You think of the Tribeca Film Festival as a home for small films, and for the large part that's true-- it's the festival that gave us Let the Right One In and the upcoming The Eclipse, where I first saw Man on Wire and In the Loop and Moon. But Tribeca is based in New York City, a city that knows from business, and every year they kick off the festival with a movie that isn't necessarily the best quality, but will draw the most eyeballs.
And that's how we get here, with Shrek Forever After slated to open the Tribeca Film Festival on April 21. In the press release Tribeca co-founder Jane Rosenthal said, "We have always sought to open our Festival with films that are captivating and strike an emotional chord with movie-goers. ‘Shrek Forever After’ combines the very best in storytelling and artistry while showcasing the wonders of innovative 3D filmmaking."
Yes, the fourth Shrek will be only the second 3D film to open a festival, after Up kicked off Cannes last year. No one should be surprised that the 3D craze has already infected festivals-- with their high ticket prices and reliance on tiny movies with no marketing budgets, festivals need gimmicks as much as anyone else. And if Shrek Forever After follows in the footsteps of other Tribeca openers like Spider-Man 3 and The Interpreter, 3D may be the only thing it has going for it.
