Westfield Rolls Out Red Carpet for Tribeca Film Festival

In 1989, Robert DeNiro (you may have heard of him) and his business partner, Jane Rosenthal, founded Tribeca Productions Film Studio. Their goal was to foster filmmaking projects in New York City. They continued to grow the business throughout the five boroughs. But in 2002, they had a grander plan. They wanted to bring commerce and confidence back to lower Manhattan as it began to rebuild after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and the Tribeca Film Festival was born.

A decade later, the festival has drawn more than 3 million actors, directors, producers and film buffs to New York to review thousands of films — shorts, documentaries, family films and serious features. The festival has generated more than $600 million in business for the city and for filmmakers.

Ten years of success left organizers with one goal: take the festival on the road, leading them to only one destination: Westfield, NJ.

Okay, so Westfield wasn’t the only destination for Tribeca Film Festival On The Road, but combined with the other destinations — San Francisco, Houston and Chicago — the Digiplex Rialto Theatre, home of this weekend’s three-day festival showing off independent films, is in esteemed company.

The festival, sponsored by American Express, kicks off at 7:30 Friday night with a screening of Janie Jones, starring Abigail Breslin, who was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Supporting Actress in Little Miss Sunshine. The movie, directed by David M. Rosenthal, and also stars Allesandro Nivola and features South Orange native and Academy Award nominee Elisabeth Shue. Following the screening, Breslin, Rosenthal and producer Keith Kjarval will answer questions and then all patrons are invited to a cocktail-and-hors d’oeuvres after-party. Tickets are $12.

The rest of the weekend’s screenings, including Don't Go Into the Woods, the directorial debut for actor Vincent D'Onofrio and The Last Rights of Joe May, starring Dennis Farina, among others, also includes audience Q&A sessions after the movies. See the schedule below:

MOVIE

Janie Jones

Abigail Breslin, David M. Rosenthal, Elisabeth Shue

7:30 p.m. (includes short film, Mr. Stache)

janiejones

MOVIE

Ultrasuede: In Search of Halston

Liza Minelli, Billy Joel, Diane Von Furstenberg

3:15 p.m.(includes short film: Mr. Stache)

 halston

janiejones

Northeast

9 p.m.

(includes Mr. Stache) northeast

Don't Go In the Woods 

9:45 p.m.

(includes Mr. Stache) woods

SUNDAY

FILM

The Man on the Train

Donald Sutherland, Larry Mullen Jr.

2:15 p.m.

manonthetrain