The 2026 Tribeca Festival celebrates its 25th anniversary with a stacked lineup of world premieres across film, documentary, music, sports, and culture. From legacy-defining portraits to bold new storytelling voices, this year’s slate spans Hollywood heavyweights, acclaimed directors, and rising filmmakers all bringing fresh perspectives to the screen.
Below are 25 projects to check out at Tribeca this year—from cultural icons and hip-hop documentaries to intimate narratives and global stories shaping the conversation across genres.
Alicia Keys: Girl From Hell’s Kitchen | Gala – Closing Night Documentary (World Premiere)
Multi Grammy Award winner and New York City native Alicia Keys reflects on her childhood growing up in Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen and the journey that led her from the gritty streets of 90s New York to Broadway and global superstardom.
Director: One9
Cast: Alicia Keys
Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial vs That’s the Weight of the World) | Gala – Opening Night Documentary (World Premiere)
Questlove opens the 25th Tribeca Festival with a decades-spanning portrait of Earth, Wind & Fire and founder Maurice White, chronicling their rise from humble beginnings to iconic stadium performances.
Director: Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson
Writer: N/A
Cast: Earth, Wind & Fire, The Roots (performance appearance)
They Fight | Spotlight Narrative (World Premiere)
Recently released from prison, coach Walt Mangian joins a local youth gym where he takes on a ragtag team of adolescent boxers with dreams of competing for a national championship.
Director: Sheldon Candis
Writer: Sheldon Candis, Andrew Renzi
Cast: André Holland, Wendell Pierce, Samira Wiley, Anthony B. Jenkins, Toissaint Francois Battiste, Mykelti Williamson, Tory J. Malone, J. Alphonse Nicholson, Tinashe Kajese-Bolden, Amanda Warren, and Andre Royo
Trinity: The Story of The LOX | Spotlight+ – Documentary (World Premiere)
A journey through time tracing the genesis, legacy, and brotherhood of Yonkers rap trio The LOX.
Director: Bill Horace
Cast: Jadakiss, Styles P, Sheek Louch
Mouth Full of Golds | Spotlight Documentary (World Premiere)
A deep dive into Famous Eddie’s cultural impact and the rise of hip-hop grillz as a fashion and identity statement.
Director: Lyle Lindgren
Writer: Lyle Lindgren
Cast: A$AP Rocky, Famous Eddie Plein, Mike Tyson, Michele Lamy, Goldie, Dolly Cohen
Born Melo | Spotlight Documentary (World Premiere)
An intimate documentary exploring Carmelo Anthony’s legacy as he enters the Hall of Fame while witnessing his son Kiyan begin his own basketball journey.
Director: Jake Rogal
Writer: Kate Aschkenasy
Cast: Carmelo Anthony, Kiyan Anthony
Full Circle: The First All Black Everest Ascent | Spotlight Documentary (World Premiere)
An all-Black climbing team attempts to summit Mount Everest, redefining who belongs in extreme mountaineering and challenging long-standing barriers.
Directors: Rolake Bamgbose, Justice A. Whitaker
Writer: N/A
Cast: Philip Henderson, Rosemary Saal, Demond Mullins, Fred Campbell
How to Feed a Dictator | Spotlight Documentary (World Premiere)
Private chefs who served world dictators share their firsthand experiences of power, morality, and survival in elite kitchens.
Director: Andrew Neel
Writer: Witold Szablowski
The Lorraine | Spotlight Documentary (World Premiere)
A powerful documentary about the Lorraine Motel in Memphis and its owners, forever tied to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Director: Sam Pollard
Writer: Alvin Hall
Jean-Michel | Documentary Competition (World Premiere)
A new portrait of Jean-Michel Basquiat told through the voices of those who knew him best, including family and collaborators.
Directors: Quinn Whitney Wilson, Viridiana Lieberman
Writer: N/A
Cast: Jean-Michel Basquiat (archival), Basquiat family, collaborators
The Tropic Sun and His Eyes | International Narrative Competition (World Premiere)
A young man travels across Haiti reconnecting with his estranged father while forming an unlikely bond with a street kid.
Director: Elisee Junior St Preux
Writer: Elisee Junior St Preux
Cast: Stevenson Jean, Blangue Machiny, Ulrick Remy
Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass | Spotlight Narrative (New York Premiere)
After her fiancé takes advantage of their “celebrity sex pass,” a Midwestern hair stylist embarks on a chaotic journey of revenge and self-discovery.
Director: David Wain
Writer: Ken Marino, David Wain
Cast: Zoey Deutch, Jon Hamm, John Slattery, Ken Marino, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Ben Wang
March Forth | Spotlight Documentary (World Premiere)
The story of Reginald Dwayne Betts, exploring how the Yale Law School graduate transformed incarceration into poetry, art, and purpose.
Directors: Valerie Hong, Robe Imbriano
Writer: Reginald Dwayne Betts
Cast: Brian Tyree Henry
Crocodile | Viewpoints – Feature Documentary (North American Premiere)
In Kaduna, Nigeria, kids build a sci-fi universe using a single phone, turning imagination into survival and storytelling over 13 years.
Director: Pietra Brettkelly and The Critics
Writer: Pietra Brettkelly
Cast: The Critics collective
Airport BLVD | U.S. Narrative Competition (World Premiere)
A jazz-infused musical set in East Austin following a man witnessing his community and identity transform amid rapid change.
Director: Alejandro Hendricks
Writer: Alejandro Hendricks
Cast: Jamal Gamble, Toluwani, Kenny Duet, Mor Cohen, Matthew Wagner
Human Theories | Viewpoints – Feature Narrative (World Premiere)
An interconnected portrait of New York City residents searching for connection in a humorous and emotionally fragmented ensemble story.
Director: Jess Zeidman
Writer: Jess Zeidman
Cast: Elise Kibler, Joey Dardano, Joanna Arnow, Sophie Zucker, Josephine Chiang, Asha Ward
One Woman One Bra | Viewpoints – Feature Narrative (North American Premiere)
A young woman in a Kenyan village uncovers secrets about her identity after seeing her childhood photo on a book cover.
Director: Vincho Nchogu
Writer: Vincho Nchogu
Cast: Sarah Karei, Amos Leuka, Irungu Mutu, Norng’aruani Kipuker
Kingston | U.S. Narrative Competition (World Premiere)
Three intertwined stories unfold at an elite college where ambition, politics, and identity collide.
Directors: Kalijah Rowe, Carlos Key
Writer: Kalijah Rowe, Carlos Key
Cast: Jenna Shen, Claire Levesque
Harvest | Documentary Competition (World Premiere)
A portrait of the Nelson Brothers, fourth-generation farmers in rural Louisiana fighting to preserve their family legacy.
Directors: Hyacinth Parker, Natalie Baszile
Writer: Hyacinth Parker, Natalie Baszile
Cast: Willie “Bo” Nelson, Willis “Shun” Nelson, Courtney “Chops” Nelson, Adrain “A-Earl” Nelson
Jail Time Records | Documentary Competition (World Premiere)
Inside the first prison recording studio in Africa, three incarcerated artists use music as survival and expression.
Directors: Steve Happi, Dione Roach
Cast: Incarcerated artists featured in Cameroon prison studio