NEW YORK — There’s a new reason for Jennifer Lopez fans to get loud with excitement.
“Halftime,” a documentary exploring the career of the superstar singer, will make its world premiere on the Tribeca Festival’s opening night of June 8, organizers announced Wednesday.
“Powerful storytelling — whether in music, film, or games — encourages us to fight for universal values that bind humanity together. ‘Halftime,’ featuring Jennifer Lopez, reminds us of that,” actor Robert De Niro, who co-founded the Tribeca Festival, said Wednesday.
“The Tribeca Festival is eager to bring audiences from all over the world together to honor the importance of purpose-driven creative expression.”
Directed by Amanda Micheli, the film will debut at the United Palace in Washington Heights. Lopez, 52, grew up nearby in the Bronx.
The premiere takes place less than a week before “Halftime” releases on Netflix on June 14.
“It’s an honor to be selected for the opening night of Tribeca, and so fitting to be celebrating this critical milestone in Jennifer’s life and career just miles from where she grew up!” Micheli said. “To have the opportunity to share this film on the big screen with a New York audience is a dream come true.”
Lopez, a two-time Grammy nominee who has sold tens of millions of records in her career, is known for hit songs such as “Let’s Get Loud,” “Jenny From the Block” and “On the Floor.” She’s also starred in films such as the biopic “Selena” and the romantic comedy “The Wedding Planner.”
She headlined the Super Bowl halftime show with Shakira in 2020.
For the second year in a row, the Tribeca Festival will take place in June rather than the spring. The event rebranded itself from the Tribeca Film Festival last year, as it features TV shows and podcasts in addition to movie premieres.
This year’s festival runs from June 8-19. The rest of its selected projects haven’t been announced.
“The Tribeca Festival has always been an activist festival — a celebration of entertainment and innovation in the midst of remarkable challenges. We’re thrilled to open with ‘Halftime,’ an inspirational documentary that spotlights Jennifer Lopez’s activism through her iconic Super Bowl halftime show,” Jane Rosenthal, CEO of Tribeca Enterprises, said Wednesday.
“Tribeca is proud to feature a wide selection of diverse programming that reflects our commitment to equity and inclusion, and we’re eager to premiere this beautiful exploration of JLo’s Latina culture and heritage at the United Palace, just blocks away from the Bronx.”
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