The 2025 Tribeca Festival wrapped up on Sunday, delivering a vibrant mix of fresh voices and seasoned talent through stories that inspired, challenged, and captivated audiences. This year’s lineup—featuring powerful debut films, daring documentaries, and genre-defying narratives—proved the festival remains a crucial stage for bold storytelling. Among the many standout premieres, five films rose above the rest for their artistic vision, emotional depth, and lasting impact. Here are the highlights that defined this year’s Tribeca Festival.

Honeyjoon
Writer-director Lilian T. Mehrel’s winning debut—last year’s recipient of the AT&T Untold Stories $1 million prize—is a funny, sexy tale about an unlikely mother-daughter getaway. Ayden Mayeri delivers a sharp comedic performance alongside the radiant Amira Casar as her irresistibly charming mother, all set against the stunning backdrop of the Azores. And let’s not forget José Condessa as their distractingly handsome tour guide.

The Scout
Paula González-Nasser’s polished first feature shines a light on the unsung hero of filmmaking: the location scout. Mimi Davila excels as a scout navigating a chaotic day in New York, dipping in and out of strangers’ lives while trying to stay professional—and composed—against all odds.

Happy Birthday
This finely crafted film, which explores class and privilege in modern Cairo, swept three awards at the festival, including Best International Narrative Feature, Best Screenplay, and the Nora Ephron Award for first-time writer-director Sarah Goher. The story follows an eight-year-old maid (a remarkable Doha Ramadan) who goes to great lengths to ensure her best friend—the wealthy family’s daughter—has the perfect birthday party.

Lemonade Blessing
Chris Merola’s debut feature follows an awkward teen (Jake Ryan) sent to Catholic school by his devout mother, where he falls for a rebellious atheist who tests both his faith and his loyalty with increasingly outrageous antics. Sweet, raunchy, and undeniably real—just like adolescence.

The Last Guest of the Holloway Motel
How did a 1970s British soccer star vanish at the height of his fame, only to resurface years later as the manager of a rundown West Hollywood motel? Directors Ramiel Petros and Nicholas Freeman piece together the bizarre story of Tony Powell—with minimal cooperation from the man himself. The film twists and turns, delivering surprises until the very end.