Spike Lee, Natalie Portman, Gael Garcia Bernal, Eric Bana and more to host free filmmaker series at Apple Store

The Apple store in Soho New York will be celebrating the spirit of independent film and the upcoming Tribeca Film Festival, by hosting a series of free filmmaking events from April 22 to May 3, 2009. Grab a seat in the store’s theater for the Meet the Filmmakers series, presented by Apple Computer and indieWIRE. There will also be a series of What’s New in Filmmaking events.

Spike Lee will kick off the lineup on April 22nd, discussing his two films in competition, including his adaptation of the musical Passing Strange and Kobe Doin’ Work, featuring basketball superstar Kobe Bryant. Other speakers throught the festival will include Gael Garcia Bernal, Natalie Portman, and Eric Bana.

Here is a partial list of the events taking place from Vanity Fair.

Wednesday, April 22nd
7:00 p.m.—Spike Lee (Passing Strange and Kobe Doin’ Work)

Friday, April 24th
3:30 p.m.—Natalie Portman (entertainment web project)
6:00 p.m.—Dan Fogler (Hysterical Psycho)
7:30 p.m.—Lee Daniels (Precious)

Saturday, April 25th
4:00 p.m.—So Yong Kim (Treeless Mountain) and Bradley Rust Gray (Exploding Girl)
6:30 p.m.—Ti West (The House of the Devil)

Sunday, April 26th
5:00 p.m.—Connor McPherson (The Eclipse)

Monday, April 27th
5:00 p.m.—Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna and writer Carlos Cuarón (Rudo Y Cursi)
6:30 p.m.—Gabriel Noble (P-Star Rising)
8:00 p.m.—Atom Egoyan (Adoration)

Tuesday, April 28th
6:30 p.m.—Eric Bana (Love the Beast)

Thursday, April 30th
5:00 p.m.—Kirby Dick (Outrage)

Friday, May 1
7:00 p.m.—Nia Vardalos and Donald Petrie (My Life in Ruins)

Saturday, May 2
5:00 p.m.—Student Filmmakers panel

CLICK HERE to get more info about attending any of these events.