A New York City story is coming to life on screen later this summer, and New Yorkers will be among the first to see it.
The highly-anticipated film version of the beloved Tony-winning musical “In The Heights” will officially premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival this summer. Presented by AT&T, the film will open the festival on June 9 as a part of the festival’s 20th anniversary.
“It is such an honor to open the 20th anniversary Tribeca Film Festival with ‘In the Heights.’ We’re so excited to welcome them uptown!” said Lin-Manuel Miranda, Creator of ‘In the Heights.’ “This will be an unforgettable night at the United Palace. We can’t wait to share this musical love letter to our community, with our community, in our community.”
Directed by Jon M. Chu, with original songs and lyrics by Miranda, ‘In The Heights’ follows the story of bodega owner Usnavi, played by “Hamilton” star Anthony Ramos, who hopes, imagines, and sings about a better life. The screenplay was adapted by Quiara Alegría Hudes, and the film also stars Corey Hawkins, Leslie Grace, Melissa Barrera, Olga Merediz, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Gregory Diaz IV, Stephanie Beatriz, Dascha Polanco, and Jimmy Smits. The film will be released by Warner Bros. Pictures in the U.S. in theaters and on HBO Max on June 11 and will be available on the streaming platform for 31 days from the theatrical release.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Tribeca for a city-wide takeover of ‘In the Heights,'” said Chu. “New York, and specifically Washington Heights, is the lead character in our film—its vibrancy and energy are unmatched. How incredible that after a year of isolation, New Yorkers from across all boroughs will have an opportunity to see it first, together, and join us in the celebration of life coming back.”
In partnership with City National Bank and Montefiore-Einstein, Tribeca will host the world premiere of ‘In The Heights’ at the United Palace Theater in Washington Heights, the same neighborhood where the film story takes place. However, for the first time ever, the festival’s opening night will be screened simultaneously across all five boroughs in multiple open-air venues.
“In the Heights is the quintessential New York story of hard-work, resilience, and triumph. We are proud to feature this film as Opening Night where it can debut in its hometown in celebration of its New York roots and the Latinx community,” said Jane Rosenthal, Co-Founder and CEO of Tribeca Enterprises and the Tribeca Festival.
“We couldn’t be more excited to offer this unique, first-of-its-kind film experience as a gift to communities all over New York City,” added Paula Weinstein, Chief Content Officer, Tribeca Enterprises.
Tribeca’s signature screenings, including the Closing Night film, will be announced at a later date. For more updates on the complete list of programming for the 2021 Tribeca Festival in the coming weeks, visit tribecafilm.com/festival or follow @Tribeca on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn #Tribeca2021.
