Categorical Weirdness / A Candidate for the Unusual Tribute / Coming Soon: Things to Come

Good Wednesday everybody...


CATEGORICAL WEIRDNESS

It seems to happen every year especially since Toronto and the rest of the film fest world moved to the "honest" premiere status requirement.  That is that between the various announcements of what's eiplaying where and when, there occur some weird anamolies.

Case in point...yesterday, I was alerted by friend of the blog Kenny Miles to the announcement of the film lineup for Fantastic Fest.  It's a film fest based in Austin, TX and will run Sept. 22-29 this year. Mr. Miles called my attention to FF's claim that Andrea Arnold's American Honey would play as a "Texas" premiere.  That's curious as we know that the film has played Cannes (World preem) and was announced last week for Toronto as a North American premiere.  That unto itself is partially beguiling.  What makes it all the more curious is that Fantastic Fest has listed other films with the designation of a "U.S. Premiere" (Aloys and The Crew for example).  What that seems to mean is that Fantastic Fest believes that American Honey will have played somewhere else in the U.S. prior to Sept. 22.

Unless I'm missing something, that means one of the designations from either TIFF or FF have to be inaccurate unless there's a film fest in the United States that's going to get it between Toronto (Sept. 8-18) and Fantastic Fest.   Off the top of my head, nothing springs to mind.  The Aspen Film Fest opens on Sept. 21, so I suppose that's a possibility.

Mr. Miles was curious about whether the "Texas" premiere designation might mean that a Telluride play was possible.  While I doubt it and I suspect that there's a perfectly reasonable explanation that I haven't tumbled onto yet...I can't completely rule it out.

Over the past three years there have been films which have been accidentally categorized in gthe wrong premiere category and there have also been a film or two that have flaunted the designation requirement and kept their Telluride presence under wraps.  Sooo...

Here's the Fantastic Fest announcement:

http://fantasticfest.com/news/entry/fantastic-fest-2016-announces-the-first-wave-of-progamming



A CANDIDATE FOR AN UNUSUAL TRIBUTE

In 2014 the Telluride Film Festival took the unusual step of tributing a film rather than a person.  Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now was feted with screenings as well as screenings of the documentary Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse".  FFC was there along with DP Vittorio Sortaro, editor Water Murch and producer Fred Roos.  It was, I believe, the first time that a tribute honored something rather than someone or someones.

Which has got me wondering this week as I have been seeing the promo for the re-issue of Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver for its 40th anniversary.  My understanding is that the film will be screened in theaters again.  Both Screen Daily and The Playlist are reporting spruced up version of a 2011 digital restoration.  At this point there are plans foe overseas screenings but no announced plan for the United States.

The film played last April at the Tribeca Film Fest (DeNiro's home festival) so we know that it's festival ready.

So, in the spirit of a tribute to Apocalypse Now, I humbly submit that Taxi Driver be afforded the same status in four weeks.  While you're at it, get Scorsese, DeNiro and Paul Schrader on board to be part of the presentation.

Here's the recently released teaser trailer for the 40th anniversary screenings from YouTube:

And the previously mentioned stories from Screen Daily and The Playlist:

http://www.screendaily.com/home/blogs/taxi-driver-gets-40th-anniversary-trailer/5107152.article

http://theplaylist.net/hit-streets-trailer-40th-anniversary-re-release-martin-scorseses-taxi-driver-20160801/

COMING SOON: THINGS TO COME

Overnight the folks at The Playlist dropped a new trailer for Mia Hansen-Love's Things to Come which played extremely well at this year's Berlin Film Fest winning the Silver Bear and is expected to make the Telluride lineup owing to its announced status as a Canadian premiere for the Toronto Film Fest.

Things to Come stars Isabelle Huppert.  Here is the new trailer from YouTube:

And the post from The Playlist:

http://theplaylist.net/isabelle-huppert-finds-freedom-new-trailer-mia-hansen-loves-things-come-20160803/


That's it for today.  Come back tomorrow when we may have new information from TIFF.

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 Announcement Examined

TORONTO ANNOUNCEMENT EXAMINED

The Toronto International Film Festival announced a total of 68 films this morning.  By examining their announced premiere status one can make a pretty educated guess as to the films from that list of 68 that are likely to make the TFF #43 lineup.  It's not always 100% accurate.  I have seen a film or two listed as a TIFF World Premiere that went on to play Telluride the weekend before Toronto but since the advent of "honest premiere" status that is very rare.

Onto the news from this morning.  Based on their status as "Canadian Premieres" we can probably expect to see the following at Telluride:

Arrival
Bleed for This
Frantz
La La Land
Maudie
Neruda
Things to Come
Toni Erdmann
Una

Manchester by the Sea is also listed as a Canadian Premiere but that would have been true at any rate as it was a Sundance film.  I still think it's a pretty likely owing to things I have read (Wells) and heard.  The CP designation may signal that it might play at Venice in some capacity.

Birth of a Nation is listed as an International Premiere which (as Wells said yesterday) indicates no Telluride play.

One other International Preem is Brotherhood which will have premiered in the UK prior to playing TIFF...so not a T-ride player.

All other films announced this morning were labeled World or North American Premieres which indicates that they will NOT play Telluride and, as it is every year, there were some surprises including:

American Honey
Lion
The Salesman
Salt and Fire.

All films I had thought had superior chances of playing TFF #43.

Also, as I have thought for most of the summer, Elle will not play Telluride.

Films that I had hoped to play Telluride that are off the blocks are:

American Pastoral
Denial
Nocturnal Animals
LBJ
Loving
A Monster Calls
The Secret Scripture
Snowden

People that could be showing up with their films in Telluride:

Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Miles Teller, Aaron Eckhardt, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Rooney Mara and Ben Mendelsohn

Still unannounced after this morning:

Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk
Silence
Moonlight
20th Century Women
Rules Don't Apply
Allied
War Machine
Fences
HHhH
Gold
Passengers
Miss Sloane
Live by Night
The Accountant
Hidden Figures
Sully
The Founder
The Girl on the Train
The Mercy
The Lost City of Z
Wilson
Passengers
Wild Oats


I'm probably leaving some out.

Here's the official press release from Toronto with descriptions and premiere statuses:

https://gallery.mailchimp.com/bed63d3ce10ec9adba60ea410/files/Galas_and_SPs_2016__.pdf


MORE TO COME...

TFF #43 Ten Bets #4 / Euro Producers Part Two: The French-StudioCanal / The Rules Don't Apply for The Rules Don't Apply

It's FRIDAY!

TFF #43 TEN BETS

We're a couple of weeks away from the dual announcements of the first wave of Toronto films and the majority of films that will play the Venice fest and both of those lists will begin to give us our first real opportunity to do some inductive reasoning and a good idea of some of the Telluride lineup. Until then, you're stuck with my best guesses.

Last week's Ten Bets:

10) La La Land (Chazelle, Lionsgate, 12/2)

9) Things to Come (Hansen-Love, Sundance/IFC, TBA)

8) The Unknown Girl (Dardenne Brothers, TBA)

7) The Red Turtle, Dudok de Wit, SPC, TBA)

6) American Honey (Arnold, A24, 9/30)

5) Fire at Sea (Rosi, Kino Lorber, Y+TBA)

4) Moonlight (Jenkins, A24, 10/21)

3) Wilson (Johnson, Fox Searchlight, TBA)

2) The Salesman (Farhadi, Amazon/Cohen Media, 12/9)

1) Toni Erdmann (Ade, SPC, TBA)

This week's Ten Bets:

10) The Unknown Girl (Dardennes, Sundance Selects, TBA)
9) Things to Come (Hansen-Love, Sundance Selects, TBA)
8)  Wilson (Johnson, Fox Searchlight, TBA)

7) La La Land (Chazelle, Lionsgate, 12/2)

6) American Honey (Arnold, A24, 9/30)

5) Moonlight (Jenkins, A24, 10/21)

4) The Red Turtle (Dudok de Wit, SPC, TBA)

3) Toni Erdmann (Ade, SPC, 12/25)

2) Fire at Sea (Rosi, Kino Lorber, TBA)

1) The Salesman (Farhadi, Amazon/Cohen, 12/9)

Close: Lion, American Pastoral, Salt and Fire, A United Kingdom, Aquarius, Journey Through French Cinema, A Monster Calls, 20th Century Women, How to Talk to Girls at Parties, Paterson, Bleed for This, Arrival.

EURO PRODUCERS PART TWO: THE FRENCH- STUDIOCANAL

Over the past 13 years, these films have played Telluride while having some production assistance from StudioCanal:

2003: Young Adam, Love Me If You Dare

2005: Cache

2006: Indigines, Catch a Fire

2010: The Princess of Montpensier

2012: Love, Marilyn

2013: Inside Llewyn Davis

2015: He Named Me Malala

In the hopper:  The Lost City of Z, Gold, From the Land of the Moon.  We could see any, all or none of these.

THE RULES DON'T APPLY FOR THE RULES DON'T APPLY

Warren Beatty's new film...he says won't be in a fall film fest.  Warren Beatty is a trickster.  He's probably not spoofing us...but he might be.

And if he is?  

Honestly, the most likely spots would be AFI and New York.  Venice and then Toronto.  Telluride would be probably the last possibility...which makes it possible if Beatty is playing a game.  Do I think it's coming?  Nope.  But what if it did?

Anyway...the folks at 20th Century Fox released a trailer for the film early yesterday morning.  Here it is from YouTube:

It looks fairly humorous...

Coverage of the trailer drop is here:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/rules-dont-apply-trailer-warren-911007

http://www.awardsdaily.com/2016/07/14/trailer-warren-beattys-rules-dont-apply/

http://theplaylist.net/first-trailer-warren-beattys-big-screen-return-rules-dont-apply-lily-collins-alden-ehrenreich-20160714/

http://www.firstshowing.net/2016/watch-first-trailer-for-rules-dont-apply-directed-by-warren-beatty/

http://www.thewrap.com/warren-beatty-lily-collins-rules-dont-apply-trailer-howard-hughes/

http://www.awardscircuit.com/2016/07/14/watch-first-trailer-warren-beattys-rules-dont-apply-w-alden-ehrenreich-lily-collins/

http://www.showbiz411.com/2016/07/14/first-trailer-for-warren-beattys-rules-dont-apply-looks-like-a-hit


That's all for this Friday.  Have a great weekend everyone.

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...

Euro Producers Part Three: The Brits-British Film Institute / A Look at Loving

Welcome to Wednesday...


EURO PRODUCERS PART THREE; THE BRITS: BRITISH FILM INSTITUTE

BFI hasn't been a long time fixture in as far as Telluride films are concerned going back over the past decade but, beginning with Ginger and Rosa in 2012, they have become a regular presence as the list below demonstrates.

BFI's past Telluride history includes:

2012: Ginger and Rosa
2013: Under the Skin

2014: Mr. Turner, '71

2015: Suffragette, 45 Years

Given the recent past and what BFI has had a hand in the only film that this truly points toward is Andrea Arnold's American Honey.  I've had American Honey consistently in my "Ten Bets" throughout the summer thus far.

Tomorrow we'll continue to look at European production houses and turn our attention to France.


A LOOK AT LOVING

A trailer has appeared for Jeff Nichols Cannes competition film Loving.  The film was well reviewed at Cannes in May and is regarded by many as a possible Oscar contender.  It stars Ruth Negga and Joel Edgerton and concerns the true story of an interracial married couple in mid-20th century Virginia whose case in front of the Supreme Court overturned the Virginia law that made their marriage illegal.

Here's the official trailer via YouTube:

I have also linked coverage of the trailer release here:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/judge-stops-web-sites-selling-91011

http://www.awardsdaily.com/2016/07/12/best-picture-watch-loving-trailer-debuts/

http://time.com/4394609/trailer-premiere-loving-movie-interracial-marriage/

http://www.indiewire.com/2016/07/loving-trailer-joel-edgerton-ruth-negga-jeff-nichols-oscar-contenders-1201704814/

http://www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/2016/07/a-respectable-period-drama-enhanced-by-ruth-neggas-performance

http://www.firstshowing.net/2016/must-watch-first-trailer-for-jeff-nichols-interracial-drama-loving/

http://www.slashfilm.com/loving-trailer/

https://thefilmstage.com/trailer/first-trailer-for-jeff-nichols-loving-starring-ruth-negga-and-joel-edgerton/

More to come 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...



Snowden Tease / European Producers: The British: Part One / Could We Spend Eternity in Telluride?

Good Monday Everyone.  I hope you had a great weekend,


SNOWDEN TEASE

I have mentioned Oliver Stone's Snowden in passing as an outside possibility for Telluride,  Among the factors that suggested that it could play were the fact that Stone has played Telluride before-1997 U-Turn- and that Snowden is under the Open Road banner...which had a better than average Telluride outing last year with a little film called Spotlight.

But, on the other hand, Stone has not been back to Telluride in the intervening years.  He seems to have been satisfied with playing his films since '97 in other places:Any Given Sunday-'99-didn't premiere at a festival, Alexander-'04-No fest premiere, World Trade Center-'06-Venice, W.-'08-Austin Film Fest, Wall Street-Money Never Sleeps-'10-Cannes, Savages-'12-no fest premiere.

News dropped on late Friday that raised my eyebrows just a little, however, as Snowden was announced for the San Sebastian Film Fest.  That fest opens Sept. 16th.  According to the reports the film will be having its European premiere at San Sebastian.  That designation tells us that the film could play Telluride, Toronto or both.  Screen Daily reached the same conclusion in their story about the announcement:

http://www.screendaily.com/festivals/san-sebastian/oliver-stones-snowden-to-get-european-premiere-at-san-sebastian/5106571.article?blocktitle=LATEST-FILM-NEWS&contentID=40562


The Hollywood Reporter also reported on he announcement last Friday:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/oliver-stones-snowden-san-sebastian-909266


Bottom line is that I am thinking that Snowden is now 50/50 for Telluride.  Maybe an Oliver Stone tribute.


EUROPEAN PRODUCERS: THE BRITISH:  PART ONE

We begin our look at European production companies that have had strong relationships with Telluride over the past decade or so and what that could mean in as far as TFF #43 is concerned.  We start today with Film 4.

Film 4's presence at Telluride in recent times looks like this:

2006: Deep Water
2007: When Did You Last See Your Father, Brick Lane
2008: Happy-Go-Lucky, Hunger, Slumdog Millionaire
2009: No film
2010: Another Year, Never Let Me Go
2011: Shame
2012: No film
2013- Under the Skin, 12 Years a Slave, Starred Up
2014- Mr. Turner
2015- Carol, Suffragette, 45 Years, Room

And their participation in films that are in some form or another on my Telluride watch list: American Honey, Una and Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk.  Based on their past, it seems like at least one of these three films is probably going to make the lineup.


Tomorrow we'll review BBC Films.


COULD WE SPEND ETERNITY IN TELLRUIDE

Director Tran Ahn Nu Hung hasn't played Telluride but that could change this year with his starry french multi-generational film Eternity.  Though the film has no current U.S. distribution, The Playlist reports that it seems a probable choice for Venice.  Could it also make the Telluride lineup?  Possibly.  Over the weekend, we saw the release of a french language trailer with subtitles.  It's here:

Eternity trailer via YouTube

Here's the story from The Playlist:

http://theplaylist.net/watch-audrey-tautou-melanie-laurent-berenice-bejo-first-trailer-tran-anh-hungs-eternity-20160621/

That'll do to start the week.  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...



Telluride Ten Bets #3 / Distribution Odds and Ends / A Sort of Trailer for How to Talk to Girls

Welcome to Friday!  Let's get right to it...


TELLURIDE TEN BETS #3

Last week's Ten Bets:

10) Things to Come (Hansen-Love, Sundance/IFC, TBA)
9) Lion (Davis, TWC, 11/25)
8) Moonlight (Jenkins, A24, 10/21)
7) Fire at Sea (Rosi, Kino Lorber, TBA)
6) The Red Turtle (Dudok de Wit, SPC, TBA)
5) The Unknown Girl (Dardennes, Sundance/IFC, TBA)
4) American Honey (Arnold, A24, 9/30)
3) Toni Erdmann (Ade, SPC, TBA)
2) Wilson (Johnson, Fox Searchlight, TBA)
1) The Salesman (Farhadi, Amazon/Cohen Media, TBA)

In the close category: American Pastoral, Loving, La La Land, A United Kingdom, Salt and Fire, Journey Through French Cinema, Aquarius, Birth of a Nation.

Now here's this week's latest iteration of ten films that I'm betting make the TFF #43 lineup.

10) La La Land (Chazelle, Lionsgate, 12/2)

9) Things to Come (Hansen-Love, Sundance/IFC, TBA)

8) The Unknown Girl (Dardenne Brothers, TBA)

7) The Red Turtle, Dudok de Wit, SPC, TBA)

6) American Honey (Arnold, A24, 9/30)

5) Fire at Sea (Rosi, Kino Lorber, Y+TBA)

4) Moonlight (Jenkins, A24, 10/21)

3) Wilson (Johnson, Fox Searchlight, TBA)

2) The Salesman (Farhadi, Amazon/Cohen Media, 12/9)

1) Toni Erdmann (Ade, SPC, TBA)

Close: Loving, Lion. American Pastoral, Salt and Fire, A United Kingdom, Aquarius, The Birth of a Nation, Journey Through French Cinema, A Monster Calls, 20th Century Women, How to Talk to Girls at Parties, Paterson.

DISTRIBUTION ODDS AND ENDS

Taking a last stroll through some distribution houses with a limited Telluride profile over the past decade and what they might offer to the festival.

MAGNOLIA- Past T-ride: 2006-Severance, 2007-Terror's Advocate, A Thousand Years of Good Prayers, Redacted, 2012-The Hunt, A Royal Affair, 2015-Viva

Potential for 2016- Harry Benson;Shoot First 30%

SAMUEL GOLDWYN- Past T-ride: 2008-American Violet, 2011-Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel, The Island President

Potential for 2016- Finding Altamira and Spirit of the Game both 25%

OSCILLOSCOPE- Past T-ride: 2008-Kisses, 2011- We Need to Talk About Kevin

Potential for 2016- One Week and a Day.  Chances 30%

ADOPT FILMS- Past T-ride: 2012- Barbara, 2013- Bethlehem

Potential for 2016- Beyond the Mountains and the Hills Chances 40%

That's the 2016 look at distribution outlets.  Next Monday I'll start looking at overseas production companies and what that might tell us about Telluride #43.

Also, this reminder.  Toronto's first wave announcement is coming on July 26 and Venice's comes July 28.  That should give us some serious insight.


SORT OF A TRAILER FOR HOW TO TALK TO GIRLS

Elle Fanning photo via The Hollywood Reporter

No, it's not an actual trailer for the film that we're keeping on the Telluride radar because it's in the A24 wheelhouse.  What it is is a teaser for the graphic novelization of the original Neil Gaiman story. So, though it's not for the film...it's kind of close.

Find the teaser embedded in this story from The Hollywood Reporter:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/neil-gaimans-how-talk-girls-908473

That'll do it for this Friday and this week.  Have a great weekend everyone!

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...



2016 Telluride Ten Bets #2 / Distribution: Lionsgate, Roadside and Saban / The Playlist Wish List for Fall Fests

Welcome to Friday and July, my friends...

2016 TELLURIDE TEN BETS #2

Here's last week's Ten Bets:

10) Lion (Davis, TWC, 11/25)
9) Loving (Nichols, Focus, 11/4)
8) The Red Turtle (Dudok de Wit, SPC, TBA)
7) Moonlight (Jenkins, A24, TBA)
6) American Honey (Arnold, A24, TBA)
5) Fire at Sea (Rosi, Kino Lorber, TBA)
4) The Unknown Girl (The Dardennes, Sundance/IFC, TBA)
3) Toni Erdmann (Ade, SPC, TBA)
2) The Salesman (Fahradi, Amazon/Cohen Media, TBA)
1) Wilson (Johnson, Fox Searchlight, TBA)


Not many changes this week... (Director, Distributor and U.S. release date-if known-in parenthesis)

10) Things to Come (Hansen-Love, Sundance/IFC, TBA)
9) Lion (Davis, TWC, 11/25)
8) Moonlight (Jenkins, A24, 10/21)
7) Fire at Sea (Rosi, Kino Lorber, TBA)
6) The Red Turtle (Dudok de Wit, SPC, TBA)
5) The Unknown Girl (Dardennes, Sundance/IFC, TBA)
4) American Honey (Arnold, A24, 9/30)
3) Toni Erdmann (Ade, SPC, TBA)
2) Wilson (Johnson, Fox Searchlight, TBA)
1) The Salesman (Farhadi, Amazon/Cohen Media, TBA)

In the close category: American Pastoral, Loving, La La Land, A United Kingdom, Salt and Fire, Journey Through French Cinema, Aquarius, Birth of a Nation.


DISTRIBUTION: LIONSGATE, ROADSIDE AND SABAN

This combination of companies has had the fifth largest profile at Telluride over the past six years, though they were absent in 2015, they have averaged collectively 1.25 films/year.  Here's their collective track record since 2010:

2010: Biutiful
2011: Albert Nobbs
2012: Stories We Tell
2013: All is Lost, Gloria
2014: '71, The Homesman, Mommy

So, what do they have lined up for 2016 that might be a Telluride temptation?

Lionsgate:

La La Land
American Pastoral

(I am personally discounting the chances of Deepwater Horizon, Patriots Day and Hacksaw Ridge...though that decision could be premature).  Neither the Roadside Attractions or Saban Films banners have a film lined up currently that feels Telluride-ish so if this group has a shot at the fest this year it looks like one or both of these films from the Lionsgate group.

I think both are 50/50 prospects, although the announcement last week that La La Land was going to open Venice and be in competition makes me give it a slight edge.  Frankly, I'd like both films to SHOW but, just as easily, neither of them could.

On Monday, I'll look at specialty house Kino Lorber.

THE PLAYLIST WISH LIST FOR FALL FESTS

As they do annually, The Playlist posted their 50 film wish list for the fall festival season yesterday afternoon.  In it, they make some guesses about what films will play the fest circuit and which fests. Of the 50 films, they list nine as having a chance at Telluride.  They are:

20th Century Women
Arrival
Gold
How to Talk to Girls at Parties
La La Land
Lion
A Monster Calls
Sully
Trespass Against Us

From their list, if you've read this space much this summer, you will know that I think that 20th Century Women, How to Talk to Girls, La La Land and Lion all have a shot.  The others, not so much in my estimation.

In addition to the nine films they list with a Telluride potential, they list an additional 11 films that I think have a legitimate chance but that they don't connect to T-ride.  Included are: American Pastoral, Jackie, The Lost City of Z, Moonlight, Nocturnal Animals, The Oppenheimer Strategies, The Secret Scripture, Snowden, Una, A United Kingdom and War Machine.

It should be noted that over the past couple of years The Playlist "50 Wish List" has not been particularly prescient about Telluride guesses.  Last year they tagged 13 films in the article and only two panned out.  In 2014 it was one of six.  So, grain of salt people.

Here's the link to the complete post and its 50 films.

http://theplaylist.net/50-films-hope-see-2016-fall-festivals-20160630/#cb-content


That's a wrap for Friday and for the week.  Have a good weekend and come back Monday.

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...

Looking at Distribution: Sony Pictures Classics / Wells Gives Us Hints / Osiason Updates His Predictions

Good Monday All...


LOOKING AT DISTRIBUTION: SONY PICTURES CLASSICS

Each year at about this time I begin to break down three categories of film makers to look at the most probable of Telluride Film Fest lineup choices.  Those categories being Overseas Producers, The "Usual Suspects"...people with a very clear history with the fest and Distirbutors.

Today I begin the breakdown of distribution companies that have had films play at Telluride.  It's worth noting that not every film that makes the lineup each year has a distribution deal in place when it screens in Telluride but most do and by looking at a distribs past record and what they have in their stable, we can try to make some educated guesses about what films might make the trip to southwest Colorado over the Labor Day weekend.


So we begin by looking at Sony Pictures Classics.


SPC has historically been the largest distribution presence at Telluride for more than a decade and it's really not even close.  No other company has as long and consistent track record of having films selected for The SHOW program as Sony Pictures Classics.

Here's what SPC has shown in Telluride in the last 13 years:


2015: Son of Saul (1)
2014: Foxcatcher, Leviathan, Red Army, Mr. Turner, Wild Tales, Salt of the Earth and Merchants of Doubt (7)
2013: The Invisible Woman, The Lunchbox, The Past, Tim's Vermeer and Jodorowsky's Dune (5)
2012: The Gatekeepers, At Any Price, Rust and Bone, No, Wadjda, Amour (6)
2011: A Dangerous Method, In Darkness, Footnote, A Separation (4)
2010: Incendies, Of Gods and Men, Tamara Drewe, Another Year, The Illusionist, Inside Job (6)
2009: The Last Station, The White Ribbon, Coco Before Chanel, A Prophet, An Education (5)
2008: Waltz with Bashir, I've Loved You So Long, O'Horten (3)
2007: Brick Lane, When Did You Last See Your Father, Persepolis, The Band's Visit, The Counterfeiters, Steep! (6)
2006: Jindabyne, The Lives of Others, Volver, The Italian (4)
2005: Breakfast on Pluto, Capote, Cache, The Child (4)
2004: Being Julia, House of Flying Daggers, Bad Education, Merchant of Venice, Up and Down, Yes (6)
2003: The Fog of War, My Life Without Me, The Triplets of Belleville, Young Adam (4)

It was truly weird to see SPC with only one film on the Telluride list last year.  It's just uncharacteristic for a company that has averaged around five films at TFF over the past decade-plus. I suspect that last year will prove to be an anomaly and that SPC will be back to Telluride with a larger set of films.  Perhaps not the five that they have averaged, however.

So, what does SPC have and will those films play at Telluride?

According to IMDb these are the films that SPC currently has in place for distribution that seem most likely:

Elle

Julieta

The Red Turtle

Toni Erdmann

  

All four of these films played Cannes in May.

Any other SPC films scheduled for 2016 have already opened or played Sundance.

My expectations are very high on both The Red Turtle and Toni Erdmann.  I had them on last Friday's first Ten Bets list for this year at #8 and #3 respectively.

Both Elle and Julieta could make the TFF #43 lineup as well but I feel both are less likely. Alomdovar hasn't had a film play TFF since 2006's Volver and despite Elle's critical reception at Cannes, which was very good, I still can't bring myself to buy into a Paul Verhoeven film at T-ride. Maybe I'm just a snob.

As to Toni Erdmann and The Red Turtle...I feel relatively confident that their critical reception at Cannes  makes them likely .

Toni Erdmann trailer with English subs via YouTube

Chances for each:

Toni Erdmann-80%

The Red Turtle-80%

Elle- 50%

Julieta-25%

Tomorrow a look at Sundance Selects/IFC Films.

WELLS GIVES US HINTS

I was looking through some posts here and there over the weekend and ran across two recent entries from Jeff Wells at Hollywood Elsewhere that give serious insight to at least one potential Telluride selection and maybe two.

First, in a post from June 20 titled Open Letter to Personal Shopper Loyalists Wells reveals that he has been told that TFF's directors weren't that keen on the film.  Quoting now from the post:

"...two or three days ago Tom Luddy and Julie Huntsinger of the Telluride Film Festival were telling me how they didn't care for it (Personal Shopper)".

Taken at face value, it seems that we aren't probably going to see that film at the Labor Day soiree in Telluride.

The complete post is here:

http://www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/2016/06/open-letter-to-personal-shopper-loyalists/

Additionally, in a post from HE on June 24 titled I Wasn't Much, Now I Feel Differently Wells talks about Ewan McGregor's directing debut American Pastoral.  The film was featured here on MTFB last week when it released its first trailer.

Wells suggests that the film might be Telluride material at the end of his piece.  I hadn't even had it really on my radar until last week's look.  Now I'm thinking that it's a real possibility.  

The Wells mention, the fact that it's under the Lionsgate banner for distribution...which doesn't make it a lock but also doesn't rule it out...the fact that Kris Tapley (InContention/Variety) mentioned last week on Twitter that he's "Been hearing this was amazing since like March" and that it "Could be a real surprise later this season."  Finally, the film is slated to open on Oct. 21st which would certainly allow for plays at any of the big fall fests : Telluride, Venice, Toronto, New York.

As of this post, I'm warming to the notion that American Pastoral is a now a real candidate for Telluride inclusion.

American Pastoral trailer via YouTube

Wells speculation is here:

http://www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/2016/06/i-wasnt-expecting-much-now-i-feel-differently/

OSIASON UPDATES HIS PREDICTIONS

Tower poster from IMDb

Last week I posted Telluride predictions from film fan and expert prognosticator Jason Osiason. Since then Jason has added a couple of films to his "Likely" for Telluride list.  His original list looked like this:

20th Century Women
Aquarius
Arrival
Bleed for This
Elle
Fire at Sea
Loving
Manchester-by-the -Sea
Moonlight
Risk
The Eagle Huntress
The Red Turtle
The Salesman
Things to Come
Toni Erdmann
Wilson
How to Talk to Girls at Parties

He also lists as "possible":

Good Time
My Life as a Courgette (just won the top prize at the Annecy Fest)
Neruda
Nocturnal Animals
The Beautiful Days of Aranjuez
The Meyerowitz Stories
The Son of Joseph
The Mercy
Birth of a Nation
Girl on a Train

Since that post, Osiason has communicated that he also feels that Andrea Arnold's American Honey is likely as is Keith Maitland's Tower.

That's a wrap for this Monday.  Tune in again tomorrow as I take a look at what Sundance Selects and IFC have that could make a play at this year's SHOW.

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...

The Day Has Come; First "Ten Bets" for TFF#43 / Two Outside Shots with Trailers

Good Friday everyone...

THE DAY HAS COME: THE FIRST "TEN BETS" FOR TFF #43

A couple of notes...

First, this will be the sixth year of the "Ten Bets" and on average this first list will name approximately six films that will actually be on the TFF #43 lineup when it's announced on Sept. 1. The best initial Ten Bets was the first in 2011 which git eight titles correct.  The worst was actually last year;s when only four films on the very first list made the T-ride lineup.

Also, keep in mind that I'll have weekly updates and the prognostication success rate gets better the closer we get to the Festival.

Third, if you've been reading much of the blog since the Oscars ended, the first Ten Bets won't/shouldn't be much of a surprise.

And finally, as David Letterman used to be fond of saying, "No wagering."

Here's the Ten Bets from MTFB on the last Friday in June, 2016 (Director, Distributor and U.S. release date-if known-in parenthesis)

10) Lion (Davis, TWC, 11/25)
9) Loving (Nichols, Focus, 11/4)
8) The Red Turtle (Dudok de Wit, SPC, TBA)
7) Moonlight (Jenkins, A24, TBA)
6) American Honey (Arnold, A24, TBA)
5) Fire at Sea (Rosi, Kino Lorber, TBA)
4) The Unknown Girl (The Dardennes, Sundance/IFC, TBA)
3) Toni Erdmann (Ade, SPC, TBA)
2) The Salesman (Fahradi, Amazon/Cohen Media, TBA)
1) Wilson (Johnson, Fox Searchlight, TBA)

Close: Things to Come, Aquarius, Birth of a Nation, La La Land, A United Kingdom, Journey Through French Cinema and Salt and Fire.



TWO OUTSIDE SHOTS WITH TRAILERS

We had appearances yesterday for trailers for two films that have a slim chance of making this year's SHOW.  You'll notice that neither is on the above "Ten Bets" list nor the additional films that I have labeled as "close".  Nevertheless, both films could find their way into the Telluride lineup.

Christian Puiu's Sieranevada, which was critically very well received at Cannes in May dropped a trailer with french subtitles.  You can see that here thanks to YouTube:

This is the story from The Film Stage that reported the trailer's release:

https://thefilmstage.com/trailer/travel-to-sieranevada-in-first-trailer-for-cristi-puius-cannes-drama/


Also appearing yesterday was a trailer for Ewan McGregor's directing debut, an adaptation of Philip Roth's American Pastoral.

The film is set for an Oct. 21 limited release and is in the distribution hands of Lionsgate.  Here's its trailer from YouTube:

Here are some posts from that reported the trailer's release yesterday:

http://theplaylist.net/ewan-mcgregor-gets-philip-roth-first-trailer-american-pastoral-20160623/

https://thefilmstage.com/trailer/ewan-mcgregor-makes-directorial-debut-in-trailer-for-philip-roth-adaptation-american-pastoral/


http://www.indiewire.com/2016/06/american-pastoral-trailer-ewan-mcgregor-jennifer-connelly-dakota-fanning-1201692383/

http://www.ew.com/article/2016/06/23/ewan-mcgregor-american-pastoral-trailer

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...

Osiason's Take on Possible Telluride Films / Trailer for American Honey Appears / Also a New Trailer for Birth of a Nation

Good Wednesday to all...



OSAISON'S TAKE ON POSSIBLE TELLURIDE FILMS

Jason Osiason is a friend of MTFB and has one of the best predictive minds in all of film twitterdom. He won last year's Gold Derby Oscar contest.  He's really good.

Recently, he put together a list of films that he feels have a real shot at playing Telluride and shared that with me.  With his permission, I thought I'd pass that list along.

Here's what he lists as "Likely" Telluride films:

20th Century Women
Aquarius
Arrival
Bleed for This
Elle
Fire at Sea
Loving
Manchester-by-the -Sea
Moonlight
Risk
The Eagle Huntress
The Red Turtle
The Salesman
Things to Come
Toni Erdmann
Wilson
How to Talk to Girls at Parties

He also lists as "possible":

Good Time
My Life as a Courgette (just won the top prize at the Annecy Fest)
Neruda
Nocturnal Animals
The Beautiful Days of Aranjuez
The Meyerowitz Stories
The Son of Joseph
The Mercy
Birth of a Nation
Girl on a Train

Jason has a couple of other ideas but we'll let those percolate for now.  I think his "likely" list is very, very good/impressive.

And I guess this is as good a time as any to announce that MTFB will have its first "Ten Bets" list for 2016 up on FRIDAY, June 26.  It's about to get serious.


AMERICAN HONEY TRAILER APPEARS

Andrea Arnold's American Honey had a trailer drop yesterday.  The film stars Shia LaBeouf and Sasha Lane and is distributed by A24 which was at Telluride recently with Room, Under the Skin and Ginger and Rosa.

Arnold has also been represented at Telluride with Fish Tank.

Here's the trailer from YouTube...it intrigues:

Linked coverage of the film and its trailer are here:

http://www.indiewire.com/2016/06/american-honey-trailer-sasha-lane-shia-labeouf-andrea-arnold-cannes-1201690990/

http://www.thewrap.com/american-honey-trailer-shia-labeouf-on-road-teenage-troublemaker/

https://thefilmstage.com/trailer/first-trailer-for-andrea-arnolds-cannes-winner-american-honey/

http://www.firstshowing.net/2016/must-watch-first-full-trailer-for-andrea-arnolds-american-honey/

http://theplaylist.net/watch-first-trailer-andrea-arnolds-cannes-prize-winning-american-honey-starring-shia-laboeuf-riley-keough-20160621/

ALSO A NEW TRAILER FOR THE BIRTH OF A NATION

Nate Parker's Sundance sensation, The Birth of a Nation released a new, full length trailer yesterday as well.  I've flogged the notion that Telluride doesn't play Sundance films multiple times in this space but I've also frequently noted that they have had occasional exceptions.  Could this film be one of those rare exceptions?  

Some people think it could.

Here's the new trailer from YouTube:

Links to coverage:

http://variety.com/2016/film/news/the-birth-of-a-nation-trailer-full-nate-parker-1201800389/

http://theplaylist.net/sundance-sensation-birth-nation-wants-rise-revolt-watch-new-trailer-20160621/

https://thefilmstage.com/trailer/a-revolt-begins-in-full-length-trailer-for-nate-parkers-the-birth-of-a-nation/

That's the post for Wednesday...

A reminder that MTFB's forst Ten Bets list goes up on Friday.

Thanks for reading...Have a good weekend.

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...