Distribution: Sundance Selects and IFC / Let the Sunshine In: Aquarius' First Trailer

Good Tuesday everyone...here's the latest on TFF #43...


DISTRIBUTION: SUNDANCE SELECTS AND IFC

Yesterday I posted the first of this summer's pieces examining film distribution companies that have had serious presence at Telluride over the last decade or so.  As such, I began with Sony Pictures Classics which has had the biggest presence averaging around five films each year at the fest for the past 13 years.

With that as our introduction, it seems logical to me to continue our examination of distribs by generally taking them in the order of their general prevalence at the fest over the last dozen years or so which leads to today's combo pack of distribution organizations.  I pair Sundance Selects and IFC (Independent Film Channel) as they are partners.  They have collectively averaged around three films at Telluride each year which puts them in the second spot among distribs at T-ride.  So, let's look at their history at Telluride for these past several years:

Sundance Selects/IFC Films has been at Telluride recently as follows:

2003: Touching the Void, Intermission
2004: Nobody Knows
2005: Three Times
2006: Deep Water, Indigenes, Day Night Day Night
2007: Secret Sunshine, 4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days, Jar City
2008: Hunger, Gomorrah, Flame and Citron, Everlasting Moments, The Good, the Bad and the Weird
2009: Fish Tank, Red Riding Trilogy, Life During Wartime, Vincere
2010: The Princess of Montpensier, Carlos, Tabloid
2011: Into the Abyss, Pina, The Forgiveness of Blood, The Kid with a Bike, Goodbye First Love
2012: Frances Ha, The Central Park Five, Everyday
2013: Blue is the Warmest Color
2014: Two Days, One Night, Seymour: An Introduction
2015: 45 Years

I, Daniel Blake trailer from YouTube

For 2016 consideration here is what IMDb reports for these distribution partners:

Sundance Selects:

Things to Come

Graduation

The Unknown Girl

I, Daniel Blake

Dancer

From the Land of the Moon

IFC Films

Personal Shopper

Analysis:  If you read yesterday's post, you already know that I'm under the impression that Personal Shopper is unlikely.  in as far as the Sundance Selects portion of the slates, I'm discounting From the Land of the Moon which was lambasted critically at Cannes and I know zippity-do-dah about Dancer (so...you know...it probably gets in and turns out to be the hit of the fest...).  The other four films have a real chance at making the T-ride lineup.

Things to Come has been in my sights since a successful play in Berlin.  Mia Hansen Love has also been to Telluride with Goodbye First Love...on the Sundance/IFC list above.  You might have noticed that I had it listed as being "close" to the "Ten Bets" list last Friday.

Graduation.  Critically well regarded at Cannes and also directed by a previous Telluride participant Cristian Mungiu who was in the SHOW in 2007 with 4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days which you also see above as a past Sundance/IFC film.

I, Daniel Blake won the Palme which is enough for me to give it a serious look.  And finally...

The Unknown Girl which had a critically subdued reaction at Cannes but its from frequent Telluride players The Dardennes brothers which always makes a film a real threat to make the lineup.

As to IFC's Personal Shopper, if you saw my bit yesterday about Jeff Wells/Hollywood Elsewhere "hints", you'll know that it seems that the Olivier Assasyas film is probably not coming to T-ride.

Chances for these Sundance four:

The Unknown Girl 70%

Things to Come 65%

Graduation 50%

I, Daniel Blake 50%

Tomorrow's distributor: The Weinstein Company.

LET THE SUNSHINE IN: AQUARIUS' FIRST TRAILER

Aquarius starring Sonia Braga made a solid impression at Cannes in May.  Though it wasn't a winner in terms of prizes (many thought Braga would win Best Actress), it was universally lauded critically with the Reini Urban collective critical response putting it as the #8 film overall from all sections combined with a solid 7.22 average rating.

The film stars Braga as a woman who is the last hold out against a company that has bought all of the property surrounding the apartment in which she lives.

According to The Film Stage, Netflix currently has the U.S. distribution rights for the film which probably bodes well for a Telluride play as Netflix had its first presence at T-ride last year with Beasts of No Nation and Winter on Fire.

I had Aquarius just outside of last week's initial "Ten Bets" list.

The film's first international trailer appeared yesterday in a story from The Film Stage.  You can view it and peruse the story here:

https://thefilmstage.com/trailer/first-trailer-for-kleber-mendonca-filhos-cannes-drama-aquarius-starring-sonia-braga/



That's a wrap for Tuesday...more from MTFB tomorrow...

Contact MTFB at:

mpgort@gmail.com

OR on Twitter @Gort2

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

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OR leave a comment...

Aquarius Acquired by Netflix / Following Up: Anderson and Haneke

Welcome to Wednesday...


AQUARIUS ACQUIRED BY NETFLIX...

Various outlest reported yesterday that Cannes favorite Aquarius had been acquired for U.S. distribution by Netflix.  The streaming service also picked up Divines, a thriller that also played Cannes in the Directors Fortnight.  Aquarius earned strong reviews and a very solid combined 7.22 rating on the Reini Urban critics' collection.

The film also earned strong notices for its star Sonia Braga who, many Cannes observers thought, might well have been the best actress winner.  That didn't happen but there has been some talk of Braga being a potential Oscar candidate this year for her work in the film.

The Netflix play may make Aquarius a serious Telluride consideration.  Netflix had a substantail presence there last year with both Beasts of No Nation and Winter on Fire making the 2015 lineup. Up until this acquisition, I'm not really sure that Netflix had a truly strong candidate for T-ride.  Maybe War Machine...maybe...

In as far as Divines is concerned, it could be a possible consideration, but it was substantially less well received critically than Aquarius.  I'm not thinking that it's high on the list for T-ride.

Here's the coverage of the announcement from yesterday:

http://variety.com/2016/film/global/netflix-snaps-up-camera-dor-winner-divines-cannes-competing-aquarius-exclusive-1201780205/

https://thefilmstage.com/reviews/cannes-review-aquarius/



FOLLOWING UP: ANDERSON AND HANEKE

Updating a couple of stories that I covered within the last week.  First, the news that Paul Thomas Anderson may be on the way to making a new film with Daniel Day Lewis set in the fashion industry in  New York in the 1950's.  Vulture.com published an interesting speculative piece about a possible fashion icon upon whose life and career the film might be based.

Check that here:

http://www.vulture.com/2016/06/paul-thomas-anderson-movie-charles-james.html

 And we learned additional news about upcoming Michael Haneke project, Happy End, starring Isabelle Huppert.

The Film Stage reports:


https://thefilmstage.com/news/casting-updates-for-michael-hanekes-happy-end-and-steven-spielbergs-ready-player-one/


That's a wrap for Wednesday...

Contact MTFB at:

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OR leave a comment in the comment section.

Cannes Prizes Announced / The Critics and Cannes / Cannes and TFF #43

Good Monday world...

CANNES PRIZES ANNOUNCED

I, Daniel Blake from Screen Daily

Palme d'Or: I, Daniel Blake
Grand Prix: It's Only the End of the World
Jury: American Honey
Director: Tie- Mungiu/Graduation and Assayas/Personal Shopper
Screenplay: The Salesman
Actress: Jaclyn Jose/Ma' Rosa
Actor: Shahab Hosseini/The Salesman

Analysis:

http://www.indiewire.com/article/cannes-awards-wrap-george-miller-jury-winners-mads-mikkelsen-20160522

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cannes-i-daniel-blake-wins-895315

http://www.indiewire.com/article/cannes-2016-award-winners-list-palme-dor

THE CRITICS AND CANNES

The critics loved Maren Ade's Toni Erdmann and hated Sean Penn's The Last Face.  Everything else fell somewhere between those two.  Here's the critical consensus.

Beginning with the massive critical collation from Reini Urban who collects the Cannes critical response from a vast number of sources (including two listed below).  Some sources include: Screen Daily, Ioncinema, Metacritic and Indiewire.

The top five from Urban:

1) Toni Erdmann (8.24)
2) Elle (7.94)
3) Sieranevada (7.35-tie)
43 Paterson (7.35-tie)
5) Aquarius (7.18)

The three biggest bombs: The Last Face, From The Land of the Moon, and It's Only the End of the World.

Urban also has collected critical responses for films playing in other sections for the festival.  The top films from Un Certain Regard were: Hell or High Water, The Red Turtle and After the Storm.

Urban's compilation is here:

http://cannes-rurban.rhcloud.com/2016

Meanwhile, Todas Las Criticas compiles over 40 critical responses to Cannes.  Their top five films were:

1) Elle (8.87)
2) Sieranevada (8.46)
3) Toni Erdmann (8.21)
4) Paterson (7.98)
5) Aquarius (7.64)

Bombs: The Last Face, and It's Only the End of the World and From the Land of the Moon.

The complete Todas Las Criticas chart is here:

http://www.todaslascriticas.com.ar/cannes/2016

UCR high score: The Long Night of Francisco Sanctis, Hell or High Water and The Red Turtle.

From Screen Daily which was focused on the Palme competition films:

1) Toni Erdmann (3.7)
2) Paterson (3.5)
3) Graduation (3.0-tie)
3) Sieranevada (3.0-tie)
3) Elle (3.0-tie)

Bombs: The Last Face, It's Only the End of the World and The Neon Demon

The complete Screen Daily chart is here:

http://www.screendaily.com/festivals/cannes/cannes-sean-penns-the-last-face-sets-jury-grid-low/5104244.article


And from Ioncinema-which also focuses exclusively on the films in competition for the Palme d'Or:

1) Toni Erdmann (4.0)
2) Aquarius (3.6-tie)
2) Elle (3.6 -tie)
4) Paterson (3.5)
5) Graduation (3.4-tie)
5) Slack Bay (3.4-tie)

Bombs: The Last Face, Ma Rosa and From the Land of the Moon.

In Thursday's post I'll spend some time analyzing this year's disconnect between the critics and the jury.  I'll also look back at the past several Cannes to see how anomalous this year was or if it was an anomaly at all.


CANNES AND TFF #43

As we assess what has happened in France over the last couple of weeks in the context of what it means (if anything) for the lineup of films the make The SHOW on Sept. 2-5 remember that over the last 10 years that an average of 7-8 (7.5 to be exact) films double between Cannes and Telluride.  Of that number and average of 4.1 come from the main competition slate and 1.2 from Un Certain Regard.  The remaining 2.2 come from other sections of the festival.

Films that seem to have become very likely Telluride plays: Toni Erdmann and The Red Turtle.  Their critical reception plus acquisition by both films for U.S. distribution by Sony Pictures Classics make them likely additions to The SHOW.

Films that seemed like they had some Telluride chops that took a turn for the worst include Sean Penn's critically pilloried The Last Face, Xavier Dolan's poorly received It's Only the End of the World and Nicole Garcia's From the Land of the Moon.

Films that seemed hot prospects for Telluride that now seem a little less hot are Olivier Assayas' Personal Shopper, Asgahr Farhadi's The Salesman and The Dardennes Brothers The Unknown Girl, though the awarding of prizes to both Salesman and Personal Shopper may keep them warm enough to make the lineup.

Other T-ride possibles that seem to have neither increased nor decreased their status are Cristian Mungiu's Graduation (formerly Family Photos) and Jeff Nichol's Loving.

In addition to The Red Turtle from the UCR segment, David Mackenzie's Hell or High Water (once called Comancheria) seems to have scored a significant reception and certainly stays in the T-ride convo.

More about all of this in Thursday's post.

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Warren's Coming Nov. 11 and the Rules Don't Apply / Checking the Critics at Cannes / The Salesman Makes a Sale / Views from Cannes / Latebreaking: The Red Turtle Goes to SPC

Welcome to Thursday from Michael's Telluride Film Blog...



WARREN'S COMING ON NOV. 11 AND THE RULES DON'T APPLY

Warren Beatty as Howard Hughes in Rules Don't Apply (from Entertainment Weekly)

Taking a break from the incessant Cannes coverage (at least until a little bit later in this post) news splashed across the internet yesterday that the long-awaited Warren Beatty "Untitled Howard Hughes Project" has both a title and a release date.

The title: Rules Don't Apply
The date: Nov. 11, 2016.

The film has been something of a hit-or-miss obsession here at MTFB.

The Nov. 11 date would be perfect timing for plays at fests like Telluride, Venice, Toronto and New York.  However, remember that Beatty is reported to sluiced cold water all over that notion in a ShowBiz411 story back in the middle of April.

I wrote at the time that Beatty might be bluffing.  His personality as such that I wouldn't be surprised if he responded that fall fests were unlikely simply as a way of having some fun with the press.

Additionally, there appears to be some negative buzz about the films quality and rumors that it was even possibly turned down by Cannes.

Finally, 20th Century Fox is distributing and they have virtually zero history with Telluride save for releases through their Fox Searchlight division.

All of which leads one to believe that the chances that we'll see Rules Don't Apply at T-ride are ridiculously small.  No Warren Beatty Tribute seems in the offing.

Still, the whole thing is fascinating...

Here's a bunch of links of the coverage from yesterday, most of which stemmed from an original story from Entertainment Weekly:


http://www.ew.com/article/2016/05/18/warren-beatty-howard-hughes

http://variety.com/2016/film/news/warren-beatty-howard-hughes-movie-release-date-1201778002/

http://www.indiewire.com/article/rules-dont-apply-pictures-warren-beatty-film-lily-collins-alden-ehrenreich-20160518

https://thefilmstage.com/news/first-look-at-warren-beattys-rules-dont-apply-starring-alden-ehrenreich-and-lily-collins/

http://www.hitfix.com/motion-captured/rules-dont-apply-to-the-long-rumored-howard-hughes-film-by-warren-beatty



CHECKING THE CRITICS AT CANNES

As we make the turn toward the last few days of the Cannes Fest (it closes on Sunday)...here's what the various critic collectives have told us seem to be the consensus quality films in competition for the Palme d'Or

Screen Daily critics panel says the top three films thus far are (ratings are on a 0-4 scale):

1) Toni Erdmann 3.7
2) Paterson 3.5
3) Aquarius 3.1
Just outside: Sieranevada

Ioncinema's critics panel top three (using a 0-5 scale)

1) Toni Erdmann 4.0
2) Aquarius 3.6
3) Paterson 3.5
Close: Loving and Slack Bay

Todas Las Criticas top three (on a scale of 1-10)

1) Sieranevada 8.38
2) Toni Erdmann 8.21
3) Paterson 7.97
Close: Aquarius

Reini Urban Collation (scale of 1-10)

1) Toni Erdmann 8.23
2) Paterson 7.41
3) Sieranevada 7.33
Close: Aquarius

Check the current critical line for all of the films playing in competition and in the rest of the Cannes Fest at these links:

http://www.screendaily.com/festivals/cannes/cannes-aquarius-debuts-strongly-on-screen-jury-grid/5104129.article

http://www.ioncinema.com/news/film-festivals/2016-cannes-critics-panel-day-8-brillante-mendozas-slumdog-manila-in-ma-rosa

http://www.todaslascriticas.com.ar/cannes/2016

http://cannes-rurban.rhcloud.com/2016


So...what films win the Palme and other prizes?


THE SALESMAN MAKES A SALE

Ahead of its World and Cannes premiere as the last film in the Palme d'Or competition, Asghar Farhadi's The Salesman has picked up distribution for the United States.  Amazon and The Cohen Media Group have teamed up to take the distrib rights for the film.

That's a departure for Farhadi whose Academy Award winning A Separation and The Past were both distributed by Sony Pictures Classics.  SPC had both of those films make the T-ride lineup.

Despite the switch of distributor, however, I suspect that the sake yesterday doesn't diminish the film's chances of making kits way to the San Juans on Labor Day weekend.  The Cohen group had the largest distrib presence at Telluride last year with three films in the SHOW: Hitchcock/Truffaut, Marguerite and Rams.  Additionally, I'm already on record having said that I expect that Amazon will follow the trail blazed by Netflix last year and have some presence at Telluride this year.  The Salesman seems made to order.

Here's coverage of the sale:

http://variety.com/2016/film/news/cannes-amazon-cohen-media-group-nab-asghar-farhadis-the-salesman-1201777693/

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cannes-amazon-cohen-media-take-895317


VIEWS FROM CANNES

A collection of clips, teasers and trailers that have dropped for films playing at Cannes:

Personal Shopper:

via YouTube

http://www.indiewire.com/article/personal-shopper-trailer-kristen-stewart-ghosts-olivier-assayas-cannes-2016-20160517

https://thefilmstage.com/trailer/kristen-stewart-sees-a-ghost-in-first-trailer-for-olivier-assayas-personal-shopper/


The Unknown Girl:

https://thefilmstage.com/news/watch-first-trio-of-clips-for-dardennes-cannes-drama-the-unknown-girl/



American Honey:

https://thefilmstage.com/news/watch-first-clip-and-full-cannes-press-conference-for-andrea-arnolds-american-honey/


Dog Eat Dog:

via YouTube

https://thefilmstage.com/news/new-images-and-clips-from-paul-schraders-dog-eat-dog-starring-nicolas-cage-and-willem-dafoe/


LATE BREAKING: THE RED TURTLE GOES TO SONY PICTURES CLASSICS

News very early this morning is that Sony Pictures Classics has acquired the very well received Cannes animated film The Red Turtle.  The film is currently sitting with a 6.32 composite critics score which is fourth best among Un Certain Regard films that have screened in France thus far.

The SPC acquisitions places The Red Turtle into the Telluride conversation in a big way.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cannes-sony-pictures-classics-takes-895659

http://www.thewrap.com/sony-classics-buys-animated-movie-the-red-turtle/

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