CONCLAVE HAS A TRAILER
Edward Berger's Conclave currently sits at #2 on the MTFB Ten Bets for TFF #51. There's a lot of buzz that the film will premiere early in the Venice lineup and then hop the Atlantic to screen in Telluride. The film stars Ralph Fiennes, John Lithgow, Stanley Tucci and Isabella Rossellini. It's set to release in the U.S. on Oct. 6th.
Here's the description from IMDb:
"Cardinal Lawrence is tasked with leading one of the world's most secretive and ancient events, selecting a new Pope, where he finds himself at the center of a conspiracy that could shake the very foundation of The Church."
And here's the trailer from YouTube:
Lots of fun here thinking about which talent might make the trip. Fiennes seems fairly likely but it would be cool if Lithgow, Tucci and/or Rossellini also made it to town. Also, it feels like any of the four could be potential tribute recipients, though, again, Fiennes seems the most likely to me.
Erik Anderson of Awards Watch currently has the film predicted as a Best Picture nominee. He also has Berger as a Directing nominee, Fiennes for Best Actor, Lithgow for Supporting Actor and Rossellini for Supporting Actress.
IONCINEMA ON VENICE
Ioncinema put up its extensive set of speculated titles for Venice (which is reportedly announcing its lineup tomorrow). From their list, here are what seem the most likely titles to play Venice then Telluride.
I'm Still Here/Salles
Chocobar/Martel
In the Hand of Dante/Schnabel
Maria/Larrain
Nickel Boys/Ross
Queer/Guadagnino
The Brutalist/Corbet
The Last Shopgirl/G. Coppola
The Return/Pasolini
The Room Next Door/Almodovar
Interesting that there is no mention here of Conclave. This makes me think that the film may World Premiere at TFF #51. On the other hand, the release of the trailer a week before the Venetian announcement could portend a World Premiere in Italy.
We'll find out more tomorrow.
HARD TRUTHS DELAYED
World of Reel reports that Bleecker Street has moved Mike Leigh's Hard Truths off of its original release date in October to Jan. 10th 2025. The move comes after news that the Venice Film Festival has not chosen to screen the film.
These factors don't definitively tell us anything about TFF #51 but I have to say it doesn't sound like the film is likely to make an appearance at The SHOW.
Leigh's films have been frequently been included in past Telluride lineups beginning with High Hopes in 1988 and subsequently: Naked (1993), Secrets & Lies (1996), Happy-Go-Lucky (2008), Another Year (2008), Mr. Turner (2014) and Peterloo (2018).
NICKEL BOYS TO OPEN NEW YORK FEST
Just minutes ago the New York Film Festival announced that RaMell Ross's Nickel Boys will be their opening night film. I have had Nickel Boys as a Ten Bets often in the last month and I'm not sure that this announcement changes that. The media release does not mention the film's release status. If I were running the P.R. I would have its World Premiere status in the announcement if that were the case. The absence of a designation of status suggests to me that it will have screened elsewhere before Sept. 27th.
Additionally, The favourite opened NYFF after playing at Telluride, so there is precedent.
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