American Express Saves Seats for Cardmembers at Tribeca's Tenth

NEW YORK, April 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- American Express is proud to announce its 10th year of continued commitment and support of independent film through its partnership with the Tribeca Film Festival. American Express Cardmembers will once again receive exclusive access throughout the course of the Festival, beginning with advance ticket sales to a variety of unique independent film experiences and the full roster of Festival screenings beginning today at 11 a.m. at http://www.tribecafilm.com/festival/tickets/.

Following the events of Sept. 11, 2001, American Express became a founding sponsor of the Tribeca Film Festival to help drive business and traffic to Lower Manhattan as part of their broader efforts to support the rebuilding of the area. Over the past ten years, American Express has continued to invigorate the independent film community both in and outside New York City through its partnership with Tribeca Film.

"For the past ten years, we have been proud to partner with the Tribeca Film Festival and share in the celebration of the spirit of independent film," said Jessica Igoe, Vice President of Global Sponsorship Marketing, American Express. "Through our continued partnership with Tribeca Film we are developing new and innovative ways to connect our Cardmembers and film enthusiasts across the country to the independent film community. Whether it's helping to bring the artistic vision of some of the most accomplished filmmakers to life, or enabling film enthusiasts to get a more intimate perspective on the industry, we are truly enabling storytelling through the unique American Express lens."

"Throughout the ten years of our partnership, American Express has continued to demonstrate its strong support of our vision to expand the independent film industry," said Jon Patricof, COO of Tribeca Enterprises. "We are honored to have had American Express' support from day one to bring the Tribeca Film Festival to life by providing independent films with the opportunity to reach a national audience."

American Express will connect its Cardmembers to the best in independent film at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival in a variety of ways:

Behind-the-Scenes Access at the Tribeca Film Festival: Private Screenings and Premiere Events

In addition to advance ticket sales, American Express has announced a full schedule of experiences available exclusively for Cardmembers that provide unique access to some of the most iconic filmmakers and talent from the world of independent film.

The Bang Bang Club Premiere – Cardmembers are invited to the premiere of The Bang Bang Club on Thursday, April 21 at 6 p.m. Based on the book of the same name, the film tells the real life story of a group of four combat photographers who risked their lives to tell the story of post-apartheid South Africa in the early 1990s. Following the film, all attending Cardmembers will join a Q&A with director Steven Silver and some of the film's subjects, and select Cardmembers will have the opportunity to attend an exclusive after-party.

Last Night Premiere – On Monday, April 25 at 6 p.m., Cardmembers are invited to the premiere of Last Night. The film follows a married couple, apart for a night while the husband takes a business trip with a colleague that he is attracted to. Following the premiere, all attending Cardmembers will join director Massy Tadjedin and others for a Q&A about the film, and select Cardmembers will have the opportunity to attend an exclusive after-party.

Tribeca Talks – Cardmembers will have the opportunity to purchase reserved seating tickets to three special events commemorating ten years of the Tribeca Film Festival, featuring intimate conversations between notable directors and interviewers including Robert DeNiro with Brian Williams, Doug Liman with Alec Baldwin and Souleyman Cisse with Martin Scorsese.

The Premiere of Mr. Stache: The Winner of My Movie Pitch

On Saturday, April 23 at 5:30 p.m., American Express will premiere Mr. Stache, the winner of My Movie Pitch, a competition that allowed one contestant to have their movie idea made into a short film. John Nash of Chestnut Ridge, New York – whose pitch told an unexpected story of a man and his mustache – will see his idea brought to life on the big screen by notable director Jac Schaeffer in the short Mr. Stache, starring Rich Sommer and Amy Smart.

Cardmembers are invited to attend the premiere of Mr. Stache, which will be screened as part of the Mix Tape Short Film Program, as well as a private mustache-themed after-party where film stars Smart and Sommer will join Schaeffer for a special in-depth conversation. Throughout the Festival, Mr. Stache will be available to view on www.amexfilm.com as well as within The Festival Streaming Room as part of the Tribeca Online Film Festival at www.tribecafilm.com/tribecaonline.

Exclusive Gifts for American Express Cardmembers

For Cardmembers attending this year's events, the special treatment does not stop at the red carpet. This year, American Express will unveil a special "thank you" gift designed to bring attendees closer to the action through their partnership with the Amazon Online Storefront. Upon arriving at the premieres of The Bang Bang Club and Last Night, Cardmembers will be given a unique code to download a film set to release at the Festival.

Beyond the Red Carpet: Tribeca (Online) Film Festival

American Express is proud to support the Tribeca (Online) Film Festival where independent film enthusiasts can view six feature films and 18 short films from the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival at The Festival Streaming Room. Each film will have three to five 24-hour screening windows, during which there will be a select number of "seats" available. Using an innovative digital reservation system, viewers can reserve "seats" at www.tribecaonline.com. Available at no charge, reservations begin on April 12 for American Express Cardmembers and April 18 for the general public. Online viewers will be able to vote for the Best Tribeca Online Feature Film, a prize of $25,000, sponsored by American Express, and Best Tribeca Online Short Film, a prize of $5,000, sponsored by Accenture.

Tribeca Family Festival Presented by American Express

Film enthusiasts of all ages are invited to join American Express at the biggest family party of the year, Tribeca's all-day Family Festival Street Fair featuring performances and activities, storytelling and much more from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 30 on Greenwich Street (north of Chambers Street). The American Express Guest Information Center will offer comprehensive Festival information, including event, screening and neighborhood information.

Navigating the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival

Presented by American Express, the 2011 Official Tribeca Film Festival Guide, will provide film snapshots, schedules, neighborhood guides and more ways to enjoy independent film in 2011. Complimentary copies of the guide will also be available throughout Manhattan.

American Express, in partnership with Tribeca Enterprises, founded Tribeca Film in 2010 to connect independent film makers with nationwide audiences year-round through a multitude of distribution platforms including theatrical, home entertainment, airline, hotel and subscription. In the second year of the partnership, Tribeca Film will feature 26 film releases, eight months of video-on-demand access and several DVD launches. To learn more about American Express' special access to the world of film and other entertainment offers, follow @AmericanExpress on Twitter, become a fan of American Express on Facebook or visit amexfilm.com.

About American Express

American Express is a global services company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success. Learn more at americanexpress.com and connect with us on facebook.com/americanexpress, twitter.com/americanexpress and youtube.com/americanexpress.

About the Tribeca Film Festival

The Tribeca Film Festival helps filmmakers reach the broadest possible audience, enabling the international film community and general public to experience the power of cinema and promote New York City as a major filmmaking center. It is well known for being a diverse international film festival that supports emerging and established directors. Founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff in 2001 following the attacks on the World Trade Center, to spur the economic and cultural revitalization of the lower Manhattan district through an annual celebration of film, music and culture, the Festival brings the industry and community together around storytelling. The Tribeca Film Festival has screened more than 1,100 films from more than 80 countries since its first edition in 2002. Since inception, it has attracted an international audience of more than 3 million attendees and has generated an estimated $600 million in economic activity for New York City.

SOURCE American Express