Madonna at Tribeca Film Festival

New York Premiere of “I Am Because We Are” at BMCC, Tribeca Film Festival, New York City.
April 24, 2008

Even in celebrity weary New York City, where on Monday (04/21) night I saw Maria Sharapova play tennis with Billy Crystal in the middle of 53rd Street and 14 blocks uptown I photographed a movie screening with Bette Midler, Helen Hunt and Sarah Jessica Parker, Madonna still makes news. The platinum blond pulled up in a black SUV and hurried inside the BMCC Theater for the screening of “I Am Because We Are,” at the Tribeca Film Festival.

Gone were the pointed metal breastplates she wore in concert. Tonight the material girl was simply dressed in a short-sleeved brown patterned dress. The big M smiled briefly at the chorus of waiting fans outside the theater before heading into the scrum of photographers who waited inside the auditorium.


“I Am Because We Are” is a documentary directed by Nathan Rissman and produced by Madonna about Malawi orphans who have lost their parents or siblings to AIDS.

I found it strange that while Madonna was out promoting her documentary, Malawi's High Court delayed a hearing to finalize pop stars adoption of a boy from the southern African nation until May 15.

Cast & Credits
Director: Nathan Rissman Principal Cast: Dr. Jeffrey Sachs, Desmond Tutu, Bill Clinton, Dr. Paul Farmer, Dr. Matthews Chikaonda, Madonna Executive Producer/Writer: Madonna Producers: Angela Becker, Madonna Associate Producer: Grant James Editor: Danny B. Tull

Bernadette Peters attended the screening of “I Am Because We Are”. Peters won a Tony Award her portrayal of Annie Oakley, in "Annie Get Your Gun" in 1999.