Picture Courtesy of Netflix
Netflix is set to be the SVOD streaming home for Tribeca 25, a brand-new documentary from acclaimed director Matt Tyrnauer that looks back at the quarter-century history of the Tribeca Festival. The feature-length doc will make its streaming debut on Netflix in the United States on September 11th, 2026.
If you’re a film buff, a New York history enthusiast, or a fan of deep-dive industry documentaries, you’ll definitely want to add this one to your Netflix queue.
First announced earlier this summer, Tribeca 25 chronicles the remarkable story of one of the world’s most prominent film festivals and its deep, emotional ties to the city it calls home.
What is Tribeca 25 about?
It is, of course, no coincidence that the documentary is making its streaming debut on September 11th. The festival was originally founded by acting legend Robert De Niro and Academy Award-nominated producer Jane Rosenthal as a bold, ambitious effort to help revitalize Lower Manhattan and bring people back downtown following the devastating attacks on 9/11.
Reflecting on the inspiration behind the festival, De Niro shared a poignant memory in the piece with Variety:
“In 1989, Jane [Rosenthal] and I started the Tribeca Film Center. If you look left out my office window, you could see the Towers. They were always there — which means after a while, you stop noticing them. And then… they were gone. People needed to come together. And that’s what art does. It unites us.”
Rosenthal also reflected on those early days and the true catalyst for the event:
“At our ‘Dinner Downtown’ series after 9/11, there was a Con-Ed worker who had lost his son sitting next to Bob [De Niro] at a Chinese restaurant. He said he felt like it was finally okay to leave the house, to do something besides mourn. That was in November of 2001. That was when we realized — how do we bring people out, and give them a reason to live again?”
The documentary traces the festival back to its inaugural five-day showcase, which featured 150 films selected from an impressive 13,000 submissions. The festival has since built a legacy as an incubator for discovering massive new talent in the independent storytelling space. Over the years, the festival has hosted early-career premieres from massive contemporary filmmakers like Jon M. Chu (In the Heights), Nia DaCosta (Little Woods), Ryan Coogler (Locks), and Damien Chazelle (Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench).
The official Netflix logline for the documentary reads:
“Chronicling 25 years of the Tribeca Festival, Matt Tyrnauer’s documentary explores how storytelling helped rebuild a community in the aftermath of 9/11.”
Who is featured in the documentary?
Alongside interviews with founders De Niro and Rosenthal, Tribeca 25 is packed with A-list talent, industry titans, and notable New York figures. Viewers can expect interviews and reflections from:
- Martin Scorsese
- Bono
- Whoopi Goldberg
- Nas
- Jon M. Chu
- Nia DaCosta
- Denis Leary
- Julian Schnabel
- Michael Bloomberg (Former NYC Mayor)
- Graydon Carter (Former Vanity Fair editor)
- Sheila Nevins (Former HBO and MTV executive)
Behind the camera for this retrospective is Matt Tyrnauer, a veteran in the documentary space whose previous credits include Valentino: The Last Emperor, Studio 54, Where’s My Roy Cohn?, and The Reagans. The project hails from production companies Tribeca Studios and Tyrnauer Media. Tyrnauer produces alongside Jenny Ewig and Dan Crane, with Berry Welsh and Keelin Ryan serving as executive producer and co-executive producer, respectively. The film was edited by Ryan Rothmaier, with Bill Winters serving as director of photography.
If you are looking for a complete look at what else is coming to the streaming service next month, make sure to check out our full guide to what’s coming to Netflix in September 2026.
Will you be checking out Tribeca 25 when it drops on Netflix this September? Let us know in the comments down below!
