Tribeca Film Festival 2009 Mini-Preview: Documentaries

Actor Hugh Jackman narrates The Burning Season, a provocative documentary about "poor farmers on the Indonesian islands who, every year, set fire to areas of pristine rainforest to set up palm oil plantations. The smoke chokes up the air of neighboring countries, endangers forest wildlife, and emits vast tons of carbon (Indonesia is now the third largest carbon emitter behind the United States and China)." Following the April 27th screening, director Cathy Henkel, CEO of Carbon Conservation Dorjee Sun, New York Times environmental correspondent Elisabeth Rosenthal, and others will participate in a discussion on carbon trading, rainforest preservation, wildlife protection, and other issues raised in The Burning Season. Moderated by Ira Flatow (author and host of NPR’s Science Friday).

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Last week Executive Director Nancy Schafer talked us through some of the fun events happening during the festival, which include free stuff like the drive-in movies and the family street fair, the post-screening Q&A's with directors such as Spike Lee and Steven Soderbergh, and a "work in progress" premiere screening of the documentary, Bon Jovi: When We Were Beautiful.

Tickets went on sale Tuesday for American Express Cardmembers, who get first dibs on tickets through Saturday because Am Ex is a major festival sponsor. On Sunday, single tickets go on sale to downtown residents (below Canal) at the Tribeca Cinemas ticket outlet only, and on Monday they go on sale to the general public. All ticket details are here. Click on the film stills above for details on some of the intriguing documentary features at this year's festival.