James Bond film opens at Tribeca

Film's first U.S. showing benefits institute

By SAM THIELMAN

James Bond may risk his life for queen and country, but he also cares about New York.

With Daniel Craig and Robert De Niro in attendance, Tuesday's $1,000-a-ticket screening of "Quantum of Solace" -- the pic's first U.S. showing -- gave the Tribeca Film Institute the kind of boost that few nonprofits are likely to see in this economy.

"This benefit is our budget for next year," said relieved TFI co-founder Jane Rosenthal at the Tavern on the Green post-screening dinner. "It's trying times for everybody."

The benefit alone pulled in upwards of $475,000, surpassing its fund-raising goal and outperforming any of TFI's previous yearly shindigs. The org has Jeffrey Wright to thank for the screening: The "Quantum" co-star sits on the org's board and asked Sony to provide a print of the film to boost attendance at the annual event (last year's fund-raiser didn't include a screening).

"It has such a rich cinematic history," Wright said of the Bond film series. Producer Barbara Broccoli was quick to defend the series' new, darker tone. "I think the film has a lot of resonance today," she said. "Marc Forster is quite a spectacular director. We'd love for him to do another."

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