By Michael Avila
Special to DNAinfo
MIDTOWN WEST — He may be a little long in the tooth, but Shrek still has drawing power.
The lovable ogre attracted an all-star audience Wednesday night as “Shrek Forever After” kicked off this year’s Tribeca Film Festival. Hordes of A-list talent — many with their children in tow — braved the late afternoon rain to walk the green carpet at the famed Ziegfeld Theatre in Midtown.
The entrance to the movie house, which took up half a city block, was covered with a tent. However, the fans who stood behind barricades across the street hoping for a glimpse of some of the star power were not so lucky.
Those in attendance included the voice actors behind the well-known ‘Shrek’ characters, including the voice of the ogre himself, Mike Myers. Cameron Diaz (‘Fiona’), Antonio Banderas (‘Puss in Boots’) and in a bit of a surprise, Eddie Murphy (‘Donkey’), who rarely attends events like this.
A diverse collection of famous New Yorkers were spotted at the premiere, including Banderas’ wife Melanie Griffiths, “Sopranos” figurehead James Gandolfini and his kids, Zach Braff and his “Scrubs” co-star Donald Faison, Paul Sorvino, and of course, his “Goodfellas” co-star and festival co-founder Robert De Niro.
Also spotted walking into the theater was New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly.
The inclement weather and the enormous number of photographers and reporters who lined the tented carpet for pictures and interviews delayed the start of the screening by nearly an hour.
Once inside, festival co-founder Jane Rosenthal introduced the cast of the film before the lights dimmed and everyone put on their 3D glasses for the screening. The fourth and supposedly final chapter in the powerhouse DreamWorks franchise, “Shrek Forever After” was the first movie presented in 3D in the history of the Tribeca Film Festival.
Afterward, the crowd walked across the Sixth Avenue to the Museum of Modern Art for an after-party that featured music, open bar and a child-friendly menu that included Mac and Cheese, bite-sized sandwiches and chimichangas, which play a key role in the movie.
Thursday, the festival focus returns to lower Manhattan.
A diverse slate of films are in the screening queue, including “Road, Movie,” “Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll,” “The Trotsky,” “Climate of Change” and “My Own Love Song.”
Check daily screening schedules at www.tribecafilm.com.
