Unforgettable Moments from Tribeca’s Black Freedom Series
This year’s Expressions of Black Freedom program featured Sister Nancy's "Bam Bam" premiere, an inspiring conversation with Kerry Washington, and much more!
Do you relish experiencing new cultures? Maybe you’re The World Traveler! Love to laugh? You might be The Secret Comedian–Maybe you're The Horror Fan, seeking spine-tingling thrills, or The Real New Yorker, taken by the essence of the Big Apple. Even if you’re The Listener & Learner, who loves in-person experiences, the Tribeca Festival has something special for you.
In honor of Juneteenth yesterday, we’d like to take a moment today to celebrate the incredible work featured throughout this year’s Tribeca Festival as part of our Expressions of Black Freedom program, sponsored by Indeed. Throughout the 2024 Festival, we were honored to give a platform to the impactful work of Black creators.
Read more below about just a few of this year’s films, panels, and events that highlighted a rich tapestry of Black experiences and modes of expression.
Kicking off the first weekend of the Festival on Friday June 7 was the world premiere of this documentary on legendary Dancehall artist Sister Nancy, whose iconic track “Bam Bam” has left a mark on music since taking the industry by storm in 1982. The film provides an opportunity to give Nancy her flowers by way of industry titans like Janelle Monáe, Young Guru and Pete Rock, and the premiere featured a live performance from DJ Gravy and Sister Nancy herself.
Then, on Saturday June 8, award-winning actor, producer, and New York Times bestselling author Kerry Washington and award-winning producer, bestselling author, and former US Ambassador Nicole Avant took to the stage at Tribeca for an inspiring conversation about how we tell stories to continue legacies and impact our communities.
On Sunday June 9, we were joined by acclaimed writer Saeed Jones, podcast host Sam Sanders, Tony Award-winning producer Zach Stafford, and special guest Lena Waithe for a special live taping of their podcast, SiriusXM’s Vibe Check, where the three culture experts and close friends dissect news, entertainment, politics, and everything in between through a Black, queer lens.
Speaking of the late, great Harry Belafonte, Following Harry had its world premiere at Tribeca Festival this year. The film is an intimate portrait of Harry, whose work dedicated to social justice continued until his death in 2023 at age 96, and allows audiences a window into the lived experiences of both his public and private life.
Inspired by the book from historian Donald Bogle, this four-part docuseries chronicles a century of the Black experience in Hollywood by unearthing personal stories from actors, writers, directors, and producers who fought for their place on the page, behind the camera, and on the screen. The author even joined director Justin Simien, Lena Waithe, and Aramide Tinubu for a live, post-screening conversation.
After 27 years in professional tennis, Serena Williams shares a personal account of her most meaningful Grand Slam appearances and deconstructs the milestones of her legendary career. Each episode explores the pivotal moments in Serena’s life on and off the court, illustrating the series of steps that when reflected upon, show the incredible distance traveled over the course of her career.
We continued our programming on June 14 with the 1984 dance drama classic Beat Street, produced by Harry Belafonte, which tells the story of a group of Bronx teens in the early years of hip-hop attempting to break into show business. Our screening featured a special introduction by Grammy Award-winning rapper, entrepreneur, and hip hop legend Nas.
On Saturday June 15, we were honored to host the world premiere of Satisfied, which takes an intimate look at Hamilton star Renée Elise Goldsberry’s path as she grapples with fertility and the desire to have a family, all while balancing her growing career against the backdrop of the hit musical. She was joined by special guests Sara Bareilles, Ariana DeBose, Leslie Odom Jr., and Kelli O'Hara for an exclusive, post-premiere live performance.
In another world premiere screening, we enjoyed a self-portrait of playwright Jeremy O. Harris at work as he deconstructs his provocative and Tony-nominated play, Slave Play. This documentary is as bold and daring as Harris himself, offering an unflinching exploration of his creative process and the motivation behind his groundbreaking work.
As part of our incredible Tribeca Talks lineup, Laverne Cox, four-time Emmy-nominated actress and Emmy-winning producer celebrated for her groundbreaking role in Orange is the New Black, sat down with LAMBDA Literary Fellow Jet Toomer for a riveting Storytellers conversation.
