2008 Tribeca Film Festival to Close with a Special Presentation Screening of Wachowski Brothers' Speed Racer.

Film Starring Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, Susan Sarandon and Matthew Fox to Screen Closing Night, May 3, 2008, in New York City 

NEW YORK -- The Tribeca Film Festival and Warner Bros. Pictures today announced that the new high-octane, live action family adventure Speed Racer, written and directed by the Wachowski brothers, will have a special presentation screening as the closing night film of the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival, presented by American Express. Speed Racer, a Warner Bros. Pictures presentation, in association with Village Roadshow Pictures, stars Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, John Goodman, Susan Sarandon and Matthew Fox. Several of the cast members will be in attendance at the special screening to be held on Saturday, May 3rd, at the BMCC TPAC in Lower Manhattan. The film will also screen at the Pace University Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts.

"Warner Bros. has been a big part of the Festival many times over the years and we are thrilled that the Wachowskis and producer Joel Silver are bringing Speed Racer to us this year to close the Festival," said Jane Rosenthal, co-founder of the Tribeca Film Festival.

"The Tribeca Film Festival is a defining event in New York's entertainment culture, so it is an honor to have Speed Racer chosen as the festival's closing night screening," said producer Joel Silver.

About SPEED RACER, in theatres on May 9

From the Wachowski brothers, creators of the groundbreaking The Matrix trilogy, comes the live-action, high-octane film Speed Racer, which follows the adventures of the young racecar driver Speed (Emile Hirsch) in his quest for glory in his thunderous Mach 5. Born to race cars, Speed Racer is aggressive, instinctive and, most of all, fearless. When Speed turns down a lucrative and tempting offer from Royalton Industries, he not only infuriates the company's maniacal owner but uncovers a terrible secret -- some of the biggest races are being fixed by a handful of ruthless moguls who manipulate the top drivers to boost profits. With the support of his family and his loyal girlfriend, Trixie (Christina Ricci), Speed teams with his one-time rival -- the mysterious Racer X (Matthew Fox) -- to win the race that had taken his brother's life: the death-defying, cross-country rally known as The Crucible.

Joel Silver, who previously worked with the Wachowski brothers on The Matrix movies and V for Vendetta, produced the film under his Silver Pictures banner. Grant Hill, Andy Wachowski and Larry Wachowski are also producers. David Lane Seltzer, Michael Lambert and Bruce Berman are the executive producers. The film stars Emile Hirsch; Christina Ricci; John Goodman; Susan Sarandon; Matthew Fox; Benno Furmann; Hiroyuki Sanada; Asian pop superstar Rain, making his American feature film debut; and Richard Roundtree.

The live-action Speed Racer will showcase the kind of revolutionary visual effects and cutting-edge storytelling that have become the benchmarks of the Wachowski brothers' films. The film is a Warner Bros. Pictures presentation, in association with Village Roadshow Pictures, of a Silver Pictures Production, in association with Anarchos Productions. For more information, visit: www.speedracerthemovie.com

Tickets for 2008 Festival:

Tickets for the Festival will be $15.00 for evening and weekend screenings and $8.00 for daytime weekday and late night screenings. In addition, the Festival will offer a few select screenings with panel discussions for $25.00.

Select Pass and Package are now on sale and can be purchased online at www.tribecafilmfestival.org or by telephone, toll-free, at 866-941-FEST (3378). Single ticket sales begin for American Express Cardmembers on April 12, 2008, for downtown residents on April 18, 2008 and for the general public on April 19, 2008. Single tickets can be bought at the Main Box Office at 15 Laight Street, online and by telephone. The 2008 Festival will continue ticket discounts for evening and weekend screenings for students, seniors and select downtown Manhattan residents. Additional information and further details on the Festival can be found at www.tribecafilmfestival.org.

About Tribeca Film Festival:

Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff founded the Tribeca Film Festival in 2001 following the attacks on the World Trade Center to spur the economic and cultural revitalization of lower Manhattan through an annual celebration of film, music and culture. The Festival's mission focuses on assisting filmmakers to reach the broadest possible audience, enabling the international film community and general public to experience the power of cinema and promoting New York City as a major filmmaking center.

Since its founding, the Festival has attracted more than two million attendees from the US and abroad and has generated more than $425 million in economic activity for New York City.

About the 2008 Festival Sponsors:

As Founding Sponsor of the Tribeca Film Festival, American Express is committed to supporting the Festival, offering benefits that enhance the festival-going experience, and bringing business and energy to Downtown Manhattan & New York City communities.

The Festival is pleased to announce the return of its Signature Sponsors: Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, AMC Entertainment, Apple, Bloomberg, Brookfield Properties, Cadillac, Delta Air Lines, Empire State Development/I Love New York, Jameson Irish Whiskey, Montblanc, NBC4HD, RR Donnelley, The New York Times, Target, Telemundo 47, Vanity Fair, Verizon and Yahoo!.

The Tribeca Film Festival is also honored to welcome the following new Signature Sponsors: BMCC, IFC, iShares, LG Electronics, The New School and Snapple.