Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) Review: When you carry your people on your shoulders

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Release dates: January 23, 2025 Sundance
February 13, 2025 Hulu and Disney+

Director: Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson
Appearances: Andre 3000, D'Angelo, Chaka Khan, Q-Tip, Nile Rodgers, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, George Clinton, Ruth Copeland, Clive Davis
Genre: Documentary
Run time: 1 hour 52 minutes
Country: United States
Language: English

An extraordinary film from director Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson ‘Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)’ gives an inside look at a man who revolutionized music with his unique style.

We have heard his great music for decades and now have the opportunity to learn about behind the music.

The film will certainly have you wanting to laugh and cry as Sly’s life unfolds.

We have heard his great music for decades and now have the opportunity to learn about behind the music.

The film will make you want to laugh and cry as Sly’s life unfolds.

Questlove does a wonderful job directing the film. It's not a story of sensationalism or exploitation of a man, but an honest look at who he was and how he came to be in the music business.

One cannot help but see the weight of the burden he is carrying.  All the while, dealing with what appears to be mental health issues. It makes you wonder, was his drug use a means of self-medicating?

For a revolutionary musician and songwriter who had a huge impact on music, Sly and the Family Stone's story was long overdue.

Questlove has directed another great film. Stream it, you will not be disappointed.

Interviews from Greg Zola's Small Talk About Sly and Michael Rubinstone's On the Sly: In Search of the Family Stone are included in  the film.

Distributor: Hulu
Producers: Amit Dey, Joseph Patel, Derik Murray
Editor: Josh Pearson
Production companies: Onyx Collective, RadicalMedia, MRC, Two One Five Entertainment, StarDust Films, Network Entertainment, ID8 Multimedia, Sony Music Entertainment

Meet the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival Jurors

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See all the jurors

The Jury is In!

You’ve seen the Festival line-up; now it’s time to reveal the jury. These industry leaders and creative visionaries will be deliberating on and presenting laurels to the top projects across 17 competition categories from film to games, audio storytelling to TV, and more.

Judging films in competition will be visionaries ranging from Colson Whitehead to Mira Sorvino to Matthew Broderick and Art Linson to Ilana Glazer — and those are just a few names on the list. The likes of Annie Murphy, Jennifer Beals, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Gina Rodriguez, Stephanie Hsu, and more will deliberate on the Nora Ephron Award, the 2025 Viewpoints Competition, and the AT&T Untold Stories Greenlight Committee.

Winners will be announced at the Tribeca Festival Awards Ceremony on June 12th.

But don’t just celebrate the winning programs — see them for yourself.

Our Festival Favorites Pass provides ticketless access to all Award Winner and Back By Popular Demand screenings on Sunday, June 15 as we bring back the most popular programs of the Fest, along with the award winners. For just $60, you can watch as many movies as you can schedule into one day.

 ‘SPLITSVILLE’S World Premiere at Cannes Film Festival: In Theaters August 22, 2025

Adria Arjona, Kyle Marvin and Dakota Johnson at the After Party for the World Premiere of Splitsville in Cannes on May 19, 2025
Adria Arjona, Kyle Marvin and Dakota Johnson at the After Party for the World Premiere of Splitsville in Cannes on May 19, 2025

In attendance where Dakota Johnson (Producer/Cast), Adria Arjona (Executive Producer/Cast), Kyle Marvin (CoWriter/Producer/Cast), Michael Angelo Covino (Director/Co-Writer/Producer/Cast), Emily Korteweg (Producer), Ryan Heller (Producer), Jeff Deutchman (Producer), Ro Donnelly (Producer), Samantha Racanelli (Producer)

Additional Attendees showing support:
Jason Momoa, Alexander Skarsgård, Stellan Skarsgård
Sean Baker, Jeremy O. Harris, Jasmin Savoy Brown Eva Victor

Jason Momoa and Adria Arjona at the After Party for the World Premiere of Splitsville in Cannes on May 19, 2025
Jason Momoa and Adria Arjona at the After Party for the World Premiere of Splitsville in Cannes on May 19, 2025
Kyle Marvin and Michael Angelo Covino at the After Party for the World Premiere of Splitsville in Cannes on May 19, 2025
Kyle Marvin and Michael Angelo Covino at the After Party for the World Premiere of Splitsville in Cannes on May 19, 2025

‘Arcades & Love Songs: The Ballad of Walter Day’ on Global TVOD and Digital June 9th

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Director: Ed Cunningham 
Producers: Jonathan Perkins, Seth Gordon and Mike J. Nichols
Writers: Ed Cunningham, Mike J. Nichols, and Paul Leach
Genre: Documentary
Run time: 1 hour 34 minutes
Executive producers: Ed Cunningham, Byron Ashley, Scott Jackson, Harrison Kordestani Kerry, Cathy Loveland and Paul Campoamor
Editor: Mike J. Nichols.

Arcades & Love Songs: The Ballad of Walter Day is a musical documentary following 74-year-old Walter Day - the father of esports and star of The King of Kong - as he battles a lawsuit threatening his legacy while fulfilling his dream of recording and performing the rock-opera style love songs he has been hearing in his head since having his heart broken at the height of the arcade era.

Ed Cunningham Statement:
The King of Kong premiered at Slamdance 2007 to a packed house of just the right type of audience. As the filmmakers, we could not have selected a better group of people to be the first to see something we had lived with for three years. The gamers, tech-types and doc lovers were all into it from frame one. “Is this real?” “Get a load of that guy.” The whispers, laughs and touching moments were all hitting. Then the projector overheated and shutdown. As the director sprinted up the aisle to help, I just listened. The break in tension allowed everyone to check in with each other. We knew the film could be seen as mocking people we had grown to love, doubt and admire and had worked tirelessly to present them truthfully and empathetically. And this audience got it. From that night forward, the original documentary has changed many people’s lives – for better and worse – so when Billy Mitchell called to tell me Walter Day was being sued based on things that happened in our movie, I began helping make sure he was properly defended. In a lawsuit strategy meeting I learned that some King of Kong fans were funding Walter to produce and perform the songs he had been hearing in his head since having his heart broken in the ‘80s, a story he shared in the original film. I felt a responsibility to document the conclusion to Walter’s journey and it was also a great opportunity because I love his music and want to help get out in the world.

Blue Harbor Takes ‘THE SOUND’ in Theaters and VOD June 27th

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New York, NY – May 5, 2025 – Blue Harbor Entertainment announced today that it will release Brendan Devane’s THE SOUND in theaters and on VOD beginning June 27.

In horror thriller THE SOUND, a world-class group of climbers is granted access to the Forbidden Wall, a mysterious rock wall previously closed for decades. Among the climbers is Sean (Marc Hills), whose grandfather made an ill-fated attempt 63 years earlier. During the group’s ascent, they come face to face with a malevolent force that quickly turns their expedition into a harrowing battle for survival hundreds of feet above the ground.

THE SOUND is produced, directed and written by Brendan Devane, best known for his recent horror feature The Canyonlands. The film stars Marc Hills (Elephant Department), Rachel Finninger (American Horror Story), Nicholas Baroudi (The Hating Game), Jocelyn Hudon (The Strain), William Fitchtner (Crash, Armageddon),Christina Kirkman (Trigger Happy), Jolene Kay (Star Trek), David Clennon (The Thing), Hazel Findlay (Reel Rock), Brette Harrington (The Alpinist), Adrian Ballinger (Edge Of The Earth ), and Alex Honnold (Free Solo).

Featuring luminaries from the climbing world to add terrifying realism to the action, the film features a score by James Iha (The Smashing Pumpkins), with Directors Of Photography Ryan Galvan and Brett Lowell (The Alpinist, The Climb) and Editing by Alex Russek (Reel Rock).

The film is produced by Brendan Devane and executive produced by James Devane on behalf of Sadieland Productions.

"I'm very excited to be working with Blue Harbor as we all do our best to navigate the challenges of the independent film market. They understand that the traditional distribution model needs to adapt and change to better serve the many talented filmmakers who are trying to get their projects elevated above the noise. It’s refreshing to work with a distributor that focuses on the project's needs and is filmmaker friendly along with bringing years of experience and knowledge in the distribution space. When we weighed our options, Blue Harbor Entertainment was a great fit and an easy decision. We are honored to work with them to bring audiences the exciting rock climbing action/horror The Sound, " said Devane.

"We're big fans of what Brendan has accomplished with The Sound. His attention to detail and commitment to realism creates a terrific aesthetic and environment for his film. Our favorite genre films are those where both of those elements play a major role, right alongside the characters and story. We can't wait to make the audience's palms sweat," said Blue Harbor in a statement.

Led by Amanda SherwinMike Messina and Seth Needle, Blue Harbor Entertainment recently released the award-winning untold story of Dr. Audrey Evans, Audrey's Children, starring Natalie Dormer in March, and A Nice Indian Boy, starring Karan Soni and Jonathan Groff, which has become the highest-grossing English-language film in limited release thus far this year. They will release Lilly, the powerful story of equal pay activist Lilly Ledbetter starring Patricia Clarkson, in May.

ABOUT BLUE HARBOR ENTERTAINMENT

Blue Harbor Entertainment is a boutique distributor of independent films designed for the business needs of today’s filmmakers and provides a comprehensive and full-scale distribution and marketing solution covering theatrical releases, home entertainment, transactional and subscription digital streaming platforms, and television. Established in 2023 by industry veterans Amanda Sherwin, Mike Messina and Seth Needle, and with a combined experience spanning hundreds of films over multiple decades, Blue Harbor was conceived as a much-needed alternative in today’s challenging U.S. distribution environment with a structure that empowers filmmakers. Notable releases include the cannabis horror/thriller Trim Season , starring Bethlehem Million (Sick) and Jane Badler (V), director Olivia Kuan’s award-winning documentary The Herricanes about The Houston Herricanes, a team that was part of the groundbreaking first women’s full tackle football league of the 1970s, and writer/director Zia Mohajerjasbi's award-winning film Know Your Place, a story about change and loss set amidst the landscape of a transforming Seattle as seen by a young Eritrean-American boy. Recent releases include the award-winning, untold story of Dr. Audrey Evans, Audrey's Children, starring Natalie Dormer, and the romantic comedy A Nice Indian Boy starring Karan Soni and Jonathan Groff, and will release Lilly, the powerful story of equal pay activist Lilly Ledbetter starring Patricia Clarkson, in May.

‘Magazine Dream’ Starring Jonathan Majors

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Director and Writer: Elijah Bynum
Starring: Jonathan Majors, Haley Bennett, Taylour Paige, Harrison Page, Harriet Sansom Harris, Mike O'Hearn
Genre: Drama
Rating: R
Run time: 2 hours 4 minutes
Language: English
Country: United States

Director and writer Elijah Bynum’s ‘Magazine Dream’ share the life and challenges of Killian Maddox (Jonathan Majors), an aspiring bodybuilder and mentally ill grocery store worker, who lives with grandfather Paw-Paw after his father killed his mother and committed suicide.

The other stars of the film are Jessie (Haley Bennett), a grocery store worker and Killian's love-interest; Pink Coat (Taylour Paige), a sex worker; Brad Vanderhorn (Mike O'Hearn), a professional bodybuilder and Killian's idol; William Lattimore (Harrison Page), Killian's grandfather; Patricia Waldron (Harriet Sansom Harris), Killian's counselor; Ken Donaghue (Bradley Stryker), a roofing and plumbing worker who assaults Killian; Dr. Prescott (Dan Donahue), Killian's doctor; (Craig Cackowski), as a bodybuilding contest judge who placed Killian poorly; the Head Judge (David Maurice Johnson) of the regional bodybuilding competition.

Distributor: Briarcliff Entertainment
Production Companies: Los Angeles Media Fund, JF Productions
Producers: Jennifer Fox, Dan Gilroy, Jeffrey Soros, Simon Horsman, Luke Rogers
Cinematographer: Adam Arkapaw
Editor: Jon Otazua
Music: Jason Hill

Tribeca Festival is proud to present… TV and NOW

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They’re here! Announcing the Official Selections for television and indie episodic series at this year’s Tribeca Festival, presented by OKX. From June 4-15, we’ll be screening some of the most exciting (and entertaining) programs on network and streaming, and we want you there.

Buy a Hudson pass or ticket package today to secure your seat at the Festival, and take advantage of our special announcement sale pricing while it lasts!

From never-before-seen series premieres to the new seasons of multiple fan-favorite shows, this year’s Festival has it all.

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Settle into dynastic family dramas with the Season 3 premiere of Max’s The Gilded Age (starring Carrie CoonMorgan Spector and Cynthia Nixon) and the series premieres of BritBox miniseries Outrageous and Prime Video’s We Were Liars. Enter the unknown with Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3, and step into the 60’s with the Season 4 finale of Godfather of Harlem. Scratch your true crime itch with the World Premieres of AMC docuseries The Furry Detectives: Unmasking a Monster and Apple TV+ detective thriller Smoke.

Check out the full TV program here.

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But wait—there’s more! Tribeca prides itself on celebrating independent filmmakers across every medium, including television. Our NOW category boasts some of the most daring indie episodic programs in the marketplace today.

In the NOW Special Screenings category, find the New York Premiere of sibling dramedy Hal & Harper from writer/director/actor Cooper Raiff. Or, catch a docuseries World Premiere: see a unique side of the beauty pageant circuit with Mrs. America and discover the untold battle of the famed ‘90s ‘Got Milk’ campaign in The Price of Milk.

The NOW Showcase might just have your next favorite show. Fans of Mandy Patinkin and Kathryn Grody will delight in the marital dramedy Seasoned, and the family fun keeps coming with mother-son kidney transplant drama Mother, May I Have a Kidney? Comedy legends lift off to new heights in Jeremy Beiler’s Earth to Percy and check in to unexpected places with Joanna Leeds’ Bulldozer.

See the full NOW program here.

Now that we’ve got you excited, it’s time to get those tickets. To secure your seat before everyone else, buy a Festival pass or package, or sign up for Tribeca Membership today. The most anticipated events will sell out before tickets go on sale to the general public on April 29.

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