Tribeca Film Festival will open with Cameron Crowe's documentary The Union. 

Need a reason to go to New York? The world premiere of Cameron Crowe’s documentary The Union, about the collaboration between musical legends Elton John and Leon Russell, will open the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival April 20 at an outdoor screening at the North Cove of World Financial Center Plaza, 200 Vesey St. in downtown Manhattan.

Admission is free; a wristband is needed to be seated. They'll be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 4 p.m. April 20 at BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center, 199 Chambers St. at the West Side Highway entrance. There'a a limit of two wristbands per person. The screening will begin at 8:15 p.m., with programming beginning at 7:30 p.m. For more information call (866) 941-3378.

A performance by Elton John will follow the screening. 

The Union concerns the creative life of Elton John and his collaborative album with Leon Russell, produced by T Bone Burnett. Begun in November 2009, the film captures the entire writing and recording process of the heralded album John recorded with Russell, his early-career idol.

John’s lifelong lyricist Bernie Taupin, icons Neil Young and Brian Wilson, legendary R&B organist Booker T. Jones, steel guitarist Robert Randolph and a 10-piece gospel choir are featured on the album.

For a full list of the festival's feature films -- which include Blackthorn, starring Sam Shepard as aging American outlaw Butch Cassidy, thought to have been killed in Bolivia in 1908 who adopts another identity and lives on, six films in the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival, Norwegian film Trollhunter, and documentary God Bless Ozzy Osbourne, and relationship drama Last Night with Keira Knightley and Sam Worthington  -- click here. 

Tickets for the festival, which continues through May 1, are $16 for evening and weekend screenings and $8 for daytime weekday and late night screenings.

Ticket packages and passes are on sale at www.tribecafilm.com or by calling (866) 941-3378.

Single ticket and discounted ticket package sales begin April 18. Single tickets can be purchased by telephone or at one of the Ticket Outlets with locations at Tribeca Cinemas at 54 Varick St., Chelsea Clearview Cinemas at 260 W. 23rd St. and AMC Village VII at 66 Third Ave.  

For more information visit www.tribecafilm.com.

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