April 24th, 2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New York, NY (April 24, 2017) - The Tribeca Film Festival, presented by AT&T, and The Atlantic – through its in-house content studio, Atlantic Re:think – announced the winner of the second annual Tribeca X Award. The top honor went to Chris Fonseca: Keep It Moving, directed by Zachary Heinzerling for Smirnoff Ice by 72andSunny. The Tribeca X Award highlights excellence in creative, original and authentic storytelling that is sponsored or underwritten by a brand. The announcement was made by jury members Jenna Lyons and Elli Pariser during the 16th annual Tribeca Film Festival at a celebration and screening of the work on Monday, April 24.

The short film for Smirnoff Ice was one of ten finalists selected from a field of 600 entries that represented the best in storytelling at the intersection of advertising and entertainment from the past year. Chris Fonseca: Keep It Moving brings the true story of a deaf choreographer who challenges the perceptions of disability as a social barrier by teaching his deaf students how to express themselves on the dance floor, inspiring self-confidence within them and pure awe in all of us.

"The caliber of work that was considered this year from artist-brand pairings demonstrates the growing use of branded storytelling as a means to reach real audiences," said Andrew Essex, CEO of Tribeca Enterprises. "This film is a perfect example of authentic storytelling and humanity."

Juror Jenna Lyons, Creative Advisor at J.Crew said, "There was something special in "Keep It Moving" that resonated unanimously with the group. The message was not only important and poignant – it was expressed with beautiful imagery as well as a unique play on sound that allowed the viewer for a brief moment to possibly imagine what it might be like to live in Chris' world. It was moving and beautiful as well as inspiring."

Eli Pariser, CEO of Upworthy said, "Our winning film is first-class empathic storytelling: it takes you inside another person's experience in a way that's real, thrilling, and beautiful."

The winner was chosen by a jury that included Joanna Coles, CCO at Hearst; Jae Goodman Co-Head and CCO of CAA Marketing, a division of CAA; Tim & Eric (Comedy Duo) and Directors at PRETTYBIRD, Founders of Abso Lutely; Jenna Lyons, Creative Advisor at J.Crew; Eli Pariser, CEO of Upworthy; and a proprietary A.I. solution developed by Celtra, providing quantitative creative analysis based on performance data and insights from hundreds-of-thousands of video advertising campaigns powered by Celtra's creative management platform.

The selected projects were available for view on a special section on TheAtlantic.com, created by Atlantic Re:think [theatlantic.com/sponsored/tribecax].

About the Tribeca X Award
The Tribeca X Award is a juried award for storytelling supported by a brand recognizing the intersection of advertising and entertainment. The Tribeca X Award is open to all work produced between January 2016 and March 2017 funded with support of a brand in collaboration with artists or filmmakers. The top projects will be highlighted by the Tribeca Film Festival, and a jury will award the winning selection at the Festival.

Eligible projects included scripted and documentary work for film, TV, digital, social, and VR/AR, in both feature or short length that were funded with support of a brand in collaboration with artists or filmmakers. Submitted projects must have had a storytelling element; projects that are strictly intended as commercial spots were not considered.

Images for Press:
Stills for the 2017 Tribeca X award can be found here:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hlf8hd7wotgbjqe/AABYRH0ihuJYPvIXtuwMreaVa?dl=0

About the Tribeca Film Festival
The Festival was founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff in 2001 to spur the economic and cultural revitalization of lower Manhattan following the attacks on the World Trade Center. With strong roots in independent film, the annual event has evolved into a destination for creativity, reimagines the cinematic experience, and explores how art can unite communities.

About the 2017 Partners
As Presenting Sponsor of the Tribeca Film Festival, AT&T is committed to supporting the Festival and the art of filmmaking through access and innovation, while expanding opportunities to diverse creators around the globe. As one of the largest communications and entertainment companies, AT&T helps millions connect to their passions – no matter where they are.

The Tribeca Film Festival is pleased to announce its 2017 Signature Partners: Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Bai Beverages, Bloomberg Philanthropies', Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC), CHANEL, EFFEN® Vodka, ESPN, IWC Schaffhausen, The Lincoln Motor Company, National CineMedia, Nespresso, New York Magazine, Nexxus Salon Hair Care, Nutella, NYC Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment, Spring Studios New York, and United Airlines.

Press Contact
Tribeca Film Festival/Tribeca Enterprises:
Tammie Rosen, EVP, Communications & Programming, (212) 941-2003, trosen@tribecaenterprises.com
Alyssa Apple: (212) 941-2338, aapple@tribecaenterprises.com
Alyssa Grinder: (212) 941-2015, agrinder@tribecaenterprises.com
Rubenstein:
Heather Resnicoff, 212-843-8497, hresnicoff@rubenstein.com

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The Tribeca Film Festival is a cultural event for the new age of storytelling that brings together visionaries across industries and diverse audiences. It celebrates the power of storytelling in a variety of forms – from film to TV, VR to online work, and music to gaming. As a platform for creative expression, independent filmmaking, and immersive entertainment, Tribeca champions emerging and established voices, discovers award-winning filmmakers and creators, curates innovative experiences, and introduces new technology and ideas through premieres, exhibitions, talks, and live performances.

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