The Tribeca Film Festival has become the “Cannes” of America.

No joke.

The red carpet premieres, the beautiful movie stars  on the red carpet waiting for their interviews, producers and directors making distribution deals and alluring fans from all over the country waiting hours just to get a glimpse of their favorite movie star or director walk by for a selfie and well, you know the rest.

Tribeca Film Festival, now in its’ 17th year, is the brain child of the brilliant Jane Rosenthal, award-winning actor Robert De Niro and revered businessman Craig Hatkoff. Powerhouses in their own right, the three founders created a platform after 9/11 in hopes of  bringing back vitality and cultural revitalization to lower Manhattan and boy, did it work.

The festival brings in thousands of people from all over the world to witness and attend exclusive first time movie premieres, industry panels with award-winning directors, writers and producers, celebrity parties and exclusive red carpet premieres. Many of the debuting films go on to become successful box office hits as will (I predict) be the case of Annette Bening’s new film The Seagull.

The Ravi Report was invited to the special  NY premiere of The Seagull, a movie based on the famous play by Russian dramatist Anton Chekhov at the popular BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts center.

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was a genius. Born in 1860 in Russia, the physician turned writer, produced several short story classics and plays that are revered by critics and embraced by actors. The prolific Chekhov wrote The Seagull which debuted on stage in 1896. His works are considered staples of excellence in the world of literature and theater.

Directed by the acclaimed Michael Mayer, the stellar cast includes the gifted actress Annette Bening along with Saoirse Ronan, Mara Winningham, Corey Stoll, Michael Zegen, Billy Howie, Elisabeth Moss and Brian Dennehy.
The film begins with an aging actress named Irina Arkadina (played by Bening) who along with her lover and famous writer Boris Trigorin (the incredible Stoll) visits her ailing brother Sorin (Dennehy) and her troubled son Konstantin (Howle) on the family estate. Enter the stunning Nina (Ronan) the young, impressionable actress who desperately wants fame more than anything and turns everyone’s lives upside down with her beauty, charm and desires. That is all I am going to say here. It’s a must watched film.

At the film’s red carpet premiere, Bening spoke to the media about how Cherkov’s work had influenced her career and  points out that not only did she study his work for years but felt honored to be in the film. The beautiful and humble actress spoke to The Ravi Report exclusively about her role and how she feels about her mass global appeal and box office successes.

RR: Great to meet you Annette. The Seagull has such a strong buzz to it, especially about you and your role as Irina. This film will certainly add to your  already massive global appeal. How do you feel about having such strong global adoration regarding your films and career?

AB:  Oh, I don’t know, honestly I feel just lucky. I love what I do and I love the work.  It’s always a challenge, that’s the job and I like a challenge. I always want a challenge and I get there, and ask “what am I doing?” I love the work so much. I really do.

Challenges is something that Bening is all to familiar with especially when it came to making the film. Shot in Arrow Park, in Monroe, New York, Bening experienced as she says “a tiny tick bit” during the filming.

AB: I am from California so Lyme Disease is sort of scary. I overreacted a bit. It was no big deal. I tend to be calm about things in general but then the tick bit me, I got scared.

Thankfully, the actress was rushed to the hospital, took the necessary precautions and completed the film with no signs of the disease.
After the screening, audience members were treated to a special Q&A session with the entire cast.
Speaking to a few of the movie critics afterwards,  I found there to be an immense appreciation for the film and the star-studded cast. Even some of the audience members I spoke to truly enjoyed the film.

“I really love it,” commented a stunning movie goer who has been following Bennett’s career for years. “She is one of my favorite actresses of all time. The role was perfect for her!” she added.

Others said they planned on bombarding their social media channels with great reviews of the film, the cast and the fact that they got to see Bening and the stars up close and in person.

The Seagull is scheduled for a worldwide release on May 11 by Sony Pictures Classic. A must see folks!

The journey continues….

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