Tribeca today announced the slate of free community events taking place during the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival, including the Tribeca Drive-In, the Family Festival Street Fair, and the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Day. We are also pleased to welcome back the Tribeca/NYFEST Soccer Tournament for its second year. TFF 2012, presented by Founding Sponsor American Express, will take place in lower Manhattan from April 18-29.

"Since its inception, the Tribeca Film Festival has strived to give back to the neighborhood and the city with free community events for New Yorkers and visitors of all ages," said Nancy Schafer, Tribeca Film Festival Executive Director. "We are thrilled to continue the tradition with Festival favorites like the Drive-In, Family Festival Street Fair and Tribeca/ESPN Sports Day, and to challenge our industry colleagues, young athletes and soccer fans with the Tribeca/NYFEST Soccer Day tournament."

One of the most popular community components of the annual Festival is the Tribeca Drive-In, co-sponsored by JetBlue and Time Warner Cable, hosted by Brookfield and supported by the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. For three consecutive nights—April 19, 20, and 21—the Drive-In will offer cinema under the stars at the World Financial Center, where we welcome families and movie lovers of all ages. Each night, programming—including film-inspired activities and live music courtesy of the New York Downtown Jazz Festival—begins at 6 pm (which is also when the doors open), with the screening starting at dusk, approximately 8:15 pm. The Drive-In is open to the public, and seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. (Leave your car at home!)

This year’s event includes two beloved classics. On Thursday, 4/19, “we’re gonna need a bigger boat” as we kick things off with Steven Spielberg’s original summer blockbuster: Jaws. On Friday night, 4/20, Tribeca will introduce a new generation to the swashbuckling adventure-comedy The Goonies—complete with an onsite treasure hunt. On Saturday night, 4/21, baseball will be the star of the show, with baseball trivia and pitching clinics with R.A. Dickey of the New York Mets; Tim Wakefield, who pitched for the Boston Red Sox until his recent retirement; and former Yankee Jim Bouton. These events will set the stage for the premiere of Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg’s documentary Knuckleball!, which shines a spotlight on the most atypical of pitches.

Jaws
Dir.  Steven Spielberg (1975)
Thursday, April 19

Steven Spielberg’s classic returns to the big screen! See the movie that thrilled a generation, launched the summer blockbuster and has become one of the most enduring action-suspense films of all time. Come early to celebrate Universal Studios’ 100th Anniversary with trivia contests, live music from local artists and surprise special guests, courtesy of the upcoming New York Downtown Jazz Festival. Later this year, fans can own Jaws for the first time ever on Blu-ray^TM, featuring an all-new, fully restored and digitally remastered picture from original 35MM film elements. Fans of John Williams’ iconic score will also love the Blu-ray’s^TM Dolby surround 7.1 sound, which optimizes the film for the home screening environment.

With the summer beach season in full swing, a bloodthirsty great white shark begins terrorizing the small island community of Amity. A police chief, a marine scientist, and a grizzled fisherman set out to hunt it down... but they're going to need a bigger boat. Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, and Robert Shaw lead the cast of this groundbreaking Academy Award®-winning thriller.

The Goonies
Dir. Richard Donner (1985)
Friday, April 20

Relive the adventure with Mikey, Mouth, Stef, Data, Chunk, and all the unforgettable characters in this beloved classic. Come early to take part in the "truffle shuffle" contest and win prizes in the first-ever Tribeca Treasure Hunt. Live music from afro-jazz pioneers NOMO, courtesy of the upcoming New York Downtown Jazz Festival.

When their Oregon neighborhood—affectionately dubbed "the Goon Docks"—is threatened by real estate developers, a group of pre-teen friends needs to find enough money to halt the demolition. Lucky for them, they've discovered an old treasure map, sparking an adventure to unearth the long-lost fortune of 17th-century pirate One-Eyed Willie. Sean Astin, Corey Feldman, Martha Plimpton, Josh Brolin, and Joe Pantoliano star in the movie that captured a generation's imagination.

Knuckleball!
Dir. Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg
World Premiere, Documentary
Saturday, April 21

Take me out to the ball game! Bring the kids early for live music, giveaways, baseball trivia contests and pitching clinics with pro knuckleballers R.A. Dickey of the Mets, Tim Wakefield of the Red Sox, and former Yankee Jim Bouton, then see the world premiere of this action-packed TFF documentary about their controversial pitching style.

This classic sports story recounts the trials and triumphs of two of the best known knuckleball pitchers in the MLB: Tim Wakefield, a Red Sox veteran who recently announced his retirement after 19 years, and R.A. Dickey, an up-and-comer with the Mets looking to make a name for himself. This energetic documentary from Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg, the directors of Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work, deconstructs the controversial and erratic knuckleball style.

See you downtown!