Every June, the Tribeca Festival transforms New York City into a playground of bold storytelling, rising talent, and a cinematic scavenger-hunt, and 2025 is no exception. With a lineup that spans intimate documentaries, world and New York premieres, this year’s slate offers something for every kind of cinephile. Whether you’re chasing the next breakout performance, a hidden gem, or a powerhouse exploration of a person or event, Tribeca continues to be a hub for what’s next. As the curtain rises on this year’s festival, here are the films I’m most looking forward to catching on the big screen.
1.Videoheaven – Dir. Alex Ross Perry:
” As VHS became the dominant home video format in the early 1980s and consumer demand for new and classic films grew, the need for a space where people could rent the still-expensive-to-purchase tapes created an opening for the proliferation of the video store. While the shift from the cinema to the home had ramifications that the film industry is still contending with, it also opened new, exciting horizons for cinephiles to interact with the medium. Barriers of time collapsed and suddenly the full scope of film history was available to fans — the ability to manipulate movies using simple tools like fast forward, rewind and pause functions on a VCR gave movie buff’s the power to engage with their favorite films in completely new ways, and the video store provided a forum to discuss these films with fellow cinephiles. Factors like these gave rise to the video store’s power not just as a consumer mecca, but also a sociocultural hub.
2. Deep Cover – Dir. Tom Kingsley
“When a down-on-her-luck improv comedy instructor (Bryce Dallas Howard) and a pair of her misguided students (Orlando Bloom and Nick Mohammed) are recruited to go undercover and bust petty criminals, the offer seems like a unique opportunity. But when one of them decides to go off book, they suddenly find themselves trapped in an escalating London gang war where their “yes and…” skills do more harm than good. As they scramble to maintain their cover as hardened criminals, their real lives start to bleed dangerously close to their underworld personas until the trio finds unexpected allies — and even more unexpected enemies — in dark corners. The unlikely team is forced to confront their individual lives in a whole new way, asking themselves what comes next… if they make it out alive.”
3. The Trainer – Dir. Tony Kaye
“Maverick director Tony Kaye (American History X) presents a raucous, adrenaline-fueled comedy that follows Jack Flex (Vito Schnabel), a penniless, muscle-bound “creative genius” who maniacally pursues his dream of appearing on his mother’s favorite home shopping channel to sell the Heavy Hat — an obviously dangerous fitness gadget that supposedly “increases the flow of Hope Molecules to the brain.” When Jack convinces a desperate network staffer to give him his big break, there’s just one problem: his pitch is filled with lies about being a Hollywood trainer who has celebrity endorsements. With only one week to fulfill his promises before his chance at success vanishes, Jack careens through Los Angeles in an increasingly frantic quest to prove himself. ”
4. In Cold Light – Dir. Maxime Giroux
“In a city pulsing with the surreal chaos of an urban rodeo, Ava (Maika Monroe) is fresh out of prison and ready to take back what’s hers. But just as she sets her plan in motion to reclaim her drug empire, she witnesses the unthinkable: the brutal murder of her brother.
Forced to flee into a nightmarish underworld where allies are scarce and enemies multiply by the minute, Ava must fight to stay alive — and figure out who set her up — before the killers find her first. With the clock ticking and danger around every corner, survival means outsmarting the city’s most violent players while confronting the ghosts of her own past.”
5. Sovereign – Dir. Christian Swegal
“Inspired by true events, this gripping thriller follows Jerry Kane (Nick Offerman), an out-of-work roofer and struggling single father who desperately tries to provide for his homeschooled fifteen-year-old son, Joe (Jacob Tremblay). Searching for control in an unforgiving world, Jerry embraces the sovereign citizen movement, indoctrinating Joe into believing that laws are mere illusions and freedom must be seized by force. As they travel the country selling debt relief seminars to desperate homeowners, Jerry’s ideology becomes increasingly extreme and his grip on reality deteriorates. Meanwhile, Joe quietly begins to question his father’s worldview, dreaming of a normal life beyond their constant travels.”
6. Tow – Dir. Stephanie Laing
“Inspired by the true story of Amanda Ogle, this inspiring drama follows Amanda (Rose Byrne), an unhoused woman living in her blue 1991 Toyota Corolla as she seeks employment in Seattle. Her precarious situation escalates when her car is stolen and later impounded, with the towing company demanding exorbitant fees she can’t afford. Refusing to accept this injustice, Amanda confronts the broken system, engaging in a year-long legal battle to reclaim not only her vehicle but also her dignity. Along the way, she forms meaningful connections with other women in similar circumstances, gradually rebuilding her life and sobriety through community and persistence.”
7. Everything’s Going To Be Great – Dir. Jon S. Baird
“The Smart family’s life takes a dramatic turn when tragedy forces them to confront their oversized dreams, struggles with identity and chaotic regional theater life. As theater manager parents (Allison Janney and Bryan Cranston) work to support their two sons — a hunky football star (Jack Champion) and his flamboyant, theater-loving younger brother (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) — unexpected circumstances compel them to move in with Janney’s estranged brother (Chris Cooper). What begins as a temporary arrangement soon unravels years of familial tension, prompting each member to reevaluate their place in the world and in their relationships.”
8. The Best You Can – Dir. Michael J. Weithorn
“For the first time in 20 years, Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon return together on screen — this time as two halves of an unlikely friendship between a security guard and a urologist whose chance encounter blooms into something deeper. As a series of text conversations over the phone lead to late-night revelations, the two navigate the ups and downs of their lives and their growing connection towards each other that feels impossible to describe.”
9. Re-Creation – Dir. Jim Sheridan and David Merriman
“The 1996 murder of French filmmaker Sophie Toscan Du Plantier at her vacation home in West Cork is one of Ireland’s most shocking unsolved crimes. British journalist Ian Bailey was investigated by Irish authorities but never faced trial in Ireland, despite the fact he was tried and convicted in absentia by the French government. With Re-Creation, co-directors Jim Sheridan (My Left Foot, In The Name of the Father) and David Merriman (Rock Against Homelessness) have created a fiction-reality hybrid with a simple question at its heart: what if Bailey had been brought to trial for the murder in Ireland? The film brings us into the room as a fictional jury sifts through the facts of the case, the inconsistencies in the various stories and the inconvenient truths that make the case so vexing.”
10. Inside – Dir. Charles Williams
“Coming off his Oscar-nomination for The Brutalist, Guy Pearce brings a weary potency to the character of Warren Murfett, a long-incarcerated prisoner who reluctantly takes on the task of mentoring taciturn Mel Blight (an impressive 17-year-old Vincent Miller). And what could have been a straight-forward prison tale instead ferments into an almost operatic thriller hurtling towards an apocalyptic conclusion when in-for-life Mark Shephard (Cosmo Jarvis counterpointing Pearce’s performance with insane bravura) takes an interest in the kid as well.”
And that’s just a taste of what you can expect from this year’s Tribeca Festival. With it’s signature blend of premieres, hidden gems, and anniversary screenings, there’s no shortage of selections. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran of the fest or diving in for the first time, there’s no better way to kick off the month of June than with the Tribeca Festival.
https://tribecafilm.com/festival/film
