Early attendees at this year’s Tribeca Festival will be in a “New York State of Mind” with the premiere of HBO’s Billy Joel documentary set as the opener.
Helmed by Emmy winners Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin, the two-part film, officially titled “Billy Joel: And So It Goes,” is scheduled to play at the Beacon Theatre on June 4.
“For nearly 25 years, the Tribeca Festival has celebrated the artists who give New York its heart and soul, and on the opening night of the 2025 festival, we are thrilled to honor Billy Joel – an artist who has embodied that very spirit,” co-founder Jane Rosenthal said in a statement on Sunday.
The film producer, who established the festival in 2002 with Robert De Niro, said the project “is a perfect way to kick off this year’s celebration of creativity and inspiration.”
Described as “an expansive portrait of the life and music of Billy Joel, exploring the love, loss, and personal struggles that fuel his songwriting,” the documentary promises “unprecedented access to never-before-seen performances, home movies, and personal photographs” of the five-time Grammy winner known as “The Piano Man.”
Billy Joel performs at Madison Square Garden in 1982. (Photo By Larry Busacca/Getty Images)
Slated to stream this summer, “And So It Goes” also features extensive interviews with the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer behind hit songs like “Just the Way You Are,” “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me” and 1983’s “Uptown Girl.”
“We are beyond appreciative of Billy Joel’s trust in us to bring his story to the screen,” Lacy said. “There is no better place for this film to premiere than at the Beacon Theatre, the venue for so many historic musical events for decades, and in the city so important to Billy Joel.”
Tribeca Festival 2025 is scheduled to run June 4–15 throughout New York City.