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Now in its 16th year the festival showcases international cinematic offerings.

Founded in 2002 the Tribeca Film Festival aims to demonstrate the power of film by presenting the best and most innovative examples of filmmaking from the international community. The festival received a record number of submissions for this year, its 16th, and the focus has been on creating an edgy, entertaining and provocative program.

As one of the world’s most recognized cultural festivals, Tribeca aims to elevate the voices of some of the most exciting and sometimes unknown artists working in contemporary film. This means that a wide range of topics and perspectives are explored in the 82 feature-length titles including both narrative and documentary that will be screened at the festival. Big name directors as well as and established and emerging talent will get to share the limelight and tell diverse stories of importance to the US and globally. 37 of the feature film directors are making their debut.

Included in the line-up this year are several feature narratives and documentaries of interest to women and the LGBTQ community.

Women directors stand out, with Rachel Israel writing and directing Keep the Change, about a support group for adults living with autism, and featuring non-actors who are on the spectrum. One Percent More Humid, written and directed by Liz W. Garcia, about female friends and sexuality. The documentary Copwatch directed by Camilla Hall examines the rise of citizen journalism and activism as a challenge to police violence. A Suitable Girl is a controversial documentary about the girls subjected to arranged marriages in India.

Saturday Church focuses young, queer Ulysses as he discovers an underground community where he finds support and creative inspiration. The Argentinean film written and directed by Julia Solomonoff, Nobody’s Watching, challenges identity and questions how we perform our preferences for a cultural context. Tom Of Finland dramatizes the true story of artist Touko Laaksonen known for his homoerotic sketches. The documentary The Death and Life Of Marsha P. Johnson features never before seen footage of one of the famous transgender activist and investigates her mysterious death. Whitney. “can i be me” is a moving documentary about Whitney Houston, the most-awarded female recording artist of all time, who died tragically and prematurely at age 48.

Some of our favorite female actors take the spotlight, too. Cate Blanchett portrays 13 different characters all railing against art in Julian Rosefeldt’s brilliant (anti) art film Manifesto. Marion Cotillard addresses the theme of aging publicly in the French film Rock ‘n’ Roll. Gina Gershon and Rebecca Hall star in Permission, a film about negotiating an open relationship. And Taylor Schilling stars in Take Me, a darkly comic crime caper.

The 16th annual Tribeca Film Festival will take place April 19-30.

For information and tickets go here.

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