Monday, April 13, 2020

No Bluegrass in 2020 / Rasoulof's There Is No Evil Lands at Kino Lorber / Cannes Locked-In?

NO BLUEGRASS IN 2020



As we keep track of major events that might affect TFF #47 or could act as harbingers for what might be to come, I noted that organizers for Telluride's Bluegrass Festival (mentioned here back on Apr. 2nd) have decided to cancel the 2020 edition.

Bluegrass reportedly is the most attended of T-ride's summer fests and had approached the Telluride Town Council about moving its dates from its originally scheduled June 18-21 to Aug. 27-30.  The council did not make any decision regarding Bluegrass at that time.

Several locals reportedly had expressed the difficulty that the new date would have caused as it would have been a matter of a week prior to TFF #47.

Bluegrass organizer Craig Ferguson was quoted this week in The Telluride Daily Planet about the near inevitability of the decision:

“Oh, I think all of us have known for quite awhile (that Bluegrass would be canceled), we just gave ourselves ample opportunity to talk each other out of it and no one could.  I think we learned that Bluegrass doesn’t really get postponed from solstice, then it becomes something else.  When gatherings are legal again, we’d love nothing more than to produce more shows in the greatest venue on Earth.”

The decision takes some pressure off the community and allows the pre-fest work for TFF #47 to occur without having Bluegrass going on simultaneously.


Here's the story from The Telluride Daily Planet.



RASOULOF'S THERE IS NO EVIL LANDS AT KINO LORBER





Variety reported this week that Mohammad Rsoulof's Berlin Golden Bear winner, There Is No Evil, has been acquired for distribution by Kino Lorber. 

Normally that combination of facts would suggest a very real possible TFF #47 slot for the film.  Rasoulof is a former TFF Tribute recipient (2013) and Kino Lorber has a significant history with films landing at TFF: Ixcanul, Sembene!, Taxi, Fire at Sea, Film Worker and Beanpole over the past five years.  


However,the uncertainty swirling currently because of the Covid-19 global pandemic makes handicapping films that might be Telluride bound especially difficult.


Still, I'll be keeping an eye open about this film.

Variety has the story on the acquisition here.


CANNES LOCKED-IN?



Deadline reported this week that Cannes is specifically eye-balling the dates of June 23-July 4.  Deadline also suggests those dates are now expected to be Cannes only option for a live/physical film fest.

Deadline also reports rumors that some of the other sidebar sections of Cannes could play out at other dates but that the Palme d"or competition would not.

The story suggests that the festival wouldn't likely make a hard decision until the beginning of May.  April 16th was the date originally scheduled for the announcement of the fest's lineup and Deadline says that some films have been and continue to be invited as of their story dated last Thursday.

As I have sadi here before, irrespective of Cannes ultimate decision, it will have some ramifications for Telluride as well as other fall film fests.



EMAIL:  mpgort@gmail.com

TWITTER @TheMTFB OR @Gort2 

MTFB is published on Mondays and Thursdays

No comments: