Film festival juries are a funny thing. For the festival, they are as much about PR as they are about making sure that major corporate sponsors are happy - who doesn't want to get their picture taken with an Academy Award winner or supermodel(!) at a swank film party. Juries are also tricky in that they should reflect the ethos of the film festival as well as be made up of people who at least have seen a film. There also needs to be a significant balance between writers, directors, and actors so that the prize has some relevance to filmmakers. Whether made up of cash, services or prestige, Jury prizes can make careers, get or expand a film's distribution and make the filmmaker an international media darling. Perhaps the most famous or infamous film festival jury for all of these things is the one for Cannes - headed up this year by the magnificent Stephen Frears. MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDRETTE is still one of my favorite films of all time.

For filmmakers winning a jury prize is always good as long as the festival and the jury has some relevance. You don't want to win a jury prize for an animated film from a bunch of musicians. More often than not, the jury prize as mentioned above, will bring increased media attention and will also more often than not get your submission fees waived at other film festivals. Though I am not a big fan of juries that are made up of people who know nothing about the category they are judging on, the prize (especially if it is cash) can make a huge difference in the life of the filmmakers so I can't be a hater.

The 2007 Tribeca Film Festival has an inordinate amount of jury members. On one hand because they actually give out a lot of prizes and on the other, because it is the Tribeca Film Festival headed up by Robert DeNiro - who knows a few people. Most are "of this moment" for one reason or another but there are few wild cards thrown in to make it interesting. My hat's are off to the talent relations department of this year's festival. This year's eclectic slate includes fashion designer Rachel Roy, actresses Whoopi Goldberg and Edie Falco, Ivanka Trump, Andre Leon Talley, Quincy Jones and DJ Spooky to name a few.

The juries will award cash and prizes in 16 categories and a complete list of who is doing what and where is below.

World Narrative Competition: Chris Cooper, Edie Falco, Goran Paskaljevic, Catalina Sandino Moreno and Barry Sonnenfeld

World Documentary Competition: Heidi Ewing, Whoopi Goldberg, Jehane Noujaim, Raoul Peck and Gideon Yago

“Made in NY” Narrative Feature Award: Minnie Driver, Dave Fear, Alex Gibney, Leah Rozen, Oren Rudavsky and Mercedes Ruehl

“NY Loves Film” Documentary Feature Award: Eric Bogosian, Marshall Fine, Susan Lyne, Patrick McCarthy, Sheila Nevins, Gene Seymour and Ivanka Trump

Narrative Short Award: Elizabeth Banks, Lee Daniels, Thelma Golden, Quincy Jones, Dany Levy, John Leguizamo, Alfred Molina and Todd Wagner

Documentary and Student Short Awards: Frank Deford, Barbara Gladstone, Mario d’Urso, Ted Leonsis, Dan Lohaus, Emmy Rossum and Helen Zell

Tribeca All Access Creative Promise Award (Narrative): Elizabeth Avellan, Susie Castillo, Ashwin Navin, Freddy Rodriguez, Andre Leon Talley and Kerry Washington.

Tribeca All Access Creative Promise Award (Documentary): DJ Spooky (Paul Miller), Shola Lynch and Rachel Roy.

Tribeca All Access Creative Promise Award (Screenwriting): Heavy D, Tracey Edmonds and Milton Liu

Keeping it indie,

Julie