazing actress herself, what I was going through and what I needed. Luca and our sound mixer were so delicate and tender and emotionally with me that it felt a little bit like flying. I don't know what Luca was doing with his body to catch me, but it was like I knew he was there, also like I didn't know he was there. We just knew it felt sacred, and I cannot imagine having done this film without them, with that energy and that trust, because it allowed me to not have to think. From my perspective as a viewer, it seems like that scene was the most challenging scene to shoot, but maybe I'm wrong, Libby? Ewing: It wasn't in the most surprising way. There are always the scenes that you're nervous about, and the way that we built our schedule, having the crew and Sam do all of that early on, was nerve-wracking. But I have to say that day was really special because everyone was just so locked in, and everyone respected what was happening. The way that Sam brought herself to the role changed the alchemy of our set. The whole crew was like, 'Oh, I get it. I know what we're making.' Something happened that night where that trust was built, and then we led with that. When we brought in our other actors, Luca, Sam, and I had a real shorthand. Luca––I don't know what he is, he's not of this earth. I felt like he was connected to my brain all the time. Smart: Libby would, like, telepathically tell us to do something, and we would do it. Del Puppo: It's not every day that you get to work with two people who have what Libby and Sam have, and you recognize it pretty quickly. We didn't have tremendous resources on this film, but what Libby did so brilliantly as a director was find days ahead of time where we could shoot, build them into the schedule, and be super specific about all the shots so that then when Sam and I were alone together in the truck, for example, we knew what we were doing. One of the best experiences of my life was shooting the last scene. What made it holy was Libby setting us up, and Sam and I being in the moment. Luca, from a DP's perspective, is there a methodology to making sure you're capturing information when you're dealing with such a sensitive depth of field? Del Puppo: Look, the depth of field is tiny. We're at minimum focus, and I'm pulling focus and just trying to stay with Sam because what she's doing is amazing, and you can see it. There's also a two-stop iris pull, so you're doing two things with your fingers. You spend your whole life getting technical, so then what, so then you can be proud of yourself? You have to throw all that stuff away. I get really impatient with DP's saying things like, 'My frame, my light.' That's the most absurd thing I've ever heard. I don't have patience for that. You try it and you get it and if you don't get it, then you feel like shit because Sam and Libby just did something that can't be replicated, so just do it. Smart: For the final scene, there was a lot of pressure. We had five minutes of light. By the time we were rounding the street to be able to go for it, our safety car had an issue. We lost contact on our walkie-talkie. Luca's in there holding the entire camera setup by himself. I was just ready and, this sounds so 'woo,' but we could feel Libby being like, 'Just fucking go.' So, I just started driving, and we got it. I don't know how we did it. It was a really special day. Ewing: Luca came back to our little home base in this vacant parking lot and showed me the playback, and I burst into tears. It was just perfect. All that trust built to that 15-minute shot, and it was just stunning. Del Puppo: The camera's 30 pounds, we're on an anamorphic lens. We don't have a three-person camera team. We shot the whole thing handheld without an easy rig. As a DP, at a certain point, you ask yourself, 'Is this big black easy rig thing going to distract from the film? If it is, then just hold the camera.' I know that it sounds banal, but some of these decisions were that simple. Knowing that you had that 30 pound set up shooting handheld with no rig is fucking crazy. Del Puppo: Well, I'm short and wide, so it works out. Ewing: He's a beast. He just needed a second dinner every night. You just gotta keep him fed and fueled. It's like Michael Phelps loading up carbs before a big swim. Ewing: That's right. Luca: Sam brought us to a great burger place on the first night. It really was a family affair, and we just kept going back there for more.
Geek Vibes Nation
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Vibes Nation
‘Charliebird' Review - A Soul Restoring Healing Journey
Healing comes in a myriad of forms. This is even true if you look at our medical system, deeply flawed as it may be. There are people working within these structures, with specialized degrees that most of us know nothing about, such as music therapists. This does not make the role that they play any less powerful or important. When we need them, they are there for us in ways that we cannot yet imagine. And even still, healing is deeper than that and not simply structured by letters after our names. Healers need healing just as much as the rest of us, and sometimes they need it more. It is a mistake to believe that anyone, even doctors or therapists, has it all together. Libby Ewing's first feature film as a director, Charliebird, is passionate, beautiful, and yes, healing. Ewing is wonderfully self-assured behind the camera and, working with Samantha Smart's script (and co-lead performance), has a mastery of both image and pace. Cinematographer Luca del Puppo is comfortable both in the standard shots in the hospital and the more dreamy, impressionistic moments of Al's (Smart) flashbacks. The way the film intercuts between the two, thanks to editors Perry Blackshear and Ewing, leaves us wondering where things are headed, but never in a frustrating manner. This film could easily be seen as simply a two-hander between Al and her patient, Charlie (Gabriela Ochoa Perez), but it is much more than that. Charlie is 17 years old and quite ill (as she has been for many years), but more than that, she is still a normal teenage girl and everything that this entails. She is both difficult and endearing in the space of a breath, and Perez treads the line with perfect balance. Despite the impressive script, with the wrong Charlie, the film loses what it needs most, empathy and kindness. One of the many ways that they achieve this is by staying away from clichéd moments between Charlie and Al. Yes, when Al first offers her services as a music therapist, Charlie pushes her away. But there is no excessive drama, no tears, no screaming; this is simply a young woman who has seen it all from the medical world, too much of it in fact. She has been forced, as a teenager, to reckon not only with her own mortality, but with what that loss will do to those around her. And Al, to her credit, takes this teenage behavior in stride, almost immediately becoming a solitary, trustworthy figure in Charlie's life. Charlie, of course, has parents (Maria Peyramaure and Gabe Fazio), but it is desperately important that she is introduced alone, for a few reasons. She is on the cusp of adulthood and, because of her condition, she cannot help but feel exactly that, alone. No friends, no family, and certainly no doctors can possibly feel what she is feeling. Not really. They can empathize, as we all hope we can, but lived experience is different, no matter how hard they may try. Although the film begins essentially with the two leads, it becomes much more than that, and again, without needless drama. Even moments of largess and shouting are toned down through a deeply effective sound design that somehow leads us to be drawn in closer, instead of putting us at a distance. This is similar to both Al and Charlie, the desire for closeness that they both have, even if they continue to deny it or, worse, completely avoid it. Al hides behind who she is supposed to be as a veteran therapist, and Charlie has her illness as a bit of a shield. As they both wonder exactly what is going on with the other, they meander their way to an understanding of themselves through one another and their burgeoning sisterhood. The narrative is a bit of a magic trick, given that Smart purposefully withholds easy answers and truths from the audience. Frankly, I found myself grateful, as any misstep in this area would lead to audiences rolling their eyes and recalling Patch Adams (which is referenced in a line of dialogue, showing keen awareness of this minefield). Yes, kindness, laughter, and empathy are all important parts of healing. But there is a science behind everything that Al is doing as a music therapist, no matter what the medical doctors may think or say. The aforementioned sound design, from Cindy Takehara Ferruccio, also blends perfectly with the musicality of Charliebird. Obviously, this is incredibly important, not only because of Al's profession, but also because of music's particular healing power. There is a deeper level of emotion accessible through instrumentation and voice that is absent from any other connective tissue of feeling. This is another area in which the film could have gone off the rails by casting an actress with a perfect Broadway voice. Al sounds like a real person, with a good voice, both when she is having fun with Charlie and when her singing is wracked with emotion. The growth of these two women and the emotions that they feel, both separately and together, is where Charliebird truly flies. In a festival packed with powerful stories, this is the one I will remember more than any other. The journey the two go on, and not simply the ending, is powerful, beautiful, and soul-restorative. Charliebird held its World Premiere as a part of the U.S. Narrative Competition section of the 2025 Tribeca Festival. Director: Melody C. Roscher Screenwriter: Samantha Smart Rated: NR Runtime: 98m
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Comedian Isabel Hagen Revisits Her Roots Playing the Viola in ‘On a String' First Look
Comedian Isabel Hagen is blurring fact and fiction with her music-centric directorial debut 'On a String.' The indie, which debuts at Tribeca, fits perfectly within the 2025 program for the acclaimed festival, which has additional highlights such as 'Billy Joel: And So It Goes,' Miley Cyrus' 'Something Beautiful,' and music therapist drama 'Charliebird.' Hagen writes, directs, and stars in 'On a String' which centers on a Juilliard-trained violist looking for her big break. In real life, Hagen somehow also finds time between appearing on 'The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon' and performing at the Just for Laughs festival to tour with buzzy bands, most recently Vampire Weekend. More from IndieWire 'Lilo & Stitch': How Director Dean Fleischer Camp Followed the Chris Sanders Animation Manual in Adapting His Misfit Alien 'Titan: The OceanGate Disaster' Review: A Surface-Level Netflix Documentary About the Submersible Implosion Heard Around the World The official synopsis for 'On a String' reads: 'Isabel (Hagen) is a young, Juilliard-trained violist still living at home with her parents in the heart of New York City. She's trying to make a living playing gigs with her friends but when her toxic ex- boyfriend reappears, who also happens to be the Philharmonic's 'newest, hottest cellist,' he informs her of a viola opening in the prestigious orchestra. Nothing can go wrong, right?' Dylan Baker, Ling Ling Huang, Frederick Weller, Jamie Lee, and Eric Bogosian co-star. 'As a Juilliard graduate, I freelanced as a violist in New York City for over a decade,' Hagen told IndieWire. 'I played weddings, private parties, backup strings for singer-songwriters, among other engagements. I've been a tiny part of other peoples' big life moments, finding paradoxical intimacy in being an observer. It's this role of the observer that initially inspired me to write 'On a String,' which is not about someone driven by a desire for success, but rather by a need for true connection to the world around her, with no idea how to find it.' In an additional director's statement, Hagen cited her love for the viola 'faded' during her time at Juilliard. 'Still, music was all I knew, and I freelanced as a violist in New York City for over a decade (I did eventually become a stand-up comedian, but that's another movie),' she said. 'While this film tells a tale of a classical musician navigating a specific world, with which many may be unfamiliar, I was interested in using that specificity to capture an experience I find to be universal — that of confronting the reality of following your dreams and accepting life's inevitable limitations. Authenticity was a priority for me in telling this story. The film features live-captured musical performances, and the musician characters are almost entirely played by trained musicians, including my real-life brother, pianist Oliver Hagen, portraying my character's brother in the film.' 'On a String' is produced by Hagen, Olivia Vessel, Torrance Shepherd, Alex Vara, and Annie McGrath. 'On a String' premieres at the Tribeca Festival as a sales title with Andrew Herwitz at the Film Sales Company handling rights. Check out the first look clip below. Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie Nicolas Winding Refn's Favorite Films: 37 Movies the Director Wants You to See
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Charliebird' First Look: A Children's Hospital Music Therapist Struggles to Find Hope Through Song in Tribeca Premiere
There is a certain ballad that carries over when dealing with a shared trauma: It's a resonance that only those who are attuned to woe can understand. In the highly-anticipated film 'Charliebird,' that song is amplified to a volume that no doubt will be heard by audiences everywhere. 'Charliebird' stars Samantha Smart (who also wrote the script) as a music therapist at a children's hospital. During her shift, she is assigned to work with one patient whose story triggers her own past. The film will have its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in the narrative competition section. This Libby Ewing's directorial feature debut. More from IndieWire Akira Kurosawa Event at Film Forum to Debut 4K Restorations of 'High and Low,' 'Stray Dog,' and More 'It's Dorothy!' Review: The 'Wizard of Oz' Heroine's Cultural Impact Is Closely Considered in This Energetic Doc The official synopsis reads: 'Working as a music therapist at a children's hospital in Texas, Alyse aka Al (Smart) is deeply devoted to her patients and has a rebellious spirit. She's masking her struggle to face a violent, past trauma. Her world is challenged when Charlie, a resistant 17-year-old patient, is assigned to her. Unlike her other kids, Charlie has no interest in working with Al. She doesn't trust her at first, but there is something about Charlie that reminds Al of her past and she is drawn to her, determined to break through. Their sisterly bond grows with an unexpected force. As professional lines blur, Al moves through her past, as Charlie confronts her unknown future.' Gabriela Ochoa Perez, Jeffrey Grover, Gabe Fazio, and Maria Peyramaure co-star. 'Charliebird' is produced by Ewing, Smart, and Elliot Gipson. The film was developed in Ewing's female writers collective, which she started in 2020. 'Once the characters became clear to me, they kind of steered the script- as woo as that sounds. In that way, I don't feel like I wrote it: I feel like I listened and typed,' Smart said. After then after director Ewing's own father suddenly passed away in 2023, she knew that it would be cathartic and healing for them both to bring the story of 'Charliebird' to the screen. 'It was a life altering experience,' Ewing told IndieWire of making the film. 'Sam and I had been working on 'Charliebird' for a while at that point and the only thing that made sense to me [after losing my dad] was to make this film. Funding was a long, oftentimes discouraging journey and ultimately we were able to fund our film because of individuals who were touched by this story. Our beloved community, including League City, San Leon, Dickinson High School, and The Houston Film Commission, were tremendous resources for us. We kept production as small as we could without losing the integrity of the story. If there were financial limitations, that's where the creative problem solving pushed me and the team into making bold and meaningful, story driven choices. Sam and I were relentless in our mission and I'm convinced making a movie is a miracle.' Ewing added that it was 'serendipitous' to be at Tribeca 2025, especially during a year where the festival program has a strong music theme with debuts of Billy Joel's 'And So It Goes' documentary and Miley Cyrus' own directorial debut, 'Something Beautiful.' 'We all know that music is transcendent and transformative; it has the power to heal,' Ewing said. 'My hope is that 'Charliebird' highlights how vital the work of music therapists and creative arts therapists are as part of the healing journey. These individuals are dedicating themselves to not only providing an outlet for patients, but in many cases, assisting patients and their families during the process of end-of-life care. These programs are often the first to lose funding and I hope to rally our audiences' support around the value this provides for our failing healthcare system.' Ewing and Smart are set to reunite on another music-centric film, titled 'September.' The feature is a love story set in Paris. 'Charliebird' premieres at Tribeca as a sales title from Circus Road Films. Check out the first look clip below. Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie Nicolas Winding Refn's Favorite Films: 37 Movies the Director Wants You to See
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Charliebird' Wins Top Tribeca Festival Jury Prize: Full List of Winners
The 2025 Tribeca Festival has announced its jury winners. Libby Ewing's 'Charliebird' leads the awards, taking the top honor in the U.S. Narrative section. 'Happy Birthday' and 'Natchez' were both recognized in the respective International Narrative and Documentary competitions, with Andrea Riseborough and Brenda Blethyn sharing the Performance Award for 'Dragonfly.' 'Every year at Tribeca we set out to spotlight the most exciting new voices from around the world,' Tribeca Festival director and SVP of programming Cara Cusumano said. 'We are thrilled our jury honored this mission with winners that brilliantly represent the vibrancy and diversity of global independent storytelling today.' More from IndieWire 'Tow' Review: Rose Byrne Fights Bureaucracy in a Social Justice Drama That Narrowly Steers Clear of Poverty Porn 'Stories Don't Have to Be About Disability' to Feature Actors with a Disability: A Call for Change The Tribeca 2025 awards championed first-time directors such as Ewing ('Charliebird'), Cristian Carretero and Lorraine Jones Molina ('Esta Isla') with the Best New Narrative Director Award, Isabel Hagen ('On a String') with the Best Screenplay in a U.S. Narrative Feature award, Walter Thompson-Hernandez ('Kites') with the Viewpoints Award, Sarah Goher ('Happy Birthday') with Best International Narrative Feature, Best Screenplay in an International Narrative Feature, and the prestigious Nora Ephron Award, and Rowan Haber ('We Are Pat') and Augusto Zegarra ('Runa Simi') with the Albert Maysles Award for Best New Documentary Director honors. Winners of the Audience Award, which are determined by audience votes throughout the festival, will be announced at a later date. The festival concludes on Sunday, June 15. The full 2025 Tribeca winners and Special Jury mentions are below. U.S. NARRATIVE COMPETITIONFounders Award for Best U.S. Narrative Feature: 'Charliebird,' director Libby Ewing (United States) – World Premiere. Jury Statement: 'A deeply affecting portrait featuring grounded and complex performances, this film is an assured and well-crafted debut.' This award is presented by Jury Mention for Best U.S. Narrative Feature: 'Esta Isla (This Island),' directors Cristian Carretero and Lorraine Jones Molina (Puerto Rico) – World Premiere. Jury statement: 'A compelling depiction of a place, this film is a lush and stunningly realized reckoning with class, love and history.'Best Performance in a U.S. Narrative Feature: Gabriela Ochoa Perez for 'Charliebird' (United States) – World Premiere. Jury statement: 'This actor delivers a fresh performance that is at once ferocious and vulnerable. She grounds a young woman's painful journey in humanity and truth.'Best Screenplay in a U.S. Narrative Feature: Isabel Hagen for 'On a String' (United States) – World Premiere. Jury statement: 'A nimble, witty and accomplished story that chronicles the ups and downs of a young woman who has to face the music.'Best Cinematography in a U.S. Narrative Feature: Cedric Cheung-Lau for 'Esta Isla (This Island)' (Puerto Rico) – World Premiere. Jury statement: 'Beautifully lensed, this film is full of unforgettable and evocative imagery. Lovingly rendered, it is equally adept at capturing the intimate details and grandest vistas.'INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE COMPETITIONBest International Narrative Feature: 'Happy Birthday,' director Sarah Goher (Egypt) – World Premiere. Jury statement: 'For its authentic and complex portrayal of class, motherhood, and loss of innocence, along with outstanding performances – especially by its young star – and its brilliant nuanced writing.'Special Jury Mention for International Narrative Feature: 'Cuerpo Celeste,' director Nayra Ilic García (Chile, Italy) – World Premiere. Jury statement: 'For its fantastic central performance, arresting visuals, and subtle storytelling that touches on both a changing political landscape and the aftermath of grief.' Best Performance in an International Narrative Feature: Andrea Riseborough and Brenda Blethyn for'Dragonfly' (United Kingdom) – World Premiere. 'For an audience, there is nothing as exciting as watching actors bravely and fully immerse themselves in characters who leave us filled with both empathy and dread – and so for their daring and electrifying turns, we are thrilled to present Best Performance in and International Film to Andrea Riseborough and Brenda Blethyn.'Best Screenplay in an International Narrative Feature: Mohamed Diab and Sarah Goher for 'Happy Birthday' (Egypt) – World Premiere. Jury statement: 'For its profound and yet economical storytelling, compelling characters, and wonderfully crafted dialogue.'Best Cinematography in an International Narrative Feature: Lev Predan Kowarski for 'Little Trouble Girls' (Slovenia, Italy, Croatia, Serbia) – North American Premiere. Jury statement: 'For its evocative tone and rich sensual texture, which conjured the fragility of a singular summer.'DOCUMENTARY COMPETITIONBest Documentary Feature: 'Natchez,' director Suzannah Herbert (United States) – World Premiere. Jury statement: 'Who tells America's story? In a country where the rewriting and abject erasure of African American history threatens a truthful understanding of who we are, the jury applauds this film's focus on a southern town, once one of America's largest slave markets, whose economic mainstay is now historic tours. The film's incisive, razor-sharp craft, its deft navigation of myriad participants without ever losing clarity, its timeliness, its humor, its confrontation of naked racism, yet its refusal to flatten its Mississippian storytellers—however flawed—into easy villains, for being artful, honest, and deeply compassionate, the jury—unanimously and unequivocally—awards a film that brings us hope not for an America that can agree, but one that might understand each other.'Special Jury Mention for Documentary Feature: 'An Eye for an Eyedirectors Tanaz Eshaghian and Farzad Jafari (Denmark, Iran, United States) – World Premiere. Jury statement: 'At a time when women's rights are eroding globally, the jury would be remiss if we did not recognize the courageous, unflinching, gut wrenching, verité virtuosity of a film set in a society that severely limits women's rights, even those of victims of extreme domestic violence. The story unfolds in real time with life and death hanging in the balance, leaving the audience breathlessly invested in the outcome.'Best Cinematography in a Documentary Feature: Chance Falkner and Johnny Friday for 'The Last Dive' (United States) – World Premiere. Jury statement: 'After a passionate debate, we award a film which immersed us in a natural world where the meeting between man and animal literally changes the course of preservation history, and the redemption of a broken soul. For its sweeping aerial and underwater footage, shocking archival witness, and intimate portrait of a person confronting morality.'Special Jury Mention for Cinematography in a Documentary Feature: Noah Collier for 'Natchez' (United States) – World Premiere. Jury statement: 'For its idiosyncratic visual storytelling, masterfully timed and restrained camerawork, and photography as close, wide and open as the film's curious heart.'Best Editing in a Documentary Feature: Soren B. Ebbe and Hayedeh Safiyari for 'An Eye for an Eye' (Denmark, Iran, United States) – World Premiere. 'For its narrative precision, for locking us inside a moral crucible without relief, and for weaving a multigenerational, deeply personal story that gives equal weight to all participants with searing emotional impact, and for the clarity and courage of its storytelling. Not one frame feels gratuitous as the film barrels relentlessly towards its conclusion.'Special Jury Mention for Editing in a Documentary Feature: Pablo Proenza for 'Natchez' (United States) – World Premiere. Jury statement: 'The editing seamlessly balances all the elements of an extremely complicated story, and delivers a powerful impact that resonates long after the film concludes.'VIEWPOINTS AWARD'A Bright Future,' director Lucia Garibaldi (Uruguay, Argentina, Germany) – World Premiere. Jury statement: 'This year's Viewpoints award goes to a film driven by an original, inventive voice. The filmmaker creates a seamless world that is captivating, thought-provoking, fresh and increasingly relevant. Weaving themes of the fetishization of youth, the timeless pursuit of dreams, and what makes us human, and anchored by a pitch perfect performance from their lead actress, we are pleased to award this year's Viewpoint prize to A Bright Future. We believe Lucia Garibaldi has a very bright future.'Special Jury Mention for Viewpoints: 'Kites,' director Walter Thompson-Hernandez (Brazil) – World Premiere. Jury statement: 'Special Jury Prize goes to a film with astounding cinematography that balances verite with magical realism and upends conventional story structure. The love the filmmaker has for his characters and their community writ large was infectious. We all think we have time but the angels let us know we have to hurry and become the people who want to be.'BEST NEW NARRATIVE DIRECTOR AWARDLorraine Jones Molina and Cristian Carretero for 'Esta Isla (This Island)' – World Premiere. Jury statement: 'The award for Best New Narrative Director goes to a film that straddles crime fiction and ethnography; it balances poetic imagery, lush landscapes, and cinematic tension; it takes audiences deep into the crisis of survival of a young man on an island that's both a paradise and a prison.' This award is presented by MAYSLES AWARD FOR BEST NEW DOCUMENTARY DIRECTORAugusto Zegarra for 'Runa Simi' (Peru) – World Premiere. Jury statement: 'This award goes to a film that takes us on a seemingly lighthearted journey while tackling an essential question: why storytelling matters. From the casting, to the frame, to the editorial pacing, this director creates the total cinematic package, revealing one man's fight to preserve his people's culture.'Special Jury Mention for New Documentary Director: Rowan Haber for 'We Are Pat' (United States) – World Premiere. Jury statement: 'This award goes to a film that tackles a morally urgent issue with a fresh and unique directorial vision that made us think, cry, and most unexpectedly laugh. For powerfully centering the voices of the community it represents, inventive visual approach, and for helping us see a complex pop cultural figure in a new way.'NORA EPHRON AWARDThe Nora Ephron Award will honor an exceptional female filmmaker who represents the spirit and vision of the legendary filmmaker and Goher for 'Happy Birthday' (Egypt) – World Premiere. Jury statement: 'This film was not only compelling as an audience experience, but like all great works of art, it did not confine itself to the story, and was resonant on a larger canvas. It explored the intersection of innocence and class from the eyes of a child longing for a birthday party and reluctantly understanding her place in society, being on the outside, and longing to be invited to the inside.'SHORTS COMPETITIONBest Narrative Short: 'Beyond Silence,' director Marnie Blok (Netherlands) – International Premiere. Jury statement: 'Covering an enormous subject with beautiful minimalism, brilliant performances combine with a skillful script to give new meaning to 'finding your voice.' Raw and devastating. Impressive and emotional.'Special Jury Mention for Narrative Short: 'Chasing the Party,' director Jessie Komitor (United States) – World Premiere. Jury statement: 'With a compelling combination of character and world, this nostalgic look at young hope on a wild night is filled with surprises of fantasy and nightmare. We'll be thinking of this fresh, provocative film for a long time and cannot wait to see what this director does next.'Best Documentary Short: 'I hope this email finds you well,' director Asia Zughaiar (Palestine) – World Premiere. Jury Statement: 'Our choice for the Best Short Documentary Award poses the question: what even is a documentary? A documentary can be anything that allows the viewer to connect with what the filmmaker has experienced. We believe this film helps us not only see, but feel.'Special Jury Mention for Documentary Short: 'Natasha,' directors Mark Franchetti and Andrew Meier (Italy, Russia) – World Premiere. Jury Statement: 'In times like these, it's important to honor those who came before us, those who fought to make the world a more just and livable place. Our Special Jury choice reflects on one such hidden figure, whose legacy left an outsized impact on the world we live in today.'Best Animated Short: 'Playing God,' director Matteo Burani (Italy, France) – New York Premiere. Jury statement: 'Visceral and experimental, using the form to its greatest abilities — this beautiful exploration of existential turmoil is at the heart of cinema — why are we here, how did we get here, what would it be like to have the thumb of god in your hand, and what is the price when one yearns to be free?'Special Jury Mention for Animated Short: 'Petra and the Sun,' directors Malu Furche and Stefania Malacchini(Chile) – North American Premiere. Jury statement: 'The attention to detail, the specificity of longing and loneliness, and the immersive quality of this stop-motion character study created a moving experience. The texture and visible traces of the human hand brought a delicate realism in this story about an unusual and unforgettable chance encounter.'Best Music Video: 'Rock The Bells' – LL COOL J, director Gregory Brunkalla (United Stated). Jury statement: 'To honor our first-ever Music Video Jury Competition winner, we found it only fitting to celebrate the great city of New York—with a music video that captures the style, swag, and sound of Tribeca's hometown.'Student Visionary Award: Manya Glassman for 'How I Learned to Die' (United States) – World Premiere. Jury statement: 'Our choice for the Student Visionary Award manages to make a capital-M Movie out of a short student film. We, the jury, believe this film is filled with ambition, hope, and personality—paired with complex, emotional subject matter that touches on something we will all experience: Jury Mention for Student Visionary: Jiayi Li for 'āyí' (United States) – World Premiere. Jury statement: 'Sometimes, the people who are the fabric of our lives are the ones most often forgotten. With this film, we catch a glimpse of what it feels like to be overlooked—but not erased. We would like to give a Special Jury Mention.' 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