Since it was founded eight years ago by Robert De Niro the Tribeca Film Festival has become one of the main events on the Big Apple social calendar. As the 11-day cinema event kicked off in Manhattan this week stars, including U2 singer Bono were there to help get the party started.
The Irish musician stepped out on a night during which celeb attendees stuck to a monochrome theme. Both socialite businesswoman Ivanka Trump and Robert's wife Grace Hightower dazzled in white gowns.
Meanwhile actress Debra Messing – who will sit on the jury of the festival's awards board this year – combined a halter-neck gown with vertiginous white strappy heels. In the absence of her husband, the flame-haired beauty attended the party with her pal and co-star from The Starter Wife, Toronto-born actor Chris Diamantopoulos.
Double Oscar-winner Robert predicts this will be the "best year yet" for his movie fest. "We never knew where the festival would go when we started it, so it seems in not bad shape at this point," says the 65-year-old, who established the event with the idea of resuscitating downtown Manhattan after the terrorist attacks of September 11.
Over the next 11 days Tribeca audiences will be able to choose from 86 feature films, and enjoy a street fair and drive-in movies. Highlights include Spike Leigh making his festival debut with two films, Kobe Doin' Work and Passing Strange, and Woody Allen's new film Whatever Works which kicks off the event on Wednesday.
Photo: Rex
Photo: Rex
