Pickup lines up at Tribeca

Buys would be a turnaround for fest

By IAN MOHR

The industry's pick-up artists are studying the lineup at the fourth Tribeca Film Fest, running April 19-May 1. Pics that distribs are eyeing for acquisition include family drama "Aurora Borealis," "The Tenants," gay rom-com "Adam & Steve," Snoop Dogg-starring spoof "The L.A. Riot Spectacular," 9/11 aftermath story "The Great New Wonderful" and "Slingshot."

But if there are a lot of buys, that would be a turnaround for the Tribeca Fest: In its first three years, it's been a hit with locals, but has yet to establish itself as a pick-up joint.

The late-April berth means a scaled-down presence by most distribs, which are concentrating on Cannes.

And the fest offers a glut of pics, which is a problem for acquisitions.

"The downside of the fest is that there's just too many films," says one exec. "If you don't have a big hook, it's harder to get attention."

While fest organizers would like it to become a hotbed of activity, that's not their top priority: Main goal is to put the spotlight on the neighborhood.

The fest, headed by power troika Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff, gets pics with pretty big hooks for its galas, including its opening-night preem of Sydney Pollack's U.N. thriller "The Interpreter."