Tribeca Film Festival
If you’re New York society royalty, an aspiring filmmaker at Tisch or just a movie enthusiast, Tribeca Film Festival is mecca. It’s a time for Q&As with directors and cast, advanced screenings, and genuine appreciation for the art of film.
All the way back in Weekly Digest #7, we talked about the similarities between the advertising industry and filmmaking. And a few weeks ago, we dove into the recent wave of branded short films, a direct product of the meeting of these two disciplines.
This year’s TFF drew upon several industry-relevant topics and made nods to current trends in advertising and tech. Having been solidified on the big screen, we’d bet they’re a sign of things to come. In no particular order, here are our picks:
Cryptocurrency:
Braid
This film is the first ever to be crowdfunded by the cryptocurrency Ethereum. It’s a psychological thriller about two girls who decide to rob their wealthy but psychotic childhood friend. As cryptocurrencies begin to integrate into our daily lives, we’ll see new and more interesting applications, such as funding for the creative arts.
Personalization:
Zoe
In what is the ultimate personalization, this story is set in the not-too-distant future where cutting-edge technology has honed romantic relationships down to a science: a computerized test that can design ideal partners in the form of androids. This trend of employing user data (however controversial these days) to construct tailor-made brand interactions speaks to a larger desire for personalization, as depicted in this film.
Social Media:
The American Meme
We are living in height of meme culture and this documentary examines a new iteration of the American dream: the social media star. The narrative explores the cost, exhaustion, depression, and the inevitable backlash stars experience from the media and fans when they attempt to monetize their accounts.
Virtual Reality:
Oculus VR for Good Creators Lab
Oculus launched their VR for Good initiative back in 2016, pairing content creators with nonprofits to promote meaningful social change. Three films born from this project made it to Tribeca this year and they are beautiful showcases the power of VR.
Personal Assistants:
Bad Peter
They’ll Google, order and schedule anything for us, but as we integrate this new technology into our lives, we also need to consider the cost. In this film, an expectant mother is forced into a unpleasant birthing regimen by her automated personal assistant, which thinks it knows what’s best for her and her unborn child.