Oscar Update: Best Supporting Actress / Deadline's Most Anticipated Films of 2021 / I'm Back In for 2020-21

 OSCAR UPDATE: BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Here are my latest Oscar nomination predictions for Best Supporting Actress updated since I last posted this category on  Nov. 30th.  A performer's past position is indicated to the right in parentheses.  TFF #47 performers are indicated in Bold.

1) Amanda Seyfried/Mank (2)

2) Olivia Colman/The Father (1)

3) Yuh-jung Youn/Minari (5)

4) Ellen Burstyn/Pieces of a Woman (3)

5) Glenn Close/Hillbilly Elegy (4)

6) Maria Bakalova/Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (6)

7) Helena Zengel/News of the World (7)

8) Saoirse Ronan/Ammonite (8)

9) Jodie Foster/The Mauritanian (-)

10) Candace Bergen/Let Them Talk (-)

Other possibles: Dominique Fishback/Judas and the Black Messiah, Swankie/Nomadland

Hot: Yuh-jung Youn/Minari. Jodie Foster/The Mauritanian, Candace Berger/Let Them Talk

Not: Lily Collins/Mank, Swankie/Nomadland

Coming on Monday in the first MTFB post for 2021: Best Supporting Actor

DEADLINE'S MOST ANTICIPATED FILMS OF 2021 (with an emphasis on film festivals)

Andreas Wiseman and Tom Grater have curated a list of films thought to be likely to be released during the 2021 calendar year with particular emphasis on what might be probable/possible fare for film festivals.  With Sundance already having released their lineup, these films are those that are most likely to be named for whatever form of fest that will exist for Berlin, Cannes, Venice, Toronto and, of course Telluride.

I have glanced through the list and come up with a Telluride possible list (some of which is also wishful thinking/hopes and dreams).  They are:

Jane Campion's The Power of the Dog (Netflix)

Joel Coen's The Tragedy of Macbeth (A24)

Jean-Pierre Jeunet's Big Bug (Netflix)

Ari Folman's Where Is Anne Frank?

Asghar Farhadi's A Hero

Zhang Yimou's Impasse

Wes Anderson's The French Dispatch (Searchlight)

Mike Mills' C'mon C'mon (A24)

Paul Thomas Anderson's Untitled Project (MGM)

Michael Showalter's The Eyes of Tammy Faye (Searchlight)

Tom McCarthy's Stillwater (Focus)

Leos Carax's Annette (Amazon)

Mia Hansen-Love's Bergman Island 

Taika Waititi's Next Goal Wins (Searchlight)

Todd Haynes' Untitled Velvet Underground Documentary (Apple TV+)

The complete article and list of films from Deadline is linked here.

I'M BACK IN FOR 2020-21

I've been keeping it under wraps for a couple of weeks, but as the calendar is set to turn the page and mercifully bring 2020 to a close ( and because I've had a second email), I can reveal that I will be back for the third consecutive year as one of Movie City News' Gurus of Gold. 

I'm not sure when our first post will be out...soon for sure, after the first of the year.  I'm also not sure who my fellow Gurus will be this year.  I'm interested in finding that out as well.  At any rate, you can be sure that I'll let you know all that as quickly as I can.

 I want to say thanks to head Guru Wrangler Ray Pride for asking me back.

Happy New Year to all!

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Oscar Update: Best Actor / Zhao on Nomadland / THR's 45 films from Oscar

 QSCAR UPDATE: BEST ACTOR

Here are my latest Oscar nomination predictions for Best Actor updated since I last posted this category on  Nov. 26th.  A performer's past position is indicated to the right in parentheses.  TFF #47 performers are indicated in Bold.

1) Chadwick Boseman/Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (1)

2) Anthony Hopkins/The Father (2)

3) Riz Ahmed/Sound of Metal (5)

4) Delroy Lindo/Da 5 Bloods (3)

5) Gary Oldman/Mank (4)

6) Tom Hanks/News of the World (6)

7) Kingsley Ben-Adir/One Night in Miami (8)

8) Steven Yeun/Minari (7)

9) Ben Affleck/The Way Back (9)

10) LaKeith Stanfield/Judas and the Black Messiah (-)

Other possibles: Colin Firth/Supernova, Mads Mikkelson/Another Round

Hot: Riz Ahmed/Sound of Metal, LaKeith Stanfield/Judas and the Black Messiah

Not: George Clooney/The Midnight Sky

Nest post: Best Supporting Actress update.

ZHAO ON NOMADLAND

From Down Under comes this interview with writer/director (producer and editor) Chloe Zhao about Nomadland.  The film seems to be the front runner for Best Picture with Zhao also looking like a nominee (and perhaps favorite to win) for Best Director as well as Best Adapted Screenplay.  She could also snag a fourth nomination for editing the film.

The interview here is from the Australian website News.com.au and writer Wenlai Ma.

The link is here.

THR'S 45 FILMS FOR OSCAR

The Hollywood Reporter's Tyler Coates has put together a list of 45 films that are suggested as the most likely to be influential in this year's Oscar competition.  Four TFF films (from #46 and #47) are among the list.  They are:

Ammonite

The Father

Frist Cow (from TFF #46)

Nomadland

Missing from the list, which surprised me some was TFF #46's The Assistant

The complete list of films from THR are linked here.

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Oscar Update: Best Actress / Capri Hollywood Honors Two TFF #47 Films / Where to Watch TFF #47 Films

OSCAR UPDATE: BEST ACTRESS

Here are my latest Oscar nomination predictions for Best Actress updated since I last posted this category on  Nov. 23rd.  A performer's past position is indicated to the right in parentheses.  TFF #47 performers are indicated in Bold.

1) Frances McDormand/Nomadland (1)

2) Vanessa Kirby/Pieces of a Woman (2)

3) Viola Davis/Ma Rainey's Black Bottom(3)

4) Carrie Mulligan/Promising Young Woman (4)

5) Andra Day/The United States vs. Billie Holiday (8)

6) Meryl Streep/The Prom (10)

7) Michelle Pfeiffer/French Exit (7)

8) Sophia Loren/The Life Ahead (5)

9) Kate Winslet/Ammonite (6)

10) Amy Adams/Hillbilly Elegy (9)

Other possibles: Meryl Streep/Let Them Talk, Carrie Coon/The Nest

Hot: Andra Day, Meryl Streep

Not: Sophia Loren, Amy Adams

 The next Oscar Update will focus on Best Actor.

CAPRI HOLLYWOOD HONORS TWO TFF #47 SELECTIONS

It was announced this week that Capri Hollywood-The International Film Festival will honor Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw's documentary The Truffle Hunters as well as  Gianfranco Rosi's Notturno.  The Hollywood Reporter ran the story on Dec. 19th.  Both films continue to maintain momentum for potential Oscar consideration

Capri Hollywood will be different this year.  Like many fests, it will be virtual this year.

The complete THR article is linked here.

WHERE TO WATCH TFF #47 FILMS

Telluride Film Festival organizers released information this past week about what platforms, festivals and websites would allow access to the films that were selected for the TFF #47 that might have been.  That list of what is available and where was published at tellurideinside.com

Information also includes theatrical release plans for many of the films on the TFF #47 list.

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Oscar Update: Best Director / LA and NY Film Critics Award 2020 Films / Indiewire's Best of 2020 / Nightmare at Christmas (And Maybe Labor Day?) / Two Telluride Favorites Talk Film: Barry and Chloe

 OSCAR UPDATE: BEST DIRECTOR

Here are my latest Oscar nomination predictions for Best Direction updated since I last posted this category on  Nov. 19th.  A director's past position is indicated to the right in parentheses.  TFF #47 films are indicated in Bold.

1) Chloe Zhao/Nomadland (1)

2) David Fincher/Mank (2)

3) Aaron Sorkin/The Trial of the Chicago 7 (3)

4) Lee Isaac Chung/Minari (7)

5) Regina King/One Night in Miami (4)

6) George C. Wolfe/Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (9)

7) Florian Zeller/The Father (5)

8) Paul Greengrass/News of the World (8)

9) Spike Lee/Da 5 Bloods (6)

10) Shaka King/Judas and the Black Messiah (10)

Other Possibles: Darius Marder/Sound of Metal, Emerald Fennell/Promising Young Woman. Kornel Mundruczo/Pieces of a Woman

Hot: Lee Isaac Chung/Minari, George C. Wolfe/Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

Not: Florian Zeller/The Father, Spike Lee/Da 5 Bloods

INDIEWIRE'S BEST OF 2020

Indiewire polled over 200 critics worldwide for their 2020 Best Of poll.  The website posted their lists of top tens in multiple categories on Dec. 14th.  Among the various categories, here is where Tff $6 and TFF #47 films landed in each category:

Best Picture: #1) Nomadland (47), #3) First Cow (46), #6) Beanpole (46)

Best Director #1) Chloe Zhao/Nomadland (47), #4) Kelly Reichardt/First Cow, #9) Kantemir Balegov/Beanpole (46)

Best Performance: #2) Frances McDormand/Nomadland (47)

Best Cinematography: #1) Nomadland (47) #7) First Cow (46), #9) Beanpole (46)

Best Screenplay: #2) First Cow (46)

Best International Film: #2) Beanpole (46)

Best First Film: #7) The Assistant (46), #10) The Climb (46)

The complete listing in each category is linked here.

LA AND NY FILM CRITICS AWARD 2020 FILMS

Both The Los Angeles Film Critics Association and The New York Film Critics Circle named their "Best Of" for 2020 films over the weekend.  Here's how that played out for Telluride films from both TFF #47 and #46 is as follows:

From New York (From Variety):

Best Film: First Cow (TFF #46)

Best Director: Chloe Zhao/Nomadland (TFF #47)

The complete list of NYFCC winners is here from Variety.

Meanwhile the LAFCA had the following TFF films on its list:

Best Picture Runner-up: Nomadland (TFF #47)

Best Director: Chloe Zhao/Nomadland (TFF #47)

Best Foreign Language Film: Beanpole (TFF 346)

Best Editing: The Father (TFF #47)

Best Production Design Runner-up: Beanpole (TFF #46)

Best Cinematography Runner-up: Nomadland (TFF #47)

The complete list of LAFCA winners is here from The Hollywood Reporter.

 

NIGHTMARE AT CHRISTMAS (AND MAYBE LABOR DAY?)

Indiewire reported this week that Guillermo Del Toro has wrapped Nightmare Alley, his film noir starring Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Willem Dafoe and Richard Jenkins.  The article also includes a Tweet from the film's distributor, Searchlight, confirming an earlier Tweet from the film's co-writer, Kim Morgan, revealing that the film will be released in December of 2021.

The information that the film is wrapped combined with the release date allows for the possibility that we could see it pop up at TFF #48 perhaps after a Cannes or Venice bow or even as a first time ever screening at TFF.

Del Toro was on hand in Telluride in 2017 with The Shape of Water which had premiered at Venice.  after its Telluride play it went on to win the Best Picture Oscar and Del Toro won for Best Director.

Check out more details in the story from Indiewire linked here.

TWO TELLURIDE FAVORITES TALK FILM: BARRY AND CHLOE

They're two of the hottest directing/writing talents in the current film firmament.  They've also been at Telluride.  I'm talking Barry Jenkins, who has been a part of TFF since his college days and debuted Oscar winner Moonlight there in 2016 and Chloe Zhao who has been at T-ride with both The Rider in 2017 and this year's Nomadland.  As a matter of fact, the two met originally in Telluride in 2017 (per Variety's reporting).

So, Variety got the two together recently for a conversation.  Thanks Variety!

Here's the link to the print and video of their conversation.

BERLIN FEST MOVES AND WILL BE A HYBRID

The Berlin Film Festival, which often premieres a couple of films that make it into the Telluride lineup each year, has announced changes from their traditional dates and structure as Covid-19 continues to change the shape of the film world at large and film festivals in particular.

Variety reports that:

"The festival is now looking to present the festival selections to the film industry in early March, Variety understands, with the European Film Market running as a digital event at the same time. A mini-festival with a series of onsite world premieres is being planned for early June."

The complete Variety article with further details can be found here.

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Oscar Experts Predict: Sasha Stone-Awards Daily / World of Reel's 35 most Anticipated / New Views of Nomadland / Metacritic on This Year's Films

OSCAR EXPERTS PREDICT: SASHA STONE-AWARDS DAILY

As I have been doing periodically, here's a look at where an Oscar expert is currently predicting for Best Picture and the number and categories of nominations that she is predicting for each.  

Today's expert is founder and head of Awards Daily, website that is regarded as one of the most influential Oscar sites on the web.

The films are ordered by number of nominations.  TFF films are in Bold.

Mank (12 noms): Picture, Director (Fincher), Actor (Oldman), Supporting Actress (Seyfried), Supporting Actor (Howard), Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Film Editing, Production Design, Sound, Costumes, Original Score.

News of the World (10 noms): Picture, Director (Greengrass), Actor: (Hanks), Supporting Actress (Zengel), Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Film Editing, Production Design, Costumes, Original Score,

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (8): Picture, Actress (Davis), Actor (Boseman), Adapted Screenplay, Production Design, Sound, Costumes, Original Score.

Nomadland (6 noms): Picture, Director (Zhao), Actress (McDormand), Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Film Editing

The Father (5 noms): Picture, Director (Zeller), Actor (Hopkins), Supporting Actress (Colman), Adapted Screenplay.

The Trial of the Chicago 7 (4 noms): Picture, Supporting Actor (Langella), Film Editing.

Minari (3 noms): Picture, Director (Chung), Supporting Actress (Youn).

One Nigh in Miami (3 noms): Picture, Supporting Actor (Odom), Adapted Screenplay.

Promising Young Woman (3 noms): Picture, Actress (Mulligan), Original Screenplay.

The United States vs. Billie Holiday (1 nom): Picture

 

WORLD OF REEL'S 35 MOST ANICIPATED

Jordan Ruimy's World of Reel website has posted its list of the 35 most anticipated titles for 2020.  Much like I did The Playlist's list earlier this week I have tried to parse the WOR list for TFF #48 possibilities.  Here's what I found (with the position on Jordan's list):

#27) Stillwater

#26) Bergman Island

#24 Petite Maman

#23) Next Goal Wins

#22) C'mon C'mon

#20) Babylon

#19) The Card Counter

#17) The Last Duel

#16) The Power of the Dog

#15) Armageddon Time

#13) Annette

#6) Blonde

#5) Nightmare Alley

#4) The French Dispatch

#3) The Tragedy of Macbeth

Ruimy's complete list with descriptions is linked here.

NEW VIEWS FOR NOMADLAND

We have a new trailer for Chloe Zhao's marvelous Nomadland (I've actually seen it twice).  Also a new poster for the film as well.

Here's the new poster:

And also, via YouTube, here's the new trailer for the film:

METACRITIC ON THIS YEAR'S FILMS

Here's a scan of Metacritic's current Top 25 films for 2020 thus far with my eye toward where films are that either played TFF #46 or where selected for inclusion in TFF's announced list of films for TFF #47.  By their position on the Metacritic chart:

#18) Beanpole (TFF #46)

#17) The Assistant (TFF #46)

#2) Nomadland (TFF #47)

#1) First Cow (TFF #46)

The complete list is linked here.

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The Playlist 100 and TFF #48? / Oscar Update: Best Picture / Acquisition News / BIFA Nominations Include TFF #47 Films / Ammonite: The Details of the True Story

THE PLAYLIST 100 AND TFF #48?

Each year around this time The Playlist maps out a list of its 100 most anticipated films for the following year. each year I try to cull some ides for what might be in the mix as possible choices for Telluride.  Last year's assessment ended up with me picking 12 films as possible for TFF #47.  That list ended up having two films that were on TFF's announced list of films for 2020: Nomadland and Mainstream. 

In my defense...Covid-19 happened.  Among the 12 films I named, five were Netflix films ( Mank, The Trial of the Chicago 7, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, The White Tiger and Midnight Sky) and who knew then that Netflix would opt not to festival any films.

Several have yet to be released and some of those actually will be on the list below of films for the 2021 edition of TFF Such as: Stillwater, Bergman Island, Nightmare Alley and Dune.

So, from the new list for 2021 maybe look out for a couple of these titles to make the TFF #48 schedule:

94) The Woman in the Window

90) Bigbug

88) The Mad Woman's Ball

86) The Last Duel

78) Land

76) The Electric Life of Louis Wain

59) The Velvet Underground

54) Stillwater***

50) The Eyes of Tammy Faye

47) The Card Counter

42) Babylon

36) Les Olympiades

17) Petite Maman

16) Annette

10) The Tragedy of Macbeth

8) Blonde

7) The Power of the Dog

6) Bergman Island***

4) Nightmare Alley***

3) The French Dispatch

*** Was on last year's list

The complete Playlist 100 is linked here.

OSCAR UPDATE: BEST PICTURE

Here are my latest Oscar nomination predictions for Best Picture updated since I last posted this category on  Nov. 16th.  A film's past position is indicated to the right in parentheses.  TFF #47 films are indicated in Bold

1) Nomadland (1)

2) Mank (2)

3) The Trial of the Chicago 7 (3)

4) Minari (6)

5) One Night in Miami (5)

6) Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (7)

7) The Father (4)

8) News of the World (9)

9) Da 5 Bloods (8)

10) Judas and the Black Messiah (-)

Possibles: Promising Young Woman, Soul, Sound of Metal

Hot: Minari, Judas and the Black Messiah

Not: The Father, Soul

ACQUISITION NEWS

A couple of TFF #47 listed films were acquired for North American release within the past week.  Agniezska Holland's Charlatan was picked up by Strand Releasing according to reporting from Variety.

Here is the link to the Variety story.

Meanwhile Gianfranco Rosi's Notturno (which is looking to land Oscar nominations for Best International Feature and Best Documentary) was acquired for North America by Neon's Super LTD.  That story came from The Hollywood Reporter.

Here is the link to the story from The Hollywood Reporter.

BIFA NOMINATIONS INCLUDE TFF #47 FILMS

The British Independent Film Association announced their nominees for outstanding work in Brit indy film this past week and Florian Zeller's The Father (and TFF #47 selection) did quite well with six nominations which included: Best British Independent Film, Best Director (Zeller) , Best Actor (Hopkins), Best Screenplay (Zeller and Hampton), Best Editing and Best Production Design.

In a bit of a surprise Olivia Colman was not nominated for Supporting Actress for The Father.

Other TFF #47 films were in the mix as well.

Ammonite was nominated for Best Costume Design and Best Makeup and Hair.

Nomadland and Notturno were both nominated in the Best International Independent Film category. 

Here's the complete rundown of all of the BIFA nominees from Variety.

AMMONITE: THE DETAILS OF THE TRUE STORY 

The Los Angeles Times' Mark Olsen took an in-depth look at the true story behind Francis Lee's Ammonite starring Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan.  The film is now available on premium video on demand in a number of outlets.

Here's the link to the story.

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Oscar Update: Best Original Screenplay / TFF and Top Films of 2020 Lists: Associated Press / Cuaron with Zhao

 OSCAR UPDATE: BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Here are my latest Oscar nomination predictions for Best Original Screenplay updated since I last posted this category on  Nov. 12th.  A screenplay's past position is indicated to the right in parentheses.  TFF #47 films are indicated in Bold.

1) The Trial of the Chicago 7 (1)

2) Mank (2)

3) Minari (3)

4) Soul (4)

5) Promising Young Woman (5)

6) Judas and the Black Messiah (6)

7) Da 5 Bloods (9)

8) Never Rarely Sometimes Always (8)

9) Palm Springs (7)

10) On the Rocks (-)

Other possibles: The 40 Year Version, Sound of Metal, Ammonite

Hot: Da 5 Bloods, On the Rocks

Not: Ammonite, Palm Springs

TFF AND TOP FILMS OF 2020 LISTS: ASSOCIATED PRESS

As we approach the end of 2020 (come on Jan. 1st!), more and more outlets are naming their "Best Of" film lists for the year.  Today's list is from the Associated Press and as is the custom jere, we ask the question: "Which Telluride Films made the list?"

Here's the answer to that question from both of AP's film writers' Top 10 lists:

Lindsey Bahr:

#1 Nomadland (TFF #47)

Jake Coyle:

#1 First Cow (TFF #46)

 His Honorable Mentions include Nomadland from what would have been TFF's lineup.

Here's the link to the complete article.

CUARON WITH ZHAO

Photo from Pat Martin/Interviewmagazine.com

Interviewmagazine.com has a scintillating interview pairing posted at their website.  The interview features Oscar winning director Alfonso Cuaron interviewing almost certain future Oscar nominee Chloe Zhao, the director of Nomadland.

Both participants have been to Telluride.  Zhao with The Rider and this year...via a Drive In presentation in Los Angeles, Nomadland.  Cuaron too has made The SHOW with Gravity and Roma.

I'm pleased to pass along the link to the interview that was posted Dec. 3rd.

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Oscar Update: Best Adapted Screenplay / Nomadland Tops World of Reel Poll / Speaking of Nomadland... / New Video for TFF #47 Films / Pollard Talks MLK/FBI / SPC Announces New Release Dates

OSCAR UPDATE: BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Here are my latest Oscar nomination predictions for Best Adapted Screenplay updated since I last posted this category on  Nov. 9th.  A screenplay's past position is indicated to the right in parentheses.  TFF #47 films are indicated in Bold.

1) Nomadland (1)

2) One Night in Miami (2)

3) The Father (3)

4) Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (4)

5) News of the World (5)

6) I'm Thinking of Ending Things (6)

7) First Cow (8)

8) Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (7)

9) The United States vs. Billie Holiday (-)

10) Pieces of a Woman(-)

Other possibles: French Exit, The Mauritanian, Emma, The Personal History of David Copperfield

Hot: The U.S. vs. Billie Holiday, Pieces of a Woman

Not:  Hillbilly Elegy, The Personal History of David Copperfield

NOMADLAND TOPS WORD OF REEL POLL

Jordan Ruimy has collected responses from over 100 film critics who he asked to name the best films of the year.  Chloe Zhao's Nomadland topped the list.  Nomadland was an official selection on the TFF #47 list of films that would have screened had the festival been able to have proceeded.

Other Telluride films that made the list of the 40 best of 2020 included:

#39 Beanpole (TFF #46)

#29 The Climb (TFF #46)

#22 The Father (TFF #47)

#18 The Assistant (TFF #46)

#2 First Cow (TFF #46)

#1 Nomadland (TFF #47)

The complete list is here in Jordan's post.

SPEAKING OF NOMADLAND...

Here's an interview with Variety's Awards Circuit podcast along with a written summary with Nomadland writer/director Chloe Zhao.

Zhao on Varity's awards Circuit podcast.

NEW VIDEO FOR TFF #47 FILMS

Frances Lee's Ammonite starring Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan has a new trailer as the film has moved to premium video on demand thus past week.  Here's the new trailer from YouTube:

Meanwhile, check out this post from smoothradio.com which includes looks at two new clips from Frank Marshall's documentary The Bee Gees: How Do You Mend a Broken Heart.

POLLARD TALKS MLK/FBI

Director Sam Pollard talked to Variety's Damon Wise for an interview that was posted back on Nov. 29th.  Pollard talks about his doc MLK/FBI that would have played a TFF #47.  The film just screened as a part of the IDFA Film Fest.

Here's the link to that interview .

SPC ANNOUNCES NEW RELEASE DATES

Sony Pictures Classics has announced a new set of release dates for the films currently in their charge including TFF #47 selections The Father and The Truffle Hunters both of which are making serious waves as we move into the expanded awards season.

According to the story from Indiewire:

“The Father,” starring Anthony Hopkins, will now be released February 26, 2021; Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw’s festival darling “The Truffle Hunters” will now be released March 12, 2021"

"Sony Pictures Classics said that all films would still qualify for year-end top 10 lists and awards, meaning that limited qualifying runs remain in play."

The complete article from Indiewire is linked here.

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Oscar Update: Best Supporting Actor / Indiewire's Top 20 and TFF / Submissions Are In for Oscar's International Films

 OSCAR UPDATE: BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Here are my latest Oscar nomination predictions for Best Supporting Actor updated since I last posted this category on  Nov. 5th.  A performer's past position is indicated to the right in parentheses.  TFF #47 performers are indicated in Bold.

1) Leslie Odom, Jr./One Night in Miami (3)

2) Sacha Baron Cohen/The Trial of the Chicago 7 (1)

3) Bill Murray/On the Rocks (4)

4) Mark Rylance/The Trial of the Chicago 7 (5)

5) Chadwick Boseman/Da 5 Bloods (2)

6) David Startharin/Nomadland (6)

7) Daniel Kaluuya/Judas and the Black Messiah (8)

8) Stanley Tucci/Supernova (-)

9) Frank Langella/The Trial of the Chicago 7 (9)

10) Yahya Abdul-Mateen II/The Trial of the Chicago 7 (-)

Others: Eddie Redmayne/The Trial of the Chicago 7, Charles Dance/Mank, Arliss Howard/Mank, Thomas Pelphrey/Mank

Hot: Odom/One Night in Miami, Tucci/Supernova, Abdul-Mateen II/Trial of the Chicago 7

Not: Boseman/Da 5 Bloods

INDIEWIRE"S TOP 20 and TFF

Indiewire's Eric Kohn has posted his selection of the 20 best films for 2020 and the list contains films that played at TFF #46 as well as films that were on the TFF #47 announced list.  TFF films that were on Kohn's list are:

#12 The Assistant (TFF #46)

#7 The Climb (TFF #46)

#4 Nomadland (TFF #47)

#1 First Cow (TFF #46)

Kohn's complete list is linked here.

SUBMISSIONS ARE IN FOR OSCAR'S INTERNATIONAL FILMS

The deadline has come and gone for submission for International Film Oscar submissions.  As you might expect, some TFF #47 choices were submitted.  Gregory Ellwood of The Playlist has handicapped the field and among the more likely players for an Oscar nomination in his assessment are these TFF #47 selections:

Apples/Greece

Charlatan/Czech Republic

Notturno/Italy

Never Gonna Snow Again/Poland

Here's Ellwood's complete list of predictions from The Playlist.

Additionally, from Matt neglia at Next Best Picture, here's the complete list of all submissions.

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Oscar Update: Best Supporting Actress / Oscar Expert Update: Clayton Davis-Variety / Diego Maradona

OSCAR UPDATE: BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Here are my latest Oscar nomination predictions for Best Supporting Actress updated since I last posted this category on  Nov. 2nd.  A performer's past position is indicated to the right in parentheses.  TFF #47 performers are indicated in Bold.

1) Olivia Colman/The Father (1)

2) Amanda Seyfried/Mank (2)

3) Ellen Burstyn/Pieces of a Woman (6)

5) Glenn Close/Hillbilly Elegy (3)

5) Youn Yuh-jung/Minari (7)

6) Maria Bakalova/Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (8)

7) Helena Zengel/News of the World (5)

8) Saoirse Ronan/Ammonite (4)

9) Lily Collins/Mank (9)

10) Charlene Swankie/Nomadland (-)

Other possibles: Pryanka Chopra/The White Tiger, Natasha Lyonne/The U.S. vs. Billie Holiday, Valerie Mahaffey/French Exit

Hot: Ellen Burstyn, Youn Yuh-jung, Maria Bakalova, Helena Zengel, Swankie

Not: Glenn Close, Saorise Ronan

OSCAR EXPERT UPDATE: CLAYTON DAVIS-VARIETY

We last checked in with Clayton's Oscar predictions about six weeks back (on Oct. 15).  Consequently, I thought it might be a good idea to get a snapshot of where he believes the Oscar race to be.  Here are the primary Oscar predictions from Mr. Davis as of the end of last week:

Leading all comers: David Fincher's Mank which Davis has at 12 total nominations: Best Picture, Direction, Actor, Supporting Actress, Supporting Actor, Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Film Editing, Production Design, Costumes, Sound and Score.  That's up 2 nominations from 10/15.  Davis added nomination predictions for Supporting Actor, Score and Sound and dropped a prediction for Makeup/Hair.

Nomadland (7): Best Picture, Direction, Actress, Supporting Actor, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography and Sound.  Nomadland holds at 7 total predicted nominations. Davis swapped out a film editing nomination for a sound nomination.

One Night in Miami (7): Best Picture, Direction, Supporting Actor, Adapted Screenplay, Costumes, Film Editing and Original Song.  Davis subtracts a previous prediction for Cinematography here.

Minari (7): Best Picture, Direction, Actor, Supporting Actress, Original Screenplay, Film Editing, Score.  A big jump up over the last six weeks from a predicted three nominations to this total of seven.  Previously Davis just had Minari in for Picture, Actor and Original Screenplay.

Judas and the Black Messiah (7): Best Picture, Direction, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Film Editing. The other film that Davis has elevated significantly over the past 40 days and 40 nights.  On Oct. 15 Davis had it with four nomination predictions: Picture, Actor, Original Screenplay and Film Editing.

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (5): Best Picture, Actor, Actress, Costume and Makeup/Hair.  Down one nomination with some other changes too.  Boseman has moved from Supporting to Lead.  The previously predicted Adapted Screenplay is gone.  Production Design os also gone but Makeup/Hair has been added.

The Father (4): Best Picture, Actor, Supporting Actress and Adapted Screenplay

Promising Young Woman (4): Best Picture, Actress, Original Screenplay, Makeup/Hair

The Prom (4): Best Picture, Production Design, Makeup/Hair, Song

And the biggest dive in the last six weeks:  The Trial of the Chicago 7 which Davis had with as many as 7-8 nominations six weeks back and now has down to three: Best Picture, Original Screenplay and Film Editing.

Check out all of Clayton's work at Variety, linked here.

DIEGO MARADONA

The last time we were in Telluride for the film fest in Sept. of 2019, Asif Kapadia's documentary about the life of soccer legend Diego Maradona was making waves.  The film debuted immediately after TFF #46 on HBO and sports a solid 78 Metacritic score.

Maradona died on Wednesday of a heart attack at the age of 60.  The world of soccer/football was shocked and dismayed at the passing of the legend.

Should you want to view the Kapadia doc you should be able to find it on HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video and Hulu.

I have linked an Anne Thompson/Indiewire story about the Kapadia doc and Maradona from its debut at Cannes here. 

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Oscar Update: Best Actor / IDA Nominations and TFF #47 / Dweck and Kershaw on The Truffle Hunters / Italy Chooses Notturno / THR's Favorites of the Decade

OSCAR UPDATE: BEST ACTOR

Here are my latest Oscar nomination predictions for Best Actor updated since I last posted this category on  Oct. 29th.  A performer's past position is indicated to the right in parentheses.  TFF #47 performers are indicated in Bold.

1) Chadwick Boseman/Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2)

2) Anthony Hopkins/The Father (1)

3) Delroy Lindo/Da 5 Bloods/ (4)

4) Gary Oldman/Mank (3)

5) Riz Ahmed/Sound of Metal (6)

6) Tom Hanks/News of the World (5)

7) Steven Yeun/Minari (7)

8) Kingsley Ben-Adir/One Night in Miami (-)

9) Ben Affleck/The Way Back (8)

10) George Clooney/The Midnight Sky (-)

Others: Colin Firth/Supernova, Daniel Kaluuya or LaKeith Stanfield/Judas and the Black Messiah

Hot: Bosman, Ahmed, Ben-Adir, Clooney

Not: Firth

IDA NOMINATIONS AND TFF #47

The International Documentary Association announced nominations for this year's crop of docs and a couple of TFF #47 films were among the most nominated.  Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw's The Truffle Hunters and Sam Pollard's MLK/FBI were two of the most honored films as each film nabbed three nominations apiece.  

The Truffle Hunters (which admittedly has now become a bit of an obsession for me this awards season) was nominated for Best Feature Doc, Director(s) and Cinematography.  

Meanwhile, MLK/FBI was nominated for Best Doc Feature, Director an ABC Video Source Award and Director Sam Pollard was also cited for a career achievement.

Also from TFF #47, short docs The Lost Astronaut from director Ben Proudfoot was nominated as was Unforgivable from director Marlen Vinayo.

The complete list of IDA nominees is linked here from Next Best Picture.

DWECK AND KERSHAW ON THE TRUFFLE HUNTERS

A couple of big interviews this week with the directors of The Truffle Hunters.  Eric Kohn of Indiewire leads a 40ish minute video interview with Gregory Kershaw and Michael Dweck about the film as a part of the IDA Documentary Screening Series.  That is here from YouTube:

Additionally, Dweck and Kershaw also were interviewed by Pat Saperstein for Variety and that was posted yesterday.  That interview/profile is linked here.

ITALY CHOOSES NOTTURNO

Italy has anmed Gianfranco Rosi's documentary, Notturno as its official selection for competition for the Academy Awards Best International Feature category.  The film was a selection of TFF #47.  Notturno is described as:

"a new documentary is an immersive portrait of those trying to survive in the war-torn Middle East."

In addition to TFF #47, the film was also selected by Toronto, New York, London, IDFA and the AFI Fest among others.

Notturno was chosen over the Edoardo Ponti project The Life Ahead which features the first performance from legend Sophia Loren since Rob Marshall's Nine in 2009.

Variety has the story here.

THR'S FAVORITES OF THE DECADE

The Hollywood Reporter polled 3,500 "industry professionals" and asked them for their "favorite movies" of the decade.  The results of that poll were published Wednesday and TFF films did well.  Among the top 20 fave films of the decade that made an appearance at TFF:

#20 The King's Speech

#11 Birdman

#9 Argo

#6 La La Land

#2 12 Years a Slave

Lots of big budget actioners and superhero films made the list and Jordan Peele's Get Out was named the overall favorite of the decade.

The complete list of 20 films from THR can be found linked here.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

EMAIL:  mpgort@gmail.com

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