After months of anticipation and intense analysis and speculation, here is your official lineup for the 50th iteration of the Telluride Film Festival. Note here: I expect that the weekend will have 2-3 "surprises/sneaks".
Telluride Film Festival, presented by the National Film Preserve, today announces its official program selections for its 50th anniversary edition. TFF’s celebration of artistic excellence brings together cinema enthusiasts, filmmakers, and artists to discover the best in world cinema in the beautiful mountain town of Telluride, Colorado. TFF is screening over eighty feature films, short films, and revival programs representing twenty-nine countries, along with filmmaker Tributes, Conversations, Seminars, Student Programs, and Festivities. Telluride Film Festival’s 50th anniversary edition takes place Thursday, August 31 through Monday, September 4, 2023.
The 50th Telluride Film Festival proudly presents the following new feature films playing in its Main Program, the SHOW:
• ALL OF US STRANGERS (d. Andrew Haigh, U.K., 2023)
• AMERICAN SYMPHONY (d. Matthew Heineman, U.S., 2023)
• ANATOMY OF A FALL (d. Justine Triet, France, 2023)
• ANSELM (d. Wim Wenders, Germany, 2023)
• BALTIMORE (d. Joe Lawlor, Christine Molloy Ireland-U.K., 2023)
• BEYOND UTOPIA (d. Madeleine Gavin, U.S., 2023)
• THE BIKERIDERS (d. Jeff Nichols, U.S., 2023)
• CASSANDRO (d. Roger Ross Williams, U.S., 2023)
• DADDIO (d. Christy Hall, U.S., 2023)
• EL CONDE (d. Pablo Larraín, Chile, 2023)
• FALLEN LEAVES (d. Aki Kaurismäki, Finland, 2023)
• THE FALLING STAR (d. Dominique Abel, Fiona Gordon, France-Belgium, 2023)
• FINALLY DAWN (d. Saverio Costanzo, Italy, 2023)
• FINGERNAILS (d. Christos Nikou, U.S., 2023)
• FOOD, INC. 2 (d. Robert Kenner, Melissa Robledo, U.S., 2023)
• HIGH & LOW-JOHN GALLIANO (d. Kevin Macdonald, U.K., 2023)
• THE HOLDOVERS (d. Alexander Payne, U.S., 2023)
• HOLLYWOODGATE (d. Ibrahim Nash’at, U.S.-Germany, 2023)
• JANET PLANET (d. Annie Baker, U.S., 2023)
• LA CHIMERA (d. Alice Rohrwacher, Italy-France-Switzerland, 2023)
• THE MISSION (d. Amanda McBaine, Jesse Moss, U.S., 2023)
• THE MONK AND THE GUN (d. Pawo Choyning Dorji, Bhutan, 2023)
• NYAD (d. Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin, U.S., 2023)
• OCCUPIED CITY (d. Steve McQueen, Netherlands-U.K.-U.S., 2023)
• ORLANDO, MY POLITICAL BIOGRAPHY (d. Paul B. Preciado, France, 2023)
• PERFECT DAYS (d. Wim Wenders, Japan, 2023)
• THE PIGEON TUNNEL (d. Errol Morris, U.K., 2023)
• POOR THINGS (d. Yorgos Lanthimos, U.S.-Ireland-U.K., 2023)
• THE PROMISED LAND (d. Nikolaj Arcel, Denmark-Germany-Sweden, 2023)
• THE ROYAL HOTEL (d. Kitty Green, Australia, 2023)
• RUSTIN (d. George C. Wolfe, U.S., 2023)
• SALTBURN (d. Emerald Fennell, U.S., 2023)
• THE TEACHER’S LOUNGE (d. Ilker Çatak, Germany, 2023)
• TEHACHAPI (d. JR, France, 2023)
• THANK YOU VERY MUCH (d. Alex Braverman, U.S., 2023)
• TUESDAY (d. Daina O. Pusić, U.S.-U.K., 2023)
• WILDCAT (d. Ethan Hawke, U.S., 2023)
• THE ZONE OF INTEREST (d. Jonathan Glazer, U.S.-U.K.-Poland, 2023)
The 2023 Silver Medallion Awards, given to recognize an artist’s significant contribution to the world of cinema, will go to Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos (with POOR THINGS), Italian writer-director Alice Rohrwacher (with LA CHIMERA), and German filmmaker Wim Wenders (with ANSELM and PERFECT DAYS). Tribute programs include a selection of clips, the presentation of the Silver Medallion, and the film screening.
TFF selects four documentary shorts for its Main Program:
• IF DREAMS WERE LIGHTNING (d. Ramin Bahrani, U.S., 2023)
• INCIDENT (d. Bill Morrison, U.S., 2023)
• THE LAST REPAIR SHOP (d. Ben Proudfoot, Kris Bowers, U.S., 2023)
• THE LAST SONG FROM KABUL (d. Kevin Macdonald, Afghanistan-Qatar-Portugal-Germany, 2023)
“Fifty years is a long time to do anything. And while we might be a little biased, we feel the work that TFF does is pretty important,” comments Telluride Film Festival director Julie Huntsinger. “We take the charge of preserving the theatrical experience and promoting film seriously, but with necessary winks here and there. We’re ecstatic to share a program we feel reflects so much of the past fifty years, naturally and organically, films old and new, which stand as a testament to our beloved co-founders Tom Luddy and Bill Pence who are no longer with us.”
As part of its 50th anniversary celebration, TFF is honoring its long and diverse history by selecting some of its most celebrated past guests to curate its Guest Director program. Alfonso Cuarón, Adam Curtis, Ethan Hawke, Rachel Kushner, Steve McQueen, and Mira Nair’s selections include:
• JUVENILE COURT (d. Frederick Wiseman, U.S., 1973) Selected and presented by
Rachel Kushner
• ALL THAT JAZZ (d. Bob Fosse, U.S., 1979) Selected and presented by Ethan Hawke
• JONAH WHO WILL BE 25 IN THE YEAR 2000 (d. Alain Tanner, France-Switzerland,
1976) Selected and presented by Alfonso Cuarón
• THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY (d. John Mackenzie, U.K., 1980) Selected and presented
by Adam Curtis
• ZÉRO DE CONDUITE (d. Jean Vigo, France, 1933) Selected and presented by Steve
McQueen
• THE MUSIC ROOM (d. Satyajit Ray, India, 1958) Selected and presented by Mira Nair
The Special Medallion celebrates a hero of cinema who preserves, honors and presents essential, meaningful films. This year’s award goes to Martin Scorsese’s The Film Foundation. Film restorations by The Film Foundation to screen along with the program are Idrissa Ouédraogo’s YAM DAABO (Burkina Faso, 1986), Bahram Beyzaie’s DOWNPOUR (Iran, 1972), and two shorts by Agnès Varda: BLACK PANTHERS (France-U.S., 1970) and UNCLE YANCO (France-U.S., 1968) which will be shown alongside THE GLEANERS AND I (France, 2000) as part of a celebration of the late filmmaker.
Additional film restorations playing throughout the Festival include THE UNKNOWN (d. Tod Browning, U.S., 1927); MY GRANDMOTHER (d. Kote Mikaberidze, Soviet Union, 1929) with Finnish music ensemble Cleaning Women performing a live score; Abel Gance’s LA ROUE (France, 1923) shown in four chapters; and two films remembering TFF 21 Special Medallion recipient Ninón Sevilla: VÍCTIMAS DEL PECADO (d. Emilio Fernández, Mexico, 1951) and LLÉVAME EN TUS BRAZOS (d. Julio Bracho, Mexico, 1954).
Special Screenings and Festivities include Pedro Almodóvar’s short film STRANGE WAY OF LIFE (Spain, 2023); Ross White and Tom Berkeley’s short THE GOLDEN WEST (Ireland-U.K., 2023); a live performance by Jon Batiste following Thursday’s screening of AMERICAN SYMPHONY, Tina Satter’s REALITY (U.S., 2023); Agnès Varda’s art installation, Patatutopia; and Festival poster signing by Luke Dorman.
Backlot, Telluride’s intimate screening room features behind-the-scenes movies and portraits of artists, musicians, and filmmakers is showing the following programs:
• AKA MR. CHOW (d. Nick Hooker, U.S., 2023)
• ALL THAT IS SACRED (d. Scott Ballew, U.S., 2023) with TARPON (d. Guy de la
Valdene, Christian Odasso, U.S., 1973)
• ANGEL APPLICANT (d. Ken Meyer, U.S., 2023)
• CAROL DODA TOPLESS AT THE CONDOR (d. Marlo McKenzie, Jonathan Parker,
U.S., 2023)
• CINEMA HAS BEEN MY TRUE LOVE: THE WORK AND TIMES OF LYNDA MYLES
(d. Mark Cousins, U.K., 2023)
• KIM’S VIDEO (d. David Redmon, Ashley Sabin, U.S.-U.K.-Italy, 2023)
• LITTLE GIRL BLUE (d. Mona Achache, France, 2023)
• MUSICA! (d. Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman, U.S., 2023)
• NOTES FROM SHEEPLAND (d. Cara Holmes, Ireland, 2023)
• ROOM 999 (d. Lubna Playoust, France, 2023)
• ZINZINDURRUNKARRATZ (d. Oskar Alegría, Spain, 2023)
Telluride Film Festival’s shorts section, Filmmakers of Tomorrow, includes three programs: Student Prints, now in its 30th year, screening films from the best in student-produced work from around the globe; Calling Cards, exceptional new works by promising filmmakers; and Great Expectations, featuring works from innovative and diverse filmmakers.
Telluride Film Festival’s Student Programs present students with the opportunity to experience film as an art and expand participants’ worldviews through film screenings and filmmaker discussions. The Student Symposium provides graduate and undergraduate students with a weekend-long immersion in cinema. The City Lights Project brings together high school students and their teachers from various schools to participate in a concentrated program of films and discussions. FilmLAB, in partnership with the American Film Institute, brings exceptional AFI Fellows to learn from world-class filmmakers in a masterclass setting. The FilmSCHOLAR program, created in conjunction with the University of Wisconsin, gives young film scholars and aspiring critics the opportunity to immerse themselves in a weekend of cinema and learn from some of the best voices in the field.
Telluride Film Festival’s Talking Heads programs allow attendees to go behind the scenes with the Festival’s special guests. Conversations about cinema and culture and outdoor Noon Seminars feature a panel of Festival guests discussing a wide range of film topics. These programs are free and open to the public.
As we look to the next 50 years of the Telluride Film Festival, our corporate, institutional, and philanthropic supporters light the path ahead. We have incredible momentum in our $25M capital campaign to achieve a decades-long dream of a forever home at Telluride's historic Nugget Building. In addition to rescuing a beloved small-town movie theater, this investment at the Nugget site will create a year-round hub for filmmaker residency programs and TFF's nationally recognized education programs. “We are filled with gratitude for our exceptional long-term relationships,” says Huntsinger. “It is the magic of film in our transformational setting that uniquely provides opportunities to align in support of a shared experience.” TFF is honored to feature some of the world’s most renowned consumer and entertainment brands and to engage a vibrant philanthropic community of passionate and committed donors. Together, they play a dynamic role in the life of the Festival and underscore TFF's commitment to quality, adventure, and distinction in the art of cinema. TFF welcomes Festival Luxury Vehicle Lucid Motors and remains proud to enjoy Meyer Sound's extraordinary audio experience at the Galaxy, Werner Herzog, and Nugget Theaters.
For more information about Telluride Film Festival, or to download the 2023 program guide, please visit www.telluridefilmfestival.org.
