Ten More That Could Play/Invite/Last Toronto Titles/Marion

Good Wednesday to All!  Nine more days...

TEN MORE THAT COULD PLAY

Yesterday I began to look at 30 films in addition to this week’s “Ten Bets” list that have some sort of chance of playing at Telluride next week and assigning a percentage for those chances. I'm talking ten a day.  No guarantees.

Mira Nair talks "The Reluctant Fundamentalist"

“The Reluctant Fundamentalist”-directed by Mira Nair, this is already announced at TIFF and Venice. Nair has a T-ride history having been in 1988 with “Salaam Bombay” and again in 2006 with “The Namesake”. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if this is on our schedule next week. Chances- 50%

Official Looong trailer for "Cloud Atlas"

“Cloud Atlas”- directed by Tom Tykwer and The Wachowskis…this is a big budget adaptation of the David Mitchell novel from Warner Brothers. It’s not the kind of film you’d probably normally think of as a “Telluride” film. But the word is that Warner Brothers showed it to T-ride programmers and made a case for its inclusion. And there is some thought that the attempt was successful. Chances-50% (Maybe a Tom Hanks tribute?)

The teaser for last night's San Francisco sneak of "The Master"

“The Master”…well…you know…who knows…Paul Thomas Anderson’s opus starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Joaquin Phoenix and Amy Adams has been anything but conventional over this last month as we run up to the Big Three fests of Telluride, Toronto (where it will screen) and Venice (where it will screen). I’ve been all over the place about its chances of playing T-ride. I think some things suggest it’s possible…even the unconventionality of Anderson sneak screening all over the country the last few weeks cuts both ways in the assessment process. Jeff Wells says he hears it’s not going to be there. Others who play this game much more intensely than I as well as folks with much more TFF experience say there’s a chance. And, of course, there’s my wishful thinking. At bottom, my soul says it will be like Malick’s “The Tree of Life” last year…meaning no show at Telluride…but a guy can hope! Chances 25% (and that might be on the long side).

"Trouble with the Curve" trailer

“Trouble with the Curve”-directed by Robert Lorenz and starring Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams and Justin Timberlake. Until recently I wasn’t bullish on this film’s chances of playing at TFF #39 but Kris Tapley (InContention/HitFix) and Anne Thompson (Thompson on Hollywood) both think it’s a real possibility. Consequently, I have turned around on it. Chances-60%

“Rainy Day Tales”- This animated short from Pixar is very likely, I think, to precede some films next week much like “La Luna” last year. “RDT” has been on the “Ten Bets” lists in the second half of the summer. Chances-65%.

"Killing Them Softly" trailer

“Killing Them Softly”- Director Andrew Dominik teaming again with Brad Pitt. It’s a Weinstein Company film and was a Cannes piece. Reviews there were fair. Trying to assess its chances are problematic because TWC has so much stuff in their cupboard. I have been and continue to be lukewarm about its Telluride chances. Chances- 40%

"The Silver Linings Playbook" trailer

“The Silver Linings Playbook”- Also from The Weinstein Company, this seems to be getting some attention as a real T-ride possibility. Tapley has mentioned it and it seems to me that it is the kind of film that the TWC peeps might think will play well in Telluride. Also, the trailer looks good. Might be a good coming out party for Bradley Cooper if they think he has a legit shot in the Best Actor Oscar race. Chances- 55%

Matt Damon and John Krasinski of "Promised Land"

“Promised Land” directed by Gus Van Sant who has periodically played in Telluride. Starring Matt Damon and John Krasinski (who also co-wrote) and based on a story from Dave Eggers (who scripted Krasinski’s “Away We Go”). Eggers is this year’s poster artist for the fest…so maybe…It probably depends if it’s ready in terms of editing/post-production. IMDb still lists it in post-production, so…. One other note…of course, “Away We Go” co-starred Maya Rudolph…whose main squeeze is Paul Thomas Anderson. Come on, bring the kids…Chances- 30%

“Argo” directed and starring Ben Affleck. If Matt attends, maybe Ben does too. Actually, “Argo” probably has a better chance than “Promised Land” because we know it’s done. The trailer looks good and there’s some buzz going around. Also, Tapley is on record as saying it’s even “Probable” for Telluride…I’ll definitely see it if it’s playing next week. Chances- 50%

“Anna Karenina” directed by Joe Wright with Keira Knightley in the title role. Here’s what it has going for it that lends some credence to the notion that it could play Telluride: It’s being distributed by Focus Features which is almost certainly going to be repped next week anyway with “Hyde Park on Hudson”. Still, I’m dubious…Chances-30%



PS: Kris Tapley’s Telluride “Probables”: Argo, At Any Price, Hyde Park on Hudson, Passion, Rust and Bone, Silver Linings Playbook, Trouble with the Curve.



And his “Maybes”: Amour, Great Expectations, Killing Them Softly, The Master, No, Smashed, To the Wonder


INVITE

Please join me and our hosts, Mitzi and Larry Mallard of The River Club at the "Club" on Friday, Aug. 31 at 5:00pm for the Second ever "Guide to the 'Ride; Flow of the SHOW".  Refreshments and conversation will ensue...



LAST TORONTO TITLES

The Toronto International Film Festival announced their last round of titles yesterday and they, not surprisingly, include a number of Telluride-likely projects including: "Amour", "Something in the Air"< "Beyond the Hills" and "Like Someone in Love".  Check these links for a variety of reports about the final films added to the TIFF lineup:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/michael-winterbottoms-everyday-premieres-at-tiff-amour-something-in-the-air-more-round-out-lineup-20120821

http://www.thewrap.com/movies/column-post/toronto-festival-adds-david-geffen-johnny-depp-javier-bardem-and-michael-haneke-52841

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118058104.html?cmpid=RSS|News|FilmNews

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/toronto-2012-bernardo-bertolucci-michael-haneke-masters-lineup-364265

PS...I don't think we'll see "The West Memphis Three" next week for two reasons...1) It was a Sundance debut and 2) topically, it's somewhat similar to "The Central Park Five" which I'm thinking is a virtual lock.  BUT, if by some happenstance it IS playing (maybe it's a theme doc year?) then maybe we see Mr. Depp in support of it before he jets to Toronto to do the same thing...which would be cool.



MARION

"Rust and Bone" trailer with subtitles

I feel good about the chances that we'll see Jacques Audiard's "Rust and Bone" show up next week.  I'd love to see Ms. Cotillard there in Telluride as well...tres bien!!!

Cotillard has this interview up yesterday with Jada Yuan of Vulture.com:

http://www.vulture.com/2012/08/marion-cotillard-rust-and-bone-interview.html

More later,

Folloow me on Twitter @Gort2

"Like" Michael's Telluride Film Blog on Facebook

O'Toole Bids Farewell/Sundance Selects/New Anna Poster/Our Friends in Toronto

Good Wednesday To All!


O'TOOLE BIDS FAREWELL

News yesterday via an announcement that I believe originally appeared at Playbill.com that legendary actor Peter O'Toole has chosen to retire from the profession.  O'Toole was a 2002 Tributee at Telluride and the last of his 8 Oscar nominations was for "Venus" which appeared in 2006 at TFF #33.  O'Toole's 8 nominations without a win is reportedly the longest streak of acting noms without a win in the history f the Academy.

O'Toole was also nominated for:

1983: My Favorite Year
1981: The Stunt Man
1973: The Ruling Class
1970: Goodbye Mr. Chips
1969: The Lion in Winter
1965: Becket
1963: Lawrence of Arabia

O'Toole was interviewed by Roger Ebert in Telluride in 2002 as a part of the Tribute ceremony and Ebert tweeted the link to that story yesterday.  Here it is:
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20020915/FILMFESTIVALS03/99010308

O'Toole's IMDb page is here:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000564/

Personally, I am partial to his performances in "My Favorite Year" and "The Lion in Winter".

SUNDANCE SELECTS

This week I'm wrapping up my stroll through film production/distribution companies that have been a part of Telluride's film festival recently.  Today's specimen is a relative newcomer: Sundance Selects.  Sundance Selects is listed at IMDb as having been created in 2008 so they are very young and have a short timeline to assess...but it has been a list of distributed films with many TFF films in the last two years.  TFF films from Sundance Selects include:

2011: Into the Abyss, Goodbye First Love, The Kid with a Bike, The Forgiveness of Blood, Pina

2010: Tabloid, The Princess of Montpensier

Sundance had a bare presence in 2010 (and with two TFF stalwarts at that: Errol Morris and Bertrand Tavernier) and then exploded in 2011 with 5 films.  So what's in their stable for the rest of 2012?  

Christian Mungiu's "Beyond the Hills"

Brandon Cronenberg's (David's son) "Antiviral"

Abbas Kiarostami's "Like Someone in Love"

Ken Loach's "The Angel's Share"

Ben Wheatley's "Sightseers" 

Walter Salles' "On the Road"

All of which played in some program at Cannes in May. 

From this list come three pretty good suspects: "On the Road" ( Salles history with Telluride: 1998, 2004) "Beyond the Hills" (Mungiu in Telluride in 2007) and "Like Someone in Love" (Kiarostami in Telluride in 1997).  

You'll see that "Road" and "Hills" are both on this week's "Ten Bets" list and "Like Someone in Love" on this year's program wouldn't surprise me either.  

Of the other three Ken Loach's "The Angel's Share" is the most likely fourth possibility.  Its critical reception at Cannes wasn't flashy but it was respectable.  As to "Antiviral" and "Sightseers"; their lukewarm/negative critical response leaves me thinking that they're not likely to be seen at The Chuck or anywhere else on Labor Day weekend in the San Juans.

Tomorrow we'll end the series of company profiles with some odds and ends from both America and Europe.

NEW ANNA POSTER

Rope of Silicon linked us to the new poster for Joe Wright's "Anna Karenina".  Here's the poster:

And here's the link to the ROS story:

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/new-poster-for-anna-karenina/

AND OUR FRIENDS IN TORONTO

The Toronto International Film Festival is set this year for Sept. 6-16.  Unlike the Venice Fest, which usually has a small overlap of films with Telluride, Toronto (because of its massive size, geographic location and where it is on the calendar) has had a significant overlap with Telluride.  If you don't believe me...look at their new festival trailer and you'll see recent Telluride guests featured prominently as they also ended up in Canada...

Did you notice Mr. Clooney, Ms. Close,Ms. Wilde, Ms. Garner, Ms. Knightley, Mr. Cronenberg, Mr. Mortensen, Mr. Hazanavicius, Mr. Fassbender?

Repsectively that's; "The Descendants" (well Ides of March too), "Albert Nobbs", "Butter", "A Dangerous Method", "The Artist" and "Shame" all touted by Toronto's trailer and all having appeared in Telluride beforehand last year.  

And it's a cool trailer.

More later...

Follow me on Twitter @Gort2

Like Michael's Telluride Film Blog and The Film Awards Clearinghouse on Facebook.

Best of the Week with Trailers!

Good Saturday to Everyone!


BEST OF THE WEEK

I started looking studio by studio, distributor by distributor this week at those film firms that are often the source for films that play at Telluride.  This first week focused on 4 specifically: Focus Features, Fox Searchlight, Sony Pictures Classics and The Weinstein Company.  Here's what I had to say:


FOCUS ON FOCUS

Today I begin the breakdown of some of the "usual suspects" in as far as film companies that produce and/or distribute and are, at least sometimes, players at the Telluride Film Festival.  This week I'll be focusing on domestic companies and specifically today on Focus Features.

Focus has had what I would term a "modest" Telluride relationship in the recent past.  It has been represented there previously and in some years has been fairly prevalent.  There have also been some years where Focus has been absent altogether.

Here's the recent Focus films that have been in Telluride's lineup:

As distributor:

2007: Into the Wild
2006: Catch a Fire
2005: Brokeback Mountain
2004: The Motorcycle Diaries, House of Flying Daggers
2003: Lost in Translation

As production company:
2010: Bitiful, Another Year

As you can see.  Focus doesn't play every year at T-ride and doesn't play "big" (I define "big" as 3 or more films).

So what does Focus have in store for this year that might tempt the Telluride programmers?

They're distributing Joe Wright's "Anna Karenina" and Roger Michell's "Hyde Park on Hudson".  They're producing and distributing the Gus Van Sant directed Matt Damon and John Krasinski authored and starrer "Promised Land" which IMDb lists in post-production but which at least film news outlet thinks might be ready for fall festivals and Oscar consideration.

Of the three "Hyde Park on Hudson" is almost a lock I think.  It's directed by Roger Michell (TFF's in 1995 for "Persuasion", 2004 for "Enduring Love" and 2006 with "Venus") and stars Laura Linney (tributed at TFF in 2004 (Kinsey and P.S.) and returning to Telluride with films or as a part of their guest list in 2006 (Jindabayne), 2007 (The Savages), 2008, 2009 and 2010).

In all likelihood "Hyde Park" is the lone representative from Focus Features at Telluride this year.

If there is a second, it's probably more likely to be "Promised Land" if it's ready.  Director Gus Van Sant has had some Telluride experience in the past...but it's been a good while (1995 To Die For, 2003 Elephant).

"Anna Karenina" is the least likely, though not completely impossible.  Joe Wright's career is young enough not to have a long track record of films to have even been considered for Telluride.  In AK's favor, I suppose, is the fact that TFF programmers have enjoyed programming films that star Keira Knightley as of late: 2011: "A Dangerous Method" and in 2010: "Never Let Me Go".

FOX SEARCHLIGHT

I'm continuing my look at the "independent" type production/distribution firms that have had a significant presence at the Teluuride Film Festival over the past few years in order to look at their possible offerings for this year's fest.  Today's company is Fox Searchlight.

FS has had a number of high profile films over the past several years at T-ride including:

As distributor and/or production company:
2011: Shame, The Descendants
2010: 127 Hours, Never Let Me Go, Black Swan
2008: Slumdog Millionaire
2007: Juno, The Savages
2006: The Namesake, The Last King of Scotland
2004: Kinsey
2000: Quills

Take note of three things:
1) FS plays most years (especially since 2006)
2) FS averages 2 films per year when they play
3) FS does NOT always play...ex. 2009
4) When they do have offerings, they're almost always a part of the year end awards conversation.

So what's the takeaway?

Fox Searchlight's slate this year is not particularly large nor Telluride friendly.



Chan-wook Park's "Stoker" has been getting a lot of buzz, but doesn't seem particularly Telluride-like.
Ben Lewin's "Sessions" premiered at Sundance...
Benh Zeitlin's "Beasts of the Southern Wild" opened today in New York and L.A.
Jonathan Dayton and Valeire Faris' "Ruby Sparks" opens July 25.

Nothing else listed at the FS page on IMDb seems likely in terms of content or time frame.

Now, there is "The East" from director Zal Batmanglij that is NOT currently listed with Fox Searchlight on IMDb but is reported as an FS project in the media.  "The East" has no announced release date and is listed as being post-production.  It was written by (and also stars) indie rising star Batmanglij and Brit Marling who also co-wrote "Sound of My Voice".  Marling also penned and starred in 2011 Sundance sensation "Another Earth".

"The East" co-writer/star Brit Marling

"The East" also stars Alexander Skarsgard, Ellen Page, Patricia Clarkson and Julia Ormand

So, ultimately, "The East" becomes Fox Searchlight's best Telluride option by default.  That's why I have it listed on this week's (and the summer's first) "Ten Bets" list posted Monday.

I'm still hoping (and nagging) that "Sessions" gets on the Telluride program despite having had its premiere at Sundance.

Fox Searchlight's IMDb page: http://www.imdb.com/company/co0028932/

"The East's" IMDb page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1869716/





SONY PICTURES CLASSICS

I am continuing my summer march through film distribution and production companies and their recent past relationship in terms of the Telluride Film Festival as a way of looking at possibilities for what we might see come Labor Day weekend.

Today's focus is on a major player at Telluride: Sony Pictures Classics...what is essentially Sony Pictures Entertainment's indy/foreign wing.

Here's what SPC has shown in Telluride recently:

2011: A Dangerous Method, In Darkness, Footnote, A Separation
2010: Incendies, Of Gods and Men, Tamara Drewe, Another Year, The Illusionist, Inside Job
2009: The Last Station, The White Ribbon, Coco Before Chanel, A Prophet, An Education
2008: Waltz with Bashir, I've Loved You So Long
2007: O'Horten, Brick Lane, When Did You Last See Your Father, Persepolis, The Band's Visit, The Counterfeiters
2006: Jindabyne, The Lives of Others, Volver,
2005: Breakfast on Pluto, Capote
2004: Being Julia, House of Flying Daggers, Bad Education

So you can see, SPC averages about 4 films per TFF over the last 8 years, tending toward more rather than less as you look at the most recent years.

SPC's IMDb page appears to list 4 films that haven't or will not have been released prior to TFF and which did not bow at Sundance making them all prime possibilities:

Susanne Bier's "Love is All You Need" starring Pierce Brosnan.
Jacques Audiard's "Rust and Bone" with Marion Cotillard

Pablo Larrain's "No" with Gael Garcia Bernal
and Michael Haneke's Cannes Palme D'Or Winner "Amour"

My bet right now is that "Rust", "No" and "Amour" are all going to make the Telluride cut (see Monday's Ten Bets list) and I'd put the odds at 50% for "Love is All You Need".

One final note: should SPC pick up the North American distribution for other films in the next 6 weeks or so (or if they have them already and they just haven't been announced) then depending on strategy, those late acquisitions could stop in Telluride as well.





THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY

Today marks the fourth day to continue our examination of production/distribution film firms that have or may have a Telluride connection in the past and one for 2012.  Today's company du jour is The Weinstein Company.

TWC usually plays Telluride, but it often does so with two characteristics being true.  First, they don't normally have many films there and second, the films they do have are almost always serious awards contenders by the end of the year and it's very clear that the Weinstein people (meaning head guy Harvey Weinstein) carefully calibrates choices in terms of what they wish to unveil during the Labor Day festival.

Here's the TWC Telluride history as a distributor/producer:

2011: The Artist (Best Pic winner), Butter
2010: The King's Speech (Best Pic winner)
2009: The Road
2007: I'm Not There, My Enemy's Enemy

So, as you can see, one or two films per year with the last two years being part of the path that TWC used on the way to winning the Best Picture Oscar.

So what does TWC bring to Telluride in 2012?  Their shelves are stocked full...so many potential Telluride releases.  I have a feeling that this is the year that there are more than two TWC films on the TFF #39 program...

Here are the most likely/intriguing possibilities that TWC has slated for a 2012 release that fit Telluride's window:

Dustin Hoffman's "Quartet"
Quentin Tarantino's "Django Unchained"
Kar Wai Wong's "The Grandmasters"
Regis Roinsard's "Populaire"
David O. Russell's "The Silver Linings Playbook"  (see trailer below)
Paul Andrew Williams "Song for Marion"
Paul Thomas Anderson's "The Master"
Andrew Dominick's "Killing Them Softly"
Wayne Blair's "The Sapphires"

John Hillcoat's "Lawless" is set for an Aug. 29th release date...so no Telluride for what was once called "The Wettest County in the World".

Currently I only have "Song for Marion" listed on this week's "Ten Bets" list but I think ANY of the films listed above are possible T-ride choices.

If forced to handicap the field I'd suggest that the most likely are "The Sapphires", "The Silver Linings

Playbook" and, yes, I'm going to say it..."The Master".

Mid-level possibilities: "Killing Them Softly" and "Populaire"

Least Likely: "The Grandmasters", "Quartet" and "Django Unchained".

TWC's IMDb page: http://www.imdb.com/company/co0150452/

Keep your eyes open and your fingers crossed!



ALL DJANGO ALL THE TIME

If you're breathlessly awaiting the arrival of Quentin Tarantino's "Django Unchained" then you need to go to this website now:
http://ht.ly/bOd27

Links to pictures, logo, trailer and a ton of other stuff on this "Webmasters Toolkit".

There is a lot of stuff here...




And, finally, the year's first "Ten Bets" list was up on Monday.  I'll have an new list up in 2 days... Here's this week's:



1) Amour
2) Rust and Bone
3) Beyond the Hills
4) Hyde Park on Hudson
5) Song for Marion
6) No
7) Midnight's Children
8) The East
9) Something in the Air
10) On the Road




More later...Have a great weekend!


Follow me on Twitter @Gort2

Focus on Focus/All Django/Master Trailers Reviewed

Good Tuesday All!

38th Telluride Film Fest favorite and Best Picture Oscar winner "The Artist" is available today on VD and Blu Ray.  Check it out.

FOCUS ON FOCUS

Today I begin the breakdown of some of the "usual suspects" in as far as film companies that produce and/or distribute and are, at least sometimes, players at the Telluride Film Festival.  This week I'll be focusing on domestic companies and specifically today on Focus Features.

Focus has had what I would term a "modest" Telluride relationship in the recent past.  It has been represented there previously and in some years has been fairly prevalent.  There have also been some years where Focus has been absent altogether.

Here's the recent Focus films that have been in Telluride's lineup:

As distributor:

2007: Into the Wild
2006: Catch a Fire
2005: Brokeback Mountain
2004: The Motorcycle Diaries, House of Flying Daggers
2003: Lost in Translation

As production company:
2010: Bitiful, Another Year

As you can see.  Focus doesn't play every year at T-ride and doesn't play "big" (I define "big" as 3 or more films).

So what does Focus have in store for this year that might tempt the Telluride programmers?

They're distributing Joe Wright's "Anna Karenina" and Roger Michell's "Hyde Park on Hudson".  They're producing and distributing the Gus Van Sant directed Matt Damon and John Krasinski authored and starrer "Promised Land" which IMDb lists in post-production but which at least film news outlet thinks might be ready for fall festivals and Oscar consideration.

Of the three "Hyde Park on Hudson" is almost a lock I think.  It's directed by Roger Michell (TFF's in 1995 for "Persuasion", 2004 for "Enduring Love" and 2006 with "Venus") and stars Laura Linney (tributed at TFF in 2004 (Kinsey and P.S.) and returning to Telluride with films or as a part of their guest list in 2006 (Jindabayne), 2007 (The Savages), 2008, 2009 and 2010).

In all likelihood "Hyde Park" is the lone representative from Focus Features at Telluride this year.

If there is a second, it's probably more likely to be "Promised Land" if it's ready.  Director Gus Van Sant has had some Telluride experience in the past...but it's been a good while (1995 To Die For, 2003 Elephant).

"Anna Karenina" is the least likely, though not completely impossible.  Joe Wright's career is young enough not to have a long track record of films to have even been considered for Telluride.  In AK's favor, I suppose, is the fact that TFF programmers have enjoyed programming films that star Keira Knightley as of late: 2011: "A Dangerous Method" and in 2010: "Never Let Me Go".

Tomorrow a look at Fox Searchlight.


ALL DJANGO ALL THE TIME

If you're breathlessly awaiting the arrival of Quentin Tarantino's "Django Unchained" then you need to go to this website now:
http://ht.ly/bOd27

Links to pictures, logo, trailer and a ton of other stuff on this "Webmasters Toolkit".

There is a lot of stuff here...


THE MASTER'S TRAILERS REVIEWED?

Yes indeed and by a real film critic.  David Thomson spends a significant amount of time breaking down the two teasers that we have seen come forth for Paul Thomas Anderson's "The Master".  The article is for The New Republic.  Check it here:
http://www.tnr.com/article/books-and-arts/104329/paul-thomas-anderson-the-master-trailers-scientology-film

Trailers:

More later...

Follow me on Twitter @Gort2

Anna Teased/Gus Promise/Warner's

Good Thursday Everyone!


Finally saw "Prometheus" last night...liked it...a lot.  Kind of want to see it again and will be excited when the next chapter comes along...

ANNA TEASED

"Anna Karenina" is getting the P.R. roll out this week with a trailer and poster.  "Anna" is directed by Joe Wright and follows the generally well received 2007 film "Atonement" (83% all critics/88% "top" critics on Rotten Tomatoes),and his less well received  2011's "Hanna" (71%/59%) and 2009's "The Soloist" (56%/62%).

It's certainly a possible Telluride choice.  Factors pointing toward its possible inclusion: the occasional T-ride connection to distributor Focus Features ("Into the Wild" TFF '07, "Catch a Fire" TFF '06).  Focus also is distributing "Hyde Park on Hudson" which will appear on this summer's first "Ten Bets" list on Monday...so my bet is that Focus is in Telluride for that at least and might desire to double dip.


Both of "Anna's" production companies, Working Title and Studio Canal,  were a part of "Catch a Fire's" production.  


So, let's say it's a 25% possible...


Here's the trailer:

Also two recent posts from
Rope of Silicon:
http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/anna-karenina-trailer-keira-knightley-joe-wright/

And The Playlist:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/glitzy-first-poster-unveiled-for-anna-karenina-starring-keira-knightley-aaron-johnson-jude-law-20120620

"Anna's" IMDb page is here:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1781769/


GUS PROMISE

Gus Van Sant was once a frequent invitee to the Telluride Film Festival ("Elephant" in 2003, "To Die For" in 1995)...but hasn't been back in a long time ( last year's "Restless" was not well received critically and 2008's Best Picture contender "Milk" didn't come to T-ride).

But he's got a new film in play this year featuring his old "Good Will Hunting" collaborator Matt Damon and written by Damon and "The Office's" John Krasinski  (who also co-stars) entitled "Promised Land" and this week The Playlist contends that it just might be ready for the end of the year and that a "fall festival" appearance is a possibility.

Here's The Playlist story:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/gus-van-sants-the-promised-land-could-hit-theaters-by-the-end-of-the-year-not-an-anti-fracking-movie-says-john-krasinski-20120618

And the "Promised Land" IMDb page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2091473/

The producer and distributor is the above mentioned Focus Features...so...maybe they go for three films in TFF #39.


WARNER BROTHERS

Deadline. com reported last week that at least one "major" studio was showing film to TFF programmers in an effort to polish Oscar chances who were in L.A. during the L.A. Film Fest and so this week I have been trying to nail down some possibilities.  Today: Warner Brothers.

According to their IMDb page (http://www.imdb.com/company/co0026840/) WB is distributor for a ton of Oscar bait  films: Baz Luhrmann's "The Great Gatsby" (DiCaprio, Maguire and Telluride favorite Carey Mulligan), Ben Affleck's "Argo"( Affleck, Goodman, Arkin) , The Wachowski Bros."Cloud Atlas"(Hanks, Sarandon, Berry), Robert Lorenz's "Trouble with the Curve" (Eastwood, Adams), and Ruben Fleischer's "Gangster Squad" (Penn, Gosling, Brolin).  Oh, and that "Hobbit" thing.

There's a lot there and WB has played in Telluride before...just not recently.  They distributed "Slumdog Millionaire" in 2008 and "Rails and Ties" in 2007...Allison Eastwood's directing debut...I have a nice New Sheridan story about her.  WB also produce "Benjamen Button" and "zodiac" which were a pert of the festival's David Fincher tribute in 2008.

For my money...if it was Warners...I'd guess "Argo" and "Curve" would be the best possibilities and "Gatsby" on the outside.

Tomorrow, I'll spend a little time assessing these "majors" and why it might be true.

More later...


Follow me on Twitter @Gort2

Cosmo No/Anna Pix/Coming Attractions

Good Friday!


COSMO NO

David Cronenberg's Cannes competition piece "Cosmopolis" is off the table as a Telluride possibility.  It was announced yesterday that the film will have an August 17 release here in the U.S. thus insuring a no show for T-ride.

"Cosmopolis" received mixed reviews at Cannes.

I had always thought that its Telluride prospects were dicey at best.  Then  with the critical reaction from Cannes being what it was, I was even less convinced that we'd see it in the mountains.

You have to wonder if there was a lack of interest  from the fall festivals (T-ride, Venice and New York particularly...it is scheduled to open in Canada today, which would also preclude a Toronto run) and if that might not have been a part of the decision process.

Additionally, Aug. 17 doesn't exactly scream awards positioning.

Here's the story from both Hollywood Elsewhere:
http://hollywood-elsewhere.com/2012/06/cosmopolis_will.php

and The Playlist:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/david-cronenbergs-cosmopolis-starring-robert-pattinson-hits-u-s-theaters-on-august-17th-20120607


ANNA KARENINA

Joe Wright's "Anna Karenina" had some stills up yesterday on the Playlist and Awards Daily this morning.  "Anna" doesn't have a large Telluride profile, but it's not completely outside the realm of possibility.

It's Nov. 9 scheduled release date means some awards positioning is occurring and production/distribution outfits Focus Features,  Studio Canal and Working Title have had some, albeit slight, presences at Telluride in the last 5-6 years with "Brokeback Mountain", "Babel", "Into the Wild" and "Catch a Fire".

So put "Anna" down as a bout a 10% chance.

Here's the link to The Playlist story:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/new-pics-of-keira-knightley-aaron-johnson-jude-law-in-joe-wrights-anna-karenina-20120607

and Awards Daily:
http://www.awardsdaily.com/2012/06/new-pics-from-joe-wrights-anna-karenina/


COMING ATTRACTIONS

Periodically, as this summer unfolds, I'm going to try to highlight a future film that may be in Telluride's sights for 2013 or beyond and provide some links to stories that have already appeared about them.

Starting with Jason Reitman's "Labor Day".  It stars Josh Brolin and Kate Winslet and is expected to be a 2013 release.  You have to think it will also be an awards stalker next year.

Also, since Reitman skipped Telluride this past year with "Young Adult", I'd be willing to bet serious money he returns to Colorado if it's at all possible with this new film.  Reitman has been very successful with previous Telluride bows for "Juno" and "Up in the Air".  And, come on, the film is titled "Labor Day".  How can it NOT play Labor Day weekend in Telluride?

On a purely personal level, I'd like to see him return to Telluride because I've had a couple of very nice, although short, conversations with him including a moment in 2007 when he introduces me to Diablo Cody.

Come back, Jason! And bring Josh and Kate with you!


Labor Day's IMDb page is here:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1967545/

And stories from:

Just Jared:
http://www.justjared.com/2012/06/06/kate-winslet-labor-day-in-boston/

The Playlist:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/exclusive-jason-reitman-talks-casting-labor-day-and-developing-projects-hopes-to-do-make-dark-ninja-film-bonzai-shadowhands-one-day

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/jason-reitman-confirms-labor-day-as-his-next-film


Thompson on Hollywood:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/paramount_produces_jason_reitmans_labor_day_with_kate_winslet_and_josh_brol

Deadline.com:
http://www.deadline.com/2011/09/paramount-takes-on-jason-reitmans-labor-day/


More later...

Follow me on Twitter @Gort2