Palestinian director Annemarie Jacir, whose debut feature, “Salt of This Sea,” will play in Un Certain Regard at the Cannes Film Festival next week, cancelled the world preem of her film after being denied entry into Palestinian territories by Israeli authorities.

New York–As is known by now, movie star Robert De Niro and executives Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff founded the Tribeca Film Festival in 2001 following the attacks on the World Trade Center to spur the economic and cultural revitalization of lower Manhattan through an annual celebration of film, music and culture.
Unlike the older, smaller, and more elitist New York Film Festival (established in 1963), which shows only 26 to 30 features, from the beginning, the mission of the Tribeca Film Fest has focused on assisting filmmakers to reach the broadest possible audience, enabling the international film community and general public to experience the power of cinema and promoting New York City as a major filmmaking center.

May 6, 2008–The Tribeca Film Festival, co-founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff, and presented by American Express, today announced a total attendance of just under 400,000 at the 2008 Festival. Festival organizers estimated a ticketed attendance of over 155,000 to 700 screenings and 14 panel discussions throughout the 11-day festival. Approximately 85% of the Festival?¢¬Ä¬ôs available tickets were sold or distributed to pass holders. The Festival, which featured two ?¢¬Ä¬úhubs?¢¬Ä in Lower Manhattan and the Union Square area and ran from April 23 through May 4, screened 121 features and 79 short films from 41 countries.

May 3, 2008–Paris-based Funny Balloons has taken international rights to Cannes Directors?¢¬Ä¬ô Fortnight ?¢¬Ä¬úTony Manero,?¢¬Ä a story of obsession from emerging Chilean director Pablo Larrain, set in 1979?¢¬Ä¬ôs Santiago de Chile.

May 2, 2008–Tomas Alfredson's “Lat den ratte komma in” (Let the Right One In), about first love between a young boy and the vampire next door, won the feature prize as the Tribeca Film Festival named the winners of its seventh annual competition, in wwhich there were 120 features and 80 shorts from 40 countries.