The Distributors 2019: Fox Searchlight / Return of The Jesus? / Ad Astra T.V. Spot

Good Thursday everybody!

THE DISTRIBUTORS 2019: FOX SEARCHLIGHT

Yesterday we began our look at film distributors as a way of setting the table for the expectations of films that could end up selected for a spot in the TFF #46 lineup this year by looking at Sony Pictures Classics.  As I mentioned yesterday, over the last decade and a half, SPC has had the most consistent relationship with TFF but the distribution group that may have had the most successful run at TFF over that time span has been Fox Searchlight.

The specialty film arm of 20th Century Fox has had an incredible run over the past several years:

2018: The Favourite, Can You Ever Forgive Ne?, The Old Man and the Gun (3)
2017: The Shape of Water (Best Picture Oscar), Battle of the Sexes (2)
2016: No Show
2015: He Named Me Malala (1)
2014: Birdman (Best Picture), Wild (2)
2013: 12 Years a Slave (Best Picture) (1)
2012: No Show
2011: Shame, The Descendants (2)
2010: Never Let Me Go, 127 Hours, Black Swan (3)
2009: No Show
2008: Slumdog Millionaire (Best Picture) (1)
2007: Juno, The Savages (2)
2006: The Last King of Scotland, The Namesake (2)
2005: Bee Season (1)
2004: Kinsey (1)

That's right.  Four Best Picture winners from Fox Searchlight since 2008's win for Slumdog Millionaire; the others being 12 Years a Slave (2013), Birdman (2015) and The Shape of Water (2017).

Over the year's included above Fox Searchlight films that played T-ride have earned a total of 80 Oscar nominations.  I addition to the above listed Best Picture winners, Fox Searchlight has also screened five other films that were nominated for Best Picture at Telluride: The Favourite, The Descendants, 127 Hours, Black Swan and Juno.

Last year, here's how I assessed the Searchlight slates chances of playing TFF:

The Old Man and the Gun 50%
The Favourite 45%
Wendy 30%
Can You Ever Forgive Me?  25%

Ultimately, Benh Zeitlin's Wendy was not released.

Finally, as you can see from above, FS doesn't always play TFF.  2009, 2012 and 2016 were all years in which FS did not have a film screen at The SHOW.  Over the 15 years covered here, FS has screened 21 films for an average of 1.4 films per year.

All of that acts as your background to contemplate the possibilities for Fox Searchlight films that might make an appearance over Labor Day weekend.  These are the seven films that I'm aware of from them that could be in the conversation for a TFF berth:

Malick's A Hidden Life
Cooper's Antlers
Zhao's Nomadland
Hawley's Lucy in the Sky
Zeitlin's Wendy (again)
Faxon and Rash's Downhill
Waititi's Jojo Rabbot

Any and all of them are possible for TFF, although none seem to be a dead certainty at this point.  Malick's probably the most "prestige" film among the group but its Cannes reception was modest...decent critical response but no love from the Cannes Palme jury.  Additionally, the fact that a Malick-directed film has never played T-ride.

On the other hand, Bill Pohlad is listed as one of several Executive Producers for the film and Pohlad has a history with TFF.  He was a producer or executive producer on 12 Years a Slave, Wild, Into the Wild, Fur and Brokeback Mountain all of which played Telluride so that adds some weight to the notion that A Hidden Life might be included in the 2019 edition of The SHOW.

Pohlad has a strong history with Malick as well.  In addition to his credit on A Hidden Life, Pohlad is also listed among the producers or acknowledged with thanks for The Tree of Life, Voyage of Time, Knight of Cups and To the Wonder.

Scott Cooper has certainly had a good Telluride resume over his brief career with both Black Mass and Hostiles making appearances.  That kind of frequency of invitation would normally make me think that his latest film is very likely to make the grade.  But since neither of those films made many waves financially, critically or in the awards season I wonder if Antlers gets the invite.

Honestly, the best shot might be Chloe Zhao's Nomadland starring two time Oscar winner Frances McDormand.  Zhao's last film, The Rider, played TFF in 2017 and received terrific critical response.  The film follows the life of a woman who is struggling to make it through America's Great Recession.  To me, it sets up as the kind of film that Telluride programmers would be very, very fond of.

Downhill is the remake of Reuben Ostlund's Force Majuere.

Personally, I'd love to see either Lucy in the Sky and/or Jojo Rabbit make it to Telluride.

Lucy in the Sky features Natalie Portman as a female astronaut who has emotional issues upon her return to earth.  Jojo Rabbit seems wild with writer, director, actor Taika Waititi creating an "anti-hate satire" with Waititi playing Adolf Hitler.  Sam Rockwell and Scarlett Johansson also star.

And as to the Zeitlin...still may not be ready and, honestly, I wasn't all that enamored of his Beasts of the Southern Wild.

My estimate of chances:

Nomadland 50%
Lucy in the Sky 40%
A Hidden life 40%
Antlers 35%
Jojo Rabbit 35%
Wendy 25%
Downhill 20%

I'm guessing Fox Searchlight lands two films at Telluride this year.

RETURN OF THE JESUS?

John Turturro as Jesus Quintana in The Big Lebowski (via Indiewire)

John Turturro has made a lot of films playing a lot of characters.  He's done that several times for the Coen Brothers and perhaps none more memorably than Jesus Quintana, the "pederast" in The Big Lebowski.

Turturro has long wanted to return to that character and, in fact, has in a film he developed, wrote, directed (with the blessing of but no participation from the Coens) and will star in.  The film is titled Going Places.

Turturro was recently interviewed by The Independent in England mostly owing to his role in Sebastian Lelio English language remake of his own film-Gloria.  However, in the course of that interview, Turturro spends some time talking about Jesus and Going Places.

Indiewire's Zack Sharf picked up there and expanded on the Going Places story in a piece posted on Monday which includes the assertion that Going Places still has no announced release plans "but at this point a fall film festival debut seems likely."

So, despite the lack of a release date and no announced distributor, I'm putting the film on my TFF #46 watch list...and my wish list as well.

The original Independent interview is linked here.

The Indiewire story is linked here.


AD ASTRA T.V. SPOT


Last week we had the debut of the first trailer for James Gray's Ad Astra starring Brad Pitt and Tommy Lee Jones.

This week we have an edited down version of it that has appeared as a television commercial.  Here that is from YouTube:

Ad Astra is one of the most highly anticipated titles this fall and is set to open on Sept. 20th.


Thursday is in the books.  More from MTFB tomorrow including my "If I Had To" segment.


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Barry Jenkins Has a New Project / Ad Astra Trailer and Poster

Hello to everyone on this Thursday...


BARRY JENKINS HAS A NEW PROJECT

Barry Jenkins has his next project and it seems like a great fit.  Jenkins has signed on to direct a feature film based on the life of legendary choreographer Alvin Ailey.  Multiple sources reported the move on Monday.

The film will be distributed and, in part, produced by Fox Searchlight.  No timeline was revealed in any of the stories about the deal on Monday.

Perhaps we might see that film sometime down the road at a not too distant TFF.  I'll certainly be keeping an ear open for further news concerning the film and its development.

Here is some of the reporting that came down on Monday about the project from:

Deadline

Variety

The Hollywood Reporter

Indiewire

The Playlist



AD ASTRA TRAILER AND POSTER

James Gray's Ad Astra is set for U.S. release on Sept. 20th.  The highly anticipated film starring Brad Pitt and Tommy Lee Jones is an outside possibility for a TFF play.  That release date suggests the chance exists for it to make some combination of screenings at any or all of the T-ride/Venice/Toronto fests.

Beginning to plow the way for that release began in earnest yesterday with the release of the first trailer for the film.  Here that is via YouTube:

We also have our fist poster for the film as well:



Ad Astra tells the story of a son (Pitt) searching for his missing father (Jones) set in space.  The film is from 20th Century Fox.

Multiple sources reported on the trailer and poster release with many ( Indiewire, Deadline, The Playlist) suggesting that a fall festival berth or two could be in the cards.

Here's a generous sampling of those stories:

Indiewire

The Playlist

Deadline

Entertainment Weekly

The Hollywood Reporter

The Film Stage


That's today's MTFB.  I'll have more on Monday when I'll start up the summer posting schedule (Mon. Tues. Thurs. Fri.)...

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The Distributors 2018: Fox Searchlight / Odds and Ends

Good Thursday everyone...


THE DISTRIBUTORS 2018: FOX SEARCHLIGHT

One of the most durable and dependable distribs at Telluride over the time I have been attending has been Fox Searchlight.  Although they missed in 2016, last year saw a resurgence of its presence at Telluride (and at the Oscars...coincidence...you decide?)

Searchlight, over these past several years has averaged a film and a half per year but has been a no show for about a third of the time. As you can also see, FS normally goes two or three years consecutively with a film or films between years when they don't play at TFF.

2017: The Shape of Water (Best Picture Oscar), Battle of the Sexes
2016: No Show
2015: He Named Me Malala
2014: Birdman (Best Picture), Wild
2013: 12 Years a Slave (Best Picture)
2012: No Show
2011: Shame, The Descendants
2010: Never Let Me Go, 127 Hours, Black Swan
2009: No Show
2008: Slumdog Millionaire (Best Picture)
2007: Juno, The Savages
2006: The Last King of Scotland, The Namesake
2005: Bee Season
2004: Kinsey

You'll note that FS has had four films win Best Picture in the ten years between 2008-2017 all of which screened at Telluride...which means we probably should keep our eye out to see if any Searchlight film(s) make the Venice or Toronto lineups.

What do they have to offer this season?

The Old Man and the Gun-David Lowery directs Robert Redford in what he has said will be his last acting gig.  Sissy Spacek co-stars.

Can You Ever Forgive Me?- Melissa McCarthy's change of pace role as a woman who turns to counterfeiting literature.  It's based on the true story of Lee Israel.  It's directed by Marielle Heller (Diary of a Teenage Girl).

The Favourite-the latest from Yorgos Lanthimos (The Killing of a Sacred Deer, The Lobster).  Lanthimos was Oscar nominated for the script for The Lobster.  The film stars Emma Stone and Rachel Wiesz and Olivia Colman and is set in 18th century England in the court of Queen Anne.  It's the second of two big films centered on the British monarchy this summer, the other being Mary, Queen of Scots (parked at Focus Features) which stars Margot Robbie and Saoirse Ronan.  This could be the film that introduces Lanthimos to Telluride.

And finally, Wendy from Beasts of the Southern Wild director/writer Benh Zeitlin.  The film, says FS, is set on a "mysterious island where aging and time have come unglued".  The story centers on a couple of children dealing with their existence there.  The cast list on IMDb is just the two kids and the film has no announced release date.

Those four films seem to be the Fox Searchlight play for TFF consideration this year and none of them are a slam dunk for TFF #45 inclusion.

The Old Man and the Gun seems like the most probable mostly because I think T-ride is where Redford would feel most comfortable rolling it out.  He's also a producer on the film.  Call it's chances 50%.

After that any on the other three could play.  Maybe Emma Stone edges The Favourite into second place after two straight T-ride appearances with La La Land and Battle of the Sexes.  Call it a 45% chance.

Put Wendy in third at 30% and Can You Ever Forgive Me? at fourth with 25%.

Last year, this is where I had the Fox Searchlight films in my first assessment:

Battle of the Sexes-55%
Goodbye Christopher Robin- 45%
Three Billboards- 40%
The Shape of Water- 35%

As you can see, BOTS...good assessment.  Shape of Water...not so much.


Tomorrow my look at Focus Features.


ODDS AND ENDS

Cine Europe has served as a spot to continue to push the buzz for two high profile Telluride possibilities.  Deadline reported that Warner Bros. had footage from Bradley Cooper's A Star Is Born was screened.  The story written by Deadline's Nancy Tartaglione, said that Cooper previewed the first eight minutes of the film.

Meanwhile, in a separate story Tartaglione reported that Sony had Jason Reitman on hand to preview his film The Front Runner which stars Hugh Jackman and tells the true story of Gary Hart's 1988 presidential campaign implosion.

A Star Is Born is dated for an Oct. 5th release.  Sony, as yet, has not named a release date for The Front Runner, though the Deadline article says that an awards season release is planned.

One other "odd or end" is that the Peterloo movie Twitter account announced on Monday that the film has been dated for a Nov. 9th U.S. release (after a Nov. 2 release in the U.K.).  To wit:

That's your Thursday MTFB.  More to come tomorrow...


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The Distributors: Fox Searchlight / The Telluride History Book: TFF #24 / Travernier's Trailer

THE DISTRIBUTORS: FOX SEARCHLIGHT

Today's look at past T-ride distribution outfits is Fox Searchlight.  I've tracked their presence there since 2004.  You'll note that FS missed having any film at TFF in 2009, 2012 and 2016.


2015: He Named Me Malala
2014: Birman, Wild
2013: 12 Years a Slave
2011: Shame, The Descendants
2010: Never Let Me Go, 127 Hours, Black Swan
2008: Slumdog Millionaire
2007: Juno, The Savages
2006: The Last King of Scotland, The Namesake
2005: Bee Season
2004: Kinsey

The math here tells us that Fox Searchlight averages 1.2 films per year at Telluride.

This year, they appear to have as many as four films with at least some potential to lay the festival:

Battle of the Sexes, Goodbye Christopher Robin, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and The Shape of Water.

Battle of the Sexes is directed by the team of  Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (the team behind Little Miss Sunshine) and stars Emma Stone and Steve Carell.  The film is produced, in part, by Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours, Steve Jobs).  The Boyle connection might be enough to give this film the best chance of the four to make the Telluride lineup.  Chances: 55%.  Here's the trailer from YouTube:

Goodbye Christopher Robin is directed by Simon Curtis and stars Domhnall Gleeson and Margot Robbie.  Beyond those basics, the trailer makes it seem very similar to Finding Neverland which played Telluride in 2004 and went on to one Oscar win and an additional six nominations.  Chances: 45%.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is written and directed by Martin McDonagh of In Bruges fame.  It looks (again based on its trailer) as if it is a serious awards vehicle for Francis McDormand. Chances: 40%.

Here's the link to the Red Band trailer for Three Billboards...and it earns its Red Band...


The Shape of Water is co-written and directed by Guillermo Del Toro and stars Doug Jones and Sally Hawkins.  Del Toro could return to Telluride for the first time since playing his The Devil's Backbone there in  2001 making him the only director in this group who has had a film previously make the lineup.  Chances: 35%.



THE TELLURIDE FILM FEST HISTORY BOOK: TFF #24

Here's another installment of my reach back in time to document the history of the Telluride Film Festival.  Today, the 24th TFF.  TFF #24 ran from Aug. 29-Sept. 1, 1997

Guest Director: Peter von Bagh

Tributes: Neil Jordan, Horton Foote, Alexander Sukurov

Special Medallion: Milos Stehlik

SHOWS:

Affliction
Alone
The Butcher's Boy
Can Memory Be Dissolved in Evian Water
Capitaine Conan
Caught
Classe Tout Risk
Eve's Bayou
Fast, Cheap and Put of Control
The Girl and the Hyacinths
Gummo
Lea
Letter from and Unknown Woman
Little Dieter Needs to Fly
Love and Death on Long Island
Ma Vie En Rose
Madame De
Men with Guns
Mother and Son
The Narrow Margin
Perfect Circle
Rothchild's Violin
Simoom
Steamboat Bill Jr.
The Sweet Hereafter
Taste of Cherry
Two Girls and a Guy
U-Turn
Unmade Beds
The White Reindeer
Who the Hell Is Juliette?

Guests:

Russell Banks
Powers Boothe
James Coburn
Vondie Curtis-Hall
Robert Downey, Jr.
Atom Egoyan
Richard Fleischer
Horton Foote
Werner Herzog
Mary Beth Hurt
Neil Jordan
Abbas Kiarostami
Gary Larson
Kasi Lemmons
Jennifer Lopez
Errol Morris
Joshua Oppenheimer
John Sayles
Paul Schrader
Alexander Sukurov
Oliver Stone
Bertrand Travernier
Billy Bob Thornton
James Toback
Haskell Wexler

Notes; Harmony Korine (Spring Breakers) shows his first feature at Telluride-Gummo and Joshua Oppenheimer makes his first Telluride appearance (The Act of Killing, The Look of Silence) with The Entire Story of the Louisiana Purchase.


TRAVERNIER'S FRENCH FILM EXTRAVAGANZA GETS A TRAILER

You may have caught Bertrand Tavernier's Journey Through French Cinema at TFF #43 last fall.  The film just played the Seattle Film Fest and is set to open in the U.K. in September, you can re-visit it to a degree as The Film Stage revealed the release of a trailer this past weekend.

Here's the trailer from YouTube:

And here's the link to the story from The Film Stage.

That's a wrap for this Tuesday.  More to come on Thursday.

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The Distribution Tango / The Cartoons in France

Good Thursday to all...from La La Land...

THE DISTRIBUTION TANGO

I'm right up against it for this summer.  The annual stroll through distribution outlets to examine their wares and try to determine what films from which outlets will wend their way to the San Juans over Labor Day weekend.

Some companies have a long and illustrious relationship with TFF.  Sony Pictures Classics is the prime example of this.  Here's their Telluride resume over the past several years:

2016: The Eagle Huntress, Maudie, Norman, Toni Erdmann (4)
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)


Or relative newcomers like A24 which hasn't been in business long but already has made a place for itself in Telluride.

Note:

2016: Moonlight
2015: Room
2014:  _____
2013: Under the Skin
2012: Ginger and Rosa

Then there are the players who are hit and miss like The Weinstein Company and Fox Searchlight:

TWC:

2015: Carol
2014: The Imitation Game, Escobar: Paradise Lost
2013: The Unknown, Salinger, Tracks
2012: The Sapphires
2011: The Artist, Butter
2010: The King's Speech
2009: The Road
2008: Happy-Go-Lucky
2007: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, My Enemy's Enemy, I'm Not There
2006: Venus, Indigenes

But no TWC film at TFF in 2016.

Fox Searchlight:

2015: He Named Me Malala
2014: Birman, Wild
2013: 12 Years a Slave
2011: Shame, The Descendants
2010: Never Let Me Go, 127 Hours, Black Swan
2008: Slumdog Millionaire
2007: Juno, The Savages
2006: The Last King of Scotland, The Namesake
2005: Bee Season
2004: Kinsey

But, like TWC, there was no FS film at Telluride in 2016.

Plus several others including major studios that occasionally play in The SHOW.  We're going to start looking at all of that tomorrow.

THE CARTOONS IN FRANCE

The Annecy Animation Festival has started up in France this week.  The festival opened on Monday and continues through the weekend.  Annecy sometimes serves up a film or two that make the TFF lineup in the fall.  This year I am keeping my eye on Loving Vincent which is playing in the Annecy Fest and which I have been keeping track of for months.

Variety reported on Loving Vincent's accelerating distribution sales this week in light of its premiere at Annecy.  U.S. distribution for the completely hand-painted film is with Good Deed Entertainment which is a very young outlet.

It will be of some interest should the film be  a prize winner by week's end.

More tomorrow.

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Distribution: Searching Fox Searchlight / A24 Sets Dates for American Honey, Moonlight and Picks Up Women / Seeing the First Trailer for Bleed for This

Howdy folks and welcome to Thursday at MTFB



DISTRIBUTION: SEARCHING FOX SEARCHLIGHT

Continuing our look at film distribution companies who have had notable profiles at the Telluride Film Festival over the past decade or so, today we take a look at the outfit that has been the fourth most consistent player in that time frame: Fox Searchlight.

Since 2004, the film company has been represented at Telluride each year but two: 2009 and 2012. In that time FS has averaged 1.4 films per year.  Fox Search has also had Best Picture Oscar winners at Telluride in Slumdog Millionaire, 12 Years a Slave and Birdman.  So you have to believe that if Fox Searchlight thinks its git a film that can play, they'll pursue a slot at T-ride.


Here's what we have seen from them at Telluride over the past 12 years:

2004: Kinsey
2005: Bee Season
2006: The Last King of Scotland, The Namesake
2007: Juno, The Savages
2008: Slumdog Millionaire
2009: ZIP
2010: Never Let Me Go, 127 Hours, Black Swan, Millions
2011: Shame, The Descendants
2012: ZIP
2013: 12 Years a Slave
2014: Birdman, Wild
2015: He Named Me Malala

So what's in the Fox Searchlight larder as I write?  According to the latest IMDb entries here's what FS has in play as we move into the fall:

Wilson
Birth of a Nation

That's it.  Two films.

If you look back to last Friday's Ten Bets list you'll see that I have Craig Johnson's Wilson ranked at #1.  The reasons are clear.  In addition to being on Fox Searchlight's very short list in combination with their long Telluride history, the film also is being produced by Telluride regular and former Guest Director Alexander Payne.  Payne, at one point, was set to direct the film itself.

I'd be very surprised if Wilson is not at Telluride.

Then there's The Birth of a Nation.  Nate Parker took Sundance by storm winning the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award.  Fox Searchlight dropped a ton of dough (north of $17 million) for the rights to distribute the film.

As you know, normally that Sundance play would be enough to mean that I wouldn't even consider it as a Telluride possibility.  As I have written here any number of times, Telluride has made rare exceptions for Sundance films to their "North American premiere" rule.  Sembene! (2015), The An Education (2009) and The Savages (2007) are the rare examples of exceptions.

It's worth noting that The Savages was a Fox Searchlight film and was executive produced by...Alexander Payne.

Also, I have to say that I have been seeing/hearing some rumbles that this film could be one of those exceptions.  Scott Feinberg suggested a Telluride play might be in the works back in April (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/oscars-are-any-contenders-cannes-883959) and since there have been others who have suggested that it could happen.  It's been a hot enough rumor that I included Birth of a Nation in the "Close" list of films just below the Ten Bets last week.

So...odds for Telluride:

Wilson 90%
Birth of a Nation 50%


A24 SETS DATES FOR AMERICAN HONEY, MOONLIGHT AND PICKS UP WOMEN

American Honey trailer via YouTube

Distributor A24 has announced release dates for two films that both made last week's Ten Best list. Andrea Arnold's American Honey has been set for Sept. 30th and Barry Jenkins Moonlight has been set for Oct. 21st.  Both openings will be limited on those dates and expansions then planned for both films.

American Honey was listed at #6 and Moonlight at #7 last Friday on MTFB's first Telluride Ten Bets list.  A new Ten Bets list will be posted tomorrow.

The release dates for both out them in positions to play Telluride, Venice and/or Toronto.  That date for American Honey indicates that it's off the table for the B+New York Film Fest.  Moonlight's date leaves it in play for NYFF.

Coverage of the announcement is here-including mxdwn.com's speculation that American Honey "may be a part of the Telluride/Toronto film lineups":

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/a24-dates-shia-labeoufs-american-907114

http://movies.mxdwn.com/news/a24-films-sets-release-dates-for-american-honey-and-moonlight/

Meanwhile, the news broke yesterday afternoon that A24 had nabbed the distribution for Mike Mills' 20th Century Women.  That's a film I've mentioned a couple of times and this acquisition makes the film somewhat more Telluride-probable.  Here's a number of links to coverage of the buy, many of which suggest a fall fest play but I couldn't find a mention of Telluride specifically.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/20th-century-women-starring-elle-907348

http://variety.com/2016/film/news/a24-annette-bening-20th-century-women-1201805848/

http://www.indiewire.com/2016/06/annette-bening-20-century-woman-oscar-release-date-mike-mills-a24-1201700899/

http://deadline.com/2016/06/20th-century-women-annette-bening-a24-film-acquisition-1201781188/

http://theplaylist.net/first-look-mike-mills-20th-century-women-elle-fanning-film-coming-u-k-january-20160617/


SEEING THE FIRST TRAILER FOR BLEED FOR THIS


Ben Younger's Bleed for This has been a blip on my TFF #43 radar this spring into summer.  I'm aware of it and it's from Open Road which brought last year's Oscar winner for Best Picture, Spotlight, to Telluride.  It may be Open Road's best shot to return to The SHOW as its other big player is Oliver Stone's Snowden which is possible for Telluride but my feel for it at this point is that it's maybe more likely for TIFF/NYFF/AFI.  Anyway...

A trailer for the film came down the pike yesterday.  Here it is via YouTube:

Not for nothing is it noted that one of the executive producers of the film is Martin Scorsese who has had a common presence in Telluride as a producer in recent years.  The film is also dated to open on November 4th.  Possible?

Here are a series of stories that accompanied the trailer's arrival yesterday:

http://www.slashfilm.com/bleed-for-this-trailer/

http://www.ew.com/article/2016/06/29/bleed-for-this-trailer-miles-teller

https://thefilmstage.com/trailer/miles-teller-gets-back-in-the-fight-in-first-trailer-for-bleed-for-this/

http://www.firstshowing.net/2016/miles-teller-as-boxer-vinny-pazienza-in-first-bleed-for-this-trailer/

http://theplaylist.net/miles-teller-punches-way-glory-first-trailer-bleed-20160629/





That's Thursday's blog post.  Come back tomorrow for a new Ten Bets for TFF #43

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...

Talking Toni Erdmann / Could We See Birth of a Nation?

Hello all on this Tuesday...


TALKING TONI ERDMANN

No.  It didn't win any awards at Cannes last month but it was universally heralded by critics who saw the film screened there and lead every Maren Ade's Toni Erdmann made quite an impression in France last month.  Enough, in fact, that the film was picked up for U.S. distribution by Sony Pictures Classics.

The combination of critical reception and SPC involvement make me believe that Toni Erdmann has a very good chance of making The SHOW's lineup in September.

We're about three weeks away from the summer's first Ten Bets list but this is a likely candidate to make that first (as well as the final) list.

At any rate, I have included this interview with its director, Maren Ade with The Film Stage:

https://thefilmstage.com/features/maren-ade-on-toni-erdmann-being-inspired-by-andy-kaufman-and-finding-a-dramatic-balance/



COULD WE SEE BIRTH OF A NATION?

It seems that every summer that there are one or two Sundance Film Festival entrants that someone somewhere thinks will make a play at Telluride.  And it does happen sometimes but it's so infrequent as to be almost unguessable.

This year the top candidate is Nate Parker's Birth of a Nation.

I've seen/heard a good deal of buzz since it showed in Park City (and was picked up for distribution by Fox Searchlight) that Telluride was a possibility.  Now, I almost always discount that because in all the time (since 2008) that I've been writing this blog the Sundance/Telluride crossover hasn't happened but once.

The last time it did was in 2009 when Lone Scherfig's An Education played both Sundance and Telluride.  Additionally, the year before I started this obsession (2007) Tamara Jenkins The Savages played both Sundance and T-ride.  That's two films out of something north of 200 features.

So, it's rare.  Very, very rare. Like a 1% kind of thing.

But...

I've heard some rumblings here and there from some seriously smart people that this could be one of those 1% years.  I remain somewhat dubious as the two instances mentioned above included the participation of people who seem to be very well thought of by the fest (Scherfig for Education and Laura Linney in Savages).  Bit I also can't discount what I've heard on the grapevine either.

Ultimately, I'd love to see BOAN join the Sundance/Telluride 1% club.

Here's the latest teaser for the film and coverage of its release from Variety Latino from about three weeks back:

Teaser for Birth of a Nation via YouTube

http://varietylatino.com/english/2016/cine/noticias/the-birth-of-a-nation-teaser-nate-parker-243533/

That's a wrap for Tuesday...

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OR leave a comment in the comment section.

Distribution: Fox Searchlight/New P.R. Gambit for "Sicario"/Spooky Looks from "Crimson Peak"

Welcome to a Tuesday in July...

We continue our look at film distributors with Telluride track records...

DISTRIBUTION: FREQUENT DISTRIBS AT TELLURIDE: FOX SEARCHLIGHT

Here's what we have seen from them art Telluride over the past 11 years:

2004: Kinsey
2005: Bee Season
2006: The Last King of Scotland, The Namesake
2007: Juno, The Savages
2008: Slumdog Millionaire
2009: ZIP
2010: Never Let Me Go, 127 Hours, Black Swan, Millions
2011: Shame, The Descendants
2012: ZIP
2013: 12 Years a Slave
2014: Birdman, Wild

16 films over that time span, which averages to 1.55 films/year.  2009 and 2013 were outliers with no Fox Searchlight films at T-ride.  2010 was extraordinary with the company having four films make the program.  Most importantly, probably to Fox Searchlight, is that they have three Best Picture Oscar winners since 2008, all of which played Telluride: "Slumdog Millionaire" (08), "12 Years a Slave" (13) and "Birdman" (14).  So, you kind have to be believe that if they have a film that they feel has a Best Picture shot, that it will likely play Telluride (and the buzz is that they do).

What's in the Fox Searchlight cupboard for this year?  They have a number of goodies including much ballyhooed Cannes Palme competition piece, Paolo Sorrentino's "Youth" with both Michael Caine and Harvey Keitel considered serious Oscar acting awards candidates.

Then there's Jean-Marc Vallee's "Demolition" starring the red hot Jake Gyllenhaal.  Vallee was in Telluride last year as the director of "Wild" which earned Oscar nominations for Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern.

Also in the FS house, the much anticipated documentary "He Named Me Malala" about Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai who was the victim pf a Taliban assassination attempt because she dared to be a young girl who wanted an education.  "Malala" is directed by Davis Guggenheim who directed "Waiting for Superman" and "An Inconvenient Truth".

These three films all have some serious Telluride potential.  The other Fox Searchlight picture that could be in the mix is Luca Guadagnino's "A Bigger Splash" starring Ralph Fiennes and Dakota Johnson but I think it's Telluride profile is much smaller...

Other Fox Searchlight films that could make a splash as we move through the end of the year have already premiered/opened: "True Story", "Mistress America", "Brooklyn", "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl", "The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel", and "Far from the Madding Crowd" have either played Sundance, opened theatrically or both.

Ultimately at least one Fox Searchlight film will play and probably two.  There could be three altogether.


Chances:

"Youth" 80%
"Demolition" 60%
"He Named Me Malala" 50%
"A Bigger Splash" 25%

Of course, I have "Youth" on the current "Ten Bets" list at #5.

Tomorrow's distribution outlet:  The Weinstein Company.


NEW P.R. GAMBIT FOR "SICARIO"

Lionsgate, which is distributing Denis Villenueve's "Sicario", which played Cannes in competition, has debuted a different P.R. move releasing "Loteria" cards for the film. You see one above.   Loteria is a bingo-like game that comes from Latin America.

"Sicario" will open in the U.S. on Sept. 18 and remains a film with some possibility of playing Telluride largely due to Villeneuve's past participation at Telluride with "Incendies" (TFF 2010) and "Prisoners" (TFF 2013).

Here's the Rope of Silicon article that includes all five of the Loteria cards for the film released yesterday:



http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/five-loteria-card-posters-for-sicario-released/


SPOOKY LOOKS FROM "CRIMSON PEAK"

I talked last week about the unlikely, but nevertheless, possible appearance of Guillermo Del Toro's "Crimson Peak".  Yesterday we were treated to new character posters for the Gothic horror film that features Jessica Chastain and Tom Hiddleston.

Check out the links to HitFix and The Playlist for all of the posters and a couple of new stills from the film:


http://www.hitfix.com/harpy/exclusive-jessica-chastain-is-a-gothic-queen-in-blood-red-crimson-peak-poster

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/new-images-and-posters-for-guillermo-del-toros-gothic-horror-crimson-peak-20150706


That'll do for Tuesday...more tomorrow...


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Guess the Guest/Fox Searchlight and Malala/Steve McQueen's Next Gig:Not So Fast/"Suffragette" Has a Date/Wenders on "Salt of the Earth"

GUESS THE GUEST

The 42nd Telluride Film Festival has named its Guest Director.  It's author Rachel Kushner.  Kushner continues a long line of literary choices that have been asked to Guest Direct the festival.  Past literary lions that have acted as Guest Directors are Salman Rushdie, Don DeLillo and Michael Ondaatje among others.  I have included the links to Telluride's official announcement as well as coverage from Variety, Thompson on Hollywood and The Wrap:

http://telluridefilmfestival.org/news/2015-03

http://variety.com/2015/film/festivals/rachel-kushner-set-as-telluride-film-fest-guest-director-1201463439/

http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/telluride-film-festival-taps-rachel-kushner-as-guest-director-20150331

http://www.thewrap.com/telluride-film-festival-flamethrowers-author-rachel-kushner-named-2015-guest-director/



FOX SEARCHLIGHT AND MALALA

We found out this week that distributor Fox Searchlight has acquired the rights to the documentary about Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani teenager that was nearly shot to death because she wanted an education.  The doc is called "He Named Me Malala".  The deal means that FS could have the film available for Telluride in September.  That's an interesting thought.  Coverage is here:

http://variety.com/2015/film/news/malala-yousafzai-documentary-bought-by-fox-searchlight-1201462451/

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/fox-searchlight-acquires-malala-yousafzai-785269

http://www.indiewire.com/article/fox-searchlight-acquires-davis-guggenheim-doc-he-named-me-malala-20150330

http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/fox-searclight-acquires-davis-guggenheims-malala-yousafzai-doc-20150330

http://www.thewrap.com/fox-searchlight-acquires-davis-guggenheims-malala-yousafzai-documentary-he-named-me-malala/



STEVE MC QUEEN'S NEXT GIG: NOT SO FAST

I reported in the last post that British director Steve McQueen had a project ready to go with "Gone Girl" scribe Gillian Flynn set to write the script.  Since Monday, The Playlist is reporting that McQueen will, instead, work on a television project for the BBC.  That story is here:


http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/after-hbos-codes-of-conduct-steve-mcqueen-to-direct-epic-series-for-bbc-20150330

Of course, that doesn't mean that we won't see a McQueen selection this year or next.  It just may mean that TFF goes with a presentation of either this or his ongoing HBO project rather than a feature film.


"SUFFRAGETTE" HAS A DATE

We've been expecting that, after its non-appearance last year, that Sarah Gavron's "Suffragette" would likely be held for release until the fall awards season and that seems to be true as it was announced this week with an October 23rd release date.  The Screen Daily report, linked below, even speculates Telluride as a possibility.  I've also linked the report from Variety.

http://www.screendaily.com/news/distribution/suffragette-lands-awards-slot/5085827.article

http://variety.com/2015/film/news/meryl-streeps-suffragette-set-for-awards-season-release-on-oct-23-1201461666/

WENDERS ON SALT OF THE EARTH

Vulture.com has a lengthy interview with director Wim Wenders about his Oscar nominated and TFF #41 presentation "The Salt of the Earth".  That's here:

http://www.vulture.com/2015/03/wim-wenders-on-salt-of-the-earth.html


That's all for now.  More on Monday.

Searching for the Fox in 2014/Malick's Knight has a Date?/Meyer's New Gig

Welcome back from the weekend to a Monday in July...

SEARCHING FOR THE FOX IN 2014

I am continuing my series of looking at distributors and their connection to Telluride over the past few years as a way of examining the potential film choices for TFF #41,  Today it's Fox Searchlight.  Here's what we have seen from them art Telluride over the past decade:

2004: Kinsey
2005: Bee Season
2006: The Last King of Scotland, The Namesake
2007: Juno, The Savages
2008: Slumdog Millionaire
2009: ZIP
2010: Never Let Me Go, 127 Hours, Black Swan, Millions
2011: Shame, The Descendants
2012: ZIP
2013: 12 Years a Slave

14 films in ten years.  The highwater mark coming in 2010 with 4 films on the SHOW list but  '09 and '12 with no films at all.  But when Fox Search plays, they usually light it up including two Best Picture winners that they had play T-ride including last year's "12 Years a Slave".  Looking at their current lineup of films purportedly ready as per IMDb.com you'll find that they have three films that could show at the SHOW:

Inarritu's "Birdman", Vallee's "Wild" and Vinterberg's "Far from the Madding Crowd"...though it is still unlikely to be ready in time for Labor Day weekend.  Meanwhile, if you read this space with much regularity, you know that I think the "Birdman" is very, very likely to make a Telluride play.  That leaves "Wild" as a question mark.  Currently, I'm not feeling it as a Telluride play (although star Reese Witherspoon won her Oscar for "Walk the Line" which played T-ride in 2005.

So, bottom line:  Fox Searchlight plays "Birdman" as its solo entry for TFF #41.


MALICK'S KNIGHT MIGHT HAVE A DATE

Malcik and Christian Bale on the set of "Knight of Cups" via thefocuspull.com

Does Terrence Malick's "Knight of Cups" have a U.S. release date?  Well, there's buzz that it could be but it's not exactly from publicists.  thefilmstage.com reports that the film could get released in the U.S. in October.  The story also suggests that Venice or Toronto might be the fest for the film.  Venice seems right to me.  Remember, though. that "Tree of Life" made a small appearance to select distributors at Telluride back in 2011.

Check thefilmstage.com story here:

http://thefilmstage.com/news/knight-of-cups-distributor-confirms-terrence-malicks-drama-will-hit-u-s-theaters-this-year/



MEYER'S NEW GIG

Gary Meyer photo via Eat, Drink, Film

A couple of weeks back, I reported that Gary Meyer's responsibilities ofr the Telluride Film festival had changed from that of co-director to what is described as Senior Curator.  Meyer was said to be moving to put more focus on his Eat, Drink, Film website.  We've seen that happen now as Meyer has a big post up over the weekend about Roger Ebert.  Take a look at that here:

http://eatdrinkfilms.com/2014/07/02/roger-and-me-part-i/


More on Tuesday...

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Handicapping Cannes/Fox Searchlight is 20 and Grew Up in Telluride/"Coming Home" Teaser

Welcome to Monday...Spring Break is over and I have the cold to prove it!

HANDICAPPING CANNES

Neal Young of the Jigsaw Lounge has begun setting the line for the winner of this year's Palme d'Or for The Cannes Film Festival.  It's all academic at this point as we don't know which titles will be named to the competition list.  Cannes usually has somewhere between 20-24 films in the competition category and Young lists 25 with odds of less than 30 to 1.

On his list of 25 are these that I continue to point to as potential Telluride choices:

Olivier Assayas' "Clouds of Sils Maria" which Young has listed at 16:1 for the Palme.
The Dardennes Brothers "Two Days, One Night" at 25:1
Mike Leigh's "Mr. Turner" also at 25:1
Xavier Beauvois' "The Price of Glory" at 28:1

Two other films are mentioned that earn their way onto the Telluride watch list: John Boorman's "Queen and Country" which Young lists at 16:1 and "Christian Petzold's "Phoenix" at 20:1.

Other films that Young includes that are in the over 30:1 category and that have some Telluride potential are:

"Birdman", "The Search", "Everything Will Be Fine", "Far From the Madding Crowd", "While We're Young", "Coming Home" (see story below), "Foxcatcher", "The Face of an Angel" and "The Look of Silence".

Take a look at Young's complete betting line/list here:

http://www.jigsawlounge.co.uk/film/reviews/cannes2014bet/

FOX SEARCHLIGHT IS 20 AND GREW UP IN TELLURIDE

The folks at HitFix put together a look back at Fox Searchlight's 20 year history this week by naming what they consider the 20 best films that the Indie Studio has distributed.  It will come as no surprise to serious Telluride watchers that a number of those films played at Telluride over the years.  On the HitFix list that are Telluride alums:

#20 "The Descendants"
#17 "Juno"
#15 "Slumdog Millionarie"
#13 "Shame"
#5 "12 Years a Slave"
#1 "Black Swan"

I also semi-include Terrence Malick's "The Tree of Life" (at  #4 on the HitFix list) which didn't actually play Telluride but did screen there secretly as an attempt to get a distribution deal in 2011 which it did.

You can see their entire array of Fox Searchlight's "20 Best" here:

http://www.hitfix.com/in-contention/the-20-best-fox-searchlight-movies-of-the-past-20-years#oHa0Jr8dAKqHyDiT.99

"COMING HOME" TEASER
 
I have been relatively high on the notion that we could see Zhang Yimou's "Coming Home" at both Cannes and then Telluride this year.  I was, therefore, fairly excited to see posts this week about a teaser/trailer for the film including this link to it via Thompson on Hollywood:

http://www.indiewire.com/article/watch-moving-teaser-for-zhang-yimous-coming-home#.UyxZq2nOSnc.twitter


But the Thompson article throws some water on the Telluride notion when it reveals plans by Sony Pictures Classics (the SPC connection was actually another thing working in favor of a Telluride play) that they plan to do a preview screening of the film in New York on Mar. 27th.  Knowing Telluride's predilection for showing only films that have not played in the U.S. prior to their T-ride unveiling (though that's not a hard and fast rule) I would say that the preview definitely reduces the chance that we'll see "Coming Home" over Labor Day weekend.

 More on Thursday...

Best of the Week/Llewyn Davis Sounds

Good Saturday to everyone.  Here's a look at the best material I posted this past week on MTFB:

BEST OF THE WEEK

TEN BETS #1

For the third straight year here is the first stab at guessing ten films that will play at Telluride this year.

Last year's initial "Ten Bets" had 5 films that actually made the grade: "Amour", "Rust and Bone", "No", "Midnight's Children" and "Hyde Park on Hudson".  The 2011 list was actually much better with 8 of that initial list showing at the SHOW: "The Descendants:, "The Artist", "The Kid with a Bike", "Le Havre", Restored : "A Trip to the Moon", "Into the Abyss", "We Have to Talk About Kevin" and "Shame".

So, with hope that I can return to my 2011 form, here are "Ten Bets":

1) "Nebraska": Alexander Payne's road dramedy with Bruce Dern and Will Forte.  Payne's "Descendants" was the #1 bet to start 2011's "Ten Bets" and his follow up starts in the same position for 2013.
IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1821549/?ref_=sr_1

2) "The Past":  My bet is that Asghar Farhadi (and SPC) return to Telluride with this relationship drama follow-up to his brilliant "A Separation".  Berenice Bejo stars...and could be a Best Actress contender.  Perhaps she'll come to T-ride as her husband Michel Hazanavicius did with "The Artist" 2 years ago.
IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2404461/?ref_=sr_1

3) "Daughter of the Dawn":  A silent film restoration starring a cast of Native Americans that was reported as set to play Telluride last August. Telluride regular and hondo Ken Burns is mentioned in the Indian Country News story as helping with distribution.  The story is here:
http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/article/discovery-of-long-lost-silent-film-with-all-indian-cast-has-historians-reeling-131494

I also have to mention that its connection to my home state of Oklahoma makes me a little prideful.
IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0191066/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2

4) "Aguirre: The Wrath of God": Friend of the blog Christopher Schiller mentioned this as a possibility and it makes too much sense.  The new restoration of the 1972 film played at Cannes and, of course, was directed by Telluride legend Werner Herzog.  Additionally, Herzog will have the new 650 seat theater (hockey pavilion converted to cinema) named in his honor as part of this year's 40th wing ding.  What do you bet that "The Zog" (my name for the new theater) opens with this as its first film?  Sounds about right to me.
IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068182/?ref_=sr_1

5) "The Immigrant": James Gray directs and co-wrote the script.  It stars Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Renner and Joaquin Phoenix.  TFF #39 attendees saw a few minutes of this last year as part of the tribute to Cotillard with Mr. Gray in attendance.  My bet is that they had this year's fest slot settled on at that point.  Further evidence?  Gray's presence at Telluride's Hollywood soiree a few weeks back.
IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1951181/?ref_=sr_1

6) "Life Itself":  Based on Roger Ebert's autobiography you can bet that with Mr. Ebert's passing and his long association with TFF in mind,  that the festival programmers have nabbed the Martin Scorsese produced documentary for The SHOW.  Here's the original story that flat out says it will be a part of this year's program: http://wegotthiscovered.com/movies/martin-scorseses-roger-ebert-documentary-debut-2013/
IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2382298/?ref_=sr_2

7) "The Invisible Woman":  Earlier this week as I was analyzing Sony Pictures Classics slate of potential films I mentioned Ralph Fiennes "The Invisible Women" was iffy since its announced release date is Feb. 2014 in Britain.  My speculation was that seemed like a long time after TFF...but I did conclude by saying that I hadn't completely ruled it out.  Good for me as you will see below.  For this spot in the blog...let's just say, the film that focuses on Charles Dickens and his secret lover looks likely now
IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1700845/?ref_=sr_1

8) "Labor Day": I'm betting that Jason Reitman returns.  After "Juno" and "Up in the Air" both played here, Reitman's last film "Young Adult" did not.  I'm guessing that Reitman returns to the San Juans with this latest film that stars Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin.
IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1967545/?ref_=sr_1

9) "12 Years a Slave":  I admit, my guess here is based purely on the fact that Steve McQueen's previous efforts, "Hunger" and "Shame" both appeared at Telluride.  It's also in the Fox Searchlight wheelhouse.  A lot of smart people think it will play Venice and I haven't found anyone, besides myself, who has it going to Telluride.  But remember, "Shame" played both Venice and T-ride.  So put it at #8 and hope.
IMDb:  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2024544/

10) "Like Father, Like Son":  Well received at Cannes and under the Sundance Selects umbrella.  The film focuses on the choice one man must make when it is discovered that his son was accidentally switched at birth and that another boy is actually his own.
IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2331143/?ref_=ttco_co_tt

On the edge:  Sundance Selects other Cannes films including Palme d'Or winner "Blue is the Warmest Color", "The Selfish Giant" and "Young and Beautiful".  SPC's "Only Lovers Left Alive", "The Lunchbox" and "For No Good Reason".  Bertrand Tavernier's new film "Quai d'Orsay", Errol Morris's Donald Rumsfeld documentary "The Unkonwn Known".  TWC's "One Chance", "Philomena" and "Salinger".  Also, don't forget "Mad Men" creator Matthew Weiner's film directing debut "You Are Here".

Let's see how it plays out over the next couple of months.

FOX SEARCHLIGHT AT TELLURIDE

Fox Searchlight has a hit and miss history with the Telluride Film Festival over the past decade.  It's been a substantial player some years and has been absent in others.  Here's the FS presence at T-ride for the past ten years:

2003:
2004: Kinsey
2005: Bee Season
2006: The Last King of Scotland, The Namesake
2007: Juno, The Savages
2008: Slumdog Millionaire
2009:
2010: Never Let Me Go, 127 Hours, Black Swan, Millions
2011: Shame, The Descendants
2012:

13 films in ten years.  The highwater mark coming in 2010 with 4 films on the SHOW list but '03, '09 and '12 with no films at all.  Looking at their current lineup of films purportedly ready:

"12 Years a Slave"
"Black Nativity"
and "Baggage Claim"

Of them, only "12 Years" seems like a solid Telluride pick what with director Steve McQueen's past with the festival.  I think "Baggage Claim" is really unlikely.  "Black Nativity" is really an intriguing possibility.  It's described as a "contemporary adaptation of Langston Hughes celebrated play" and is adapted and directed by Kasi Lemmons whose previous directing crdits include "Talk to Me", "The Caveman's Valentine" and "Eve's Bayou".  I could see this being on the TFF list.  Notice also, that Fox Searchlight hasn't gone two straight years without some presence at the SHOW.

Here are your chances:

"12 Years" 55%
"Black Nativity" 35%
"Baggage Claim" 10%

SPC REPRESENTS

No distributor has historically had a stronger presence at the Telluride Film Festival than Sony Pictures Classics.  Fest hondos usually tell people that they program between 24 and 30 feature films each year.  For the last ten years, SPC has averaged 4.6 films per festival...or somewhere in the neighborhood of 18% of the T-ride slate each year comes from the SPC stable.

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

2012:The Gatekeepers, At Any Price, Rust and Bone, No, Wadjda, Amour
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, O'Horten
2007: Brick Lane, When Did You Last See Your Father, Persepolis, The Band's Visit, The Counterfeiters
2006: Jindabyne, The Lives of Others, Volver, The Italian
2005: Breakfast on Pluto, Capote, Cache, The Child
2004: Being Julia, House of Flying Daggers, Bad Education, Merchant of Venice, Up and Down, Yes
2003: The Fog of War, My Life Without Me, The Triplets of Belleville, Young Adam

So we can look at this as a template and know that unless something has drastically changed, SPC will be at TFF #40 and likely in a big way.  So what is in the SPC house right now?

According to IMDb, this is the 2013 (and slightly beyond) list of SPC films:

The Invisible Woman
Turner
The Raid 2
Blue Jasmine
For No Good Reason
Only Lovers Left Alive
The Lunchbox
The Past
I'm So Excited
Before Midnight
Austenland
Kill Your Darlings
The Patience Stone

First, eliminate the films already in release:  "Before Midnight",
Next, films that have played U.S. fests already or have a set release date prior to Telluride: "The Patience Stone", "Kill Your Darlings", "Austenland", "I'm So Excited",and "Blue Jasmine".

That leaves 7 films.  Mike Leigh's "Turner" is reportedly still filming and I don't think "The Raid 2" is likely Telluride fare.



That leaves us with 5 films:

Ralph Fiennes' "The Invisible Woman"
Asghar Farhadi's Cannes competition Best Actress winning (Berenice Bejo) "The Past".
Jim Jarmusch's Tilda Swinton starring "Only Lovers Left Alive"...also a Cannes film.
The Ralph Steadman documentary "For No Good Reason" and
Recent SPC acquisition "The Lunchbox".

I think they could all play at Telluride.  At this point, I'd be surprised if "The Past" WASN'T there and Friday, The London Daily Mail/Mail Online let slip that "The Invisible Woman" would be playing Telluride.

I have some reservations about "Only Lovers" and "For No Good Reason".  I actually feel pretty confident about "The Lunchbox".

"Only Lovers" has some other things going for it to suggest that it's a potential Telluride selection...it was a Cannes film, Tilda Swinton stars and is said to have really enjoyed her tribute year in 2011.  Reportedly she'd like to come back.  Director/writer Jim Jarmusch has been a T-ride player before...albeit a long time ago ("Stranger Than Paradise" in 1984 and "Mystery Train" in 1989).  All of that suggests that I should be putting it on the "Ten Bets" list Friday...but it's about vampires...which I find a little strange for Telluride #40. Still, it has a lot going for it.

My reluctance concerning "For No Good Reason" stems from no other Telluride connection.

"The Lunchbox"  seems right in a T-ride sweet spot.  Indian, Cannes (Critic's week section) and its description of a lunchbox delivery gone awry and the consequences that spring from that sound Telluride-friendly as well.

T-ride chances for these four?

"The Invisible Women" 95%
"The Past" 90%
"The Lunchbox" 80%
"For No Good Reason" 50%
"Only Lovers Left Alive"  50%

SUNDANCE SELECTS AND TELLURIDE

Only a player in distribution for just a few years, Sundance Selects has been present at the Telluride Film Festival for the last three fests at various levels of involvement.

2010: The Princess of Montpensier, Tabloid
2011: The Forgiveness of Blood, The Kid with a Bike, Goodbye First Love and Into the Abyss
2012: The Central Park Five

At this point, the possible Sundance Selects offerings amount to 5 films that played at Cannes:

Palme d'Or winner "Blue is the Warmest Color", Jury Prize winner "Like Father, Like Son", Francois Ozon's "Young and Beautiful", Clio Bernard's "The Selfish Giant" and Roman Polanski's "Venus in Fur".

My feeling is that "Like Father..." and "The Selfish Giant" might be the more likely T-ride choices...though "Blue" and "Young and Beautiful" seem very possible as well.

Polanski's film seems like the least likely of the five from Cannes.

Sundance Selects also has a documentary entitled "The Summit" which has played in 2 film fests in England and Ireland...that could be a possibility.

Chances:

"Like Father, Like Son" 70%
"The Selfish Giant" 70%

"Blue is the Warmest Color" 60%
"Young and Beautiful" 50%
"Venus in Fur" 20%
""The Summit" 20%

IFC FILMS AND TELLURIDE

IFC films has been a fairly substantial presence at Telluride over the past several years.  The firms highlight year probably was 2008 (the writer's strike year) when it was represented by 5 films.  IFC Films sometimes partners with Sundance Selects.

Here's the film record for IFC Films at Telluride for the past ten years:

2003: Touching the Void, Intermission
2004: Nobody Knows
2005: Three Times
2006: Deep Water, Indigenes
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
2011: Into the Abyss, Pina
2012: Frances Ha

IFC Films averages 2.3 films per year at the Telluride Film Festival over the last decade.  So what do they have in the pipeline that looks Telluride-y?

IMDb lists the following as IFC Films distribution vehicles that haven't or will not have opened or played at a North American film festival:

Cannes entry "Young and Beautiful" (with Sundance Selects)
Mountain climbing documentary "The Summit" (also with Sundance Selects)
"The Face of Love" starring Robin Williams and Ed Harris

Three...that's all...three.

My money's on "Young and Beautiful" at this point.  I rated it's chances yesterday at 50%...I'm bumping that up to 60% today.  "The Summit" stays at 20% and "Face of Love"...I'm putting at 10%.

WEINSTEIN'S AT TELLURIDE

Harvey Weinstein and his brother Bob have had a fairly common presence at the Telluride Film Festival over the years.  Their current incarnation is as The Weinstein Company.  Previously they were Miramax.  Tracking both companies as distributors at Telluride for the past decade shows us that they've been a part of The SHOW for a good long while.  Here's their Telluride slate as Miramax or The Weinstein Company since 2005:

2003: The Barbarian Invasions, Best of Youth, I'm Not Scared
2004:
2005:
2006: Venus
2007: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, My Enemy's Enemy, I'm Not There
2008: Happy-Go-Lucky
2009: The Road
2010: The King's Speech
2011: The Artist, Butter
2012: The Sapphires  (also was represented during the Marion Cotillard tribute by James Gray and 5 min. of The Immigrant)

So over 10 years...13 films.  1.3 per year and TWC has been repped at TFF consistently each year since 2006.  So expect one or two TWC films on the TFF #40 slate.  What's possible?

According to IMDb this is what TWC has in its wheelhouse for the fall (that, as usual, hasn't already appeared in the U.S. or won't open here until after The SHOW):

You can probably discount "Leo the Lion" "The Trick or Treaters" and "Man of Tai Chi".

"The Immigrant"
"August: Osage County"
"Snowpiercer"
"Salinger"
"The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet"
"One Chance"
"Philomena"
"Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom"
"Grace of Monaco"

So there are probably these 9 that are legit possibles.  If you've read the blog, you already know that I'm high on "The Immigrant" being at T-ride in its full form.  If that's true and TWC's past performance (particularly the last 7 years) we might see one other film from the TWC shingle, two at most.

So...which?

I think your best shots are: "Salinger", "One Chance" and "Philomena" with "Spivet" as an outside shot.

"August", "Mandela" and "Grace" are probably off the table.  I'd not be surprised that "August" doesn't do ANY festival in the fall.  Maybe New York.

My guess is that "Grace" and "Mandela" will do some combination of Toronto and NY and that "Snowpiercer" is Toronto all he way.

Chances:

"Immigrant" 80%
"Salinger" 45%
"Philomena" 40%
"One Chance" 35%
"Spivet" 25%
"Mandela" 20%
"Grace" 10%
"August" 10%
"Snowpiercer" 5%

LOOK AT THE COUNSELOR

I don't have a lot of feel that Ridley Scott's drama starring Brad Pitt and Michael Fassbender has a realistic shot at being in the Telluride field.  But I'd like it to be (note:  some of things that I haven't thought had a prayer might actually be a part of the 40th festivities...rumors...whispers...can't say anything).

Nonetheless, a teaser trailer dropped for the eagerly anticipated film yesterday.  Check it and the attached stories here:

HitFix:
http://www.hitfix.com/in-contention/first-foreign-counselor-trailer-featuring-brad-pitt-michael-fassbender-javier-bardem-cameron-diaz-and-penelope-cruz

Rope of Silicon:
http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/counselor-international-trailer-english/

FirstShowing.net:
http://www.firstshowing.net/2013/first-russian-teaser-trailer-for-ridley-scotts-the-counselor-arrives/


MORE "COUNSELING"

Yesterday was the trailer for Ridley Scott's "The Counselor".  Today, from The Playlist, a look at some stills from the film.  The post also includes a segment of the screenplay by Cormac McCarthy.

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/first-offical-images-from-the-counselor-plus-read-an-excerpt-of-cormac-mccarthys-unique-script-20130626

A LOOK AT ZERO

No sooner had I started a tiny bit of speculation that Terry Gilliam's "The Zero Theorem" had an outside shot at making it to Telluride than some footage shows up on the interweb.

Rope of Silicon, The Playlist and Hit Fix all have stories but you won't be surprised to learn that the "trailer" has been taken down at all three websites.  

I looked at it last night and it is very interesting, fun and Gilliam-esque.  Many have already commented that it seems to be thematically in the "Brazil" mode.

Gilliam has been a past Telluride participant...so, if it's ready...maybe this could be in the San Juan's in 9 weeks or so.

Here are the links to the previously referenced stories:

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/the-zero-theorum-trailer-and-clips/

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/watch-3-minute-trailer-more-footage-from-terry-gilliams-the-zero-theorem-20130623

http://www.hitfix.com/motion-captured/christoph-waltz-is-front-and-center-in-the-trippy-trailer-for-terry-gilliams-zero-theorem

INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS SOUNDS

It's no secret that I'm a Coen Brothers fan.  It's no secret that I've been hot for their new film "Inside Llewyn Davis" since we found out about it.  It inspired some whimsy here a few months ago about turning all of the Coen Brothers canon of films into musicals.

And I'd love for ILD to be among the films that make the SHOW list...but that's soooo unlikely.  No Coen history with TFF...which I find hard to believe.  For a long time, I was convinced that "Blood Simple" had played The SHOW back in '84...and I was wrong.

Nevertheless, HitFix posted yesterday the news of the track list and artists on the "Inside Llewyn Davis" soundtrack.  It's cool.  No surprises that Oscar Issac is on it.  No real surprise that co-stars Justin Timberlake and Carey Mulligan are on it.  A little surprise that Mulligan's hubby Marcus Mumford is on it....again, cool.

Also cool, the tune "The Last Thing on My Mind" appears on the soundtrack.  It was written by Tom Paxton, who I got to meet last fall at the Tumbleweed Festival in Garden City, KS.  Feels like I can almost touch the actual record!

Here's the link to the HitFix posts:
http://www.hitfix.com/news/justin-timberlake-and-marcus-mumford-on-inside-llewyn-davis-soundtrack

http://www.hitfix.com/in-contention/inside-llewyn-davis-soundtrack-featuring-justin-timberlake-and-marcus-mumford-out-in-september

Oh...were Llewyn to be in T-ride...I might actually have to "I'm not worthy" the Coen Brothers on Colorado Ave.  But the chances are virtually non-existent.  Just gonna have to make do with the soundtrack download.

Have a good weekend.

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More on Monday.