Martin Scorsese's The King of Comedy to Close Tribeca
A restored version of Martin Scorsese's The King of Comedy will close the 12th Tribeca Film Festival, organizers announced Thursday. The 30th anniversary of the 1983 film starring Robert De Niro, Jerry Lewis, Diahnne Abbott and Sandra Bernhard will screen April 27. The film is considered a precursor to the reality TV phenomenon. In the film, talk show host Jerry Langford (Lewis) is kidnapped by stand-up comedian Rupert Pupkin (De Niro) and his wacky sidekick (Bernhard) on his way to the studio. He is forced to give Pupkin a shot at the big time by allowing the struggling comic to perform his routine on Langford’s show. What unfolds is an incredibly funny and poignant story about the darker side of comedy. TFF takes place April 17 – 28.

Distribution Announced for SXSW Fest Winner Short Term 12
Short Term 12 won both the Audience and Jury prizes in the narrative category at the recent SXSW Film Festival. The film is an uplifting story centered on Grace (Brie Larson), a twenty-something social worker who has channeled the demons of her own troubled past into a passion for helping at-risk teens. Her newest ward, Jayden (Kaitlyn Dever), forces Grace to relive her own difficult upbringing just as she and her boyfriend Mason (John Gallagher Jr.) are on the cusp of making a decision that will change their lives. Distributor Cinedigm will release the title in the U.S. in late summer 2013.

Martin Scorsese to Give Kennedy Center Lecture for NEH
Oscar-winner Martin Scorsese will give the 2013 National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Jefferson Lecture on April 1 from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. He will discuss film, humanities, and the art of storytelling, illustrated by stills and clips of films that span the history of cinema. His presentation will also incorporate an onstage conversation with noted film critic and long-time collaborator Kent Jones, that will expand upon the themes of Scorsese’s Jefferson Lecture. Jones was recently named Director of Programming for the New York Film Festival. The webcast will be live-streamed April 1 beginning at 7:30pm ET via www.NEH.gov and will be available afterward via archive from the same website.

Mickey Sumner to Receive Sarasota Film Festival Honor
Sumner will receive the festival's Breakthrough Performer Award for her performance in Sarasota's Closing Night Film, Frances Ha. The film, directed by Noah Baumbach and also starring Greta Gerwig, screened at the 50th New York Film Festival last year. Sumner joins previously announced guests Suzanne ClĂ©ment, Griffin Dunne, Mariel Hemingway, Barbara Kopple and Lili Taylor in receiving honors at the Tribute taking place April 12. The 15th Sarasota Film Festival runs April 5 – 14.

Wes Anderson's Grand Budapest Hotel Heads to Theaters
Anderson's latest film starring Ralph Fiennes, Edward Norton, Owen Wilson, Tilda Swinton, Jason Schwartzman and Jude Law recently wrapped production in Germany. It centers on a “legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the wars and his friendship with a young employee who becomes his trusted protĂ©gĂ©.” Fox Searchlight will bring the film to theaters at an undisclosed date. Last year, Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom became one of the biggest box office openers of the year. THR reports.