Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Retraction/More Distribs and Telluride/Focus Features and Film Movement/More Oscars at the Half/New Trailer from "Inside"/12 Years New Date

Good Tuesday All...

RETRACTION...MOSTLY

Eagle -eyed friend of the blog Patrick Pringle commented on last Friday's post and the first "Ten Bets" (and emailed me as well) list by pointing out that the source/post I have been referencing to bolster my thought that the Roger Ebert documentary "Life Itself" will play as a part of the festival has been repudiated by the film's production company Kartemquin Films in a comment to that post.

Honestly, I hadn't gone back and really re-read the original from WeGotThisCovered.com since originally posted months ago.

From that comment section:

"this film is not set to premiere at Telluride in 2013. That was erroneous second hand information that has since been taken down from the site that posted it. (from Kartemquin Films, producing the documentary)"

So, as a result, "Life Itself" will be removed from the next "Ten Bets" list on Friday.  That being said, I still would not be surprised if it's part of Telluride's program.  The comment only says it isn't "set" to"premiere" at Telluride.  What that says to me, parsing the language is that the deal wasn't completed when the article was published and/or "Life Itself" will "premiere" somewhere else prior to Telluride.

Or it could mean it won't be at T-ride at all...

At any rate, my apologies for not being on top of this a long time ago and my thanks to Mr. Pringle for helping me out here.

MORE DISTRIBS AND TELLURIDE

Last week I started looking at U.S. film distributing companies and their relationship with the Telluride Film Festival to see what that might tell us about possible TFF #40 fare.  Today I'm looking at Focus Features and Film Movement.

FOCUS FEATURES



Focus used to have  a presence at Telluride. Then last year, after a lengthy absence, they returned. Here's the list:

2003: Lost in Translation
2004: The Motorcycle Diaries
2005: Brokeback Mountain
2006: Catch a Fire
2011: Hyde Park on Hudson

The only real shot I think they have for TFF #40 is "Dallas Buyers Club" directed by Jean-Marc Vallee and starring Matthew McConnaughey.  McConnaughey seems to be continuing his streak of high profile and risky roles and is getting some serious Best Actor vibe.  Jared Leto and Jennifer Garner co-star.  Garner has actually been in Telluride the last two years running with her own "Butter" in 2011 and with husband Ben Affleck for his "Argo" last year.

Although I'd personally love this to be on the TFF list, I'm not that hopeful.  Put its chances at 35%...at least for now.  Say this, though..."Dallas Buyers Club" IS the sort of high profile thing that Telluride and Focus seem to partner on.

FILM MOVEMENT



This little known distribution outfit has been in and out as a presenter at Telluride over the past few years.

2004: Aaltra
2005: Be with Me
2009: Gigante
2010: If I want to Whistle, I Whistle

Film Movement has a couple of Cannes titles that might find their way onto the Telluride playlist:

"Ilo Ilo" from writer/director Anthony Chen and "2 Autumns, 3 Winters" from writer/director Sebastien Betbeder.  I give both films about a 30% chance.

Just yesterday, The Playlist tweeted that Film Movement had acquired rights to "Grigris" directed by Mahamet-Saleh Haroun.  "Grigris" played in competition at Cannes.  This could also mean a spot for the film at Telluide.  Put it at the same 30%.

Tomorrow I'll examine Strand, A24 and LD Entrtainment.

MORE OSCAR LOOKS AT THE HALF



I'm continuing with a list of Oscar predictors looks at the Oscar landscape as that have been published in the last week or so.

Sasha Stone/Awards Daily...who does include films that have played at film fests but haven't been released as yet.  Sasha likes "Nebraska", "Inside Llewyn Davis", "Before Midnight", "Fruitvale Station" and "Stories We Tell".  She also honorable mentions "Mud", "The Place Beyond the Pines" and "Frances Ha".

Her entire post is here:
http://www.awardsdaily.com/blog/first-half-of-the-year-best-picture-contenders/

Meanwhile, Peter Knegt at IndieWire joined the fray as well.  He endorses: "Fruitvale Station", "All is Lost", "Before Midnight" and "Inside Llewyn Davis".  He's lukewarm about "Nebraska", "The Immigrants" and "The Past".  He also mentions "Mud" and "The Place Beyond the Pines".

Here's the link to the Knegt post:
http://www.indiewire.com/article/for-your-consideration-a-mid-year-stab-at-the-oscar-race?page=1#articleHeaderPanel

And finally, Kris Tapley at InContention/HitFix has a go at it as well:
http://www.hitfix.com/in-contention/off-the-carpet-oscar-hopefuls-from-before-midnight-to-mud-hope-to-stand-out-from-the-years-first-half

NEW TRAILER FROM "INSIDE"



A new trailer for the Coen Brothers' "Inside Llewyn Davis" dropped yesterday.  It's very good.  If you've ever cared about music deeply...

I have linked four posts:

The Playlist:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/watch-the-coen-brothers-inside-llewyn-tunes-tunes-up-a-brand-new-teaser-trailer-20130701

Awards Daily:
http://www.awardsdaily.com/blog/inside-llewyn-davis-trailer-3/

and FirstShowing.net:
http://www.awardsdaily.com/blog/inside-llewyn-davis-trailer-3/

Rope of Silicon:
http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/watch-new-inside-llewyn-davis-trailer/

If I haven't mentioned this, I would really love to see this in Telluride...

12 YEARS NEW DATE



Last Friday I listed Steve McQueen's "12 Years a Slave" as #9 on my initial "Ten Bets" list.  It is one of my most anticipated titles of 2013.  News came at the end of the week last week that the films release date has been moved dramatically forward.  It had been scheduled for a December release.  Now it'll be bowing on October 18.

Multiple posts about the move and its implications are listed here:

Thompson on Hollywood: http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/mcqueens-12-years-a-slave-release-date-moved-forward-to-october-18

The Playlist: http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/adjust-your-calendar-12-years-a-slave-moves-up-three-months-for-october-release-20130627

InContention/HitFix: http://www.hitfix.com/in-contention/fox-searchlight-moves-12-years-a-slave-to-october

Rope of Silicon: http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/12-years-a-slave-release-date-october-2013/

Movie City News: http://moviecitynews.com/2013/06/12-years-a-slave-moves-to-october-18-2013/

Anne Thompson says in her post that the date change increases the chances that it will play "the early fall festival circuit".  She cites Venice specifically.

Kevin Jagernauth of the Playlist also says that "it's probably safe to say that the studio thinks it can build on a strong showing on the fall festival circuit".  He also cites Venice specifically.

My hope is that "fall film festival circuit" includes Telluride in addition to Venice and Toronto.

More on Wednesday...

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