Billy Joel documentary to open 2025 Tribeca Film Festival

IANS April 7, 2025 164 views

The Tribeca Film Festival will open its 2025 edition with a groundbreaking documentary about iconic musician Billy Joel. Directed by Jessica Levin and Susan Lacy, 'Billy Joel: And So It Goes' promises an intimate exploration of Joel's life and musical journey. The film features exclusive performances, home movies, and personal interviews never seen before. Festival CEO Jane Rosenthal described the documentary as a celebration of New York's artistic soul.

"Our film brings an in-depth, honest portrait of this complex talent" - Susan Lacy, Co-Director
Los Angeles, April 7: The upcoming edition of the Tribeca Film Festival will be opened by ‘Billy Joel: And So It Goes’, a two-part documentary based on musician Billy Joel.

Key Points

1

Unprecedented access to never-before-seen Joel performances

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Documentary explores musician's personal struggles and songwriting

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Tribeca Festival celebrates New York artistic spirit

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Film premieres June 4 with HBO support

Tribeca Festival CEO and co-Founder Jane Rosenthal announced the opening night programming on stage at the NAB Show’s Business Show of Entertainment event, reports ‘Variety’.

“For nearly 25 years, the Tribeca Festival has celebrated the artists who give New York its heart and soul”, Rosenthal said. “On the opening night of the 2025 Festival, we are thrilled to honor Billy Joel, an artist who has embodied that very spirit. Paying tribute to the legendary performer who captured the essence of a ‘New York State of Mind’ is a perfect way to kick off this year’s celebration of creativity and inspiration”.

As per ‘Variety’, this year’s Tribeca Festival will be held from June 4 through June 15 in New York City, featuring a lineup of films, music, TV, audio storytelling, live talks, games and immersive programming.

‘Billy Joel: And So It Goes’, which will open the festival on June 4, is described as an “expansive portrait of the life and music of Billy Joel, exploring the love, loss, and personal struggles that fuel his songwriting”, according to a press release.

“With unprecedented access to never-before-seen performances, home movies, and personal photographs, along with extensive, in-depth one-on-one interviews, the documentary intimately explores the life and work of Joel, whose music has endured across generations”, it further added.

‘Billy Joel: And So It Goes’ is co-directed and produced by Jessica Levin and Susan Lacy. “(Jessica and I) couldn’t be more thrilled about our film ‘Billy Joel: And So It Goes’ opening the esteemed Tribeca Festival. Our thanks go out to Jane Rosenthal and the festival team and to HBO and the wonderful folks there who have supported us throughout in our efforts to bring an in-depth, honest, and musically expressive portrait of this complex talent”, Lacy said.

Reader Comments

M
Michael R.
Can't wait for this! Billy Joel's music has been the soundtrack to my life. That "New York State of Mind" performance at Shea Stadium still gives me chills. Hope they include some rare footage from his early days!
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Sarah T.
Interesting choice for opening night. While I respect Joel's legacy, I wonder if Tribeca could have picked a more contemporary artist to appeal to younger audiences. Still, the doc sounds comprehensive!
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James L.
Piano Man forever! 🎹 My dad introduced me to Billy Joel when I was 10 and now I'm passing it on to my kids. This documentary is LONG overdue. Hope they cover his classical compositions too.
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Amanda K.
Susan Lacy did an amazing job with the Joni Mitchell documentary, so I have high hopes for this one. The description mentioning "never-before-seen performances" has me especially excited!
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Tommy P.
Saw Billy at MSG last year - still got it after all these years! Will definitely be watching this. Wonder if they'll talk about his songwriting process - those lyrics cut deep sometimes.
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Rachel B.
Perfect choice for Tribeca! Billy Joel IS New York. Hoping they explore his relationship with the city beyond just the obvious songs. Also curious about his Broadway aspirations that never materialized.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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