Tribeca: Look who's directing now.

By Alison Willmore on 03/31/2008

I've been shamefully avoiding looking over the Tribeca line-up until now because it's just so damn big. Finally, the deed is done, and it seems a good time to give a few shout-outs to some unexpected names showing up as directors:

I Think I Thought, directed and written by Matthew Modine: "To think, or not to think, that is the question in I Think I Thought," the program helpfully tells us of this short. Modine's actually directed a few shorts before (in addition to his direct-to-DVD feature debut, "One Last Score"). The first, 1993's "When I was a Boy," was co-directed by "Little Children"'s Todd Field, while 1994's "Smoking" was written by David Sedari, and 1997's "Ecce Pirate" was shot at the same time as "Cutthroat Island."

Irish Twins, directed and written by Rider Strong and Shiloh Strong: The actor best known as Shawn Hunter of "Boy Meets World" teams up with his real-life sibling to direct and star in a short about how "brothers Michael and Seamus come to blows over their father's ashes."

Gunnin' for That #1 Spot, directed by Adam Yauch. (USA): The Beastie Boys' MCA sheds the Nathanial Hörnblowér alias under which he's been credited for his past directorial work and leads with his real name in the doc about Rucker Park's "Elite 24" tournament.

Confessionsofa Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha, directed and written by Melvin Van Peebles: Van Peebles hasn't directed a feature since 2000's "Le Conte du Ventre Plein," which never made it to these shores for a theatrical release. "Confessions" is a semi-autobiographical tale starring Van Peebles as a man "who's always on the move--but always returns to New York."

Charly, directed and written by Isild Le Besco: 25-year-old French actress Le Besco drew arthouse attention for her role in Benoît Jacquot's "À tout de suite," but she's also directed a doc (about Parisian neighborhood Le Marais) and another feature, "Half-Price," which premiered at Tribeca in 2004. "Charly," like "Half-Price," is set in a world in which children have created a life for themselves.

Sita Sings the Blues, directed and written by Nina Paley: Long-time cartoonist and animator Paley takes on a feature-length film that combines the tale of the break-up of her marriage with the Ramayana.

The full Tribeca schedule and line-up are here.

[Photo: "I Think I Thought," Matthew Modine, 2007]

+ Tribeca Film Guide (TribecaFilmFestival.org)