The 2025 Tribeca Festival, presented by OKX, today unveiled its opening night film, “Billy Joel: And So It Goes,” an HBO original two-part documentary. Jane Rosenthal, Co-Founder and CEO of Tribeca Festival and Tribeca Enterprises, announced the film on stage at the NAB Show’s Business of Entertainment event in partnership with The Ankler. The 2025 Tribeca Festival Opening Night is presented by OKX and City National Bank.
“For nearly 25 years, the Tribeca Festival has celebrated the artists who give New York its heart and soul, and on the opening night of the 2025 Festival, we are thrilled to honor Billy Joel—an artist who has embodied that very spirit,” said Rosenthal. “Paying tribute to the legendary performer who captured the essence of a ‘New York State of Mind’ is a perfect way to kick off this year’s celebration of creativity and inspiration.”
This year’s Tribeca Festival, scheduled to run June 4th-15th in New York City, will feature curated lineups across film, music, TV, audio storytelling, talks, games, and immersive programming. From independent narratives showcasing emerging filmmakers and talent to a music lineup like never before, the annual festival continues to highlight groundbreaking stories that unite communities and fans globally.
The 2025 Tribeca Festival kicks off Wednesday, June 4th, with the world premiere of “Billy Joel: And So It Goes” at the Beacon Theatre. The HBO original two-part documentary is an expansive portrait of Billy Joel’s life and music, exploring the love, loss, and personal struggles that fuel his songwriting. With unprecedented access to never-before-seen performances, home movies, personal photographs, and extensive, in-depth one-on-one interviews, the documentary intimately explores Joel’s life and work, whose music has endured across generations.
“I and my co-director, Jessica Levin, couldn’t be more thrilled about our film ‘Billy Joel: And So It Goes’ opening the esteemed Tribeca Festival. Our thanks go out to Jane Rosenthal and the Festival team and to HBO and the wonderful folks there who have supported us throughout in our efforts to bring an in-depth, honest, and musically expressive portrait of this complex talent,” said director and producer Susan Lacy. “We are beyond appreciative of Billy Joel’s trust in us to bring his story to the screen. There is no better place for this film to premiere than at the Beacon Theatre, the venue for so many historic musical events for decades, and in the city so important to Billy Joel.”
The documentary, directed and produced by Emmy winners Susan Lacy (HBO’s “Jane Fonda in Five Acts“ and “Spielberg”) and Jessica Levin (HBO’s “The Janes“ and “Jane Fonda in Five Acts”), will debut on HBO and will be available to stream on Max this summer following its world premiere at the Tribeca Festival.
The full festival lineup will be announced soon. For more updates on programming, follow @Tribeca and #Tribeca2025 on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Tribeca Membership or 2025 Tribeca Festival passes, and ticket packages can be purchased at tribecafilm.com.
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