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!





EMAIL:  mpgort@gmail.com

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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.




EMAIL:  mpgort@gmail.com

X (Twitter) @TheMTFB OR @Gort2 

Bluesky: @gort2.bsky.social

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MTFB is published on Mondays and Thursdays

If you would like to be added to the MTFB e-mail list send an email to mpgort@gmail.com

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.




EMAIL:  mpgort@gmail.com

X (Twitter) @TheMTFB OR @Gort2 

Bluesky: @gort2.bsky.social

MTFB's Facebook Page

MTFB is published on Mondays and Thursdays

If you would like to be added to the MTFB e-mail list send an email to mpgort@gmail.com