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We were honored to attend the world premiere of Smoking Tigers during the festival. This film is a coming of age story of Hayoung who is 16 when life changes as she knows it. Smoking Tigers tells the story of Hayoung, a 16-year-old Korean American girl living in Los Angeles during the early 2000s. As she finds herself drawn into the world of three affluent students she encounters at an elite academic boot-camp, Hayoung must navigate the delicate balance between concealing her troubled family background and embracing the complexities of adulthood. The way the story unfolds makes you laugh, cry and root for Hayoung and her family to win.

The film offers a poignant exploration of identity, friendship, and the transformative power of life-altering experiences. Smoking Tigers was one of the best films during Tribeca and went on to win well deserved awards. Congrats to Director So Young Shelly Yo and her team, we look forward to more films!

The 2023 Tribeca Festival kicked off with a pre-reception honoring Robert De Niro - where Mayor Adams gave De Niro a key to the city. Following the ceremony, De Niro received a surprise speech from Martin Scorsese, congratulating him on his commitment to Tribeca, New York, and the festival. Guests included Mark Ruffalo, Debra Messing, Billy Porter, Patty Jenkins, Peter Coyote, Noah Centineo, Dianna Agron, Julian Schnabel, Piper Perabo, and New York Nico. Following the reception, the opening night screening was the North American premiere of the highly anticipated Kiss the Future documentary featuring U2’s journey to perform a longpromised concert to the people of Sarajevo. Producer Matt Damon attended the event along with Brendan Fraser, Jennifer Esposito, Noah Centineo, Adam Goldberg and Tribeca Festival co-founders Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal.