May 27th, 2026

May 27, 2026

Press Materials Available Here

TRIBECA X Announces Inaugural Filmmaker of the Year Award Honoring A$AP Rocky, Alongside 2026 Programming Lineup and Official Award Selections

David and Finn Droga, Antonio and Irene Lucio, Judith Light, Paige DeSorbo, Eni Popoola, Vivian Tu, Cyrus Veyssi, and executives from McDonald’s, Lavazza, AWS, Microsoft, and more join the June 8–9 event in New York City

Previously announced speakers include Cedric the Entertainer, Brooklyn Peltz Beckham, Michelle Khare, Dhar Mann, Taylor Rooks, Aurora James, K-Pop Demon Hunters Writers Danya Jimenez and Hannah McMechan, Planned Parenthood CEO Alexis McGill Johnson, and more

Passes for the two-day Tribeca X summit are available at TribecaFilm.com

New York, NY, May 27, 2026 – Tribeca X, the Tribeca Festival’s flagship program dedicated to brand-supported storytelling, today announced the inaugural Tribeca X Filmmaker of the Year Award, honoring A$AP Rocky for his work at the intersection of music, fashion, film, design, and brand storytelling. Tribeca X also unveiled its 2026 speaker lineup and official selections for the annual Tribeca X Awards.

The new Filmmaker of the Year Award was created to recognize visionary artists whose work expands the creative and cultural possibilities of brand-supported storytelling through cinematic craft, creative ambition, and cultural impact. Rocky—whose creative work spans film, music videos, fashion campaigns, branded storytelling, and multidisciplinary creative direction—represents the type of boundary-pushing voice Tribeca X was built to celebrate.

“Tribeca X was built to celebrate the creators reshaping modern storytelling,” said Rebecca Glashow, CEO of Tribeca Enterprises. “Today’s cultural landscape is being defined by artists and entrepreneurs who push creative boundaries across mediums and industries. A$AP Rocky represents the kind of genre-defying visionary the inaugural Tribeca X Filmmaker of the Year Award was created to honor.”

Taking place June 8–9 at Spring Studios during the 25th annual Tribeca Festival, Tribeca X convenes influential voices across entertainment, advertising, media, technology, and the creator economy for two days of conversations, screenings, networking, and industry programming. Tribeca X passes are available at https://tribecafilm.com/tribecax/passes.

This year’s Tribeca X programming showcases how brands and entertainment leaders are building new models for storytelling that move across screens, platforms, communities, and culture. Highlights from the 2026 lineup include:

Cedric the Entertainer reflects on building businesses rooted in storytelling, culture, community, and purpose, from executive producing Kings of BBQ and building AC Barbeque to launching Setta Wines.

Brooklyn Peltz Beckham joins chef and entertainer Claire Saffitz to discuss how authenticity, emotion and craft became the foundation for his international culinary brand Cloud23, now sold at Whole Foods and Erewhon.

David Droga and Finn Droga explore how creativity evolves across generations and mediums, from iconic advertising narratives to independent filmmaking, and why the fundamentals of great storytelling endure even as technology, audiences and distribution change.

Paige DeSorbo discusses building Daphne, her fashion-forward loungewear brand, and how personal style, cultural fluency and audience trust can become the foundation for a brand with staying power.

Dhar Mann, founder of Dhar Mann Studios, speaks with Wall Street Journal Reporter Katie Deighton about how one of the world’s most influential creator-led production companies is redefining entertainment through direct audience relationships, uplifting content, strategic distribution partnerships and custom brand collaborations.

Michelle Khare, creator and host of Challenge Accepted, speaks with The Ankler’s Christopher Rosen about how she transformed her YouTube channel into a full in-house production company and built a creator business where brand partnerships function as true creative collaborations.

Michael Symon and Clinton Kelly, hosts and co-owners of Chewed Up, discuss creative ownership, distribution and building owned media platforms after decades in national television with Business Insider senior correspondent Lucia Moses.

Stagwell executive David Sable sits down with PayPal Global CMO and CCO Antonio Lucio, and his daughter, the award-winning actor Irene Lucio. The group explores how storytelling evolves across generations and disciplines, from global brand-building to acting, writing and producing, and why human connection remains central as technology reshapes how stories are made and shared.

Elizabeth Rutledge, CMO of American Express, talks with Ad Age Editor-in-Chief Jeanine Poggi, about how one of the world’s most iconic brands is redefining premium for a new generation through access, community and cultural relevance.

Emmy-award winning TV host Zuri Hall moderates a conversation about sports, style, representation and social impact with Emmy-nominated journalist and host of NBA on Prime Video Taylor Rooks, and Aurora James, founder of Brother Vellies and the Fifteen Percent Pledge.

Additional programming will explore women’s sports, creator infrastructure, legacy brand reinvention, sports sponsorships as entertainment, branded documentary filmmaking, mission-driven storytelling, cultural access, culinary entrepreneurship, and the evolution of brands into entertainment platforms.

“Tribeca X is a rare space where marketers, filmmakers, creators, and entrepreneurs come together as storytellers,” said Rebecca Glashow, CEO of Tribeca Enterprises. “Today, brands and creators are not only shaping culture—they are producing, financing, and distributing premium entertainment. As storytelling continues to evolve across platforms and technologies, Tribeca X celebrates the artists and innovators building entirely new models for creative and commercial success.”

New this year, the Tribeca X Lounge at Spring Place Restaurant will serve as the connective hub of the program, bringing together marketers, filmmakers and industry leaders for meetings, collaboration and conversation throughout the day. The Tribeca X Conversation Lounge will extend the Main Stage experience with fireside chats and intimate discussions in a more relaxed setting, including conversations with trade associations The 4A’s and The Advertising Club of New York, creative production studios m ss ng p ces and Tribeca Studios, and brands including AWS and InStyle.

Tribeca X also announced the official selections for its Tribeca X Awards, recognizing the most creative and culturally impactful work across six categories: Feature Films, Short Films, Episodic Series, Audio, Commercial Spots, and Creator & Influencer Collaborations.

This year’s selections feature work from the following brands, a testament to the evolving art and influence of brand storytelling: Accenture, Adobe, Amazon, Arc’teryx, Autodesk, Back Market, Beats, Bliss, Cadillac F1, Carvana, Coca-Cola, Converse, Google, Innocence Project, Instacart, Lenovo, McDonald’s, Mississippi Museum of Art, Netflix, New York City Tourism + Conventions, The Philipstown WireCar Foundation, PUMA, Ray-Ban, Red Bull, Rubrik, Safe School Las Vegas, Shahla Karimi Jewelry, Skoll Foundation, Stio, Stripe Press, The North Face, TikTok, T-Mobile, Victoria and Yogi Tea.

The 2026 Tribeca X Awards Jury includes Daniel Cherry III (Global CMO, Vans), Juliana Cobb (Chief Creative Officer, 72andSunny New York), and Lena Waithe (Emmy-Winning Writer, Producer, and Founder of Hillman Grad). The audio jurors include Giancarlo Bizzarro (Vice President of Sales, Crooked Media), Carrie Brody (VP, Business Development at Higher Ground), and Stuart Sevier (President & Co-Founder at The Independent Media Initiative).

For more on Tribeca X visit TribecaFilm.com/TribecaX. For the latest updates on the 2026 Tribeca Festival, follow @Tribeca and #Tribeca2026 on Instagram, X, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Or visit TribecaFilm.com.

About Tribeca X

Tribeca X is the leading platform and community for celebrating brand-supported storytelling that prioritizes narrative excellence and cultural resonance. Rooted in Tribeca’s legacy of creative curation, Tribeca X convenes filmmakers, creators, brand leaders, and business visionaries at the intersection of culture and commerce. Through its annual program during the Tribeca Festival and year-round events, Tribeca X showcases bold collaborations and honors projects made possible by brands and powered by artists.

2026 Tribeca X Partners

The 2026 Tribeca Festival is presented by OKX. Thank you to our Tribeca X partners: Atmosphere TV, AWS, Chronicle, ColorCreative, DIRECTV, Lavazza, McDonald’s, Microsoft, Morning Brew Inc., Spring Place, The ADVERTISING Club of New York, The Ankler, The Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, The Wall Street Journal, TikTok, Tubefilter, Variety, and Whalar.

Media Contacts

Annie Davis – adavis@tribecafilm.com

Olivia Morley – omorley@tribecafilm.com

Lauren Weissman – lauren.weissman@rcpmk.com

FEATURE FILMS:

MEAL TICKET (McDonald's) - Jordan, LeBron, Kobe, Magic, Candace, Breanna, Shaq—before these legends made it big, they had to prove themselves on the floor of the magical McDonald’s All American Games. This is their story.

The North Face Presents: Robson (The North Face) - Two world-class ski mountaineers attempt a daring first descent of Mount Robson’s South Face, retracing the footsteps of alpine pioneers and the weight of a legacy that has challenged generations.

The Philipstown WireCar Grand Prix (The Philipstown WireCar Foundation & Accenture) - In a remote desert town in South Africa, a crew of fearless kids craft wire cars from scrap metal to race in the world’s only WireCar Grand Prix. A joy-fueled drive against isolation and inequality.

SHORT FILMS:

From Fields to Flight (Skoll Foundation) - In a world ruled by patriarchy, one girl from India’s hinterlands finds the courage to challenge gender norms to achieve her dream of becoming a drone pilot.

Hello, Beautiful (Arc’teryx) - While training for the Paris Olympics, elite climber Alannah Yip is suddenly diagnosed with alopecia universalis, forcing her to confront her identity beyond the competition world and embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery, healing, and redefinition.

Silly Little Plastic Cat (Back Market) - For decades, bright orange Garfield phones have washed ashore along the coast of northwest France, baffling the local community and inspiring an American pop culture icon’s unlikely second act.

The Book of George (Stio) - From Brooklyn’s concrete jungle to the heart of the Everglades, Black wildlife photographer George McKenzie Jr. is transforming his lens into a beacon of change.

The Theory of Spice (Yogi Tea) - Where does flavor come from? The Theory of Spice examines the provenance, potency, history, and mythology of ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom to find the answer.

FADE (Bet On Yourself) (Puma) - FADE is an intimate coming-of-age short about a father and son navigating a quiet rite of passage. The film explores masculinity, legacy, and the unspoken lessons passed between generations.

Who's Waiting for You? (Victoria) - Inspired by Mexico’s Day of the Dead tradition, XOLO follows an ancestral dog and an ordinary man whose bond transcends worlds, revealing how love and companionship endure beyond life.

EPISODIC SERIES:

Partners (Carvana) - An intimate look inside professional pickleball's top league—where rivalries, romance, and high-stakes business collide as the sport explodes onto the world stage.

ARRIVAL (T-Mobile) - Coachella has long been a discovery engine where cultural waves extend far beyond the desert, breaking artists into the mainstream. ARRIVAL captures the Coachella Effect in cinematic form.

BUILT TO MOVE (Autodesk) - Paralympic gold medalist Mike Schultz engineered his own prosthetic leg after a career-ending accident—then built a sport around it. Now he's competing against athletes using his own technology.

Founded By NYC: From Times Square to the World (New York City Tourism + Conventions) - Hop on the subway at Times Square and travel through the stories that shaped a city—and the world. A film series celebrating New York's 400 years of culture, cuisine, and ideas, one borough at a time.

Tacit: Christophe Laudamiel, Master Perfumer (Stripe Press) - Legendary perfumer Christophe Laudamiel reveals the deep intuition behind his craft, demonstrating how his human mastery and "tacit" knowledge influenced generations of scents.

Diamond Divas (Shahla Karimi Jewelry) - Diamond Divas is a comedic vertical reality series set inside a fine jewelry showroom, exploring modern love, female empowerment, and luxury through humor, heart, and real-life relationship stories.

COMMERCIAL SPOTS:

A$AP Rocky x Ray-Ban (Ray-Ban) - A$AP Rocky, creative director, presents the new Metal Collection — including his first-ever optical designs for the brand—alongside the legendary Nas. It’s a statement on evolving the culture, captured through the eyes of the multi-hyphenate creative.

Bang Bang (Safe School Las Vegas) - A police officer's bodycam captures the raw terror of a school shooting.

Dream Job (Google) - Dream Job follows the story of a dad as he uses Gemini Live on his Google Pixel 9 to practice for an upcoming job interview.

Elder Millennial (Bliss) - Countering the tween skincare trend, often referenced as 'Sephora Kids', Bliss offers a hilarious and relatable take on adult skincare, featuring comedian Iliza Shlesinger.

For Papa! (Instacart) - Ben Stiller and Benson Boone face off in an epic Euro-pop showdown—all over banana ripeness. Because with Instacart's Preference Picker, the perfect banana is worth fighting for.

Jogger (Converse) - Jogger showcases the jogger collection of the Golf Le Fleur 1908 collaboration with Converse.

The Mission Begins (Cadillac F1) - To the echo of JFK's moon speech, a Formula One car assembles piece by piece around its driver—linking one historic launch to another.

The Last Coke in the Desert (Coca-Cola) - For generations, Mexicans have used the expression "La última Coca-Cola del desierto" to describe someone rare and special. Coca-Cola ventures deep into Mexico's most remote deserts to find out why.

TikTok Behind the Breakthrough (TikTok) - Behind The Breakthrough is a documentary-style series that captures TikTok breakthrough moments and the stories behind them.

CREATOR/INFLUENCER COLLABORATION:

The Master of Speed and Stability (Beats) - Trolled mid-livestream, IShowSpeed travels to an ancient kung fu temple to prove his stability—only to discover his wise Master was the troll all along.

15 Second Film: Peppermint Proposal (Amazon) - A comedy-reality series where strangers on the street are handed a crew and 15 seconds to make a film. No experience required—just yell action.

Creator Odyssey part 2 (Lenovo) - Most brands still treat creator marketing like a series of one-off campaigns. But Lenovo is building something more durable: creator IP. This project offers a clear look at how that model is evolving.

I Tried Tom Cruise's Deadliest Stunt (Adobe, Red Bull) - Michelle Khare becomes the first person in the world to recreate Tom Cruise's iconic stunt from Mission: Impossible—hanging off the side of a military aircraft for takeoff and a full flight pattern.

AUDIO/PODCASTS:

Bridgerton: The Official Podcast (Netflix) - Host Alison Hammond guides fans through the romances, scandals, and secrets of Mayfair—with cast and creatives spilling everything about the new season.

Stories of Freedom, Episode: Huwe Burton (Innocence Project) - Wrongfully convicted at 16, Huwe spent 19 years incarcerated and met Brian, now the rapper Saigon. Together, they reflect on how music became a source of hope, survival, and connection.

Under Yazoo Clay (Mississippi Museum of Art) - When human remains are found at the site of Mississippi’s biggest hospital, it unlocks generations of family mysteries.

To Catch a Thief: China’s Rise to Cyber Supremacy (Rubrik) - China's hackers evolved from amateur intruders to the most dangerous cyber threat on the planet. Host Nicole Perlroth uncovers the untold stories of their victims—and what's really at stake.

TRIBECA X PROGRAMMING–JUNE 8–9

JUNE 8:

Passing the Torch: Storytelling Across Generations in a Changing World: As technology reshapes how stories are created, distributed, and discovered, one thing remains constant: the human need for stories that move us. In this opening conversation, Antonio Lucio, Global CMO & CCO of PayPal, joins his daughter, actress, writer, and producer Irene Lucio, for a rare father-daughter dialogue on storytelling, performance, and creative legacy. Moderated by David Sable, Vice Chairman of Stagwell, the conversation explores what happens when one generation passes the torch to the next, from Broadway to brand-building, keynote stages to emerging voices, and why the future of storytelling may depend less on algorithms and more on authenticity, cultural resonance, and human connection.

Speakers: Antonio Lucio, Chief Marketing and Corporate Affairs Officer, PayPal; Irene Lucio, Actor, Writer and Producer, Liberation on Broadway

Moderator: David Sable, Vice Chair, Stagwell

Building Brand Universes: Cross-Platform Storytelling & Brand Ecosystems: With PAW Patrol’s third feature film arriving in August, Spin Master CEO Christina Miller unpacks how the company evolved from a toy manufacturer into a full-spectrum entertainment studio. This conversation explores the creative philosophy behind building brand ecosystems that resonate across generations, from animation to theatrical releases to digital games to global consumer products, and what it takes to turn a product into a cultural touchstone.

Speaker: Christina Miller, CEO, Spin Master

Moderator: Lucas Shaw, Managing Editor, Bloomberg News

Access Granted: Redefining Premium Through Cultural Storytelling: Elizabeth Rutledge, CMO of American Express, explores how one of the world’s most iconic brands is redefining what “premium” means for a new generation, shifting from status symbol to cultural access platform through sports, music, dining, and live experiences. From coveted presales to once-in-a-lifetime moments, this conversation unpacks how access, community, and cultural relevance are shaping the future of brand loyalty.

Speaker: Elizabeth Rutledge, CMO, American Express

Moderator: Jeanine Poggi, Editor-in-Chief, Ad Age

The Business of Being Yourself: How Creators Build Sustainable Empires: Michelle Khare transformed her YouTube channel into a full in-house production company and a show she petitioned onto the Emmy ballot. This session explores how she approaches brand partnerships as true creative collaborations, why she chose to build everything internally, and what the next generation of creator businesses looks like as the lines between independent production and traditional entertainment continue to blur.

Speaker: Michelle Khare, Creator and Host of Challenge Accepted

Moderator: Christopher Rosen, Deputy Editor, The Ankler

Extending Sports Sponsorships into Entertainment Wins: Imagine Entertainment, DICK’S Sporting Goods, and Fox Sports are proving that sports sponsorships can be the starting point for premium entertainment, not just logo placement. Through documentaries like Big Dreams (ESPN) and Summer of ’94 (Fox), this panel explores how to turn brand investment into stories audiences want to watch.

Speakers: Marc Gilbar, President of Imagine Brands, IP & Partnerships; Frank Igrec, Director of Creative and Entertainment, DICK’S Sporting Goods; Ariana Rotstein, Senior Producer of Original Content, FOX Sports

Moderator: Alyssa Meyers, Senior Reporter, Marketing Brew

Closing the Trust Gap: Documentary Storytelling in the Age of AI: As AI transforms how content is created, audiences increasingly question what feels real, emotionally honest, and genuinely human. But that erosion of trust is also creating a new opportunity: stories rooted in lived experience become exponentially more valuable. Drawing from documentary filmmaking, behavioral psychology, and emerging AI trends, this conversation explores how brand storytelling must evolve to close the growing trust gap, and why audiences instinctively connect with stories grounded in real human stakes, tension and vulnerability. Using the Porsche Cup Brasil + Microsoft story as a case study, the session examines how cinematic storytelling can transform customer evidence into stories audiences genuinely believe, and why human-centered storytelling matters most when telling stories about AI.

Speakers: Daniel Kopec, Director of Production, Customer Marketing, Microsoft

From Viral to Valuable: Building Creator Franchises That Last: As platforms shift and audiences become increasingly fragmented, today’s most successful creators are thinking beyond viral moments to build enduring businesses, loyal communities, and long-term IP. This conversation explores what it takes to move from attention to sustainable cultural relevance and the ecosystem helping make that possible.

Speakers: Aaron Sisto, Co-Founder and CEO, Chronicle; Fred Asquith, TikTok Film and TV Creator

From Network to Owned: How Creators Are Building New Media Empires: In a rapidly changing media landscape, Michael Symon and Clinton Kelly are taking creative and strategic ownership over their content as hosts and co-owners of Chewed Up, developed alongside production partner Simple Alien. Joined by Founder Nick Panagopulos of Simple Alien and distribution partner LG’s Kathi Chandler, the panel will explore what it takes to build an owned platform after decades in national television, and why brands benefit from authentic, long-term creator partnerships in a post-network world.

Speakers: Michael Symon, Chef, Restaurateur and Co-Host of Chewed Up; Clinton Kelly, TV Personality, Best-Selling Author and Co-Host of Chewed Up; Nicholas Panagopulos, President and Executive Producer, Simple Alien Inc.; Kathi Chandler-Payatt, Head of Content Acquisition, LG Channels

Moderator: Lucia Moses, Senior Correspondent, Business Insider

From Passion to Product: Building a Culinary Brand That Lasts: Brooklyn Peltz Beckham and Cloud23 CEO Jeff Day explore how authenticity and emotion became the foundation for building an international culinary brand now sold at Whole Foods and Erewhon. This conversation unpacks the journey from passion to product, the craft of food product development, the business of scaling from concept to retail, and what it takes to build a food brand that lasts beyond hype.

Speakers: Brooklyn Peltz Beckham; Jeff Day, CEO, Cloud23

Moderator: Claire Saffitz, Cookbook Author, Recipe Developer and YouTube Host

The Creative Handoff: Two Generations on Storytelling, Risk, and What Comes Next: A fireside conversation about how creativity evolves across generations and mediums. David brings four decades of shaping some of the most iconic brand narratives in advertising history; Finn brings a USC film school education and a coming-of-age feature film shooting in New York this summer. Together, they explore the parallels between commercial and cinematic storytelling, how audience expectations have shifted, the role of technology and AI (where they don’t always agree), and what connects selling sneakers to making audiences cry through story. It’s a conversation about craft, conviction, and why the fundamentals of great storytelling endure even as everything around them changes.

Speakers: David Droga, Vice Chair, Accenture; Finn Droga, Writer and Director, Narradora

The Writers Behind the Phenomenon: How Authentic Storytelling Creates Global Brands: When they were just 24 years old, two screenwriters penned what became Netflix’s most-watched film of all time - a global phenomenon, recipient of two Academy Awards and numerous accolades, and Time’s 2025 Breakthrough of the Year. Danya Jimenez and Hannah McMechan discuss how intentional, culturally authentic writing creates stories that scale globally, and what happens when a studio bets on bold creative voices over safe formulas.

Speakers: Danya Jimenez, Writer; Hannah McMechan, Writer

Moderator: Versha Sharma, Former Editor in Chief, Teen Vogue

The Innovators: How NFL Films Is Rewriting the Playbook for Sports Storytelling: For 60 years, NFL Films has shaped the visual language of sports storytelling — pioneering everything from cinematic slow motion and mic’d up access to all-access series like Hard Knocks and Quarterback. Now they’re expanding that legacy beyond football through projects including WWE Unreal, Chasing Sunday with the PGA Tour, and more, bringing their signature storytelling approach to a new generation of sports and audiences.

Speakers: TBA

FADE: Culture, Legacy, and the Stories We Carry: What begins as a boy’s first haircut becomes a meditation on fatherhood, identity, and the unspoken lessons passed between generations. FADE, produced by Emory “Vegas” Jones and directed by Eric “Ptah” Herbert, captures the cultural significance of the barbershop as a space for mentorship, storytelling, and manhood. With clips from the film woven throughout, this conversation explores how authentic storytelling rooted in Black culture scales from personal truth to universal resonance, and what becomes possible when brands like Puma invest in creative vision rather than visibility alone.

Speakers: Emory Jones, Founder, Bet On Yourself; Eric “Ptah” Herbert, Director, ArtruGroup; Chief Johnson, Lead of Global Entertainment, PUMA

Moderator: Raymond Smith, Artist Marketing, Director, Roc Nation

How Brands Can Become Platforms for Culture: Cedric the Entertainer has built a career at the intersection of entertainment, entrepreneurship, and cultural storytelling. From executive producing Kings of BBQ and building AC Barbeque into a lifestyle brand rooted in Black excellence, to launching Setta Wines with philanthropy at its core, Cedric has approached brand-building as an extension of purpose. This conversation explores what it takes to build businesses that do more than sell products, using storytelling, culture, and community to create lasting connection. From brand partnerships to mission-driven growth, Cedric shares lessons on building with authenticity, intention, and impact.

Speaker: Cedric the Entertainer, Partner, AC BBQ and Founder, Setta Wines

JUNE 9:

The Challenger Within: How Legacy Brands Stay Ahead of the Categories: The most enduring brands don’t rest on history; they continually reinvent it. This panel brings together marketing and creative leaders from iconic brands to explore how legacy can fuel growth rather than limit it. From culture and storytelling to brand evolution, the conversation will unpack what it takes to stay relevant, when to lean on heritage, and how iconic brands continue setting the pace.

Speakers: Julie Delazyn, Vice President, Head of Brand Image at L’Oréal Paris USA; Daniele Foti, Vice President of Marketing, North America, Lavazza

Moderator: Alison Weissbrot, Executive Editor, ADWEEK

The Evolution and Future of Women’s Sports: This conversation moves beyond the surface-level growth narrative to explore the strategic thinking behind the evolution of women’s sports. Phil Cook (WNBA), Keia Clarke (New York Liberty), and Rachel Epstein (NWSL) unpack why investment is flowing in now, the business models positioning these leagues as cultural platforms, and what brands need to understand about showing up authentically in this space.

Speakers: Phil Cook, CMO, WNBA; Keia Clarke, CEO, New York Liberty; Rachel Epstein, CMO, NWSL

Moderator: Sarah Spain, Host, "Good Game with Sarah Spain" & Content Director, iHeart Women's Sports

Purpose Meets Premium: Storytelling as a Mission Tool: Planned Parenthood CEO Alexis McGill Johnson explores how storytelling functions as both a brand and mission tool, from showing up in culturally relevant spaces like NBA All-Star Weekend and Fashion Week to partnering with creators and cultural voices to reach new audiences and shift narratives around reproductive health across film, television, and music. A fireside chat on how organizations authentically participate in culture while building trust and driving meaningful change.

Speaker: Alexis McGill Johnson, President and CEO, Planned Parenthood Federation of America

Moderator: Melissa Hobley, CMO, Tinder

Paving Your Own Way: How Creators Are Building Businesses on Their Own Terms: A new generation of creators is rejecting traditional career playbooks to build businesses rooted in authenticity, independence, and creative ownership. From biomedical engineering to Wall Street to beauty advocacy, Vivian Tu, and Cyrus Veyssi have each carved distinctly different paths while building deeply engaged communities on their own terms. Moderated by Whalar Co-CEO Jo Cronk, this annual Tribeca X Creator Panel explores what it takes to bet on yourself, build with intention, and turn creative instinct into enduring businesses.

Speakers: Cyrus Veyssi, Comedian, Writer and Content Creator; Vivian Tu, NYT Bestselling Author & Founder/CEO of Your Rich BFF

Moderator: Jo Cronk, Co-CEO, Whalar

The New Studio: How Dhar Mann Is Redefining Entertainment and How Creators Partner With Brands: Dhar Mann Studios isn’t a creator channel that got big; it’s a production empire with strategic distribution partnerships across FOX and Samsung TV Plus, and large-scale custom brand collaborations with GAP, Adobe and the NFL to name a few. In this candid conversation, one of the world’s most influential storytellers, Dhar Mann, and CEO Sean Atkins explore how they’ve pioneered a new model of entertainment built around direct audience relationships, uplifting content, and strategic partnerships, and what happens when a creator stops thinking like talent and starts thinking like a studio.

Speakers: Dhar Mann, Founder, Dhar Mann Studios; Sean Atkins, CEO, Dhar Mann Studios

Moderator: Katie Deighton, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal

Building Daphne: How Paige DeSorbo Turned Personal Style Into a Brand: With Daphne’s one-year anniversary landing the day after Tribeca X, Paige DeSorbo joins us for a conversation on building a fashion brand in real time. Best known for turning personal style, cultural fluency, and audience trust into a growing platform, Paige has expanded from media personality and podcast host to entrepreneur, launching Daphne as a fashion-forward loungewear brand rooted in authenticity and wearability. From designing pieces inspired by gaps in her own closet to building a business alongside a rapidly expanding entertainment career, including an upcoming Netflix comedy with Amy Poehler, Paige shares what it takes to build a brand with staying power rather than chase trends.

Speaker: Paige DeSorbo, Author, Entrepreneur, Actress, Creator, Host and Fashion Tastemaker

Beyond the Feed: How Creators Design for the Spaces In Between: As audiences become increasingly fragmented, creators are no longer building solely for social feeds or traditional screens. From gyms and airports to restaurants, retail, and public spaces, a new generation of storytelling is emerging for environments where attention looks different, and context matters. This conversation explores how creators and platforms are designing content for alternate environments, what storytelling looks like in sound-off and ambient spaces, and how audience discovery is evolving beyond the algorithm — examining the creative and strategic challenge of building content that captures attention instantly, communicates visually, and resonates without demanding full engagement.

Speakers: Blake Sabatinelli, CEO Atmosphere TV; Asher Grodman, Actor, Director, Writer and Producer; Eni Popoola, Digital Content Creator (@enigivensunday on TikTok)

Beyond the Interview: Sports, Style, and Social Impact: Taylor Rooks and Aurora James operate in different industries but share a commitment to equity and access in every decision they make. This conversation explores how they’ve built influence across sports media and fashion, why representation matters at every level, and how to partner with brands authentically while driving real social change through the Taylor Rooks Foundation and the 15 Percent Pledge.

Speakers: Taylor Rooks, two-time Emmy Award-Nominated Journalist and Host of NBA on Prime; Aurora James, Founder, Fifteen Percent Pledge and Founder, Brother Vellies

Moderator: Zuri Hall, co-host of NBC's American Ninja Warrior and Access Hollywood; Host of 'Not About Sports'

Building the Infrastructure: How Creators Own Their Work and Build Sustainable Businesses: This positions Public Opinion as part of a larger movement redefining how creators own their work and build sustainable businesses—not just a cool music platform, but essential infrastructure. The conversation explores new systems creators need (legal, technological, financial), how brand partnerships can enable vs. exploit, and why old models are failing. For our audience (CMOs, agency leaders, entertainment execs), it's a chance to understand creator infrastructure evolution and what it means for how they partner with creators moving forward.

Speakers: Yancey Strickler, Co-Founder, Kickstarter, Metalabel and Dark Forest OS; Gus Wenner, Former Rolling Stone CEO, Executive Chairman, Public Opinion, and Founder, Wenner Media Ventures; Jack Coyne, CEO and Co-Founder, Public Opinion, and Host, Track Star

Moderator: Mark Stenberg, Senior Reporter, ADWEEK

Stories From America’s Dining Room: Behind every counter & at every table at McDonald’s, there’s a story. During this panel, McDonald’s goes behind the scenes of Stories from America’s Dining Room (a documentary shorts collection by Breakwater Studios) to uncover the depth of these stories in discussion with the film collection architects. Through documentary storytelling, McDonald’s is surfacing the everyday moments that reveal the extraordinary potential that exists in America’s Dining Room.

Speakers: Nubia Murray, Senior Director of Brand Communications, McDonald’s; Kevin Wilson Jr., Film Director; Kristin Kosha, Storyteller

Moderator: Gia Peppers, Award-Winning Journalist, Host, and Founder of Creatives of Faith

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