TBA tomorrow is The Only Living Pickpocket in New York.
Obsessing about the Telluride Film Festival and the film awards season since 2008! "The best blog out there for predicting what will be going to Telluride."-Matt Neglia, Next Best Picture "The Nostradamus of Telluride" -Tim Appelo, Movies for Grownups "But it's our job." - Anne Thompson, Indiewire
Saturday, September 5, 2026
Thursday, September 3, 2026
TFF #53 LINEUP DROPS
Per Variety, the TFF #53 lineup:
Tributes
- Andrew Haigh (writer, director)
- Sandra Hüller (actress)
- John Malkovich (actor)
Main Program (The Show)
- “Act 3” (U.S. distribution TBA) — dir. Christine Molloy & Joe Lawlor
- “Alpha Gang” (U.S. distribution TBA) — dir. David Zellner & Nathan Zellner — World Premiere
- “Avedon” (Netflix) — dir. Ron Howard — World Premiere
- “Beau Geste” (Rialto Pictures, 1926 restoration) — dir. Herbert Brenon
- “Begotten” (World Artists Home Video) — dir. E. Elias Merhige
- “Bucking Fastard” (U.S. distribution TBA) — dir. Werner Herzog
- “The Buffalo Miracle” and “Witt v. Air Force” — dir. Ben Proudfoot
- “Burgundy” (U.S. distribution TBA) — dir. Michael Dweck & Gregory Kershaw
- “Carl Sagan: We Are Made of Star Stuff” (U.S. distribution TBA) — dir. Nanette Burstein
- “Club Kid” (A24) — dir. Jordan Firstman
- “The Debut” (A24) — dir. Jesse Eisenberg — World Premiere
- “The Disciple” (Netflix) — dir. Joanna Natasegar — World Premiere
- “Elsinore” (Focus Features) — dir. Simon Stone — World Premiere
- “Everest: The Other Side” (National Geographic Films) — dir. Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi & Jimmy Chin
- “Fatherland” (Mubi) — dir. Paweł Pawlikowski
- “Fjord” (Neon) — dir. Cristian Mungiu
- “Gentle Monster” (Netflix) — dir. Marie Kreutzer
- “The Idiot(s)” (The Match Factory) — dir. Małgorzata Szumowska & Michał Englert — World Premiere
- “In Love Rendered” — dir. Liz Garbus
- “Ink” (Netflix) — dir. Danny Boyle
- “La Bola Negra” (Netflix) — dir. Javier Calvo & Javier Ambrossi
- “The Liberation” (Bleecker Street) — dir. Guy Nattiv — World Premiere
- “A Long Winter” (Mubi) — dir. Andrew Haigh — World Premiere
- “Making Marie Antoinette” (Mubi) — dir. Eleanor Coppola
- “The Man I Love” (U.S. distribution TBA) — dir. Ira Sachs
- “Minotaur” (Mubi) — dir. Andrey Zvyagintsev
- “My Undesirable Friends: Part II — Exile” (Mubi) — dir. Julia Loktev — World Premiere
- “Once Upon a Time in Harlem” (Neon) — dir. William Greaves & David Greaves
- “The Only Living Pickpocket in New York” (Sony Pictures Classics) — dir. Noah Segan
- “Pete Townshend: Behind Blue Eyes” (U.S. distribution TBA) — dir. Frank Marshall, Nigel Sinclair & Cassidy Hartmann
- “Rehearsals for a Revolution” (Mongrel Media) — dir. Pegah Ahangarani
- “The Revolution Against Death” — dir. Joshua Oppenheimer
- “Roger Corman at 100” (U.S. distribution TBA)
- “Rose” (Mubi) — dir. Markus Schleinzer
- “The Row” (U.S. distribution TBA) — dir. Bryan Fogel
- “A Song for the Snow Lion” (U.S. distribution TBA) — dir. Pawo Choyning Dorji
- “Stories of Resilience” (U.S. distribution TBA) — dir. Sarah Gavron, Wafa Mustafa & Waad Al-Kateab, Bill Morrison
- “The Story of Documentary Film” (U.S. distribution TBA) — dir. Mark Cousins
- “Sumo: Spirit Weighs Nothing” (ESPN Films) — dir. Erik Shirai
- “Tender Loving Care” (Bleecker Street) — dir. Mike Leigh — World Premiere
- “Tenzing” (Apple Original Films) — dir. Jennifer Peedom — World Premiere
- “The Unknown” (U.S. distribution TBA) — dir. Arthur Harari
- “Wild Horse Nine” (Searchlight Pictures) — dir. Martin McDonagh
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Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Final Bets for TFF #53 / The People's Telluride
Well, here we are on the cusp of another Telluride Film Festival and as promised hare is a look at my final "bets" to play TFF #53. As a reminder of where we've been here:
The original Ten Bets from back in June (with what I think is playing designated with***):
***The Black Ball
***Bucking Fastard
Coward-NOPE
***The Debut
***Fatherland
***A Long Winter
***Minotaur
Paper Tiger-NOPE
The Story of Documentary Film-MAYBE
Yellow Letters-MAYBE
AND HERE'S THE FINAL PREDICITION
1) Elsinore
2) The Debut
3) Ink
4) Club Kid
5) Bucking Fastard
6) Wild Horse Nine
7) Fatherland
8) La Bola Negra (The Black Ball)
9) A Long Winter
10) Everest: The Other Side
11) Minotaur
12) Fjord
13) Tender Loving Care
14) Gentle Monster
15) Rose
16) The Man I Love
17)The Alpha Gang
18) My Undesirable Friends Part II
19) Rehearsal for a Revolution
20) The Only Living Pickpocket in New York
21) Tenzing
22) The Idiots
23) The Liberation
24) Making Marie Antoinette
25) One More Time
Other possibilities:
Ancient History
The Basics of Philosophy
Burgundy
Diamond
Primetime
Sense and Sensibility
The Story of Documentary Film
The Unknown
Yellow Letters
I'll post the announced schedule tomorrow morning when it's released.
THE PEOPLE'S TELLURIDE-14TH EDITION
For the 14th year MTFB is soliciting your input for The People's Telluride. All you have to do is watch films during the fest and then, when it's all over, report to me your assessment of each film on a 1-5 scale with 1 being "UGH!" and 5 being "GREAT".
Report your ratings to: mpgort@gmail.com
The deadline for this year to turn in your ratings will be Sept. 15th.
Time to Rock 'n Roll...see you in The Ride!
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Monday, August 31, 2026
New Venue for TFF #53 / Huntsinger on TFF #53 for Variety / EW Talks with McDonagh about Wild Horse Nine / Variety with Mike Leigh / First Looks at Ink
NEW VENUE FOR TFF #53
Maybe the biggest TFF news of last week was that there will be a new venue for the fest to use. It will be located in Mountain Village. No word that I'm aware of in terms of the number of seats but you should help to replace the seats we've been missing from the lack of The Nugget while it undergoes renovation.
Here's the flyer announcing the new venue....that appears to be named "The Marvin":
HUNTSINGER ON TFF #53 FOR VARIETY
Variety's Chief Awards Editor Clayton Davis sat down with TFF Executive Director Julie Huntsinger recently to talk all things TFF.
Key takeaways:
Huntsinger says TBAs are part of the plan again this year including:
"...one is going to be a true TBA — you won’t know what it is until you walk into the cinema."
That's very exciting.
She also says that Digger and Dune 3 are still in post-production...
https://variety.com/2026/film/awards/telluride-julie-huntsinger-tba-film-dune-digger-1236843331/
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY TALKS WITH MARTIN MC DONAGH ABOUT WILD HORSE NINE
We're pretty sure Martin McDonagh's Wild Horse Nine will be announced on Thursday as a part of the TFF #53 lineup. I'm certainly hoping that we've read the tea leaves correctly.
Entertainment Weekly has a nice interview with McDonagh about the film which you can find linked here.
https://ew.com/martin-mcdonagh-previews-wild-horse-nine-sam-rockwell-john-malkovich-old-married-couple-12064030
VARIETY WITH MIKE LEIGH...IS TENDER LOVING CARE HIS LAST FILM?
Variety's Clayton Davis also talked to filmmaker Mike Leigh about his new film Tender Loving Care which we also think is Telluride bound. It may be Leigh's final film. Davis writes:
"Bleecker Street is funding “Tender Loving Care,” Leigh’s sweet, funny study of two social workers, their family and the people they look after. It’s the lowest-budgeted feature of Leigh’s career, and, he says with some reluctance, almost certainly his final film."
https://variety.com/2026/film/features/mike-leigh-tender-loving-care-final-film-harvey-weinstein-oscars-1236841786/
FIRST LOOKS AT INK
Vanity Fair posted some first look photos from Vanity Fair from Danny Boyle's Ink. It's in my top five to try and catch at the fest. Here's a glimpse:
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Thursday, August 27, 2026
Twenty (Plus) Bets for TFF #53-Vol. 11 / Tribute Clues from Telluride / Other Outlets Talk Telluride / This and That: Wild Horse Nine and Ink / This and That
TWENTY (PLUS) BETS FOR TFF #53- VOL. 11
As I write today's post, we are a week away from the lineup announcement. The easy work is done with Toronto, New York and Venice all revealing information from which we can infer probable films playing in Telluride. We're now in a phase where the sleuthing comes down to scraps of information online or from behind the scenes. In some ways it's the most fun.
Anyway, we're a week away and this is the next to last update before The SHOW kicks off next week. Reviewing last week's 20+ Bets:
1) Elsinore
2) The Debut
3) Ink
4) Club Kid
5) Bucking Fastard
6) Wild Horse Nine
7) Fatherland
8) La Bola Negra (The Black Ball)
9) A Long Winter
10) The Alpha Gang
11) Fjord
12) Minotaur
13) Everest: The Other Side
14) Tender Loving Care
15) Gentle Monster
16) Rose
17) The Man I Love
18) My Undesirable Friends Part II
19) Rehearsal for a Revolution
20) The Unknown
21) Tenzing
22) The Idiots
23) The Liberation
24) Making Marie Antoinette
25) One More Time
Other possibilities:
Ancient History
The Basics of Philosophy
Burgundy
Diamond
Primetime
The Story of Documentary Film
Yellow Letters
And here is this week's updated Bets:
1) Elsinore
2) The Debut
3) Ink
4) Club Kid
5) Bucking Fastard
6) Wild Horse Nine
7) Fatherland
8) La Bola Negra (The Black Ball)
9) A Long Winter
10) Everest: The Other Side
11) Minotaur
12) Fjord
13) Tender Loving Care
14) Gentle Monster
15) Rose
16) The Man I Love
17)The Alpha Gang
18) My Undesirable Friends Part II
19) Rehearsal for a Revolution
20) The Unknown
21) Tenzing
22) The Idiots
23) The Liberation
24) Making Marie Antoinette
25) One More Time
Other possibilities:
Ancient History
The Basics of Philosophy
Burgundy
Diamond
The Only Living Pickpocket in New York
Primetime
Sense and Sensibility
The Story of Documentary Film
Yellow Letters
I'll have one FINAL BETS post a week from today.
TRIBUTE CLUES FROM TELLURIDE
One of the ways that often give clues about what direction Tributes might be going has traditionally been to look at films scheduled for free in Elks Park prior to the start of the fest. Earlier this morning the flyer for the free screening s is up:
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It's difficult to see here, but Wednesday night is a screening of Project Hail Mary and Thursday is Being John Malkovich. Draw your own conclusions,,,
OTHER OUTLETS TALK TELLURIDE
A number of film-centric websites are opining re: TFF #53's films. Links to some of those are here:
THIS AND THAT
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Monday, August 24, 2026
Counting Down / The People's Telluride #14 / Indiewire Points to Possible Double Oscar Nominees / This and That
COUNTING DOWN
As I post this on Monday morning ( August 24th) the reality of TFF #53 is now down to 10 days. As with most years, the anticipation is what dominates now. Most of the detective work is complete. Oh, sure, they'll be some continued scuttlebutt to pass a long but in the last two weeks before the fest, additional information is hard to come by. So now, it's about the wait.
The Patterson's will be pulling on Wednesday morning next week. Some years ago we began to give ourselves a two day window to drive. Breaking the journey into a two day affair gives us a bit of time to acclimate before the fest cranks up on Friday.
It's a special year in 2026 as my grandson will be joining us. He says he's very excited.
So...the wait...
THE PEOPLE'S TELLURIDE-14TH EDITION
For the 14th year MTFB is soliciting your input for The People's Telluride. All you have to do is watch films during the fest and then, when it's all over, report to me your assessment of each film on a 1-5 scale with 1 being "UGH!" and 5 being "GREAT".
Report your ratings to: mpgort@gmail.com
The deadline for this year to turn in your ratings will be Sept. 15th.
I'll compile all of your responses and post those a few days after the festival.
INDIEWIRE TALKS POSSIBLE DOUBLE OSCAR NOMINEES FOR THIS YEAR
Anne Thompson at Indiewire had a piece up on which actors might have a shot at getting more than one acting Oscar nomination for this year. The article includes some folks who might be in Telluride next week.
Here's the rundown from her list of possibilities who probably have films at TFF #53 (listed in the order that Thompson addresses them in the post):
Sandra Huller: MTFB thinks Huller will have two films at Telluride: Fatherland and Rose. She also has her roles in Project Hail Mary and Digger that could merit some Oscar conversation.
Penelope Cruz: We think Cruz's La Bola Negra will be at TFF #53. Cruz also has roles in The Invite and Bunker.
Willem Dafoe: His Tenzing is probable for Telluride. He also is in Werewolf and Late Fame.
Other outside shots mentioned by Thompson include Anne Hathaway who could still potentially be at Telluride with Verity and Robert Pattinson if Primetime makes a late run from Venice to T-ride.
https://www.indiewire.com/awards/predictions/oscars-2027-double-nominees-sandra-huller-robert-pattinson-brad-pitt-1235211354/
THIS AND THAT...
***Netflix has made it official that Saturn Returns will not be a 2026 release. That all but closes the door on any Telluride appearance.
***Tenzing will have a limited theatrical release on Oct. 9th.
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Thursday, August 20, 2026
Twenty (Plus) Bets for TFF #53-Vol. 10 / Talking Tributes / Club Kid Trailer and Poster / Digger to Bow in London
TWENTY (PLUS) BETS FOR TFF #53
Last week's 20 Bets:
1) Elsinore
2) The Debut
3) Ink
4) Club Kid
5) La Bola Negra (The Black Ball)
6) A Long Winter
7) Fjord
8) Minotaur
9) Everest: The Other Side
10) Tender Loving Care
11) Gentle Monster
12) Wild Horse Nine
13) Fatherland
14) Rose
15) The Man I Love
16) My Undesirable Friends Part II
17) Rehearsal for a Revolution
18) The Unknown
19) Bucking Fastard
20) Tenzing
21) Alpha Gang
22) The Idiots
23) The Liberation
24) Making Marie Antoinette
25) One More Time
Other possibilities:
Ancient History
The Basics of Philosophy
Burgundy
Diamond
Primetime
Sense and Sensibility
The Story of Documentary Film
Yellow Letters
And here's your update with just two weeks left to The SHOW:
1) Elsinore
2) The Debut
3) Ink
4) Club Kid
5) Bucking Fastard
6) Wild Horse Nine
7) Fatherland
8) La Bola Negra (The Black Ball)
9) A Long Winter
10) The Alpha Gang
11) Fjord
12) Minotaur
13) Everest: The Other Side
14) Tender Loving Care
15) Gentle Monster
16) Rose
17) The Man I Love
18) My Undesirable Friends Part II
19) Rehearsal for a Revolution
20) The Unknown
21) Tenzing
22) The Idiots
23) The Liberation
24) Making Marie Antoinette
25) One More Time
Other possibilities:
Ancient History
The Basics of Philosophy
Burgundy
Diamond
Primetime
The Story of Documentary Film
Yellow Letters
TALKING TRIBUTES
We're so close to TFF #53 so it seems like a good time to speculate about TFF Tributes. The fest traditionally choses 3 individuals for this special honor each year. That can and has varied from time to time but three is the most common.
Past tribute recipients that could possibly be in Telluride include:
Cate Blanchett
Danny Boyle
Kem Burns
Mark Cousins
Penelope Cruz
Catherine Denueve
Werner Herzog
Mike Leigh
Rooney Mara
Paul Schrader
The list of potential recipients this year is lengthy:
Jimmy Chin/Everest: The Other Side
Olivia Colman/Elsinore
Willem Dafoe/Tenzing
Jesse Eisenberg/The Debut
Paul Giamatti/The Debut
Andrew Haigh/A Long Winter
Sandra Huller/Fatherland and Rose
Vicky Kreips/The Idiot(s)
John Malkovich/Wild Horse Nine
Martin McDonagh/Wild Horse Nine
Julianne Moore /The Debut
Cristian Mungiu/Fjord
Gut Pearce/Ink
Renate Reinsve/Fjord
Sam Rockwell/Wild Horse Nine
Ira Sachs/The Man I Love
Andrew Scott/Elsinore
Lea Seydoux/The Unknown, Alpha Gang and Gentle Monster
Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi/Everest:The Other Side
Andrey Zvyagnistaev/Minotaur
And. of course, all of these could be wrong.
CLUB KID TRAILER AND POSTER REVEALED
Sitting this week at #4 on the list of MTFB's Bets is Club Kid. The film was a sensation at Cannes in May and I'll try to catch it at TFF. Here are a trailer (warning...language) and poster for the film:
From YouTube and A24:
DIGGER TO BOW IN LONDON
For those that have been thinking that Alejandro Inarritu's Digger starring Tom Cruise might still be a viable choice as a "Sneak Preview" for Telluride despite repeated reports that the film was bypassing the fall film circuit...here's another blow to that hypothesis. Warners announce Tuesday that the film will World Premiere in London as a Royal Film Performance.
The announcement is big on making sure everyone knows it's a World Premiere.
That feels pretty definitive to me.
Could it still "sneak" at Telluride? Sure, it's possible but I'd put those chances right now at about 5%.
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260818741409/en/Warner-Bros.-Pictures-Legendary-Pictures-and-The-Film-and-TV-Charity-Announce-the-Royal-Film-Performance-of-DIGGER?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=email_this&utm_source=email
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Monday, August 17, 2026
Who's On the Guest List? / Gold Derby Spills Some Tea / Does Gibney Play Anyway?
WHO'S ON THE GUEST LIST?
One of the great things about Telluride is the folks that come to support the films that screen there. Bountiful Q&A's give regular Joe's an opportunity to hear from great directors, actors and other creatives about the film's they're involved in.
So it's always fun to take a look at the talent who might make the trip to southwest Colorado. Here's a rundown of some of the films that MTFB thinks will make the grade at Telluride and the stars that might be in town with those projects.
ALPHA GANG: Cate Blanchett, Dave Bautista, Chris Pine, Lea Seydoux
BUCKING FASTARD: Rooney Mara, Kate Mara, Orlando Bloom, Domhnall Gleeson
CLUB KID: Cara Delevingne, Diego Calva
THE DEBUT: Julianne Moore, Paul Giamatti, Jesse Eisenberg
ELSINORE: Andrew Scott, Oliva Colman.
FATHERLAND: Sandra Huller, August Diehl
FJORD: Renate Reinsve, Sebastian Stan
GENTLE MONSTER: lea Seydoux, Catherine Denueve
THE IDIOT(S): Amy Lou Wood, Johnny Flynn, Vicky Kreips
INK: Jack O'Connell, Guy Pearce, Claire Foy
LA BOLA NEGRA (THE BLACK BALL): Penelope Cruz, Guitarricardelafuente, Glenn Close
THE LIBERATION: Carrie Coon, Tracy Letts, Lily James
A LONG WINTER: Kit Connor, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Caitriona Balfe
THE MAN I LOVE: Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Rami Malek, Rebecca Hall
ROSE: Sandra Huller
TENDER LOVING CARE: Kate O'Flynn
TENZIG: Willem Dafoe, Tom Hiddleston, Caitriona Balfe
THE UNKNOWN: Lea Seydoux
WILD HORSE NINE: Sam Rockwell, John Malkovich, Steve Buscemi, Parker Posey, Tom Waits
And a few from the "Possibilities" list:
THE BASICS OF PHILOSOPHY: Bill Pullman, Dana Delaney, Jack Huston
DIAMOND: Andy Garcia, Dustin Hoffman, Bill Murray
PRIMETIME: Robert Pattinson, Merritt Weaver
In a post from Gold Derby from last week titled:
"2026 fall festival scorecard: Who’s heading to Venice, Telluride, TIFF, and NYFF — and who’s skipping the circuit?"
They name seven films that..."Despite the Telluride Film Festival's long-standing tradition of keeping its official program strictly under wraps until the eve of Labor Day weekend, the tea leaves are brewing up some obvious premieres..."
The films:
Bucking Fastard
The Debut
Elsinore
Ink
A Long Winter
Tender Loving Care
Wild Horse Nine
They also suggest that Primetime is a possibility.
https://www.goldderby.com/film/2026/2026-venice-telluride-toronto-new-york-festivals-scorecard/
DOES GIBNEY PLAY ANYWAY?
We already have discerned that Alex Gibney's documentary about Elon Musk is not going to play Telluride, but could another Gibney doc make the TFF #53 lineup?
I'm talking about Knife, Gibney's look at the 2022 attempt on the life author Salman Rushdie. Rushdie, as of TFF #52 was still listed among a member of TFF's "Esteemed Council of Advisors in last year's TFF #52 program so it seems like a no-brainer, except...the doc has screened already in the USA.
Knife world premiered at Sundance this year and has also been programmed at Sundance, Chicago's DOC 10 fest, Nantucket and it has screened in New York. On the other hand, the film is being distributed by Abramorama which had Ask E. Jean at TFF #52.
I'm putting its chances at 40% and let's see what happens.
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Thursday, August 13, 2026
Twenty Bets for TFF #53-Vol. 9/ Additions from New York and Toronto / This and That: The Debut, Gentle Monster, A Long Winter
TWENTY (PLUS) BETS FOR TFF #53-VOL. 9
Hi there! Down to three weeks before the 53rd edition of the Telluride Film Festival. Personally, I feel like it's going to be a banger this year.
Here's your weekly update-now expanded to 20 films that MTFB thinks are going to screen over labor Day weekend. First, though, a reminder of the "Bets" from last week:
1) Elsinore
2) The Debut
3) Ink
4) Club Kid
5) La Bola Negra (The Black Ball)
6) A Long Winter
7) Fjord
8) Minotaur
9) Everest: The Other Side
10) Tender Loving Care
11) Gentle Monster
12) Tenzig
13) Fatherland
14) Rose
15) The Man I Love
16) My Undesirable Friends Part II
17) Rehearsal for a Revolution
18) The Unknown
19) Bucking Fastard
20) The Story of Documentary Film
Other possibilities:
Ancient History
Alpha Gang
The Basics of Philosophy
Burgundy
Company
Diamond
Primetime
Saturn Return
Sense and Sensibility
Wild Horse Nine
Yellow Letters
AND NOW...your latest Twenty (Plus) Bets:
1) Elsinore
2) The Debut
3) Ink
4) Club Kid
5) La Bola Negra (The Black Ball)
6) A Long Winter
7) Fjord
8) Minotaur
9) Everest: The Other Side
10) Tender Loving Care
11) Gentle Monster
12) Wild Horse Nine
13) Fatherland
14) Rose
15) The Man I Love
16) My Undesirable Friends Part II
17) Rehearsal for a Revolution
18) The Unknown
19) Bucking Fastard
20) Tenzing
21) Alpha Gang
22) The Idiots
23) The Liberation
24) Making Marie Antoinette
25) One More Time
Other possibilities:
Ancient History
The Basics of Philosophy
Burgundy
Diamond
Primetime
Sense and Sensibility
The Story of Documentary Film
Yellow Letters
ADDITIONS FROM NEW YORK AND TORONTO
Earlier this week both the New York and Toronto fests added what are probably the last films to their lineups and premiere designations from each give his clues about further films that are lirkly playing Telluride.
From New York, the additions of Making Marie Antoinette and One More Time. Making Marie Antoinette comes from Eleanor Coppola and focuses on, well... the making of Marie Antoinette. One More Time re-visits indie film giant Andre Gregory.
Each film was announced as a New York Premiere which lead to its inclusion on this week's bets.
Toronto indications of Canadian Premieres for Michal Englert and Małgorzata Szumowska's The Idiot(s) and Guy Nattiv's The Liberation, portend a Telluride play for each.
Additionally, TIFF indicates confirmations for Telluride for Bucking Fastards and Wild Horse Nine. New York confirmations are The Debut, Bucking Fastards, Club Kid and Fjord.
And, sadly, it looks like Tom McCarthy's A Statement, a film I was hoping might play at Telluride, will instead World Premiere at the New York Fest. I thought there might be a return to TFF after Spotlight started there in 2015 and ended up with that film winning the Oscar for Best Picture.
THIS AND THAT
TRAILER FOR THE DEBUT
from YouTube
TRAILER FOR GENTLE MONSTER
From YouTube
FIRST LOOKS FROM A LONG WINTER
We have a first set of photos from Andrew Haigh's A Long Winter from The Playlist. Here are a couple:
https://theplaylist.net/a-long-winter-first-look-andrew-haighs-tiff-bound-pic-20260811/
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Monday, August 10, 2026
What the Venice Screening Schedule Suggests / Provenance for the "Bets" / Primetime Trailer and Poster
WHAT THE VENICE SCREENING SCHEDULE SUGGESTS
The screening schedule for the Venice film Festival popped on Friday and that tells us some possible films that might the jump after a Venetian World Premiere to Telluride. It all depends on what films are scheduled in the first three days in Italy.
Danny Boyle's Ink had already been announced as the Opening Night film for Venice on Sept. 2nd and we've had it as a lock since it was announced for Toronto as a Canadian Premiere there.
Everest: The Other Side fits the same mold as Ink. It's set for Sept. 3rd in Venice
My Undesirable Friends Part II is scheduled for Sept. 4th and its status as a New York Premiere for NYFF seems likely as a Telluride selection.
Other films that are playing the first three days at Venice include:
Bucking Fastard, Wild Horse Nine and Burgundy at Venice on Sept. 3rd.
The Basics of Philosophy at Venice on Sept. 4
And then there's the 5th of September which seems to cut awfully close to being able to get a film from Italy to Colorado. BUT...as best I can tell, four of the last five years have seen a film bow in Venice on it's 4th day of screening and made it to Telluride"
2021: The Lost Daughter
2022: All the Beauty and the Bloodshed
2024: One to One-John and Yoko
2025: Frankenstein.
Soooo...maybe there's a film on 9/5 that fits that bill and I say Yes...that film might be Lance Oppenheim's Primetime.
So, conclusions for a TFF #53 screening are:
Bucking Fastard-99%
Burgundy 80%
Wild Horse Nine 60%
The Basics of Philosophy 60%
Primetime 50/50.
Here's what's still hanging for TFF with Venice titles indicated with ***:
Ancient History
Alpha Gang...TIFF"s Canadian Premiere status indicates a Telluride play but I'm still a little leery that it actually happens TFF #53.
***The Basics of Philosophy
***Burgundy
Company
Diamond
***Primetime
Saturn Return
Sense and Sensibility
***Wild Horse Nine
Yellow Letters
PROVENANCE FOR THE "BETS"
Here's a quick look at info for each film that's already an MFTB "Bet" as well as the current "Maybes". It includes the director, the distribution company, release date if available, the stars of the film and the thing we think pegs it as a TFF player.
The current Bets:
1) Elsinore- dir: Simon Stone, Focus, Nov. 20th Andrew Scott, Olivia Colman, TIFF Canadian Premiere.
2) The Debut-dir: Jesse Eisenberg, A24, Dec. 11th, Julianne Moore, Paul Giamatti TIFF International Premiere.
3) Ink-dir: Danny Boyle, Netflix, Dec. 11th, Jack O'Connell, Guy Pearce, Claire Foy, TIFF Canadian Premiere.
4) Club Kid- dir: Jordan Firstman, A24, Nov. 6th, TIFF Canadian Premiere.
5) La Bola Negra (The Black Ball)- dir: Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo, Netflix, Dec. 4th, Penelope Cruz, Glenn Close.
6) A Long Winter- dir: Andrew Haigh, Mubi, TIFF Canadian Premiere, date unknown, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Caitriona Balfe, TIFF Canadian Premiere.
7) Fjord- dir: Cristian Mungiu, Neon, Oct. 9th, Renate Reinsve, Sebastian Stan, Oct. 9th, TIFF Canadian Premiere.
8) Minotaur-dir: Andrey Zvyagintsev, Mubi, Nov. 20th, Dmitriy Mazurov, Nov. 20th, TIFF Canadian Premiere.
9) Everest: The Other Side-dir: Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Nat Geo, Disney, Oct. 30th, Hilaree Nelson, Jim Morrison, TIFF Canadian Premiere.
10) Tender Loving Care- dir: Mike Leigh, Bleecker Street, Dec. 4th, Kate O'Flynn, TIFF Canadian Premiere.
11) Gentle Monster-dir: Marie Kreutzer, Netflix, Nov. 18th, Lea Seydoux, Catherine Deneuve, TIFF Canadian Premiere.
12) Tenzing-dir: Jennifer Peedom, UTA Independent Film Group and Cross City Films, Oct. 16th, Tom Hiddleston, Willem Defoe,Catriona Balfe, TIFF Canadian Premiere.
13) Fatherland- dir: Pawel Palikowski, Mubi, release date unknown, Sandra Huller, August Diehl, NYFF New York Premiere.
14) Rose- dir: Markus Schleinzer, Mubi, release date unknown, Sandra Huller, NYFF New York Premiere.
15) The Man I Love- dir: Ira Sachs, no known distributor, release date unknown, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Rami Malek, Rebecca Hall (TFF #53 Guest Director), NYFF New York Premiere.
16) My Undesirable Friends Part II- dir: Julia Loktev, Mubi, release date unknown, NYFF New York Premiere.
17) Rehearsals for a Revolution- dir: Pegah Ahangarani, Sony Pictures Classics, release date unknown, TIFF Canadian Premiere.
18) The Unknown- dir: Arthur Harari, Neon, release date unknown, Lea Seydoux, TIFF Canadian Premiere.
19) Bucking Fastard- dir: Werner Herzog, no known distributor, release date unknown, Kate Mara, Rooney mara, Orlando Bloom, Domhnall Gleeson, Early slot at Venice.
20) The Story of Documentary Film- dir: Mark Cousins, Kino Lorber, Cousins is a past advisor to TFF and frequent presenter. However, Story of Doc films played Sundance earlier this year and Cousins' spot as a TFF "Esteemed Advisor" seems to have disappeared. I find him last listed as such in the 2024 TFF #51 program.
And some of the other possible players:
Alpha Gang- dir: David Zellner and Nathan Zellner, CAA Media Finance, no known release date, Cate Blanchett, Dave Bautista, Chris Pine, Lea Seydoux, TIFF International Premiere.
The Basics of Philosophy- dir: Paul Schrader, no known distributor, no known release date, Bill Pullman, Dana Delaney, Jack Huston, Early slot at Venice.
Burgundy- dir: Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw, no known distributor, no known release date, Early Venice slot.
Primetime- dir: Lance Oppenheim, A24, Sept. 25th, Robert Pattinson, Merritt Weaver, Anna Faris, Early-ish Venice slot.
Saturn Return- dir: Greg Kwedar, Netflix, release date unknown, Will Pouter, Rachel Brosnahan, Charles Melton...
Sense and Sensibility- dir: Georgia Oakley, Focus, Oct. 16th, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Caitriona, Balfe, George McKay...
Wild Horse Nine- dir: Martin McDonagh, Searchlight, Nov. 6th, John Malkovich, Sam Rockwell, Steve Buscemi, Early Venice Slot.
Yellow Letters- dir: Ilker Catak, distribution unknown, release date unknown, Won the Silver Bear at Berlin
PRIMETIME TRAILER AND POSTER
As I wrote above, Lance Oppenheim's Primetime is probably in the very last time slot in its initial Venice screening to have a chance to then make it to Telluride (likely scheduled at TFF on Sunday and Monday should it happen. I'm hoping that it does make the cut. To tease you a bit here are the poster and the trailer for the film:
And the trailer from a24 and YouTube:
More on Thursday!
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Thursday, August 6, 2026
More Reveals from New York and Toronto / Ten (Plus) Bets for TFF #53-Vol.8 / Tid Bits: La Bola Negra, The Debut
MORE REVEALS FROM NEW YORK AND TORONTO
The New York Film Fest announced its Main Slate of films for 2026 and its use pf Premiere designations leads MTFB to the following conclusions:
New films to add to your TFF #53 list are:
Fatherland
Rose
My Undesirable Friends Part II
The Man I Love
Also, we think confirmed for Telluride, films we already decided would play from earlier announcements:
Minotaur
A Long Winter
The Unknown
Additional announcements from Toronto suggest T-ride will screen Rehearsals for a Revolution but will not have Alex Gibney's Musk.
I'm pretty sure we have more news coming from both Toronto and New York. Perhaps even today. Watch MTFB Social Media accounts (see below) for any updates that may occur during the day.
so, with new info, here's the latest "Ten (Plus) Bets...
TEN (PLUS) BETS FOR TFF #53-VOL. 8
Got some changes now...
Last week's Ten (Plus) Bets:
1) Elsinore
2) The Debut
3) Ink
4) Club Kid
5) La Bola Negra (The Black Ball)
6) A Long Winter
7) Fjord
8) Minotaur
9) Everest: The Other Side
10) Tender Loving Care
11) Gentle Monster
12) Tenzig
13) Bucking Fastard
14) Fatherland
15) The Story of Documentary Film
Other possibilities: Yellow Letters, Rose, Alpha Gang, The Unknown, Sense and Sensibility.
And your shiny brand new Bets:
Andrew Scott in Elsinore
1) Elsinore
2) The Debut
3) Ink
4) Club Kid
5) La Bola Negra (The Black Ball)
6) A Long Winter
7) Fjord
8) Minotaur
9) Everest: The Other Side
10) Tender Loving Care
11) Gentle Monster
12) Tenzig
13) Fatherland
14) Rose
15) The Man I Love
16) My Undesirable Friends Part II
17) Rehearsal for a Revolution
18) The Unknown
19) Bucking Fastard
20) The Story of Documentary Film
Other possibilities:
Ancient History
Alpha Gang
The Basics of Philosophy
Burgundy
Company
Diamond
Primetime
Saturn Return
Sense and Sensibility
Wild Horse Nine
Yellow Letters
TIDBITS
***Netflix has moved the release date for La Bola Negra (The Black Ball) up from its original date of Nov. 6th to Oct 16th. The streamer is giving the Cannes hit a 47 day theatrical window in what is seen as a bid to enhance its Oscar prospects.
***Jesse Eisenberg's The Debut has been announced as the closing night film for the BFI/London Film Festival.
Both films are widely expected to screen over Labor Day weekend in Telluride.
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Monday, August 3, 2026
Surveying the Landscape / 2.5 Million Views / La Bola Negra Has a Poster / Tidbits
SURVEYING THE LANDSCAPE
Here's a quick snapshot of films that I believe could still make the Telluride lineup:
Ancient History
The Basics of Philosophy
Bucking Fastard
Company
Diamond
The Dreamed Adventure
Everytime
Fatherland
Musk
Primetime
Rose
Saturn Return
Sense and Sensibility
Wild Horse Nine
Yellow Letters
and if there is a Sundance crossover:
Josephine
The Only Living Pickpocket in New York
The Weight
TWO AND ONE HALF MILLION VIEWS
MTFB swept past 2.5 million views in is 18 year history over the weekend. those views are from 2477 posts that have posted since august of 2008. Average per post 1009.2 views.
Thanks to all the readers!
LA BOLA NEGRA (THE BLACK BALL) HAS A POSTER
TIDBITS
***Gentle Monster to open in the U.S. on Oct. 30th
***Fatherland to open in the U.S. on Oct. 23rd.
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Thursday, July 30, 2026
Ten (Plus) Bets for TFF #53-Vol. 7 / Who's Got What-Distributors: Amazon-MGM and Searchlight / Mike Leigh...May Be Done / Today's Correction: Possible Love
TEN (PLUS) BETS FOR TFF #53-VOL. 7
Only five weeks until we find out with certainty what will play at TFF #53. Here's a reminder of what MTFB was predicting last week:
1) The Debut
2) Elsinore
3) Ink
4) Club Kid
5) La Bola Negra (The Black Ball)
6) A Long Winter
7) Minotaur
8) Fjord
9) Everest: The Other Side
10) Gentle Monster
11) Tenzig
12) Tender Loving Care
13) Bucking Fastard
14) Fatherland
15) The Story of Documentary Film
Other possibilities: Behemoth! Yellow Letters, Rose, Alpha Gang.
And here's your updated "Bets":
1) Elsinore
2) The Debut
3) Ink
4) Club Kid
5) La Bola Negra (The Black Ball)
6) A Long Winter
7) Fjord
8) Minotaur
9) Everest: The Other Side
10) Tender Loving Care
11) Gentle Monster
12) Tenzig
13) Bucking Fastard
14) Fatherland
15) The Story of Documentary Film
Other possibilities: Yellow Letters, Rose, Alpha Gang, The Unknown, Sense and Sensibility.
WHO'S GOT WHAT-DISTRIBUTORS-AMAZON-MGM AND SEARCHLIGHT
We're continuing to look at distribution companies that have a robust presence at Telluride over the last five years. Today we look at both Amazon-MGM and then Searchlight.
AMAZON-MGM
Here are films distributed by Amazon-MGM at Telluride the last five fests:
2021: Encounter
2022: Wildcat, Goodnight Oppy
2023: Saltburn, Cassandro
2024: Nickel Boys
2025: Man on the Run
As I looked through the films Amazon-MGM might screen at Telluride these seemed the most possible:
Madden
Verity
I had been thinking that I Play Rocky was an outside Telluride shot but its World Premiere status at Toronto nuked that notion.
Chances:
Madden 35%
Verity 25%
SEARCHLIGHT
As for Searchlight, two films seem most "in the mix" with the reveal last Tuesday that Tony Gilroy's Behemoth! will be the New York Film Festival's Centerpiece program as a World Premiere and thus not appearing at Telluride.
Wild Horse Nine (M. McDonagh)
Sweetsick (A. Birch)
McDonagh's Wild Horse Nine seems to be Amazon-MGM's big push this fall for awards season. That makes sense as McDonagh's last two films ( Three Billboard and Banshees of Inisherin) earned 16 nominations. Wild Horse Nine certainly has the pedigree to be a film that fests are strongly pursuing this year.
Alice Birch's Sweetsick is reportedly in post-production with various sources suggesting either a late 2026 release or early 2027.
Chances for either of these films for a TFF #53 play:
Wild Horse Nine 50%
Sweetsick 20%
IMAGE OF ELSINORE
We got a first look from Focus Features of Andrew Scott in Elsinore which is very likely World Premiering at Telluride. Here that is:
IMDb description:
"A powerful, deeply moving and inspiring story of the actor Ian Charleson who faced incredible odds while preparing to give the performance of his life in Hamlet at the National Theatre in London."
We found out yesterday that Elsinore will open the BFI/London Film Festival in October.
Focus has announced a Nov. 20th release date for the film.
MIKE LEIGH...MAY BE DONE
A number of sources indicate that Mike Leigh's upcoming Tender Loving Care may be his last. TLC looks likely to screen at TFF #53.
Indiewire reported on Tuesday"
"British filmmaker Mike Leigh, one of the few directors to have won both the Venice Golden Lion and the Cannes Palme d’Or, told IndieWire that his upcoming feature, “Tender Loving Care,” may be his final film."
Leigh revealed a diagnosis of a disease that attacks a person's musculature.
TODAY'S CORRECTION
In last Monday's post I referenced an a analysis from The Playlist that included some speculation that Possible Love could play Telluride. However, Toronto lists it as a North American Premiere which, absent some premiere status snafu, would mean it will not play Telluride.
EMAIL: mpgort@gmail.com
X (Twitter) @TheMTFB OR @Gort2
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