 |
| Al Gore will host gala |
Seven SOS shortfilms will premiere at the Tribeca Festival’s opening evening of April 25.
SOS is the campaign behind the Live Earth global concert series to be held on July 7 this year and the mission of the short films programme is to create a series of educational and compelling short films that highlight the problems of, and engage people with solutions to, the global climate crisis.
Among the 60 award-winning filmmakers commissioned to create the provocative 10 minute shorts are British talents, including The Last King Of Scotland Director Kevin Macdonald, Sexy Beast director Jonathan Glazer and Wallace and Gromit production company Aardman Animation.
Tribeca’s opening night gala, hosted by former Vice President Al Gore, will include musical performances by Live Earth music acts. This event marks the official launch of the SOS Short Films Program.
Gore said: "Global warming is a generational challenge requiring both US leadership and a global response. The SOS Short Films Program harnesses some of the world's most creative minds to educate, inform and inspire people across the globe to solve the climate crisis.
"Premiering the SOS films at Tribeca will ensure that these pieces will be viewed all over the world for years to come – and hopefully they will help spur to action the next generation of international leaders to join the effort to solve the climate crisis."
Co-founder of the festival, Jane Rosenthal added: "The Tribeca Film Festival was founded with a mission to collectively improve our community.
"The very concept of SOS – entertainment effecting social change – is at the roots of our festival and we can’t think of a better way to open this year than by world premiering the SOS Short Film Program.
"Films have the ability to take an issue and galvanize people to act. We commend SOS for reaching out to filmmakers to use their medium to bring awareness to the climate crisis. We are proud to be a part of this and hopeful that SOS will inspire significant environmental changes."
Festival organisers are looking outwards for their opening films - but are contemplating something much closer to home for their closing selection.
In 1979, Christo and Jeanne-Claude proposed one of the largest public art installations in history: a "golden river" of 7500 fabric-panelled gates in Central Park. Transcending controversy, it was finally completed in 2005.
The Gates, directed by renowned documentary maker Albert Maysles and Antonio Ferrera, chronicles the 26-year story of the artists' vision to transform the winter darkness of the Central Park into a garden of light and color.
Jane Rosenthal said: "The Gates celebrates New York City and so it is a fitting work for our closing night.
"Antonio Ferrera, Albert Maysles, Jean-Claude and Christo have captured the beauty of our City with The Gates, the ultimate artistic backdrop."
