Documentary on Grammy winner Billy Joel to have a world premiere at Tribeca Festival 2025

ANI April 7, 2025 119 views

Billy Joel's highly anticipated HBO documentary 'Billy Joel: So It Goes' will make its world premiere at the 2025 Tribeca Festival. The two-part film promises an intimate look into the Grammy-winning artist's life, featuring never-before-seen performances and personal moments. Festival co-founder Jane Rosenthal highlighted Joel's significance to New York's cultural landscape. The documentary will air on HBO and Max this summer, offering fans an unprecedented glimpse into the legendary musician's world.

"For nearly 25 years, Tribeca has celebrated artists who give New York its heart and soul" - Jane Rosenthal
Washington DC, April 7: The upcoming Tribeca Festival in New York will open with the world premiere of HBO's two-part documentary based on the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Billy Joel titled 'Billy Joel: So It Goes', reported Deadline.

Key Points

1

HBO documentary explores Joel's life through exclusive interviews and rare footage

2

Tribeca Festival opens June 4 at Beacon Theatre

3

Joel concludes Madison Square Garden residency last year

4

Documentary reveals personal struggles behind iconic music

The announcement was made by the festival co-founder Jane Rosenthal during an appearance at the NAB Show in Las Vegas on Sunday, as per the outlet.

"For nearly 25 years, the Tribeca Festival has celebrated the artists who give New York its heart and soul, and on the opening night of the 2025 festival, we are thrilled to honour Billy Joel - an artist who has embodied that very spirit," Rosenthal said in a statement as quoted by Deadline.

He further said that paying tribute to the legendary artist is a perfect way to open the festival.

"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," added Rosenthal as quoted by Deadline.

Joel, 75, wrapped up a lucrative residency at Madison Square Garden last July, ending a 10-year run of sold-out monthly shows. Several weeks ago, he postponed a planned tour, citing an unspecified health issue, reported Deadline.

The original two-parter documentary explores the life and music of Billy Joel and the love, loss and personal struggles that fuel his songwriting.

According to Deadline, the project's directors and producers, Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin conducted extensive one-on-one interviews for the project.

They were granted access to never-before-seen performances, home movies, and personal photographs related to the actor.

The documentary is slated to air on HBO and stream on Max this summer after its Tribeca premiere.

The opening night of the Tribeca Festival will be June 4 at the Beacon Theatre, and the festival is scheduled to run through June 15.

Additional programming, spanning film, music, TV, audio storytelling, talks, games, and immersive media, will be announced in the coming weeks.

Reader Comments

M
Michael T.
Can't wait for this! Billy Joel's music has been the soundtrack to my life. That Madison Square Garden residency was legendary - saw him 3 times! 🎹
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Sarah L.
I hope they include footage from his early days playing in small NYC clubs. That raw energy before he became famous was something special.
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James R.
While I love Billy's music, I hope this documentary doesn't shy away from his more controversial moments. A balanced portrayal would make it more compelling.
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Emily K.
The Piano Man deserves this tribute! His songs tell such vivid stories. "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" still gives me chills after all these years. ❤️
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David P.
Interesting choice for Tribeca's opener. While Joel is undoubtedly talented, I wonder if they could have picked someone more contemporary to appeal to younger audiences.
A
Angela M.
The never-before-seen footage has me most excited! I've read all his biographies but seeing new material will be amazing. Hope it covers his classical compositions too.

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

Tags:
Billy Joel HBO Documentary Tribeca Festival 2025 Music Biography New York Music
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