TFF #53 In the Books / Rate Those Films!

TFF #53 IN THE BOOKS

Here's your regularly scheduled post for a Thursday from MTFB with TFF #53 still pretty close in the rear view mirror.

***Overall thanks go to Larry and Mitzi Mallard who jumped in and upgraded our accommodations for the fest.  When in Telluride...stay at The River Club.

***Thanks to all you readers of MTFB.  There were a bunch of you and you were all so kind and particularly welcoming to my grandson who was making his first trip to TFF,    You're the reason...

***It seemed like the general conclusion was that TFF #53 was a very strong fest.  I suspect that The People's Poll and The MTFB Pro Poll will likely bare that out.  We'll see over the next ten days or so.

***How'd I do?  MTFB went 25 for 25 on the Final Bets with an additional three films making the lineup that I had listed as "possibilities".  Not bad for a rube from Oklahoma.

***I got really Shakespearian with my two favorite films being Elsinore and Into the Breach.  If Andrew Scott doesn't win the Best Actor Oscar this year, I will have words with someone.  Harsh, scathing words.

***I was shut out for a film at Telluride for the first time ever this year.  It felt like the "shut out discourse' was louder than ever this year, but that could have been that, having experienced it, I was more sensitive to it.

RATE THOSE FILMS!

I reminded folks while standing in lines this past weekend to rate the films for the MTFB People's Poll.  A reminder for how that works:

Report to me your assessment of each film on a 1-5 scale with 1 being "UGH!" and 5 being "GREAT".

Report your ratings to: mpgort@gmail.com 

The deadline for this year to turn in your ratings will be Sept. 15th.

I'll have more in Monday's regular post...but for now...still exhausted!

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TFF #53...Comes to a Close...So Rate Those Films

TFF #53...COMES TO A CLOSE...SO RATE THOSE FILMS

The 53rd edition of the Telluride Film Festival is in the midst of its last round of films for the weekend unspooling right now.

Was really a better than average festival for the Pattersons despite being shut out of a film for the first time ever. 

Big thanks to The River Club who became our last minute home for the fest.  It was lovely and the staff was terrific.

Thanks to all of you readers who said such kind words to me this weekend.  It brings an honest smile to my face that so many of you find this space interesting.  Now...RATE THOSE FILMS!

DIRECTIONS:

For the 14th year MTFB is soliciting your input for The People's Telluride.  All you have to do is watch films during the fest and then, when it's all over, report to me your assessment of each film on a 1-5 scale with 1 being "UGH!" and 5 being "GREAT".

Report your ratings to: mpgort@gmail.com 

The deadline for this year to turn in your ratings will be Sept. 15th.

TBAs and More for Monday, Sept. 7th 2026

 Monday TBAs 9/7

Werner Herzog Theater

4:15pm: CLUB KID (122m)

7:00pm: INK (116m)

Sheridan Opera House

5:30pm: BURGUNDY (88m)

7:15pm: THE LIBERATION (124m)

The Marvin

1:30pm: ROSE (94m)

3:45pm: THE ROW (89m)

6:30pm: AVEDON (104m)

Masons Cinema Hall:

3:00pm: ONCE UPON A TIME IN HARLEM (100m)

5:15pm: THE MAN I LOVE (97m)

7:15pm: THE DISCIPLE (105m)

Le Pierre:

3:45pm: PETE TOWNSHEND: BEHIND BLUE EYES (102m)

6:00pm: THE UNKNOWN (141m)

Backlot: (All films free)

1:15pm: MAVERICK (120m)

3:30pm: HOUSE OF CRITICISM (83m)

5:15pm: NATURAL STATE (87m)

_____

Noon Seminar Town Park

Moderated by Annette Insdorf

Sponsored by Apple Original Films

Where Have All the Heroes Gone: Is traditional heroism absent from new independent films? 

Guy Nattiv (THE LIBERATION), Cristian Mungiu (FJORD), Jennifer Peedom (TENZING)

Posted on September 07, 2026

TBAs Tomorrow at The Herzog

TBA'S TOMORROW AT THE HERZOG

6:15  Mystery TBA revealed at Showtime,  174 min.

10:15 Wild Horse Nine

TBA tomorrow is The Only Living Pickpocket in New York.

TBA tomorrow is The Only Living Pickpocket in New York. 

TFF #53 LINEUP DROPS

 Per Variety, the TFF #53 lineup:

Tributes

• Andrew Haigh (writer, director)
• Sandra Hüller (actress)
• John Malkovich (actor)

Main Program (The Show)

• “Act 3” (U.S. distribution TBA) — dir. Christine Molloy & Joe Lawlor
• “Alpha Gang” (U.S. distribution TBA) — dir. David Zellner & Nathan Zellner — World Premiere
• “Avedon” (Netflix) — dir. Ron Howard — World Premiere
• “Beau Geste” (Rialto Pictures, 1926 restoration) — dir. Herbert Brenon
• “Begotten” (World Artists Home Video) — dir. E. Elias Merhige
• “Bucking Fastard” (U.S. distribution TBA) — dir. Werner Herzog
• “The Buffalo Miracle” and “Witt v. Air Force” — dir. Ben Proudfoot
• “Burgundy” (U.S. distribution TBA) — dir. Michael Dweck & Gregory Kershaw
• “Carl Sagan: We Are Made of Star Stuff” (U.S. distribution TBA) — dir. Nanette Burstein
• “Club Kid” (A24) — dir. Jordan Firstman
• “The Debut” (A24) — dir. Jesse Eisenberg — World Premiere
• “The Disciple” (Netflix) — dir. Joanna Natasegar — World Premiere
• “Elsinore” (Focus Features) — dir. Simon Stone — World Premiere
• “Everest: The Other Side” (National Geographic Films) — dir. Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi & Jimmy Chin
• “Fatherland” (Mubi) — dir. Paweł Pawlikowski
• “Fjord” (Neon) — dir. Cristian Mungiu
• “Gentle Monster” (Netflix) — dir. Marie Kreutzer
• “The Idiot(s)” (The Match Factory) — dir. Małgorzata Szumowska & Michał Englert — World Premiere
• “In Love Rendered” — dir. Liz Garbus
• “Ink” (Netflix) — dir. Danny Boyle
• “La Bola Negra” (Netflix) — dir. Javier Calvo & Javier Ambrossi
• “The Liberation” (Bleecker Street) — dir. Guy Nattiv — World Premiere
• “A Long Winter” (Mubi) — dir. Andrew Haigh — World Premiere
• “Making Marie Antoinette” (Mubi) — dir. Eleanor Coppola
• “The Man I Love” (U.S. distribution TBA) — dir. Ira Sachs
• “Minotaur” (Mubi) — dir. Andrey Zvyagintsev
• “My Undesirable Friends: Part II — Exile” (Mubi) — dir. Julia Loktev — World Premiere
• “Once Upon a Time in Harlem” (Neon) — dir. William Greaves & David Greaves
• “The Only Living Pickpocket in New York” (Sony Pictures Classics) — dir. Noah Segan
• “Pete Townshend: Behind Blue Eyes” (U.S. distribution TBA) — dir. Frank Marshall, Nigel Sinclair & Cassidy Hartmann
• “Rehearsals for a Revolution” (Mongrel Media) — dir. Pegah Ahangarani
• “The Revolution Against Death” — dir. Joshua Oppenheimer
• “Roger Corman at 100” (U.S. distribution TBA)
• “Rose” (Mubi) — dir. Markus Schleinzer
• “The Row” (U.S. distribution TBA) — dir. Bryan Fogel
• “A Song for the Snow Lion” (U.S. distribution TBA) — dir. Pawo Choyning Dorji
• “Stories of Resilience” (U.S. distribution TBA) — dir. Sarah Gavron, Wafa Mustafa & Waad Al-Kateab, Bill Morrison
• “The Story of Documentary Film” (U.S. distribution TBA) — dir. Mark Cousins
• “Sumo: Spirit Weighs Nothing” (ESPN Films) — dir. Erik Shirai
• “Tender Loving Care” (Bleecker Street) — dir. Mike Leigh — World Premiere
• “Tenzing” (Apple Original Films) — dir. Jennifer Peedom — World Premiere
• “The Unknown” (U.S. distribution TBA) — dir. Arthur Harari
• “Wild Horse Nine” (Searchlight Pictures) — dir. Martin McDonagh

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Final Bets for TFF #53 / The People's Telluride

Well, here we are on the cusp of another Telluride Film Festival and as promised hare is a look at my final "bets" to play TFF #53.  As a reminder of where we've been here:

The original Ten Bets from back in June (with what I think is playing designated with***):

***The Black Ball

***Bucking Fastard

Coward-NOPE

***The Debut

***Fatherland

***A Long Winter

***Minotaur

Paper Tiger-NOPE

The Story of Documentary Film-MAYBE

Yellow Letters-MAYBE

AND HERE'S THE FINAL PREDICITION

1) Elsinore

2) The Debut

3) Ink

4) Club Kid

5) Bucking Fastard

6) Wild Horse Nine

7) Fatherland

8) La Bola Negra (The Black Ball)

9) A Long Winter

10) Everest: The Other Side

11) Minotaur

12) Fjord

13) Tender Loving Care

14) Gentle Monster

15) Rose

16) The Man I Love

17)The Alpha Gang

18) My Undesirable Friends Part II

19) Rehearsal for a Revolution

20) The Only Living Pickpocket in New York

21) Tenzing

22) The Idiots

23) The Liberation

24) Making Marie Antoinette

25) One More Time

Other possibilities: 

 

Ancient History

The Basics of Philosophy

Burgundy

Diamond

Primetime

Sense and Sensibility

The Story of Documentary Film

The Unknown

Yellow Letters

I'll post the announced schedule tomorrow morning when it's released.

THE PEOPLE'S TELLURIDE-14TH EDITION

For the 14th year MTFB is soliciting your input for The People's Telluride.  All you have to do is watch films during the fest and then, when it's all over, report to me your assessment of each film on a 1-5 scale with 1 being "UGH!" and 5 being "GREAT".

Report your ratings to: mpgort@gmail.com 

The deadline for this year to turn in your ratings will be Sept. 15th.

Time to Rock 'n Roll...see you in The Ride!

EMAIL:  mpgort@gmail.com

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New Venue for TFF #53 / Huntsinger on TFF #53 for Variety / EW Talks with McDonagh about Wild Horse Nine / Variety with Mike Leigh / First Looks at Ink

NEW VENUE FOR TFF #53

Maybe the biggest TFF news of last week was that there will be a new venue for the fest to use.  It will be located in Mountain Village.  No word that I'm aware of in terms of the number of seats but you should help to replace the seats we've been missing from the lack of The Nugget while it undergoes renovation.

Here's the flyer announcing the new venue....that appears to be named "The Marvin":

HUNTSINGER ON TFF #53 FOR VARIETY

Variety's Chief Awards Editor Clayton Davis sat down with TFF Executive Director Julie Huntsinger recently to talk all things TFF.  

Key takeaways:

Huntsinger says TBAs are part of the plan again this year including:

"...one is going to be a true TBA — you won’t know what it is until you walk into the cinema."

That's very exciting.

She also says that Digger and Dune 3 are still in post-production...

Here's the link to the entire interview.

https://variety.com/2026/film/awards/telluride-julie-huntsinger-tba-film-dune-digger-1236843331/

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY TALKS WITH MARTIN MC DONAGH ABOUT WILD HORSE NINE

We're pretty sure Martin McDonagh's Wild Horse Nine will be announced on Thursday as a part of the TFF #53 lineup.  I'm certainly hoping that we've read the tea leaves correctly.

Entertainment Weekly has a nice interview with McDonagh about the film which you can find linked here.

https://ew.com/martin-mcdonagh-previews-wild-horse-nine-sam-rockwell-john-malkovich-old-married-couple-12064030

VARIETY WITH MIKE LEIGH...IS TENDER LOVING CARE HIS LAST FILM?

Variety's Clayton Davis also talked to filmmaker Mike Leigh about his new film Tender Loving Care which we also think is Telluride bound.  It may be Leigh's final film.  Davis writes:

"Bleecker Street is funding “Tender Loving Care,” Leigh’s sweet, funny study of two social workers, their family and the people they look after. It’s the lowest-budgeted feature of Leigh’s career, and, he says with some reluctance, almost certainly his final film."

You can find the rest of the interview linked here.

https://variety.com/2026/film/features/mike-leigh-tender-loving-care-final-film-harvey-weinstein-oscars-1236841786/

FIRST LOOKS AT INK

Vanity Fair posted some first look photos from Vanity Fair from Danny Boyle's Ink.  It's in my top five to try and catch at the fest.  Here's a glimpse:

Check out the entire article from Vanity Fair with interview comments from Boyle and other photos.

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Twenty (Plus) Bets for TFF #53-Vol. 11 / Tribute Clues from Telluride / Other Outlets Talk Telluride / This and That: Wild Horse Nine and Ink / This and That

TWENTY (PLUS) BETS FOR TFF #53- VOL. 11

As I write today's post, we are a week away from the lineup announcement.  The easy work is done with Toronto, New York and Venice all revealing information from which we can infer probable films playing in Telluride.  We're now in a phase where the sleuthing comes down to scraps of information online or from behind the scenes.  In some ways it's the most fun.

Anyway, we're a week away and this is the next to last update before The SHOW kicks off next week.  Reviewing last week's 20+ Bets:

1) Elsinore

2) The Debut

3) Ink

4) Club Kid

5) Bucking Fastard

6) Wild Horse Nine

7) Fatherland

8) La Bola Negra (The Black Ball)

9) A Long Winter

10) The Alpha Gang

11) Fjord

12) Minotaur

13) Everest: The Other Side

14) Tender Loving Care

15) Gentle Monster

16) Rose

17) The Man I Love

18) My Undesirable Friends Part II

19) Rehearsal for a Revolution

20) The Unknown

21) Tenzing

22) The Idiots

23) The Liberation

24) Making Marie Antoinette

25) One More Time

Other possibilities: 

 

Ancient History

The Basics of Philosophy

Burgundy

Diamond

Primetime

The Story of Documentary Film

Yellow Letters

And here is this week's updated Bets:

1) Elsinore

2) The Debut

3) Ink

4) Club Kid

5) Bucking Fastard

6) Wild Horse Nine

7) Fatherland

8) La Bola Negra (The Black Ball)

9) A Long Winter

10) Everest: The Other Side

11) Minotaur

12) Fjord

13) Tender Loving Care

14) Gentle Monster

15) Rose

16) The Man I Love

17)The Alpha Gang

18) My Undesirable Friends Part II

19) Rehearsal for a Revolution

20) The Unknown

21) Tenzing

22) The Idiots

23) The Liberation

24) Making Marie Antoinette

25) One More Time

Other possibilities: 

 

Ancient History

The Basics of Philosophy

Burgundy

Diamond

The Only Living Pickpocket in New York

Primetime

Sense and Sensibility

The Story of Documentary Film

Yellow Letters

I'll have one FINAL BETS post a week from today.

TRIBUTE CLUES FROM TELLURIDE

One of the ways that often give clues about what direction Tributes might be going has traditionally been to look at films scheduled for free in Elks Park prior to the start of the fest.  Earlier this morning the flyer for the free screening s is up:

It's difficult to see here, but Wednesday night is a screening of Project Hail Mary and Thursday is Being John Malkovich.  Draw your own conclusions,,,

OTHER OUTLETS TALK TELLURIDE

A number of film-centric websites are opining re: TFF #53's films.  Links to some of those are here:

Awards Radar

The Contending's Top Ten Tuesday

Next Best Picture

Awards Watch

The Contending Podcast

THIS AND THAT

***TFF executive Director Julie Huntsinger on this year's festival from Variety

***An interview with WH9's writer Director Martin McDonagh is linked here from Entertainment Weekly

***First looks at Ink from Vanity Fair

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Counting Down / The People's Telluride #14 / Indiewire Points to Possible Double Oscar Nominees / This and That

COUNTING DOWN

As I post this on Monday morning ( August 24th) the reality of TFF #53 is now down to 10 days.  As with most years, the anticipation is what dominates now.  Most of the detective work is complete.  Oh, sure, they'll be some continued scuttlebutt to pass a long but in the last two weeks before the fest, additional information is hard to come by.  So now, it's about the wait.

The Patterson's will be pulling on Wednesday morning next week.  Some years ago we began to give ourselves a two day window to drive.  Breaking the journey into a two day affair gives us a bit of time to acclimate before the fest cranks up on Friday.  

It's a special year in 2026 as my grandson will be joining us.  He says he's very excited.  

So...the wait... 

THE PEOPLE'S TELLURIDE-14TH EDITION

For the 14th year MTFB is soliciting your input for The People's Telluride.  All you have to do is watch films during the fest and then, when it's all over, report to me your assessment of each film on a 1-5 scale with 1 being "UGH!" and 5 being "GREAT".

Report your ratings to: mpgort@gmail.com 

The deadline for this year to turn in your ratings will be Sept. 15th.

I'll compile all of your responses and post those a few days after the festival.

INDIEWIRE TALKS POSSIBLE DOUBLE OSCAR NOMINEES FOR THIS YEAR

Anne Thompson at Indiewire had a piece up on which actors might have a shot at getting more than one acting Oscar nomination for this year.  The article includes some folks who might be in Telluride next week.  

Here's the rundown from her list of possibilities who probably have films at TFF #53 (listed in the order that Thompson addresses them in the post):

Sandra Huller:  MTFB thinks Huller will have two films at Telluride: Fatherland and Rose.  She also has her roles in Project Hail Mary and Digger that could merit some Oscar conversation.

Penelope Cruz: We think Cruz's La Bola Negra will be at TFF #53.  Cruz also has roles in The Invite and Bunker.

Willem Dafoe: His Tenzing is probable for Telluride.  He also is in Werewolf and Late Fame. 

Other outside shots mentioned by Thompson include Anne Hathaway who could still potentially be at Telluride with Verity and Robert Pattinson if Primetime makes a late run from Venice to T-ride.

The complete rundown is linked here.

https://www.indiewire.com/awards/predictions/oscars-2027-double-nominees-sandra-huller-robert-pattinson-brad-pitt-1235211354/

THIS AND THAT...

***Netflix has made it official that Saturn Returns will not be a 2026 release.  That all but closes the door on any Telluride appearance.

***Tenzing will have a limited theatrical release on Oct. 9th.

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Twenty (Plus) Bets for TFF #53-Vol. 10 / Talking Tributes / Club Kid Trailer and Poster / Digger to Bow in London

TWENTY (PLUS) BETS FOR TFF #53

Last week's 20 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) Wild Horse Nine

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) Tenzing

21) Alpha Gang

22) The Idiots

23) The Liberation

24) Making Marie Antoinette

25) One More Time

Other possibilities: 

 

Ancient History

The Basics of Philosophy

Burgundy

Diamond

Primetime

Sense and Sensibility

The Story of Documentary Film

Yellow Letters

And here's your update with just two weeks left to The SHOW:

1) Elsinore

2) The Debut

3) Ink

4) Club Kid

5) Bucking Fastard

6) Wild Horse Nine

7) Fatherland

8) La Bola Negra (The Black Ball)

9) A Long Winter

10) The Alpha Gang

11) Fjord

12) Minotaur

13) Everest: The Other Side

14) Tender Loving Care

15) Gentle Monster

16) Rose

17) The Man I Love

18) My Undesirable Friends Part II

19) Rehearsal for a Revolution

20) The Unknown

21) Tenzing

22) The Idiots

23) The Liberation

24) Making Marie Antoinette

25) One More Time

Other possibilities: 

 

Ancient History

The Basics of Philosophy

Burgundy

Diamond

Primetime

The Story of Documentary Film

Yellow Letters

TALKING TRIBUTES

We're so close to TFF #53 so it seems like a good time to speculate about TFF Tributes.  The fest traditionally choses 3 individuals for this special honor each year.  That can and has varied from time to time but three is the most common.

Past tribute recipients that could possibly be in Telluride include:

Cate Blanchett

Danny Boyle

Kem Burns

Mark Cousins

Penelope Cruz

Catherine Denueve

Werner Herzog

Mike Leigh

Rooney Mara

Paul Schrader

The list of potential recipients this year is lengthy:

Jimmy Chin/Everest: The Other Side

Olivia Colman/Elsinore

Willem Dafoe/Tenzing

Jesse Eisenberg/The Debut

Paul Giamatti/The Debut

Andrew Haigh/A Long Winter

Sandra Huller/Fatherland and Rose

Vicky Kreips/The Idiot(s)

John Malkovich/Wild Horse Nine

Martin McDonagh/Wild Horse Nine

Julianne Moore /The Debut

Cristian Mungiu/Fjord

Gut Pearce/Ink

Renate Reinsve/Fjord

Sam Rockwell/Wild Horse Nine

Ira Sachs/The Man I Love

Andrew Scott/Elsinore

Lea Seydoux/The Unknown, Alpha Gang and Gentle Monster

Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi/Everest:The Other Side

Andrey Zvyagnistaev/Minotaur

And. of course, all of these could be wrong.

CLUB KID TRAILER AND POSTER REVEALED

Sitting this week at #4 on the list of MTFB's Bets is Club Kid.  The film was a sensation at Cannes in May and I'll try to catch it at TFF.  Here are a trailer (warning...language) and poster for the film:

From YouTube and A24:

And the new poster:

DIGGER TO BOW IN LONDON

For those that have been thinking that Alejandro Inarritu's Digger starring Tom Cruise might still be a viable choice as a "Sneak Preview" for Telluride despite repeated reports that the film was bypassing the fall film circuit...here's another blow to that hypothesis.  Warners announce Tuesday that the film will World Premiere in London as a Royal Film Performance.

The announcement is big on making sure everyone knows it's a World Premiere.

That feels pretty definitive to me.

Could it still "sneak" at Telluride?  Sure, it's possible but I'd put those chances right now at about 5%.

Here's the official announcement from Warner Bros.

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260818741409/en/Warner-Bros.-Pictures-Legendary-Pictures-and-The-Film-and-TV-Charity-Announce-the-Royal-Film-Performance-of-DIGGER?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=email_this&utm_source=email

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Who's On the Guest List? / Gold Derby Spills Some Tea / Does Gibney Play Anyway?

WHO'S ON THE GUEST LIST?

One of the great things about Telluride is the folks that come to support the films that screen there.  Bountiful Q&A's give regular Joe's an opportunity to hear from great directors, actors and other creatives about the film's they're involved in.

So it's always fun to take a look at the talent who might make the trip to southwest Colorado.  Here's a rundown of some of the films that MTFB thinks will make the grade at Telluride and the stars that might be in town with those projects.

ALPHA GANG: Cate Blanchett, Dave Bautista, Chris Pine, Lea Seydoux

BUCKING FASTARD: Rooney Mara, Kate Mara, Orlando Bloom, Domhnall Gleeson

CLUB KID: Cara Delevingne, Diego Calva

THE DEBUT: Julianne Moore, Paul Giamatti, Jesse Eisenberg

ELSINORE: Andrew Scott, Oliva Colman.

FATHERLAND: Sandra Huller, August Diehl

FJORD: Renate Reinsve, Sebastian Stan

GENTLE MONSTER: lea Seydoux, Catherine Denueve

THE IDIOT(S): Amy Lou Wood, Johnny Flynn, Vicky Kreips

INK: Jack O'Connell, Guy Pearce, Claire Foy

LA BOLA NEGRA (THE BLACK BALL): Penelope Cruz, Guitarricardelafuente, Glenn Close

THE LIBERATION: Carrie Coon, Tracy Letts, Lily James

A LONG WINTER: Kit Connor, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Caitriona Balfe

THE MAN I LOVE: Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Rami Malek, Rebecca Hall

ROSE: Sandra Huller

TENDER LOVING CARE: Kate O'Flynn

TENZIG: Willem Dafoe, Tom Hiddleston, Caitriona Balfe

THE UNKNOWN: Lea Seydoux

WILD HORSE NINE: Sam Rockwell, John Malkovich, Steve Buscemi, Parker Posey, Tom Waits

And a few from the "Possibilities" list:

THE BASICS OF PHILOSOPHY: Bill Pullman, Dana Delaney, Jack Huston

DIAMOND: Andy Garcia, Dustin Hoffman, Bill Murray

PRIMETIME: Robert Pattinson, Merritt Weaver

GOLD DERBY SPILLS SOME TEA

In a post from Gold Derby from last week titled: 

"2026 fall festival scorecard: Who’s heading to Venice, Telluride, TIFF, and NYFF — and who’s skipping the circuit?" 

They name seven films that..."Despite the Telluride Film Festival's long-standing tradition of keeping its official program strictly under wraps until the eve of Labor Day weekend, the tea leaves are brewing up some obvious premieres..."

The films:

Bucking Fastard

The Debut

Elsinore

Ink

A Long Winter

Tender Loving Care

Wild Horse Nine

They also suggest that Primetime is a possibility.

The complete Gold Derby article is linked here.

https://www.goldderby.com/film/2026/2026-venice-telluride-toronto-new-york-festivals-scorecard/

DOES GIBNEY PLAY ANYWAY?

We already have discerned that Alex Gibney's documentary about Elon Musk is not going to play Telluride, but could another Gibney doc make the TFF #53 lineup?

I'm talking about Knife, Gibney's look at the 2022 attempt on the life author Salman Rushdie.  Rushdie, as of TFF #52 was still listed among a member of TFF's "Esteemed Council of Advisors in last year's TFF #52 program so it seems like a no-brainer, except...the doc has screened already in the USA.

Knife world premiered at Sundance this year and has also been programmed at Sundance, Chicago's DOC 10 fest, Nantucket and it has screened in New York.  On the other hand, the film is being distributed by Abramorama which had Ask E. Jean at TFF #52.

I'm putting its chances at 40% and let's see what happens.

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Twenty Bets for TFF #53-Vol. 9/ Additions from New York and Toronto / This and That: The Debut, Gentle Monster, A Long Winter

TWENTY (PLUS) BETS FOR TFF #53-VOL. 9

Hi there!  Down to three weeks before the 53rd edition of the Telluride Film Festival.  Personally, I feel like it's going to be a banger this year.

Here's your weekly update-now expanded to 20 films  that MTFB thinks are going to screen over labor Day weekend.  First, though, a reminder of the "Bets" from last week:

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

AND NOW...your latest Twenty (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) Wild Horse Nine

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) Tenzing

21) Alpha Gang

22) The Idiots

23) The Liberation

24) Making Marie Antoinette

25) One More Time

Other possibilities: 

 

Ancient History

The Basics of Philosophy

Burgundy

Diamond

Primetime

Sense and Sensibility

The Story of Documentary Film

Yellow Letters

ADDITIONS FROM NEW YORK AND TORONTO

Earlier this week both the New York and Toronto fests added what are probably the last films to their lineups and premiere designations from each give his clues about further films that are lirkly playing Telluride.

From New York, the additions of  Making Marie Antoinette and One More Time.  Making Marie Antoinette comes from Eleanor Coppola and focuses on, well... the making of Marie Antoinette.  One More Time re-visits indie film giant Andre Gregory.

Each film was announced as a New York Premiere which lead to its inclusion on this week's bets.

Toronto indications of Canadian Premieres for Michal Englert and Małgorzata Szumowska's The Idiot(s) and Guy Nattiv's The Liberation, portend a Telluride play for each.

Additionally, TIFF indicates confirmations for Telluride for Bucking Fastards and Wild Horse Nine.  New York confirmations are The Debut, Bucking Fastards, Club Kid and Fjord.

And, sadly, it looks like Tom McCarthy's A Statement, a film I was hoping might play at Telluride, will instead World Premiere at the New York Fest.  I thought there might be a return to TFF after Spotlight started there in 2015 and ended up with that film winning the Oscar for Best Picture.

THIS AND THAT

TRAILER FOR THE DEBUT

from YouTube

TRAILER FOR GENTLE MONSTER

From YouTube

FIRST LOOKS FROM A LONG WINTER

We have a first set of photos from Andrew Haigh's A Long Winter from The Playlist.  Here are a couple:

You can find a couple more here at The Playlist.

https://theplaylist.net/a-long-winter-first-look-andrew-haighs-tiff-bound-pic-20260811/

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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!

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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.

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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.

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