TRIBECA 2025 [JUNE 8]: FULL EVENT COVERAGE AND RECAP PHOTOS
Tribeca
TRIBECA 2025 - JUNE 8 RECAP
Day 5 of the 2025 Tribeca Festival captured the full spectrum of what makes this New York cultural institution such a magnet for talent, innovation, and intimate storytelling. It was a day of highly anticipated premieres, emotional personal milestones, and powerful creative conversations, all against the vibrant backdrop of lower Manhattan.
Across the city, venues buzzed with packed houses and palpable energy as filmmakers, cast members, and fans converged for what turned out to be one of the most compelling and star-studded days of the festival so far. From deeply personal docuseries to genre-defying features and cutting-edge international drama, June 8 delivered on every level — emotionally, cinematically, and culturally.
Powerhouse Conversations at Spring Studios
The morning began with a jolt of industry insight at Spring Studios, the official hub of Tribeca, where the Tribeca Storytelling Summit continued its mission of spotlighting today’s most visionary creators. Director David Leitch and producer Kelly McCormick sat down for a revealing conversation about building sustainable creative partnerships, staging action with heart, and the transition from stunt choreography to franchise filmmaking. The crowd of filmmakers and press was riveted.
Later in the day, the incomparable Lucy Liu took the stage for a career-spanning dialogue that touched on her evolution from trailblazing actress to director and advocate. She spoke candidly about Asian-American representation, motherhood, and navigating the entertainment world as a multi-hyphenate artist, earning both laughs and tears from an audience visibly moved by her honesty.
World Premiere Spotlight: Call Her Alex
At the OKX Theater at BMCC, the spotlight turned to a cultural icon of a different kind: Alex Cooper, the podcast juggernaut behind Call Her Daddy, who made her documentary debut with the raw and revealing Call Her Alex. This world premiere marked a new chapter in Cooper’s journey — from provocateur to documentarian — and brought out fans, press, and fellow creators in droves.
The post-screening conversation saw Cooper visibly emotional as she reflected on her rise, her vulnerability in sharing deeply personal chapters of her life, and the milestone of premiering at Tribeca:
“I promised myself I would take this in today. […] This is it, this is the dream: I’m at Tribeca Film Festival.”
The screening doubled as a triumphant homecoming and a reintroduction — a reminder that in today’s media landscape, the personal can be just as powerful as the polished.
Family, Fame, and Vulnerability in Hal & Harper
Over at The Indeed Theater, Tribeca audiences were treated to the New York premiere of Hal & Harper, a drama that dissects family legacy, millennial anxiety, and the costs of fame through a fresh, unflinching lens. Mark Ruffalo and Lili Reinhart, who also serve as producers, walked the carpet alongside their castmates Betty Gilpin, Havana Rose Liu, and Cooper Raiff, exuding easy chemistry and passion for the material.
The ensemble took time to reflect on the pressures of parenting, identity, and creativity in a culture obsessed with perfection. The response from the audience was deeply emotional, signaling the series as a standout in this year’s television slate and a possible contender come awards season.
All Eyes on One Spoon of Chocolate
(L-R) Talani Rabb, Rza Photo Credit_Rob Kim
Later in the evening, the red carpet at OKX Theater was graced by Paris Jackson, RZA, and Blair Underwood for the world premiere of One Spoon of Chocolate, a genre-blurring meditation on healing, heritage, and spiritual reclamation. A visual and sonic feast helmed by director Robbie Rogers, the film challenges conventional structures through a blend of poetry, music, and narrative abstraction.
Paris Jackson Photo Credit: Rob Kim
The cast stunned on the carpet in a mix of edgy glam and elevated streetwear, and their chemistry — both with one another and with the crowd — proved magnetic. Jackson, in particular, was praised for a performance that pushed her emotional range into uncharted territory. With themes of intergenerational trauma, faith, and art as survival, One Spoon of Chocolate emerged as one of Tribeca’s boldest artistic statements.
Emotional Honesty in A Tree Fell in the Woods
Across town at the SVA Theatre, actors Josh Gad and Alexandra Daddario led the premiere of A Tree Fell in the Woods, a tender exploration of grief, friendship, and the quiet moments that shape a life. Directed by Nora Kirkpatrick, the film follows two estranged friends reuniting in a remote cabin following a shared tragedy.
Gad and Daddario, dressed in understated elegance, posed together on the carpet and shared poignant reflections on navigating emotional truth through comedy and silence. The film was praised for its tight writing, atmospheric direction, and ability to wring hope from loss without veering into melodrama.
Sovereign, Centineo, and Cooper Cameos
Nick Offerman Photo Credit: Jamie McCarthy
The day’s momentum didn’t stop there. At the SVA Theatre, Nick Offerman and Jacob Tremblay stunned audiences in Sovereign, a slow-burning thriller that examines masculinity, survival, and inherited silence. Offerman’s turn as a reclusive father at odds with his gifted son earned spontaneous applause.
Jacob Tremblay Photo Credit: Jamie McCarthy
At AMC 19th St. East 6, celebrated conductor Gustavo Dudamel introduced All We Cannot See, a haunting Spanish-language queer drama that brought unexpected gravitas and lyricism to the lineup. In an unannounced surprise, Bradley Cooper arrived to show his support, drawing gasps and camera flashes from press and guests alike.
(L-R) Bradley Cooper, Gustavo Dudamel, Maria Valverde, Alberto Arvelo, Bruna Cusi and Wendy Guerra Photo Credit_Mark Sagliocco
Meanwhile, over at Village East by Angelika, Noah Centineo made a low-key appearance for Our Hero, Balthazar, a quirky coming-of-age story that he executive produced. The film’s offbeat charm and indie sincerity struck a chord with audiences, rounding out a day rich in variety and voice.
A Festival in Full Bloom
From blockbuster-adjacent premieres to deeply personal passion projects, June 8 at Tribeca 2025 reminded attendees why this festival continues to set the gold standard for cultural storytelling. The lineup was fearless, intimate, and unmistakably modern — reflective of a media moment where creators are finally telling stories on their own terms.
As Tribeca heads into its second week, the buzz is undeniable: films like Call Her Alex, One Spoon of Chocolate, and Hal & Harper aren’t just festival favorites — they’re future-defining works that will shape the industry dialogue far beyond Manhattan.
