The 2025 Tribeca Festival will begin with the premiere of Billy Joel: And So It Goes, a two-part HBO documentary about the musician’s life and work. The opening night screening is scheduled for June 4 at the Beacon Theatre in New York City. The festival runs through June 15.
Festival co-founder Jane Rosenthal announced the selection during an appearance at the NAB Show in Las Vegas. “For nearly 25 years, the Tribeca Festival has celebrated the artists who give New York its heart and soul,” she said in a statement. “On the opening night of the 2025 festival, we are thrilled to honor Billy Joel.”
Joel concluded his long-running residency at Madison Square Garden in July 2023 after ten years of monthly performances. Earlier this year, he postponed a tour due to an undisclosed health issue.
The documentary is directed and produced by Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin, who previously worked together on Jane Fonda in Five Acts. The project includes never-before-seen concert footage, home videos, and photographs, along with in-depth interviews conducted with Joel. Lacy and Levin described the film as an exploration of the experiences that shaped his songwriting.
In a statement, the directors expressed appreciation for Joel’s participation and acknowledged the significance of premiering the documentary at the Beacon Theatre. “There is no better place for this film,” they wrote.
The documentary is scheduled to air on HBO and stream on Max later this summer following its Tribeca debut. The full lineup for the 2025 Tribeca Festival has not yet been released.
