The documentary, ‘Tribeca 25’, from Tribeca Studios and director Matt Tyrnauer will make its streaming debut on Netflix on September 11th. An exclusive post-premiere conversation hosted by People Inc. featured Tribeca Festival co-founders Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal for People Talks.
‘TRIBECA 25’ Netflix Debut: Documenting 25 Years of Cinema and Civic Renewal
On September 10th, Tribeca Studios premiered TRIBECA 25, a new documentary from director Matt Tyrnauer (Valentino: The Last Emperor, Studio 54, Nobu) that traces the Tribeca Festival’s origins as a bold effort to help revitalize Lower Manhattan in the aftermath of 9/11, and its evolution into one of the world’s leading platforms for storytelling and culture.
Through exclusive interviews, never-before-seen archival footage, and intimate reflections, TRIBECA 25 chronicles how Robert De Niro and Academy Award-nominated producer Jane Rosenthal founded the Tribeca Festival in the wake of 9/11 to help revitalize a devastated downtown Manhattan.
TRIBECA 25 features exclusive new interviews with De Niro and Rosenthal, alongside Martin Scorsese, Bono, Bruce Springsteen, Whoopi Goldberg, Nas, Jon M. Chu, Nia DaCosta, Denis Leary, Graydon Carter, Julian Schnabel, Sheila Nevins, and others, as the film chronicles Tribeca’s evolution from a bold civic response to tragedy into one of the world’s leading platforms for film, storytelling, and culture.
From Tragedy to Cultural Movement: Robert De Niro & Jane Rosenthal on Founding Tribeca
“After 9/11, Jane and I knew we had to do something,” said De Niro. “We wanted to bring people back downtown, and we believed movies could help bring people together. That was the beginning of the Tribeca Film Festival. Twenty-five years later, I hope this film reminds people that we all have a voice, and that what we do with it matters.”
Tyrnauer began by revisiting the Festival’s origins, charting the extraordinary success of its inaugural edition, which was a five-day showcase, featuring 150 films selected from 13,000 submissions, and spotlighting how the consummate New Yorkers, De Niro and Rosenthal, harnessed cinema as a force for civic renewal. Tyrnauer then connects the Festival within a broader conversation about cities, art, and the human need for connection.
“Tribeca began with a simple idea: bring people back downtown and let artists help us find a way forward,” said Rosenthal. “It grew into something we never could have imagined, but its heart hasn’t changed. We still need places where artists can take risks and people can come together, listen to one another, and see the world differently. Matt understood that. He captured not only how Tribeca began, but why it still matters.”
Launchpad for Auteurs: How Tribeca Championed Emerging Filmmakers
The documentary also highlights Tribeca’s role as a leading platform for independent storytelling and a launchpad for emerging filmmakers. Tribeca Festival has premiered early works by Jon M. Chu (WHEN THE KIDS ARE AWAY, 2002), Ryan Coogler (LOCKS, 2009), Damien Chazelle (GUY AND MADELINE ON A PARK BENCH, 2009), Nia DaCosta (LITTLE WOODS, 2018), and many others. Both Chu and DaCosta appear in the documentary and provide exclusive new interviews reflecting on Tribeca’s impact on their careers.
“It is, in many ways, a love letter to New York and to the movies – to the belief that storytelling is one of humanity’s oldest and most powerful acts: a way of making meaning, building community, and imagining what comes next,” said Tyrnauer. “Ultimately, it’s a story about resilience, creativity, and the enduring human need to gather, connect, and find meaning in moments of upheaval.”
People Talks Exclusive: Inside the Post-Premiere Screening Panel
After the screening hosted by People Inc., an exclusive conversation followed for People Talks, the new live event series, with Tribeca Festival Co-Founders Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal, alongside Director Matt Tyrnauer, moderated by PEOPLE President Leah Wyar.
Image Credit: Adela Loconte/Shutterstock for People Inc.
“We had talked about doing a festival, but it wasn’t really a serious conversation, we were just kicking it around. But when 9/11 happened, we wanted to revitalize the neighborhood to say the least, so we said let’s do it, let’s make the commitment.” said Tribeca Festival co-founder Robert De Niro.
Jane Rosenthal, Tribeca Festival co-founder, stated, “We kept thinking we had to do something. We weren’t firefighters or steelworkers, so what could we do to help? Put on a show and try to provide a new memory.”
Rosenthal continued, “It is so important to bring people together, to be able to sit and watch movies that have a different point of view. To be able to listen, and ask questions, and maybe change some hearts and minds even just a little bit. We still feel it now, that people want to be together.”
Director Matt Tyrnauer remarked, “I’m seeing a real desire for people to be together. There’s a huge verve in the city for that. The Tribeca Festival has always been an engine for bringing people and community together, and the film really examines where that spirit came from.”
How to Watch ‘TRIBECA 25’ on Netflix
TRIBECA 25 makes its streaming debut on Netflix Friday, September 11th, 2026. Watch the Official Trailer.
Note: The information above was sourced from a press release.
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