A Trailer for Manchester by the Sea / What's the Mystery Film? / Toronto Chiefs Name Contenders...They Sound Familiar

Good Thursday fellow film lovers.  The 43rd Telluride Film Festival is now only 7 days away...


A TRAILER FOR MANCHESTER BY THE SEA

Purportedly an Oscar contender since it bowed at The Sundance Film Festival last February, Kenneth Lonergan's Manchester by the Sea is expected by many to be that rare "Sundance" exception for The SHOW.  They don't come along very often.

For a good chunk of time I thought, and some others did as well, that Nate Parker's Birth of a Nation might be an exception too or instead but we're pretty sure that won't happen.

Manchester received great response from the Sundance crowd and is regarded by some as a strong contender for Oscar action.  The film stars Casey Affleck and Michelle Williams both of whom could well be in the conversation for acting awards.  The buzz on Affleck is particularly strong.

Those of us who didn't see the film in Park City now have a chance to look at some of it as Amazon/Roadside Attractions released a full trailer for it yesterday.  Here it is via YouTube:

As you might expect, here's coverage of the release of the trailer yesterday from:  

Indiewire

Awards Daily

The Film Stage

FirstShowing

Awards Circuit

The Playlist

WHAT'S THE MYSTERY FILM?

Well, the Ol' Blog is chugging right along.  It gets increasing attention the closer we get to the opening of each year's SHOW and this year has been no exception.  Within the last couple of weeks MTFB has been mentioned or linked by Awards Daily, Awards Circuit, Awards Watch and maybe most intriguingly by Hollywood Elsewhere last Sunday evening.

The HE mention included a version of the last week;s Ten (Plus) Bets.  What made it intriguing were a couple of phrases in the post to the effect that author Jeffrey Wells had run the list by "a guy who knows his stuff" and that said "guy" all but endorsed the "Ten Bets" but also apparently added that it did not include "one major American film that is definitely going".

Which piqued my interest.

So...what could that "major American film" be?

Seems to me that the description really gives us some clues and limits.

At this point, by reason of deduction, has be a film that is NOT playing Toronto or New York which have revealed (we think) all of the films for their lineups.

It could be a film that will play Venice as part of that festival occurs before Telluride begins and continues after T-ride is over.

It could also be a film that will play the AFI Fest, BFI (because we don't know their complete lineups yet) or isn't going to play any other Festival at all.

And it has to be a "major American" film.

So...

If you've been reading this space of late you know that one of the rumors that's swirling around is that Warners is going to screen Sully in Telluride.  That would seem to fit the criteria listed above.

As a matter of fact, the three Warners' pictures we've been batting around for weeks would all probably fit the bill: Sully, The Accountant and Live By Night.

Next, I'm going to admit what a number of people have been guessing since last Friday that the buzz I've heard about a Venice film that could play despite its Toronto designation as a North American premiere is (as some of you have guessed) Nocturnal Animals.

If Nocturnal IS the film that our "guy" is referencing then that would raise a bunch of questions centered on the veracity of Toronto's so-called "honest premiere status" policy.  I think you'd have to question any and all of Toronto's designations at that point.

Additionally, someone in some comment section or forum somewhere this last week, suggested that the term "major American film" implied a release from a major studio rather than a distributor like Focus Features which is distributing Nocturnal Animals.

That said, Nocturnal Animals could be in the TFF #43 lineup, if what I'm hearing is true.

Three other films seem, to me anyway, to fit the descriptive terms.

Warren Beatty's Rules Don't Apply (20th Century Fox, release 11/23)

Robert Zemeckis' Allied (Paramount, release 11/23)

David Frankel's Collateral Beauty (New Line Cinema, release 12/16)

Martin Scorsese's Silence and Denzel Washington's Fences seem out of reach for Telluride.  Scorsese has been reported as saying Silence won't be ready until October and hasn't git a release date.  Fences is also thought to be unready and isn't set for release until 12/25.

So, in order, it seems to me that the best guess is:

1) Sully
2) Nocturnal Animals
3) Allied
4) Rules Don't Apply
5) Collateral Beauty

But I wouldn't bet the kids college fund.

Last real quick blip...The Ron Howard Beatles doc Eight Days a Week; The Touring Years

Got other ideas or thoughts...comment!

The original Hollywood Elsewhere post is here:

Hollywood Elsewhere


TORONTO CHIEFS NAME CONTENDERS...AND THEY SOUND FAMILIAR

In a story in The Guardian on Wednesday, Toronto International Film Festival CEO Piers Handling and Artistic Director Cameron Bailey responded to inquiry about the films that they have programmed for TIFF 2016 focusing on their evaluation of awards prospects.

The gentlemen named three films: Damien Chazelle's La La Land, Barry Jenkins' Moonlight and Denis Villenueve's Arrival.  Those comments were music to my ears as all three are expected (by MTFB anyway) to make the lineup for the 2016 version of The SHOW.

Last week's Ten (Plus) Bets had La La Land at #3, Arrival at #4 and Moonlight at #5.

Here's the article from The Guardian

That's going to do have to do it for this Thursday.  A new Ten (plus) Bets drops tomorrow!

Contact MTFB at:

mpgort@gmail.com

OR on Twitter @Gort2

OR check out Michael's Telluride Film Blog on Facebook:

Michael's Telluride Film Blog Facebook Page

Or leave a comment.

Hidden Figures Unhidden / Pitt and Cotillard are Allied / Venice and Toronto Meditations / The People's Telluride Returns / It's Easier to Follow MTFB

Good Monday everyone.  Hope you had an excellent weekend.


HIDDEN FIGURES UNHIDDEN

It's a late entry in the end of the year film sweepstakes and not really a highly likely Telluride candidate but you never know.  Theodore Melfi's Hidden Figures (from Fox 2000) debuted a trailer during Olympic coverage last night and then any number of press outlets offered it as well.  The film tells the true story of African American employees of NASA and their contributions to America's successful entry into the space race.

Here's the trailer from YouTube:

Hidden Figures stars Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Keven Costner.  It's set for release (at least for the time being) on Jan. 13, 2017.  However, the film has been reportedly test screening.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hidden-figures-trailer-taraji-p-919428

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2016/08/14/hidden-figures-movie-sneak-peek/88568332/

http://www.awardscircuit.com/2016/08/14/watch-first-trailer-hidden-figures-debuted-olympics/

http://theplaylist.net/taraji-p-henson-octavia-spencer-calculate-history-first-trailer-nasa-drama-hidden-figures-20160814/

http://awardswatch.com/news/the-hidden-figures-trailer-and-new-pics-of-taraji-p-henson-octavia-spencer-janelle-monae/


PITT AND COTILLARD ARE ALLIED

We saw the release of trailers over the weekend for a couple of films that could well be Oscar contenders and are also not terribly likely films to end up in the Telluride #43 schedule.

Allied is directed by Robert Zemeckis and stars Marion Cotillard and Brad Pitt in a WWII set romance/thriller.  Cotillard and Pitt have both attended a Telluride Film Fest and the film is from Paramount, which we're pretty sure is going to have Arrival on the T-ride schedule...so...you know...maybe.

Here's the trailer from YouTube:

Allied is set to open on Nov. 23.

Coverage of Allied and the trailer's release:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/allied-teaser-trailer-brad-pitt-919133

http://www.indiewire.com/2016/08/allied-trailer-brad-pitt-and-marion-cotillard-test-each-other-in-alluring-spy-thriller-1201716188/

http://www.awardsdaily.com/2016/08/12/first-look-at-allied-brad-pitt-and-marion-cotillard/

https://thefilmstage.com/trailer/brad-pitt-and-marion-cotillard-find-love-in-war-in-first-trailer-for-robert-zemeckis-allied/

http://www.ew.com/article/2016/08/12/allied-trailer-brad-pitt-marion-cotillard

http://theplaylist.net/brad-pitt-marion-cotillard-face-love-war-first-trailer-allied-20160812/



VENICE/TORONTO MEDITATIONS

The Venice Film Fest have unleashed the screening schedule and that, perhaps, it gives us some clues, questions and validations.

The first concern is whether films that the TIFF announcement's have hinted are probable Telluride films that are also playing in Venice have been scheduled in a manner that would allow their play in both fests.

Those films:

Arrival
La La Land
Frantz.

We already knew that La La Land would open Venice on Aug. 31 which fits with a Telluride play easily.  We now know that Arrival is set for its first screening on Sept. 1.  That works as well.  Of some concern is the Sept. 3 screening date for Frncois Ozon's Frantz.  That's dicey for The Ride.  All of those Venice competition films are slated as world Premieres which, if true, would suggest that Frantz would be on a tight schedule to get set-up for a 9/4 play at T-ride.  We think it's headed to Telluride due to its TIFF designation as a Canadian Premiere.  So...maybe it navigates the tight window, plays T-ride first (thus negating its Venice "world" premiere status) or that it doesn't really play at Telluride.

A couple of additional notes:  Wim Wenders The Beautiful Days of Aranjuez is scheduled for a Sept.1 screening  making it a very real possibility to fly to T-ride after that.  Also, jazz documentary I Called Him Morgan looks like it could make a play at Telluride as it is also scheduled for a Sept. 1 screening.  Three other Venice documentaries could still be in the Telluride conversation are: Chasing Trane, Beauties of the Night and American Anarchist.

THE PEOPLE'S TELLURIDE RETURNS FOR 2016

It's your annual call to rate the films you see at the Telluride Film Festival.  MTFB is once again asking YOU to participate in The People's Telluride...a gathering of film ratings from the ticket buying public at the fest.

It's simple...rate the films you see on a 1 to 5 scale (1 being awful and 5 being masterpiece) and then send those to me via email: mpgort@gmail.com or michael_speech@hotmail.com OR via the comments section here on the blog or to my twitter account @Gort2.

IT'S EASIER TO FOLLOW MTFB NOW

I've added a "FOLLOW" button to the blog page.  You'll see it in the upper right hand area of the page. Just click on it and you can make it much easier to keep up with what's going on here.

Contact MTFB at:

mpgort@gmail.com

OR on Twitter @Gort2

OR check out Michael's Telluride Film Blog on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Michaels-Telluride-Film-Blog-and-The-Film-Awards-Clearinghouse-107846269309712/

Or leave a comment.

Toronto Announces Canadian Based Titles / New York Will Close with The Lost City of Z / First Look at Allied

Good Thursday Everyone...

In the last 24 hours we've learned more about what won't be at Telluride...


TORONTO ANNOUNCES CANADIAN BASED TITLES

The Toronto International Film Festival announced its second wave of films for a variety of parts of their program yesterday.  As they have done traditionally, this second wave focused on Canadian films that would be playing across the spectrum of TIFF's sections.  From those announcements we can conclude that Xavier Dolan's It's Only the End of the World will NOT play Telluride as TIFF lists it as a North American premiere.

I had thought its chances diminished in the wake of withering critical response at Cannes BUT the film did win the Grand Prize from the Jury as well as the Ecumenical Jury prize which stunned me and others but was enough for me to keep it mind for TFF #43.  Another factor that kept me from completely dismissing its Telluride chances were the fact that Dolan, despite his Canadian pedigree played Telluride two years ago to wide acclaim with his Mommy.

Seems like we have our answer now.

One other film was announced as a Canadian Premiere which is often an indication that a T-ride berth is in the works.  The film is Jean of the Joneses.  Some digging reveals that the film has previously played at South by Southwest, as well as the L.A. and Nantucket Film Fests...so the Canadian designation almost certainly is reflective of that rather than an indication that it might play in the San Juans.

Here's coverage from yesterday's Toronto additions:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/toronto-film-festival-unveils-canadian-916812

http://www.thewrap.com/toronto-film-festival-adds-canadian-dramas-about-rape-politics-journalism/

http://www.indiewire.com/2016/08/tiff-2016-its-only-the-end-of-the-world-mean-dreams-rising-stars-1201712678/


NEW YORK WILL CLOSE WITH THE LOST CITY OF Z

Along the same lines as the first story in today's blog, the announcement yesterday from the New York Film Festival that its closing night film will be the world premiere of James Gray's The Lost City of Z takes it off the Telluride table.


I have been convinced for the last four years that Gray would be headed to Telluride with a film as he was part of the presentation in 2012 of the tribute to Marion Cotillard.  Despite his appearance as an interviewer at T-ride recently (in 2014 for Apocalypse Now), he just hasn't made the trip.

Admittedly, I thought Z was a long shot to make the playbill this year but I also haven't thought that it was impossible.  Now, if the NYFF premiere status is to be believed, Z is lost to Telluride.

Coverage here:

http://www.filmlinc.org/nyff2016/daily/james-gray-the-lost-city-of-z-nyff-closing-night/

http://variety.com/2016/film/news/the-lost-city-of-z-new-york-film-festival-2016-1201829118/

http://www.ew.com/article/2016/08/03/new-york-film-festival-2016-closing-film-lost-city-z

http://www.indiewire.com/2016/08/new-york-film-festival-james-gray-the-lost-city-of-z-nyff-1201712674/


FIRST LOOK AT ROBERT ZEMECKIS' ALLIED

We got our first still from Robert Zemeckis' Allied starring Brad Pitt and the above-mentioned Marion Cotillard yesterday via the breaking exclusive from People:

You have to admit, they look pretty.  Allied's T-ride profile is all but non-existent save for the fact that both Pitt and Cotillard have been at the fest (Cotillard, as mentioned above in 2012, Pitt with 12 Years a Slave in 2013) and that Paramount, which is a rare player at Telluride most years, seems to be already planning to be there with Denis Villenueve's Arrival.  Allied has an announced release date of Nov. 23.

So...not likely...but not impossible.  We'll see if the film pops up in any further announcements for Toronto, New York and/or London.

http://www.people.com/article/first-look-brad-pitt-marion-cotillard-in-allied

https://thefilmstage.com/news/first-look-at-robert-zemeckis-allied-starring-marion-cotillard-and-brad-pitt/

http://www.indiewire.com/2016/08/allied-first-look-brad-pitt-marion-cotillard-robert-zemeckis-wwii-thriller-1201712758/

http://theplaylist.net/first-look-brad-pitt-marion-cotillard-allied-20160803/


That's it for Thursday...more tomorrow...

Contact MTFB at:

mpgort@gmail.com

OR on Twitter @Gort2

OR check out Michael's Telluride Film Blog on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Michaels-Telluride-Film-Blog-and-The-Film-Awards-Clearinghouse-107846269309712/

Or leave a comment.

Can We Talk Tributes? / Distribution: Kino Lorber's Telluride Profile / And a Thank You and a Re-Assessment

Good Independence Day America!  It's also a Monday...


CAN WE TALK TRIBUTES?

I know, I know.  It's too early.  Much smarter to do this guesswork later in the summer when the Telluride lineup has been made clearer by the lineup announcements from other festivals (i.e. Toronto, Venice and New York).  Nevertheless, over the weekend, for hoots, I decided to see if recent Telluride history could tell us anything and if we could apply those lessons in terms of creating some notions of who might get the medallions over Labor Day weekend.

Start with looking at tribute recipients over the past dozen years whose selection was in accordance to a film that was going to be a part of the fall release schedule, and perceptually a possible awards contender.  Here's the list of recipient/film (and distributor):

2004-Laura Linney/Kinsey (Fox Searchlight)
2005-Charlotte Rampling/Lemming (Strand) and The Dardennes Brothers/The Child (SPC)
2006-Penelope Cruz/Volver (SPC)
2007-Daniel Day Lewis/There Will Be Blood ( Paramount Vantage)
2008-David Fincher/Benjamin Button (Paramount)
2009-Viggo Mortensen/The Road (TWC-Dimension)
2010-Peter Weir/The Way Back (Mulitple) and Colin Firth/The King's Speech (TWC)
2011-Tilda Swinton/We Need to Talk (Oscilloscope) and George Clooney/The Descendants (Fox Searchlight)
2012-Marion Cotillard/Rust and Bone (SPC) and Mads Mikkelsen/The Hunt and Royal Affair (Magnolia)
2013-Robert Redford/All is Lost (Lionsgate, Roadside) and The Coen Brothers w/ T-Bone Burnett/Inside Llewyn Davis (CBS Films)
2014-Hilary Swank/The Homesman (Roadside/Saban)
2015-Danny Boyle/Steve Jobs (Warners) and Rooney Mara/Carol (TWC)

Takeaways:
21 people tributed:

14 men and 7 women

7 actresses
6 actors
9 directors (Redford and Clooney count here as well as the actor category)
1 musician (T-Bone)

The Weinstein Company-3
Sony Pictures Classics-3
Fox Searchlight-2
Lionsgate et al-2
Paramount-2

So...

A tribute recipient is more likely to be a man and slightly more likely to be a director.  Also, you're more likely to be a tribute recipient if you're in  film from one of the five distribution outlets listed above.

Now, let's apply this information to the films we think might be in play from each of these five.

The Weinstein Company: Lion.  Your best tribute bet from Lion is Nicole Kidman  I actually think that this could be a very real possibility (especially if TFF doubles up on Kidman films playing the fest.  I.E. How to Talk to Girls at Parties).  The director here is Garth Davis, who doesn't have a long enough resume to be a believable candidate and no other cast mate suggests the possibility, especially since Rooney Mara was a tributee last year.  The other outside shot is Wild Oats.  Star Shirley MacLaine was a tribute recipient in 1996 but I could see a Jessica Lange tribute as a very real possibility...if the film rises to Telluride standards.

This note, however, see the latest TWC news below [which means we might consider Matthew McConnaughey as atribute possibility]...

SPC-  They're likely to be in The SHOW with at least two films: Toni Erdmann and The Red Turtle and they could conceivably get in a couple more: Julieta and Elle.  Not a soul is terribly probable here.  Director Pedro Almodovar (Julieta) was a tribute recipient in 1988 and actress Isabelle Huppert (Elle) received one in 1986.  No one else stands out with the possible exception of director Paul Verhoeven (Elle) and I just don't see that.  Though, I do have to say, I am increasingly reassessing my insistence that the film won't play Telluride.  As of this morning, it's moved from a "nope" to a "maybe".

Fox Searchlight- Their only shots at Telluride appear to be Wilson and The Birth of a Nation. No one in BOAN seems very likely as a tribute candidate.  But Wilson is a different matter.  The film's star is Woody Harrelson and I could see that easily as a possibility for tribute.

Lionsgate/Roadside/Saban-Their best bets for Telluride are La La Land and American Pastoral.  La La seems all too young.  Certainly not director Damien Chazelle, whose career has just begun. Among the cast, I suppose Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling are possible but the most probable might be character actor and recent Oscar winner J.K Simmons.

In as far as American Pastoral is concerned: Director/Actor Ewan McGregor wouldn't be a totally crazy option nor would co-star Jennifer Connelly.  By the by, if American Pastoral makes the trip to the San Juans, can we bring Philip Roth?

Paramount- Paramount's bench is deep with films that could make a T-ride lineup if they and the fest see eye to eye.  Allied, Arrival, The Lost City of Z, Silence.  Let's look at the tribute potential for each:

Allied- Director Robert Zemeckis-sure.  Star-Brad Pitt-Yup.  Marion Cotillard-already got one in 2012.

Arrival- Director Denis Villenueve-probably too early in his career.  Amy Adams-yup.  Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitaker-maybe.

The Lost City of Z- Director James Gray is a maybe.  The cast all seems too young-Hunnam, Pattinson, Holland.

Silence- Now, both the director, Martin Scorsese and  lead actor Liam Neeson would be a great choice for a tribute but I suspect that if Silence does a fest at all it will be NYFF or maybe AFI.  Hope I'm wrong.



DISTRIBUTION: KINO LORBER'S TELLURIDE PROFILE

Kino and/or Lorber and Kino Lorber were a hit and miss Telluride presence a decade ago.  They had Blind Mountain at TFF in 2007 and weren't back again until 2010 with La Quattro Volte and Poetry. Then after another lengthy layoff, they've become a solid presenter at Telluride over the last three years.

2013- Burning Bush, La Maison de la Radio, Manuscripts Don't Burn
2014-The Decent One
2015- Ixcanul, Sembene!, Taxi

So for 2016?  Kino Lorber has Berlin Golden Bear winner Fire at Sea in their stable and I really do think that it will make an appearance over Labor Day weekend.  Aside from Fire at Sea, however, I'm not as bullish about other films that KL has.

Slack Bay played at Cannes to middling critical response and no wins in competition.  Tower, the animated documentary about the shootings on the University of Texas campus by Charles Whitman in 1966, has played in a bunch of domestic fests, including South by Southwest so it's off the table.

So, Fire at Sea (80%) seems like the lone entry from Kino Lorber this year but also seems virtual lock to me with an outside shot at Slack Bay (35%) making the program.

Tomorrow our distribution odyssey will continue as we take a look at the newest and hottest players at Telluride from the last couple of years and the newest player that could make a splash at T-ride in 2016.


AND A THANK YOU AND A RE-ASSESSMENT

Much appreciation to Sasha Stone who mentioned me and MTFB in her Saturday story about the upcoming HHhH from The Weinstein Company.  I need to probably go back and retroactively add it to last Wednesday story about films that TWC has in its hopper.

Here's the link to her story:

http://www.awardsdaily.com/2016/07/02/best-picture-watch-hhhh-weinstein-project-about-nazis/

Meanwhile, I stumbled across the fact that Jeff Wells has Stephen Gaghan's Gold listed among his Oscar Balloon films as one of those with "highest expectations".  The film stars Matthew McConnaughey and Edgar Ramirez.  I had been discounting the film altogether as it is also listed at IMDb as being under TWC's Dimension branch (which, to be fair, did provide The Road for Telluride in 2009).

Here's Well's latest Oscar Balloon:

http://www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/oscar-balloon/

Finally, add to add to the TWC pile this weekend, I heard from a friend who had heard from a friend (so, weigh that as you will) that Lion was screened privately at Cannes and the film wasn't particularly well received.

So after TWC's initial evaluation last week on Wednesday, my thinking has changed just a bit.  On Wednesday I had Lion at 60% and Wild Oats at 30% with Ballerina at 15%.

Now, with the added information add HHhH and Gold to our list and re-adjust:  New TWC chances:

Lion 50%
HHhH 30%
Gold 30%
Wild Oats 30%
Ballerina 15%

And, let me just ask rhetorically, could his be the first year  since I started tracking this stuff (I have TWC/Miramax back to 2006) that The Weinstein Company does not have a film at TFF?


Happy Fourth ya'll.  More on Tuesday...

Contact MTFB at:

mpgort@gmail.com

OR on Twitter @Gort2

OR check out Michael's Telluride Film Blog on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Michaels-Telluride-Film-Blog-and-The-Film-Awards-Clearinghouse-107846269309712/

OR leave a comment...

What About the Big Dogs? / A Look at Daniel Blake

Good Wednesday to everyone...

Again, my apologies for not getting a post out yesterday.


WHAT ABOUT THE BIG DOGS?


There are films every year that get scheduled for fall and holiday seasons that are expected to resonate with film goers and the awards community and a constant mystery and guessing game is where and when they might land festival-wise or if they will land at a fest at all.

Our central question/speculation focuses on Telluride and so, let's take a look at that type of film and assess if the various BIG films coming soon might have the stuff to make an appearance at Telluride in September.

The candidates:

Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk-dir: Ang Lee.  Pro (making a Telluride play) Ang Lee has been around T-ride before: Brokeback, Crouching Tiger.  Con: Distrib is Sony and Tri Star which doesn't bode well.

Silence-dir: Martin Scorsese.  Pro: Scorsese was a Telluride player long ago and has continued to be a "presence" there in recent years as a producer of documentaries: Living in the Material World, The 50 Year Argument, Letter to Elia.  Also, Bill Pohlad's River Road is one of the producers.  Con: Paramount is distributing.

Allied still from Variety.com

Allied-dir- Robert Zemeckis.  Pro: Film stars Telluride sweetheart Marion Cotillard.  Con: Paramount again and the lack of history between  Zemeckis or the film's producers with T-ride.

Sully- dir- Clint Eastwood.  Pro: Eastwood has some history with Telluride; White Hunter, Black Heart.  It's from Warner Brothers which has a had a serious Telluride profile recently (Gravity, Black Mass).  Con: Eastwood has been content to avoid fall fests for a good long while.

Passengers-dir-Morten Tyldum.  Pro; Tyldum's last effort, The Imitation Game. played Telluride. Con: Sony distributes...no Telluride history beyond specialty arm Sony Pictures Classics.

War Machine-dir-David Michod.  Pro: Netflix distributes (Beasts of No Nation, Winter on Fire) and Brad Pitt's Plan B aids in producing (12 Years a Slave).  Con: Netflix may be eclipsed by Amazon as the streaming service with the profile at Telluride this year.

For other films expected to land as popular, critical or awards players check this post from Indiewire:

http://www.indiewire.com/2016/06/2017-oscar-predictions-best-picture-1201687971/


A LOOK AT DANIEL BLAKE

Ken Loach's I, Daniel Blake was a surprise winner of this year's Cannes Film Festival's Palme d'Or. That makes it a serious possibility for Telluride.  Added to that, Ken Loach has played Telluride before as a tribute recipient in 1993.

Additionally, the film is being released in the U.S. through by Sundance Selects which has a significant T-ride profile.  Also, Telluride hasn't scheduled a Palme winner since 2013's Blue is the Warmest Color and history suggests that we're due for a Palme winner in the San Juans.

All of that to tell you that we have our first look at a trailer for the award winning film via YouTube:

I, Daniel Blake is still unscheduled for U.S. release.

The Playlist has coverage of the trailer release:

http://theplaylist.net/first-trailer-ken-loachs-palme-dor-winner-daniel-blake-takes-tender-look-good-people-20160615/

That's it for Wednesday...

Contact MTFB at:

mpgort@gmail.com

OR on Twitter @Gort2

OR check out Michael's Telluride Film Blog on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Michaels-Telluride-Film-Blog-and-The-Film-Awards-Clearinghouse-107846269309712/

OR leave a comment...