Director Cameron Crowe's nonfiction film, also titled "The Union" after the collaborative album John made with his musical hero and songwriter Leon Russell, will kick off the festival in a world premiere screening and performance on April 20 in Lower Manhattan, organizers said.

"To have Elton, whose music transcends generations, perform after (the screening) is an extraordinary gift to our Festival and more specifically the downtown community," said Jane Rosenthal, who co-founded the festival with her husband Craig Hatkoff and actor Robert De Niro.

The opening night plans marked a change for the festival, one of the most prominent in the United States, after recent years in which Tribeca featured an uptown glitzy private premiere with feature films like last year's "Shrek Forever After." The festival runs from April 20 to May 1.