News

Kingsley Ben-Adir (Bob Marley: One Love, Barbie) and Rob Morgan (Mudbound, Don’t Look Up) have signed on to star in Frank & Louis (working title), the upcoming English-language debut from Swiss-Italian director Petra Volpe, whose recent feature Late Shift drew acclaim at this year’s Berlinale and became a local box office success in German-speaking Europe.

Volpe first drew international attention with her 2017 feature The Divine Order, which was Switzerland’s official Oscar entry.

TrustNordisk has acquired world sales rights to Frank & Louis, which began principal photography on April 30, and will pitch it to buyers at the Cannes film market next week.

Set within the walls of a U.S. prison, Frank & Louis follows Frank (Ben-Adir), a man serving a life sentence who takes on a caretaking role for aging inmates suffering from memory loss. The BAFTA-nominated British actor has drawn attention from recent turns as Bob Marley...

"Georg, something's not right here." The Match Factory has revealed a teaser trailer for a mystery thriller film titled Mother's Baby, made by Austrian filmmaker Johanna Moder. This just premiered at the 2025 Berlin Film Festival a few days ago, and will likely play at more film festivals this the year before hitting theaters. An unsettling film about a new mother. Julia, a successful conductor, and her partner Georg would like to have a child when Dr. Vilfort offers them hope. Julia becomes pregnant at the doctor's private clinic in Vienna. The birth does not go well and the baby is immediately taken away, leaving Julia and Georg in the dark about what has happened. When finally reunited with the child a day later, Julia feels strangely distant. She begins to doubt whether it is really her child... The especially talented Swiss-German actress Marie Leuenberger (from The Divine Order) stars as Julia,...

There’s an apt bluntness to the English-language title of Petra Volpe’s new feature. It says what’s necessary and gets the job done, not unlike the nurse at the center of Late Shift. It’s worth noting, though, that the Swiss-German film’s original title, Heldin, though similarly to-the-point, forgoes the just-the-facts modesty and cops to something that fuels the movie no less than the nuts and bolts of 21st century medical care: awed admiration. It means “heroine,” and there’s no question that Floria Lind, the devoted pro played with prodigious fluency by Leonie Benesch in this tense and immersing workplace drama, is as valiant as the most epically challenged protagonist in an action saga.

Volpe (The Divine Order) and her lead actor move through the hospital with a go-go-go energy that’s thoroughly gripping, never forced. Even before her shift begins, Floria’s engaged but terse...

If you've ever spent time at a hospital, you know how incredibly hard working and dedicated nurses are. And how essential they are to keeping a hospital functioning while taking care of all of the patients. This Swiss film premiering at the 2025 Berlin Film Festival is a tribute to nurses while also acting as an urgent call to the world to make sure there are enough nurses working to take care of everyone all over the world. Heldin (which translates to Heroine in German) is the latest feature film made by the exceptionally talented Swiss filmmaker Petra Volpe, her third feature film following Dreamland and The Divine Order (another one of my favorites from 2017 - I interviewed Volpe during the release back then). The film is an intimate, intense, riveting thriller following Floria, a dedicated & caring nurse, who works the late shift in the cancer ward at an overcrowded, understaffed hospital in Switzerland.

There’s a thin, squiggly tattoo running down the forearm of diligent hospital nurse Floria, always visible past the short sleeves of her royal-blue scrubs, but hard to really get a look at, since her hands are constantly in motion, doggedly busy. Occasionally, as we follow her through the exhausting nighttime rounds that make up “Late Shift,” we catch a glimpse of the ink and wonder what it is, what it means, what it says of this woman’s life outside long hours of caring for strangers. Perhaps even Floria, bleary after hours on her feet, sometimes spots it and is reminded of who she is. Petra Volpe’s pacy, empathetic workplace drama ostensibly shows us only its protagonist’s professional persona, though that sometimes cracks and parts to reveal a fallible human in need of some care herself.

Floria is played by Leonie Benesch, the German actor with the clear,...

Petra Volpe’s “Late Shift” – which plays at this year’s Special Gala in Berlin – plunges into the high-pressure world of an understaffed Swiss hospital, unfolding close to real-time through the eyes of a dedicated nurse.

Produced by Zodiac Pictures, Swiss Radio and Television Srf, with world sales handled by TrustNordisk, the film marks a departure from Petra Volpe’s acclaimed suffrage comedy “The Divine Order,” Switzerland’s submission for best international film. Instead, the director’s latest delivers a taut, empathetic drama that captures the stressful realities nurses face.

Volpe immersed herself in research before making the film, accompanying nurses on hospital shifts to understand their daily struggles. The idea for “Late Shift” took root after reading German nurse Madeline Calvelage’s nonfiction book “Our Profession Is Not the Problem – It’s the Circumstances.”

“Just reading it gave me heart palpitations, and it sparked my initial inspiration to tell the story of one woman,...

Six independent production companies from Germany, Austria and Switzerland are pooling their resources to set up a joint development and co-production group to help bankroll high-end drama series and feature films.

Germany’s Claussen + Putz, producers of Netflix series Biohackers and hit children’s film The Little Witch; Hamburg-based Wüste Film (Head-On, Alma & Oskar); Austria’s Die Film Ag (7500 with Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Vicky Krieps-starrer Corsage) and Lotus Film (Cold Feet, Cathedrals of Culture); and Hugofilm Features (When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit) and Zodiac Pictures (Heidi, The Divine Order) together have formed Das Dach to jointly develop German-language projects.

The move, unveiled Wednesday, is a reaction to a dramatic shift in the independent production market, brought about by the disruption of the global streaming giants.

“The market is undergoing a fundamental change,” the producers say in a statement. “Previous territorial boundaries and restrictions are being called into question in the...

Asghar Farhadi will preside over the jury for the International Feature Film Competition at this year’s Zurich Film Festival.

Farhadi will judge the festival’s competition category alongside Swiss director Petra Volpe (The Divine Order) and producer Daniel Dreifuss (All Quiet on the Western Front).

The acclaimed producer Christine Vachon (Boys Don’t Cry) will head the festival’s Focus Competition sidebar. Vachon will be joined by Swiss filmmaker director Fred Baillif (The Fam), Austrian filmmaker Katharina Mückstein (L’animale), editor Maria Fantastica Valmori (Once More Unto the Breach), and Swiss journalist Roger Schawinski.

The festival’s Documentary Film Competition will be headed by Alexander Nanau, Atanas Georgiev, Joelle Bertossa, Nina Numankadić, and Sushmit Ghosh.

“We are delighted that the two-time Academy Award-winning Asghar Farhadi is returning to the Zff to preside over the Feature Film Competition jury,” Christian Jungen, artistic director of the Zurich Film Festival, said. “The producer...

Iran’s Asghar Farhadi, who directed the Oscar winners “A Separation” and “The Salesman,” U.S. producer Christine Vachon, whose credits includes Oscar winner “Boys Don’t Cry,” and Oscar nominees “Far from Heaven” and “Carol,” and Romania’s Alexander Nanau, the director of the Oscar nominated “Collective,” are among the jury members at the 18th edition of the Zurich Film Festival, which takes place from Sept. 22 to Oct. 2.

Farhadi will head the jury for the International Feature Film Competition. He is joined by the U.K.’s Clio Barnard, who directed the BAFTA nominated “The Arbor,” “The Selfish Giant” and “Ali & Ava”; L.A.-based Brazilian Daniel Dreifuss, a producer on the Oscar nominated “No” and “All Quiet on the Western Front,” Germany’s Oscar entry; Swiss/Italian screenwriter and director Petra Volpe, whose credits include Tribeca prizewinner “The Divine Order”; and Sweden’s Peter “Piodor” Gustafsson, the producer of Ali Abbassi’s “Border,...

UK’s Film & TV Charity Launches Cost-Of-Living Tools

The UK’s Film and TV Charity has launched a range of financial tools to help the sector with the impending cost-of-living crisis. Designed for freelancers who may experience less certainty with their income, and for those in employment who may also be experiencing significant pressures, the resources will provide advice and tips in the face of unprecedented financial uncertainty, according to the Charity, which has partnered with MoneyHelper. Tools include a Budget Planner, Bills Prioritiser and Savings Calculator. As with much of the rest of the world, the nation is preparing itself for a crisis, with gas bills skyrocketing and inflation still on the rise. Sky and ITV have already given staff bonuses and indie trade body Pact CEO John McVay has urged broadcasters to help producers with inflated budgets. “Our new financial tools aren’t a magic bullet to the cost-of-living crisis,...

Click here to read the full article.

Two-time Oscar-winning Iranian director Asghar Farhadi will head up the competition jury for the 2022 Zurich International Film Festival, judging this year’s winners of the Golden Eye honors. Farhadi will oversee the three-person jury, together with Swiss director Petra Volpe (The Divine Order) and producer Daniel Dreifuss (No, Netflix’s All Quiet on the Western Front), Swedish producer Peter Gustafsson (Border), and British director Clio Barnard (The Arbor, Dark River).

Acclaimed Killer Films’ producer Christine Vachon (Boys Don’t Cry, Far From Heaven, I’m Not There) will head up this year’s jury for Zurich’s Focus Competition sidebar. Swiss documentary director Fred Baillif (The Fam), Austrian filmmaker Katharina Mückstein (L’animale), film editor Maria Fantastica Valmori (Once More Unto the Breach) and Swiss journalist and media executive Roger Schawinski, will join Vachon on the Focus jury.

Romanian filmmaker Alexander Nanau, director of...

Participant, Zodiac Pictures and Tyler Perry’s Peachtree & Vine Productions have teamed up to produce “Frank & Louis,” starring Laurence Fishburne and Clifton Collins Jr.

Directed by Petra Volpe, the film follows a man serving a life sentence who takes an in-prison job caring for aging and infirm prisoners suffering from memory loss diseases. As the project’s official logline explains, “What starts as a self-serving mission for parole turns into a deep emotional and transformative relationship, offering a glimmer of redemption in an otherwise unforgiving place.”

Participant, whose company mission is dedicated to entertainment that stands at the intersection of art and activism, is producing the film with Zodiac Pictures’ Reto Schaerli and Lukas Hobi, and Perry and Tim Palen of Peachtree & Vine Productions. Cora Olson is co-producer on the project, with Participant chairman Jeff Skoll and Anikah McLaren as executive producers. McLaren, Elizabeth Haggard and Connor DeSha will oversee the project for Participant.

Laurence Fishburne (John Wick: Chapter 4) and Clifton Collins Jr. (Nightmare Alley) have signed on to star in the upcoming film Frank & Louis, which Petra Volpe is directing for Participant, Zodiac Pictures and Tyler Perry’s Peachtree & Vine Productions.

In Frank & Louis, a man serving a life sentence (Collins) takes an in-prison job caring for aging and infirm prisoners suffering from memory loss diseases—including one played by Fishburne. What starts as a self-serving mission for parole turns into a deep emotional and transformative relationship, offering a glimmer of redemption in an otherwise unforgiving place.

Volpe and Esther Bernstorff wrote the script. Participant will produce alongside Reto Schaerli and Lukas Hobi of Zodiac Pictures, and Perry and Tim Palen of Peachtree & Vine. Cora Olson is co-producing, with Jeff Skoll and Anikah McLaren of Participant serving as exec producers. McLaren, Elizabeth Haggard and Connor DeSha will oversee the project for Participant.

Red Arrow Studios Intl. has secured a raft of deals for two of its premium drama titles “Blackout – Tomorrow Is Too Late” and “Departure.”

The international thriller “Blackout – Tomorrow Is Too Late,” starring Moritz Bleibtreu (“The Baader Meinhof Complex”) and Marie Leuenberger (“The Divine Order”), has been picked up by Mediawan Rights for French-speaking Europe, Disney Plus in the U.K. and Ireland, and HBO Nordic for a whole host of territories, including the Nordics, Iberia, Central and Eastern Europe, and the Netherlands. The series is produced by W&b Television for Joyn and Sat.1 in Germany.

Seasons one and two of the conspiracy thriller “Departure” have been acquired by Rai for RAI4 in Italy and The Walt Disney Company for Foxcrime in Turkey. Asiaplay has also picked up the show’s second season for Catchplay+ in Taiwan, Indonesia and Singapore, following its previous acquisition of season one.

“Departure” has already...

Passion River Films and 8 Above are teaming on the U.S. release of The Disrupted, the feature documentary debut of Sarah Colt, the Emmy-winning director of PBS’ American Experience docs about Walt Disney and Henry Ford, as well as The Polio Crusade and the Native American series We Shall Remain.

The Disrupted, a look at rising income inequality in the U.S. that follows a farmer, a factory worker and an Uber driver, is now set to hit 20 virtual cinemas on September 25, followed by a digital bow October 13.

“No matter what race, ethnicity, sex, or creed you come from, the subjects from The Disrupted represent all of us who have ever needed to make our own living in America,” Passion River’s Mat Levy said. “There has never been a more crucial and timely film about the compound struggles we are all facing to achieve the ‘American Dream.’ We are...

The Match Factory handles international sales.

Zeitgeist Films in association with Kino Lorber has acquired North American rights from The Match Factory to Swiss director Bettina Oberli’s comedy My Wonderful Wanda.

The film is scheduled to open in early spring 2021 and stars Agnieszka Grochowska as a Polish home care attendant to the patriarch of a wealthy family as old family secrets surface.

My Wonderful Wanda premiered at the virtual Tribeca Film Festival this year, where it received a special jury mention in the Nora Ephron Award category.

Zeitgeist Films co-Presidents Nancy Gerstman and Emily Russo negotiated the deal with...

Festival favourite to open in New York in November.

Zeitgeist Films in association with Kino Lorber has acquired North American rights to Matt Wolf’s documentary and festival favourite Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project.

Andrew and Walter Kortschak of Los Angeles-based End Cue and Kyle Martin of Electric Chinoland developed and produced the documentary, which received its world premiere at Tribeca Film Festival and went on to screen at AFI Docs and Hot Docs.

Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project centres on Marion Stokes, a radical recruited by the Communist Party, who became a wealthy reclusive archivist later in life and...

$4.7m Swiss-German co-production is directed by Oliver Rihs.

Switzerland’s Contrast Film has started production on its most ambitious feature film to date, Storm directed by Oliver Rihs.

Screen can reveal an exclusive first look image from the film, above.

Storm started shooting on April 1 in Switzerland, Germany and Spain. The nine-week shoot will wrap on June 12. In Switzerland, the production shoots in Zurich and in eastern and central Switzerland; in Germany it shoots in the Black Forest and in the studio at Ludwigsburg; and in Spain, in Almeria in Andalusia.

The film has a budget of €4.2m ($4.7m) and...

Based on the same real-life “honor killing” that inspired fellow German Feo Aladag’s prize-winning 2010 feature “When We Leave,” Sherry Hormann’s “A Regular Woman” takes a compelling new approach to the contentious 2005 case that shocked Germany: By allowing the murdered woman — a 23-year-old German of Turkish-Kurdish ancestry shot point blank by her youngest brother — to narrate the action both before and after her death, the director (“Desert Flower”) restores the victim’s voice. Further fest screenings and niche arthouse play should follow the film’s Tribeca world premiere.

From a family of strict Sunni Muslims and the oldest daughter of nine siblings, Hatun “Aynur” Sürücü was forced to leave her Kreuzberg school in 1998, age 16, and marry a cousin in Istanbul. In her voiceover, which outlines the expectations assigned to a dutiful daughter, Aynur calls it “a change of owner,” as control over her person shifts from father to husband.

British fact-based drama “Little Boy Blue,” about the real-life murder of an 11-year-old boy in Liverpool, won the Golden Nymph for long fiction program at the Monte Carlo Television Festival Tuesday, while Spanish heist drama “La Casa De Papel” was named best drama series, and the comedy series prize went to Britain’s “The End of the F***ing World,” which follows a “budding teen psychopath and a rebel hungry for adventure” as they embark on a road-trip.

“Little Boy Blue’s” Sinèad Keenan won the actress prize in a long fiction program, while Ewan McGregor won for his performance in “Fargo” in the same category.

The acting prizes in the drama series contest went to Lynn Van Royen for “Hotel Beau Sejour,” and Johannes Lassen in “Below the Surface,” while in the comedy section prizes went to Daisy May Cooper for “This Country” and Tony Shalhoub for “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

Film comes from The Intouchables directors.

C’est La Vie! (Le Sens De La Fête), the French comedy starring Jean-Pierre Bacri and Gilles Lelouche, has been acquired for UK and Ireland release by Cinéfile.

The film comes from writer-director duo Éric Toledano and Olivier Nakache, the Bafta-nominated pair behind the mega-hit comedy The Intouchables, which starred Omar Sy and François Cluzet and grossed more than $400m worldwide before being remade as The Upside starring Bryan Cranston and Kevin Hart.

Gaumont handles sales on the title, which unfolds against the background of a chateau wedding erupting into a nightmare for the party’s cantankerous planner.

Event will open with Joern Utkilen’s Norwegian debut feature Lake Over Fire.

The second edition of Oslo Pix (June 4-10) will open with Joern Utkilen’s Norwegian debut feature Lake Over Fire and close with Gustav Moller’s Danish festival hit The Guilty.

The festival has three competition programmes: Nordic fiction, Nordic documentary and international competition.

The international competition is comprised of: A Gentle Creature, Daughter of Mine, Disobedience, Faces Places, Golden Exits, Soldiers. Story From Ferentari, Summer 1993, The Tale and Aga.

The Nordic fiction competition includes: Amateurs, Jimmie, Lake Over Fire, Team Hurricane, The Real Estate, Thick Lashes of Lauri Mantyvaara,...

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Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story [my review]

Alexandra Dean writes and directs this documentary about 1940s Hollywood superstar Hedy Lamarr.

The Divine Order [IMDb] pictured

Petra Volpe writes and directs this historical dramedy about Swiss women agitating for the right to vote in 1971. Starring Marie Leuenberger, Rachel Braunschweig, Sibylle Brunner, Bettina Stucky, and Marta Zoffoli.

You Were Never Really Here [IMDb]

Lynne Ramsay writes and directs this crime drama about a (male) veteran who finds missing girls for a living.

Mom and Dad [my review]

Selma Blair and Anne Winters costar in this horror movie about what happens when parents turn murderously on their children. (male writer-director)

Kobiety mafii [IMDb]

Olga Boladz and Agnieszka Dygant costars in this drama about women caught up in the Polish criminal underworld. (male writers and director)

Plot 35 [IMDb]

Documentary about a (male) filmmaking exploring the family mystery of the disappearance of his little sister as a child.

Wonder Wheel [IMDb]

Kate Winslet...

Petra Volpe: 'If you want to change a society deeply, it really starts in your own home and how you treat each family member' Photo: Zodiac Pictures The timing of the UK release of Petra Volpe’s The Divine Order could hardly be more perfect. Released in the centenary year of women’s suffrage in Britain and, more specifically, on International Women’s Day, it tells the story of how women in Switzerland got the vote decades later in 1971. Rooted in fact, the fictional tale – which was Switzerland’s nominee for the foreign language Oscar – tells the story of housewife Nora (Marie Leuenberger), a small-town mum who begins to be enthused by the push for votes for women and ends up fighting both politically and on the home front.

Speaking to Volpe the week before her film had its UK premiere at Glasgow Film Festival, we spoke about the way...

"Sometimes you need luck as a director. We always think it's all about control and it is a lot about control when you direct a movie, but it's also about things that you can't foresee." There's a film now playing in theaters titled The Divine Order, from Swiss writer/director Petra Volpe. The film is Switzerland's entry in the Oscars this year and it's obvious why when you see it. This very entertaining, exciting, engaging film tells the story of a woman in a mountain town in Switzerland who rallies other women to join in the fight for the right to vote. Swiss women only passed a law in 1971. I had a chance to talk with writer & director Petra Volpe and I'm so happy I did - she's a joy to talk with and had much to say about making empowering films. I highly recommend seeking out The Divine Order...

The Divine Order (Die göttliche Ordnung) Zeitgeist Films Director: Petra Biondina Volpe Written by: Petra Biondina Volpe Cast: Marie Leuenberger, Maximilian Simonischek, Rachel Braunschweig, Sibylle Brunner, Marta Zoffoli Screened at:Critics’ link, NYC, 9/8/17 Opens: October 27, 2017 In my next life I’d like to be born in Switzerland. Every movie filmed there makes the country […]

The post The Divine Order Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.

"I am in favour of women's right to vote." Zeitgeist Films has unveiled an official Us trailer for the highly acclaimed Swiss film The Divine Order, also known as Die Göttliche Ordnung in German. This film has been selected by Switzerland as their official entry into the Academy Awards this year. The Divine Order tells the story of women's voting rights in Switzerland, which were granted only a few years ago, in 1971. The story follows an "unassuming and dutiful housewife" who begins a suffragette movement in her small, peaceful town. She convinces the local women to go on strike and eventually begins an uprising that changes the entire country. Starring Marie Leuenberger, Maximilian Simonischek, Rachel Braunschweig, Sibylle Brunner, Marta Zoffoli, and Bettina Stucky. This looks like a fantastic film filled with great performances. I've been looking forward to seeing it ever since first hearing about it earlier this year. Enjoy.

Ruben Ostlund’s Palme d’Or winner The Square is Sweden’s choice to represent it in the race for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. This is Ostlund’s third time at the rodeo for the Scandinavian country; his Involuntary was in the running in 2009 and he made the shortlist with 2014’s Force Majeure — before being shockingly omitted from the nominations.

When the filmmaker did not get a nom in 2015, he released a video that included what he called a “worst man-cry.” Today, he said, “I had a terrible experience last time. Watch the YouTube clip ‘Swedish director freaks out when he misses out on Oscar nomination’ and you’ll see what I mean. I really hope it’s less painful this time round.”

The Square stars Claes Bang, Elisabeth Moss and Dominic West. The...

Author: Competitions

To mark the release of Raw on 14th August, we’ve been given 3 copies to give away on DVD.

Unsuspecting Justine (Garance Marillier) enrolls into veterinary school without the slightest idea that she’d graduate as a fully-fledged carnivore with an insatiable desire for human flesh. This young woman soon pays the price of trying to fit in when she is tempted into a hazing ritual which involves eating a piece of raw meat, thereafter her animalistic desires spiral out of control. Before she knows it Justine has bitten off more than she can chew, and will soon face the terrible consequences of her actions as her true self begins to emerge.

Ducournau’s breakthrough French speaking film with English subtitles, Raw, has received award wins at Cannes, Toronto and London Film Festivals. Starring an all-French cast, Garrance Marllier as Justine (Junior, It’s Not a Cowboy Movie...

The 2017 Tribeca Film Festival announced the winners of its two Audience Awards: The Divine Order (Die göttliche Ordnung), directed and written by Petra Volpe, was chosen to receive the Narrative award and Hondros, directed by Greg Campbell, written by Greg Campbell, Jenny Golden, won the Documentary award. Each award comes with a cash prize of $10,000. The winners were announced at the celebration of the 45th anniversary of The Godfather at Radio City Music Hall, which…...

The Tribeca Film Festival has announced the winners of its 16th edition, with “Keep the Change” (U.S. Narrative), “Son of Sofia” (International Narrative) and “Bobbi Jene” (Documentary) taking home the top prizes. 97 features and 57 shorts comprised the main lineup of this year’s fest, which began on April 19 and ends on April 30.

“It is more important than ever to celebrate artists both in front of and behind the camera who have the unique ability to share different viewpoints to inspire, challenge and entertain us,” said Jane Rosenthal, Tribeca’s executive chair and co-founder. “The winning creators from across the Festival program shared stories that did exactly that, and we are honored to recognize them tonight. And how wonderful is it that the top awards in all five feature film categories were directed by women.”

Full list of winners below.

The 2017 IndieWire Tribeca Bible: Every Review, Interview and News Item Posted During the Festival

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April 29 Update: Hondros, The Divine Order win audience awards.

Rachel Israel’s Keep The Change was named best U.S. narrative and Elina Psykou’s Son Of Sofia best international narrative as the Tribeca Film Festival handed out juried awards on Thursday evening.

Bobbi Jene directed by Elvira Lind won the best documentary award. Israel also won the Best new Narrative Director award.

For the fifth year, Tribeca recognised innovation in storytelling through its Storyscapes Award for immersive storytelling, which this year went to Treehugger: Wawona.

Alessandro Nivola won the Best Actor in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film award for One Percent More Humid, while Nadia Alexander received Best Actress in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film for Blame.

Best Screenplay in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film went to Angus MacLachlan for Abundant Acreage Available.

Best Actor in an International Narrative Feature Film went to Guillermo Pfening for Nobody’s Watching (Colombia, Argentina, Brazil...

Festival receives record number of submissions as top brass trim roster by 20%.

World premieres of Michael Winterbottom’s The Trip To Spain (pictured), Nick Broomfield and Rudi Dolezal’s Whitney. “can I be me,”, and Hell On Earth: The Fall Of Syria And The Rise Of Isis by Sebastian Junger and Nick Quested are among the line-up at the 16th annual Tribeca Film Festival (April 19-30).

Festival top brass led by new director of programming Cara Cusumano and artistic director Frédéric Boyer unveiled on Thursday 82 of the 98 features that will screen at this year’s edition.

Trimmed down by 20%, the festival received a record number 8,700 submissions, of which 3,362 were features – and includes 32 films in competition comprising 12 documentaries, 10 Us narratives and 10 international narratives. Films in competition will compete for cash prizes totalling $160,000.

Spotlight Narrative section features 15 fiction films, while Spotlight Documentary includes 16 non-fiction films. Five fiction and one documentary film play in Midnight.

The 2017 roster...