Organizers of the Tribeca Film Festival have announced that this year's event will be opening with the world premiere of the new HBO Documentary Film The Apollo.
The film about the iconic New York City venue was directed by Academy and Emmy Award-winner Roger Ross Williams and features Patti LaBelle, Pharrell Williams, Smokey Robinson, and Jamie Foxx.
"We're excited to finally be going uptown to play the Apollo." said Jane Rosenthal, Co-Founder and CEO of the Tribeca Film Festival. "The Apollo gives audiences an inside look at the major role this institution has played for the past 85 years. It's seen the emergence of everything from Jazz to R&B to Soul and Gospel - all quintessential American music genres, and this is the time to remind people of our nation's rich history. "
"The Apollo is about so much more than just music, it's about how we used music and art to lift ourselves out of oppression," commented director Roger Ross Williams. "The story of the Apollo is the story of the evolution of black American identity and how it grew to become the defining cultural movement of our time. I was fortunate to make my first film with HBO and I am thrilled to be coming back home with The Apollo. Premiering at The Tribeca Film Festival, at the Apollo Theater in Harlem is a dream come true."
"The Apollo Theater is a symbol of the creative spirit of New York and beyond, and I'm very happy that we're kicking off our 18th Festival celebrating it with this documentary from Roger Ross Williams," said Tribeca Co-Founder Robert De Niro.
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