THE DISTRIBUTORS 2018: FOX SEARCHLIGHT
One of the most durable and dependable distribs at Telluride over the time I have been attending has been Fox Searchlight. Although they missed in 2016, last year saw a resurgence of its presence at Telluride (and at the Oscars...coincidence...you decide?)
Searchlight, over these past several years has averaged a film and a half per year but has been a no show for about a third of the time. As you can also see, FS normally goes two or three years consecutively with a film or films between years when they don't play at TFF.
2017: The Shape of Water (Best Picture Oscar), Battle of the Sexes
2016: No Show
2015: He Named Me Malala
2014: Birdman (Best Picture), Wild
2013: 12 Years a Slave (Best Picture)
2012: No Show
2011: Shame, The Descendants
2010: Never Let Me Go, 127 Hours, Black Swan
2009: No Show
2008: Slumdog Millionaire (Best Picture)
2007: Juno, The Savages
2006: The Last King of Scotland, The Namesake
2005: Bee Season
2004: Kinsey
You'll note that FS has had four films win Best Picture in the ten years between 2008-2017 all of which screened at Telluride...which means we probably should keep our eye out to see if any Searchlight film(s) make the Venice or Toronto lineups.
What do they have to offer this season?
The Old Man and the Gun-David Lowery directs Robert Redford in what he has said will be his last acting gig. Sissy Spacek co-stars.
Can You Ever Forgive Me?- Melissa McCarthy's change of pace role as a woman who turns to counterfeiting literature. It's based on the true story of Lee Israel. It's directed by Marielle Heller (Diary of a Teenage Girl).
The Favourite-the latest from Yorgos Lanthimos (The Killing of a Sacred Deer, The Lobster). Lanthimos was Oscar nominated for the script for The Lobster. The film stars Emma Stone and Rachel Wiesz and Olivia Colman and is set in 18th century England in the court of Queen Anne. It's the second of two big films centered on the British monarchy this summer, the other being Mary, Queen of Scots (parked at Focus Features) which stars Margot Robbie and Saoirse Ronan. This could be the film that introduces Lanthimos to Telluride.
And finally, Wendy from Beasts of the Southern Wild director/writer Benh Zeitlin. The film, says FS, is set on a "mysterious island where aging and time have come unglued". The story centers on a couple of children dealing with their existence there. The cast list on IMDb is just the two kids and the film has no announced release date.
Those four films seem to be the Fox Searchlight play for TFF consideration this year and none of them are a slam dunk for TFF #45 inclusion.
The Old Man and the Gun seems like the most probable mostly because I think T-ride is where Redford would feel most comfortable rolling it out. He's also a producer on the film. Call it's chances 50%.
After that any on the other three could play. Maybe Emma Stone edges The Favourite into second place after two straight T-ride appearances with La La Land and Battle of the Sexes. Call it a 45% chance.
Put Wendy in third at 30% and Can You Ever Forgive Me? at fourth with 25%.
Last year, this is where I had the Fox Searchlight films in my first assessment:
Battle of the Sexes-55%
Goodbye Christopher Robin- 45%
Three Billboards- 40%
The Shape of Water- 35%
As you can see, BOTS...good assessment. Shape of Water...not so much.
Tomorrow my look at Focus Features.
ODDS AND ENDS
Cine Europe has served as a spot to continue to push the buzz for two high profile Telluride possibilities. Deadline reported that Warner Bros. had footage from Bradley Cooper's A Star Is Born was screened. The story written by Deadline's Nancy Tartaglione, said that Cooper previewed the first eight minutes of the film.
Meanwhile, in a separate story Tartaglione reported that Sony had Jason Reitman on hand to preview his film The Front Runner which stars Hugh Jackman and tells the true story of Gary Hart's 1988 presidential campaign implosion.
A Star Is Born is dated for an Oct. 5th release. Sony, as yet, has not named a release date for The Front Runner, though the Deadline article says that an awards season release is planned.
One other "odd or end" is that the Peterloo movie Twitter account announced on Monday that the film has been dated for a Nov. 9th U.S. release (after a Nov. 2 release in the U.K.). To wit:
That's your Thursday MTFB. More to come tomorrow...
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