By Beverly Andrews
As Cannes sets the tone for glamour, Venice for prestige, and Sundance for indie discovery, New York’s Tribeca Film Festival has carved out its own reputation: a gritty, socially attuned showcase where cinema meets community. This summer, Tribeca returned with another landmark edition, screening 118 feature films and 93 shorts, once again proving itself as a festival unafraid to spotlight urgent, intimate, and politically resonant stories.
Among this year’s most compelling works were films that tackled questions of identity, belonging, and the cultural power of storytelling—ranging from a pop star’s journey to stardom, to a child’s confrontation with class divides, to a grassroots effort to reclaim an Indigenous language.
Rebecca – The Story of Becky G
One of the festival’s headline premieres was Rebecca, a documentary centered on Latin pop icon Becky G.
At a moment when Spanish-speaking communities in the United States often find themselves under siege, the film frames Becky G not just as a chart-topping artist but as a cultural beacon. Beyond her fearless bilingual performances, Rebeccaexplores how her difficult upbringing helped shape her artistry and resilience.
The emotional impact is clear in scenes where Latina fans—many older women—are moved to tears at her concerts, underscoring music’s role in affirming identity during turbulent times.
Happy Birthday – Class Divides in Egypt
Egyptian filmmaker Sarah Goher’s debut feature, Happy Birthday, delivers one of the festival’s most striking narratives.
The story follows Toha, an eight-year-old servant in a wealthy household, who naively views her employer’s daughter as a playmate. Her attempt to organize a birthday party for the girl evolves into a poignant meditation on innocence, class divisions, and the painful realization that some barriers cannot be overcome.
Goher avoids clichés of East-West cultural clashes, instead examining Egypt’s internal social fractures with subtlety and grace.
Runa Simi – A Language Reclaimed
The Peruvian documentary Runa Simi emerged as a festival standout. It chronicles the efforts of a father determined to dub Disney’s The Lion King into Quechua, Peru’s Indigenous language.
After being ignored by Disney, he embarks on a grassroots mission, traveling with his son across the country to make the project a reality. The film culminates in a deeply moving sequence where Indigenous children watch Simba and Mufasa speak in their native tongue—a powerful affirmation of cultural pride and survival.
Tribeca 2025 demonstrated once again why it remains a vital fixture on the international festival circuit. With films like Rebecca, Happy Birthday, and Runa Simi, the festival underscored cinema’s ability to go beyond entertainment, offering instead a vehicle for identity, dignity, and belonging.
