The 2025 Tribeca Festival kicked off on June 4th in New York City, which means a fresh slate of films to look forward to. In celebration of multiple mediums, this year’s lineup is also brimming with content for music fanatics — over 20 music-related events, including narrative films and documentaries, are taking center stage.
The first of those took place on the festival’s opening night, where Part 1 of the documentary Billy Joel: And So It Goes premiered at The Beacon Theater. From the unbridled energy of Joel’s iconic songs and performances to the poignant reflections of in-depth interviews, directors Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin capture the highs and lows of the Piano Man’s rise to fame. Archbishop Carl Bean, Boy George, and Depeche Mode are just a selection of music icons whose new documentaries have also hit screens over the festival’s first four days. Additionally, SoCal VoCals, one of USC’s A Cappella groups, and Paradise Records have each had their moment in the sun as the focus of a documentary and narrative release, respectively. The festival is far from over, however, with more melodies still to play out. Here are some titles to tune into at the 24th Tribeca Festival.
Charliebird
The story of Charliebird reveals music’s capacity for healing and its ability to connect even the most unlikely of people. Directed by Libby Ewing, the film follows Al, a music therapist played by Samantha Smart, as she encounters Charlie, her newest patient (played by Gabriela Ochoa Perez). Their evolution from a reluctant teen and professional with a complicated past to a tightly bonded pair is a powerful journey of confronting difficult truths and finding hope. Charliebird’s world premiere took place on June 8th, but it will be screened throughout the festival on June 9th, 11th, and 15th.
Billy Idol Should Be Dead
Billy Idol rocked the 1970s and 80s as both the lead singer of Generation X and a solo act, but beyond his signature bleach-blond and leather-adorned exterior was a world of tumult. Both the smash hits and B-sides of this singer’s career and life are considered in Billy Idol Should Be Dead, a documentary directed by Jonas Åkerlund. The film premiered accompanied by a performance from Idol at the OKX Theater at BMCC on June 10th, and will screen each of the following days until the 14th.
The Sixth Borough
Director Jason Pollard takes a critical eye to the idyllic suburban dream that Long Island often represents in The Sixth Borough, exposing class and race struggles and their influence on the area’s contributions to hip-hop music. Piecing together interviews from influential artists of the time with archival reporting and performances, the documentary explores Long Island as a historically complex and culturally rich area of the Big Apple. It will be shown at the Indeed Theater at Spring Studios on June 11th with a special performance by De La Soul, and screen again on the 12th and 14th.
Rebbeca
Rebbeca is the full name of chart-topping artist Becky G, a pop, rap, and reggaeton artist who has been making waves in the industry since the early 2010s. In the title’s spirit of acknowledging her past and how her identity has developed, the documentary follows her move into Mexican regional-inspired music, a genre connected to her cultural heritage. Becky G will also take the stage at the festival for a duo performance, after Rebbeca’s premiere at the United Palace on June 12th. The film will screen again on June 13th and 14th.
Move Ya Body: The Birth of House
Move Ya Body: The Birth of House strips back house music’s entrance into the mainstream to look into the heart of the genre, and the places from which it gained its name: houses. That is to say, basement shows, where the party and its music was created to welcome queer and Black people who were so often excluded from the dominant disco culture. Move Ya Body: The Birth of House will be shown on June 13th, 14th, and 15th, and its premiere will be accompanied by a house music dance party with Celeste Alexander, Lori Branch, and Lady D.
Still Free TC
Still Free TC takes on some of the heavy realities that have influenced rapper Ty Dolla $ign’s artistry, unpacking his relationship to his incarcerated brother. The personal and creative overlap in his process, with music providing a channel to process family trauma and greater societal pressures. This personal and emotional portrait of a successful singer-songwriter will premiere June 13th at the SVA Theatre, followed by a conversation with the artist. The documentary will be shown twice more, on the 14th and 15th.
Matter of Time
As a well-loved export of the ’90s grunge movement, Pearl Jam’s lead vocalist and lyricist Eddie Vedder has long since made a name for himself. Matter of Time, however, reveals a different side to this rocker as it follows his philanthropic efforts in supporting research for a cure to Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), a rare skin condition. Integrating the tireless work and expert perspective of scientists and researchers, this documentary tells an inspiring story of how advocacy, hope, and change are fueled by science and art. Matter of Time will show June 12th-15th, with an acoustic show from Vedder after its premiere.
This year’s Tribeca Festival showcases music as a source of pride, inspiration, and connection, and a way to create spaces and tell stories that are often ignored. Closer looks at the lives of the artists we know and love helps us to understand their work and appreciate it from fresh angles, while narrative films help us imagine new ways music might have an impact on our lives. It seems like whatever you’re looking for at the intersection of music and film, this year’s festival has something to offer.
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