Any sticklers that still feel the need to argue that video games aren’t considered a piece of art or at least on the same artistic level as film, may find themselves quieting up in late April.

It was announced recently that  Rockstar’s upcoming L.A. Noire will be featured as part of Robert De Niro’s Tribecca Film Festival which takes place in New York.

According to representatives from the festival, this marks the first time a video games has “earned such an honor at a film festival as prestigious as Tribeca.” The game will be a part of a special session called Tribecca Talks, which will feature a live gameplay section and a Q&A.

Suffice it to say, Rockstar games is very pleased with the feature.

“We’re thrilled that L.A. Noire is being recognized by the Tribeca Film Festival in this way,” said Sam Houser, Founder of Rockstar Games. “It’s a real honor, and another step forward for interactive entertainment.”

“What Rockstar and Team Bondi have accomplished with L.A. Noire is nothing less than groundbreaking,” added Tribeca Enterprises’ Chief Creative Officer Geoff Gilmore, . “It’s an invention of a new realm of storytelling that is part cinema, part gaming, and a whole new realm of narrative expression, interactivity, and immersion. We are poised on the edge of a new frontier.”

Many have been looking forward to L.A. Noire which seems to have Rockstar pulling out all the bells and whistles.

Perhaps most notable about the game, is the MotionScan technology used that many publications have been talking about. Gaming journalists have said that the technology will help deliver a level of facial realism not yet seen in gaming. For example, gamers will have the ability to tell if a another character is lying based on realistic and natural facial expressions.

The Tribecca Talks L.A. Noire section will take place at the festival April 25th, while the game is set to be released for XBox 360 and PlayStation 3 on May 17th in the U.S. and May 20th everywhere else.

Via (Time:Techland)