September 5th, 2018

NEW YORK, NY– September 5, 2018 –The Tribeca TV Festival is bringing fans even more special moments with new additions to its 2018 line-up. The Festival will celebrate 10 years of Bravo's The Real Housewives of New York City with a one-time-only conversation for fans between Executive Producers Andy Cohen and Lisa Shannon along with cast members Sonja Morgan, Dorinda Medley, and Tinsley Mortimer. The program will also expand with the 5th season premiere of FOX's Empire, followed by a conversation with star Jussie Smollett. The Tribeca TV Festival will take place September 20-23 at Spring Studios in New York City.

Laverne Cox will host a conversation with Rosario Dawson for the latest event in the Tribeca Talks: The Journey, Inspired by TUMI, series. Mira Sorvino will join castmates Ron Perlman, Adam Brody, Edi Gathegi, and Otmara Marrero for the premiere of StartUp's 3rd season. Tim Daly, Erich Bergen, and Zeljko Ivanek will join Téa Leoni for Madam Secretary’s 5th season premiere.

Over four days, the Tribeca TV Festival will bring the small screen to the big screen, giving attendees the first chance to see season premieres of returning shows and to discover new series. Each screening will be followed by talks with the creative minds from both behind and in front of the camera. In addition, the Festival will host standalone Tribeca Talks conversations with some of the biggest names in episodic storytelling.

“A decade ago Bravo and the producers of The Real Housewives turned the lens on New York City and have turned this franchise into an empire that fans dare not miss,” said Paula Weinstein, EVP of Tribeca Enterprises. “Both The Real Housewives and Empire are true appointment TV shows and will be fun events for audiences to experience together at the Tribeca TV Festival.”

“For ten years, New York City has been the backdrop for some of the most explosively real drama on television,” said Andy Cohen, executive producer of The Real Housewives franchise. “I’m excited to dig into the behind the scenes stories of making the show.”

These additions join the Festival’s previously announced line-up: the 20th season premiere of NBC’s Law & Order: SVU withstar and executive producer Mariska Hargitay, executive producer Dick Wolf, longtime co-star Ice-T, and members of the current cast; a look back at 10 years of dealmaking on ABC’s Shark Tank with the Sharks; new season premieres from Emmy®-nominated Tracey Ullman’s Show with star and executive producer Tracey Ullman, who will be interviewed by Meryl Streep; Showtime’s Emmy®-nominated Ray Donovan with producer and starLiev Schreiber; CBS’s Madam Secretary with star Téa Leoni; Sony Crackle’s StartUpwith Ron Perlman and Adam Brody; the premiere of the first episode of CNN’s Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown’s 12th season with Bourdain and W. Kamau Bell in Kenya; the world premiere of the zany limited series Valley of the Boomfrom National Geographic which mixes scripted and unscripted storytelling to chart the rise and burst of the dot-com boom; the writers of Deadpool, Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, will debut their teenage edgy comedy Wayne from YouTube Premium; in addition to Tribeca Talks: A Conversation with Bryan Cranston; the latest installment of the Tribeca Talks: The Journey, inspired by TUMI, series with Rosario Dawson; a section of indie pilots showcasing exciting new voices in episodic storytelling; and more.

Tickets for Empire and Ten Years with The Real Housewives of New York City go on sale Wednesday, September 5 (11am ET) at www.tribecafilm.com/tvfestival. All other programs, including events where new participants were just added, are currently on sale.

Added Programs to the Tribeca TV Festival include:

Tribeca Talks: Ten Years with The Real Housewives of New York City (Bravo)
Over ten seasons, the reality show phenomenon The Real Housewives of New York City has brought viewers into the rarified world of Manhattan’s elite, documenting the aspirational glamour and relatable humanity of both the housewives and their eponymous home, New York City. Since its auspicious debut, R.H.O.N.Y has catapulted to the ranks of Sex and the City and Gossip Girl as one of New York City’s most iconic shows on television. R.H.O.N.Y cast members Sonja Morgan, Dorinda Medley, and Tinsley Mortimer will sit down with Executive Producers Andy Cohen and Lisa Shannon to reflect upon ten years of filming in New York, dish on the juiciest and most memorable moments from the series, and consider the legacy of the show. Tribeca is thrilled to host the talk of the town, The Real Housewives of New York City.

• Event time: Sunday, September 23 at 1pm

Empire (FOX) – Season 5 World Premiere
Created and Executive Produced by Lee Daniels and Danny Strong, and Executive Produced by Brian Grazer, Francie Calfo, Sanaa Hamri, Dennis Hammer, Matt Pyken, Diane Ademu-John, and Showrunner Brett Mahoney
An exclusive peek at the Season 5 premiere of the wildly celebrated series created and executive- produced by Academy Award nominee Lee Daniels and Emmy Award winner Danny Strong. Join Lucious (Terrence Howard) and Cookie (Golden Globe winner Taraji P. Henson) two years after finding their way back to each other to say their “I do’s”— and losing their hold on hip-hop media powerhouse, Empire Entertainment. Though the Lyons have weathered unimaginable tragedies throughout their reign, the family must join forces to rebuild and regain their lost dynasty, one that comes with equal servings of glamour and violence. As their plans begin to take shape, they will be forced to learn – once again – that fame and fortune come with a hefty price tag.

• After the Screening: A conversation with Empire's own Jamal Lyon, Jussie Smollett interviewed by Emil Wilbekin, Chief Content Officer of AFROPUNK and Founder of Native Son.
  • Event time: Saturday, September 22 at 3pm

Festival partners include Spring Studios, Generous Film, TUMI, and media partners Complex Networks, Gothamist, The Hollywood Reporter, iHeartRadio, New York Magazine, Variety, Vulture, WNYC.

EDITORS NOTE: Press materials for editorial/social needs for the Tribeca TV Festival including stills for all shows can be found at http://bit.ly/2018TribecaTVFestivalpress

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ABOUT THE TRIBECA TV FESTIVAL
Tribeca TV Festival brings people together to discover and celebrate episodic storytelling on any screen - from TV to online, mobile to VR. Created by Tribeca Enterprises in 2017, parent company of the Tribeca Film Festival, the Tribeca TV Festival is an extension of Tribeca’s April TV program and the first dedicated TV festival created by a film festival. In its inaugural year, the TV Festival hosted the surprise world premiere screening of Will & Grace’s (NBC) reboot, new series At Home With Amy Sedaris (truTV), Liar (SundanceTV), sneaks of Better Things (FX), Red Oaks (Amazon), Gotham (FOX), conversations with Trevor Noah and writers of The Daily Show, Released (OWN) with Oprah Winfrey, and more.

Tribeca has a tradition of introducing audiences to critically acclaimed and commercially successful episodic shows, which included Bobby Kennedy for President (Netflix), Cobra Kai (YouTube Red), Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story (Paramount Network), Sweet Bitter (STARZ), The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu), The Night Of (HBO), The Night Manager (AMC), Genius (National Geographic); in addition to debuting new seasons and sneak peek special screenings of returning fan favorites like Westworld (HBO), Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix), Broad City (Comedy Central), Grace and Frankie (Netflix); hosting special event screenings for programs like O.J.: Made in America (ESPN Films); and bringing cast and filmmakers together for one-night-only conversations celebrating TV milestones such as the finale of The Good Wife (CBS) and the 15th anniversary of Six Feet Under (HBO)’s final episode.

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PRESS CONTACTS
Tribeca TV Festival/Tribeca Enterprises: Tammie Rosen / 212.941.2003 / trosen@tribecafilmfestival.org

Sunshine Sachs: Nina Di Leo / 212.691.2800 / dileo@sunshinesachs.com

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