Franco, Rivers to speak at Tribeca fest

NEW YORK, March 30 (UPI) -- James Franco, Lorne Michaels and Joan Rivers are to participate in the Tribeca Talks Panel Series as part of New York's Tribeca Film Festival, organizers said.

Also to participate in the cinema-themed discussions, which are open to the public, are Edward Burns, Alex Gibney, Andre Leon Talley and Ice Cube.

The 2010 TFF is scheduled to take place from April 21 to May 2 in lower Manhattan.

"Each year we look for new ways to further engage audiences in the array of provocative themes covered in festival films and in topics affecting our industry," Nancy Schafer, the festival's executive director, said in a statement Tuesday. "The Tribeca Talks series offers the public and industry insiders alike the opportunity to explore these subjects with some of the biggest names in film, literature and media."