Latest Toronto News and Telluride / Arrival's Second Wave Arrives / Miss Sloane Emerges / The People, The Pros and The Follow

It's a Wednesday in August.  The month is half over and we're staring down the barrel of slightly two more weeks until TFF #43...and it may have just gotten awesomer! (Is that a word?  Should be).

LATEST TORONTO NEWS AND TELLURIDE

The organizers of the Toronto International Film Festival reveled more of their selections yesterday and is my custom, I began parsing the information and premiere statuses for Telluride clues.

Here's what I think we can say...

First, and most attention grabbing, it appears that Wakefield from writer/director Robin Swicord (The Jane Austen Book Club, co-writer of The Promise...which I will mention in a bit) and starring Bryan Cranston will probably be playing Telluride.  That stems from its classification as an International premiere in Toronto.  An International Premiere means the first play outside of its nation of origin (which is the USA) so unless there is some other screening of the film someplace I can't track down, the most likely scenario is that it's coming to southwestern Colorado.

Now, there's no guarantee that Cranston make the trip to T-ride.  We've been disappointed before when we thought an actor was going to make the trip and then didn't (Benedict Cumberbatch/Imitation Game...I'm looking at you).  And to be sure, Cranston is a busy man as he is cast in the currently filming Power Rangers film.  Still, I'm hopeful that he could be in town.  Would be cool.

Wakefield's IMDb plot description says: "A man's nervous breakdown causes him to leave his wife and live in his attic for several months".  IMDb also does not list a current distributor for the film.

Other big news for additions to our T-ride spec list is that it looks like Joseph Cedar's Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer will make an appearance at Telluride.  The film was previously titled The Oppenheimer Strategies.  The film has been on the MTFB radar since as early as last March because of Cedar's previous Telluride presence with his 2011 film Footnote. Norman was listed by TIFF as an International Premiere as well...see above for why I think this means a T-ride play.

Other things we learned, Wim Wenders The Beautiful Days of Aranjuez appears to be headed directly from Venice to Toronto as it was listed as a North American Premiere.  Terrence Malick's The Voyage of Time appears to be doing the same.

The Promise, which we have been keeping an eye on of late is also not T-ride bound as it was announced as a World Premiere.

No other International or Canadian Premieres seem to be likely for Telluride.

One piece of weirdness.  Pedro Almodovar's Julieta, was NOT listed last week by the New York Film Festival with ANY premiere designation which lead me to conclude it was probably Telluride-bound (or else it would probably be called a "U.S. Premiere by NYFF) was listed yesterday by TIFF as a North American premiere.  So, it's now more likely that Julieta is going to play somewhere else in the U.S. after Toronto and before New York, thereby meaning no Telluride play.

If Toronto follows their traditional pattern, they'll have one more set of films added to the lineup next week.

TIFF coverage from yesterday is here:

http://www.indiewire.com/2016/08/tiff-2016-i-daniel-blake-personal-shopper-julieta-the-unknown-girl-1201717188/

https://thefilmstage.com/news/tiff-2016-adds-voyage-of-time-certain-women-julieta-the-promise-and-more/

http://theplaylist.net/tiff-2016-adds-promise-christian-bale-voyage-time-20160816/

https://www.thewrap.com/toronto-film-festival-adds-james-franco-pedro-almodovar-ken-loach-movies/

ARRIVAL'S SECOND WAVE ARRIVES

We saw a great teaser and a few images last week from Denis Villenueve's Arrival and it definitely has our interest piqued.  In all honesty, it's now the film I'm most excited about seeing if it plays Telluride as we presume from its announced status as a Canadian Premiere for Toronto.

Yesterday, the folks behind the hype parade for the film smacked us with two trailers and posters as well.

I'll be honest, I'm not watching the trailer(s).  I loved the teaser last week, but that's all I want to know now.  I'm going to try to keep the blinders on until I see it at The Zog (I assume).

Nevertheless, here's the trailer via YouTube:

And, the international trailer, also from YouTube:

And, to further whet your appetite...posters:

There are several more...

Check these stories for more news about Arrival, it's trailers and images:

http://www.awardsdaily.com/2016/08/16/trailer-watch-arrival/

http://www.indiewire.com/2016/08/arrival-trailer-amy-adams-denis-villeneuve-jeremy-renner-oscars-1201716795/

https://thefilmstage.com/trailer/aliens-appear-in-full-length-trailer-for-denis-villeneuves-arrival/

http://www.awardscircuit.com/2016/08/16/watch-new-trailer-posters-arrival-starring-amy-adams-jeremy-renner/

http://theplaylist.net/amy-adams-talks-aliens-new-full-length-trailer-denis-villeneuves-arrival-20160816/

http://www.thewrap.com/arrival-trailer-amy-adams-must-stop-all-out-war-in-first-full-video/


MISS SLOANE EMERGES

It's looking increasingly unlikely that John Madden's Miss Sloane starring Jessica Chastain will be playing Telluride.  The film has always been a very outside chance with an announced release date of Dec. 9th...which is pretty deep in the season and no inclusion in either NYFF or Toronto (at least at this point) it seems to be improbable.

It's not impossible, however.  So, I'm still trailing it mostly because I'd like for it to be at T-ride.  We had a new image of the film published online yesterday.

Here's some of the online coverage from yesterday:

http://www.ew.com/article/2016/08/16/miss-sloane-jessica-chastain-gun-lobby-thriller

https://thefilmstage.com/news/first-look-at-jessica-chastain-in-gun-control-drama-miss-sloane/

http://theplaylist.net/first-look-jessica-chastain-oscar-contender-miss-sloane-20160816/



THE PEOPLE, THE PROS AND THE FOLLOW

Here's today's reminder to join your fellow Telluride Film Fest attendees and rate the films you see for MTFB.  I'm asking you to rate each film you catch on a 1 to 5 scale with 1 being awful and 5 being great.  Send those ratings via email (see below), comment to this blog, Twitter (see below).  I'll compile them and let you know The People's consensus.

I'l  also be doing The Professionals Telluride.  I've asked a number of industry pros to rate the films as well and I'll be reporting their consensus as well.

Agreeing this year to participate are :

Alex Billington/FirstShowing
David Ehrlich/Indiewire
Greg Ellwood/AwardsCampaign.com
Scott Feinberg/The Hollywood Reporter
Eric Kohn/Indiewire
Mark Johnson/AwardsCircuit.com
Tomris Laffly/Film Journal
Kenny Miles/TheMovieBlog.com
Christopher Schiller/ScriptMag.com
Sasha Stone/Awards Daily
Kristopher Tapley/Variety-InContention
Anne Thompson/Indiewire

There could be a couple of others.

And a reminder that you can now more easily follow Michael's Telluride Film  Blog and the Film Awards Clearinghouse.  I've set up a "FOLLOW" button on the blog page in the upper right hand corner.  Just click on it for an easy way to get every post as we preview, view and then review TFF #43.  Then you can follow the prospects of Telluride's films as they wend their way through awards season.  Just click that "FOLLOW" button!

That's it for Wednesday...more to come tomorrow.

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.

When They Do Your Job for You / Hidden Figures Poster Revealed / The Playlist's 50 Fall Films / Rate Films from The SHOW and Follow, Follow, Follow

Happy Tuesday World!

I think we have another Toronto announcement today...we'll see what we see...


WHEN THEY DO YOUR JOB FOR YOU

It doesn't get easier than this though the confirmation comes from a surprising source.  Werner Herzog's Into the Inferno, which I had penciled into last Friday's Ten (Plus) Bets as probable for Telluride owing to its announced premiere status from Toronto is confirmed by...wait for it...Werner Herzog.

Herzog, speaking on Mark Maron's podcast pronounced that the film would be a part of the TFF #43 lineup.  The admission was reported by a number of film outlets (see below).

It's something of a shocker, as Herzog, who has a lengthy history with the fest, has to be abundantly aware that Telluride doesn't reveal the lineup until the day before the festival begins.

Still, I'll take the confirmation and move on.

Reports of the admission from Mr. Herzog are here:

http://theplaylist.net/werner-herzog-says-volcano-doc-inferno-will-debut-telluride-2-dramatic-features-works-20160815/

https://thefilmstage.com/news/listen-to-werner-herzogs-career-spanning-talk-with-marc-maron/


HIDDEN FIGURES POSTER REVEALED

Hot on the heels of its Olympic debuting trailer the Theodore Melfi film Hidden Figures revealed a poster yesterday:

Again, you have to figure that it's not really a likely Telluride play...as Melfi (or someone purporting to be Melfi) said himself on Twitter over the weekend but there is a difference between "Not likely" and "never gonna happen".

Hidden Figures is currently scheduled to open on Jan. 13, 2017.


THE PLAYLIST'S 50 FALL FILMS

The Playlist was up yesterday with a list of 50+ films that they say are their most anticipated for this coming fall/awards season.  Probable Telluride films are well represented in the article:

Moonlight, Arrival, Manchester by the Sea, La La Land, Things to Come, Neruda, Julieta and Toni Erdmann all make the list.

Also included are a number of films with no fall film fest agenda for the moment:

Sully, Rules Don't Apply, The Accountant, Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk, Allied, Silence, Miss Sloane, Fences, Collateral Beauty, Passengers, Gold and The Founder.

Some of these films aren't ready for screening.  Some will almost certainly be announced for The AFI Fest.  Some won't play a major festival at all.  I can see anywhere between none and five still showing at The SHOW.

The Playlist list is here:

http://theplaylist.net/50-anticipated-films-fall-season-20160815/#cb-content


RATE FILMS FROM THE SHOW AND FOLLOW...FOLLOW...FOLLOW

It's your annual call to rate the films you see at the Telluride Film Festival.  MTFB is once again asking YOU to participate in The People's Telluride...a gathering of film ratings from the ticket buying public at the fest.

It's simple...rate the films you see on a 1 to 5 scale (1 being awful and 5 being masterpiece) and then send those to me via email: mpgort@gmail.com or michael_speech@hotmail.com OR via the comments section here on the blog or to my twitter account @Gort2.

IT'S EASIER TO FOLLOW MTFB NOW

I've added a "FOLLOW" button to the blog page.  You'll see it in the upper right hand area of the page. Just click on it and you can make it much easier to keep up with what's going on here.

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.

Moonlight Shines / Foreign Films Oscar Speculation and Telluride Plays / The Guardian's Oscar Players and Telluride / Time to Start Thinking About Your Inner Critic

Welcome to your Thursday world...


MOONLIGHT SHINES

A24 tweeted this poster/image yesterday for Barry Jenkins Moonlight.  The film is near certainty to screen in Telluride.  The film is getting some notice in awards chatter circles prior to being seen by the public and I've been hearing good buzz from people who have seen it.

Additionally, the word is that a trailer might be expected to drop for the film today as well.  Look for that here tomorrow should it happen and check my Twitter account throughout the day as well (@Gort2).

Moonlight has been announced to screen at the New York Film Fest without a premiere designation which indicates a Telluride play.  Further, Hollywood Elsewhere's Jeffrey Wells implied it strongly in a post from last Tuesday.


FOREIGN FILMS OSCAR SPECULATION AND TELLURIDE PLAYS

Clayton Davis and his crew at Awards Circuit have updates their Oscar predictions as of yesterday including an extensive look at pre-national submission guesses for Best Foreign Language Film.

I took a look at the list in the context of probable/possible films we could see at Telluride and here's what I came up with.

From the AC "Predicted Nominees" are two very probable T-ride players: Toni Erdmann and Graduation.

From the "Also in Contention" list: Julieta

From the "Other Possibilities" list: The Red Turtle.

Take a look at the complete list of predictions here:

http://www.awardscircuit.com/oscar-predictions/best-foreign-language-film/



THE GUARDIAN'S OSCAR PLAYERS AND TELLURIDE

Nigel Smith of Britain's The Guardian posted a list of 25 films that he suspects are Oscar contenders on Wednesday.  Much like the above Foreign Language Film analysis, I've gone through Smith's list and searched out the films that are probable/possible Telluride players.

From his "Front-runners": La La Land, Arrival (and maybe The Founder and The Mercy)

Not included: Arrival, Manchester by the Sea and Moonlight.

The complete post/list is here:

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/aug/10/oscars-2017-predictions-movie-reviews-film-festival-favorites


TIME TO START THINKING ABOUT YOUR INNER CRITIC.

It's your annual call to rate the films you see at the Telluride Film Festival.  MTFB is once again asking YOU to participate in The People's Telluride...a gathering of film ratings from the ticket buying public at the fest.

It's simple...rate the films you see on a 1 to 5 scale (1 being awful and 5 being masterpiece) and then send those to me via email: mpgort@gmail.com or michael_speech@hotmail.com OR via the comments section here on the blog or to my twitter account @Gort2.

I'll pull it all together and publish the results a couple of weeks after the fest is in the books.

ALSO...as has become a tradition...I will also be putting together The Professionals Telluride.  I'll have more than a dozen industry pros weighing in with their ratings as well.  People from The Hollywood Reporter, Indiewire, Awards Daily, Awards Circuit, and many more will be participating.

The MTFB Ratings have provided an excellent snapshot of the reactions of the festival-goers to the program since 2012.  Here's what they have looked like in the past:

The Professionals:

2012

1) Central Park Five-4.7
2) Argo-4.5
3) Stories We Tell- 4.3
4) The Sapphires 4.25
5) (Tie) Frances Ha and The Attack- 4.2
7) Rust and Bone- 4.0
8) The Iceman- 3.8
9) At Any Price- 3.7
10) (Tie) Amour and Baraka- 3.5
12) No- 3.4
14) (Tie) Hyde Park on Hudson and The Gatekeepers 3.0
15) Everyday- 2.8

2013

1) 12 Years a Slave (4.7)
2) Blue is the Warmest Color (4.4)
3) Gravity (4.35)
4) Tim's Vermeer (4.3)
5) Nebraska (4.3)
6) All is Lost (4.2)
7) Inside Llewyn Davis (4.1)
8) Starred Up (4.0)
9) The Past (3.9)
10) Labor Day (3.6)
11) Bethlehem (3.6)
12) Prisoners (3.5)
13) The Lunchbox (3.5)
14) Salinger (3.3)
15) The Unknown Known (3.3)
16) Palo Alto (3.2)
17) Tracks (3.2)
18) Under the Skin (3.1)
18) (tie) The Wind Rises (3.1)
20) The Invisible Woman (3.0)

2014

 1)      Birdman (4.72)

 2)      Foxcatcher (4.63)

       3)      ’71 (4.25)

       4)      Wild Tales (4.20)

       5)      Leviathan (4.17)

       6)      Mr. Turner (4.10) 

       7)      The Imitation Game (4.06)

       8)      Mommy (3.92)

       9)      Two Days, One Night (3.90)

       10)    The Homesman (3.80)

       11)    Red Army (3.67)

       12)    Madame Bovary (3.30)

       13)    Wild (3.21)

       14)    Rosewater (3.06)

2015

1) ) Son of Saul (4.44)
2) Anomalisa (4.42)
3) Spotlight (4.41)
4) Steve Jobs (4.31)
5) Beasts of No Nation (4.27)
6) Carol (4.11)
7) 45 Years (4.06)
8) Taxi (4.00)
9) Black Mass (3.85)
10) Time to Choose (3.57)
11) Room (3.50)
12) Suffragette (3.49)
13) He Named Me Malala (2.83)


The People's:

2012

1) Stories We Tell- 4.80
2) Argo- 4.75
3) The Attack- 4.70
4) The Act of Killing-4.41
5) Wadjda-4.2
6) Amour 4.17
7) Barbara- 4.17
8) The Sapphires-4.11
9) Frances Ha-4.07
10) (Tie)The Hunt and Baraka - 4.00
12) Annecy Animation-3.83
13) The Central Park Five 3.75
14) (Tie) A Royal Affair and Corman's World-3.67
16) Rust and Bone-3.65
17) The Iceman- 3.61
18) The Gatekeepers-3.58
19) Superstar-3.50
20) Hyde Park on Hudson-3.33
21) No-3.21
22) Love, Marilyn-3.08
23) Ginger and Rosa-2.54
24) At Any Price-2.13
25) Everyday-2.08
26) Paradise, Love-1.1


2013

1) Tim's Vermeer (4.67)
2) 12 Years a Slave (4.55)
3) Gravity (4.40)
4) The Lunchbox (4.25)
5) Inside Llewyn Davis (4.15)
6) Nebraska (4.08)
7) All is Lost (4.06)
8) The Wind Rises (4.0)
9) Ida (4.0)
10) The Past (3.81)
11) Blue is the Warmest Color (3.75)
12) Tracks (3.64)
13) Prisoners (3.5)
14) Labor Day (3.40)
15) The Galapagos Affair: Satan Came to Eden (3.33)
16) Starred Up (3.25)
17) Palo Alto (3.20)
18) The Invisible Woman (3.19)
19) Before the Winter Chill (2.67)
20) The Unknown Known (2.43)
21) Under the Skin (2.0)

2014

1) The Imitation Game (4.73)
2) Birdman (4.46)
3) Wild Tales (4.23)
4) Foxcatcher (4.20)
5) Merchants of Doubt (4.04)
6) '71 (3.90)
7) Red Army (3.63)
8) Wild (Tie 3.50)
8) Escobar: Paradise Lost (Tie 3.50)
8) Mommy (Tie 3.50)
11) 99 Homes (3.47)
12) Rosewater (3.46)
13) Two Days, One Night (3.31)
14) Mr. Turner (3.00)
15) Madame Bovary (2.88)
16) The Homesman (2.58)

2015

1) Room (4.47)
2) Spotlight (4.45)
3) Beasts of No Nation (4.35)
4) Ixcanul (4.31)
5) Son of Saul (4.30)
6) Marguerite (4.23)
7) Black Mass (4.13)
8) Carol (4.02)
9) Rams (3.98)
10) Steve Jobs (3.86)
11) 45 Years (3.78)
12) Suffragette (3.58)
13) He Named Me Malala (3.39)
14) Anomalisa (3.36)


It seems pretty clear that you want your film to finish second in The People's ratings as the Oscar for Best Picture has gone to the film that finished with that rating each of the last four years:

12- Argo
13- 12 Years a Slave
14- Birdman
15- Spotlight

So what film will be #2 for The People this year?


That's all for Thursday.  More tomorrow including an update Ten (Plus) 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.

New York and Toronto Announcements Shine Some Light / Arrival Teaser Looks Phenomenal / My Life as a Courgette Ups Its Profile

Welcome to Wednesday...


NEW YORK AND TORONTO ANNOUNCEMENTS SHINE SOME LIGHT

The New York Film Festival revealed the bulk of its lineup yesterday after having already revealed it opener (The 13th), Centerpiece (20th Century Women) and Closer (The Lost City of Z).

With its revelations, I feel we can fairly confidently conclude that these films are headed to Telluride:

Fire at Sea
Graduation
Julieta (Almodovar returns to Telluride?)
Moonlight
and maybe a South Korean film called Yourself and Yours.

Additionally the NYFF announcement underscored the probable Telluride appearance for:

Neruda
Manchester by the Sea
Things to Come
Toni Erdmann

Maybe more interesting are the films that WON"T be playing TFF #43 if New York's premiere designations are accurate:

Aquarius
I, Daniel Blake
Sieranevada
Staying Vertical
The Unknown Girl (no Dardennes at T-ride)

Here are links to coverage of the NYFF films:

http://www.awardscircuit.com/2016/08/09/new-york-film-festival-reveals-heavy-lineup-including-manchester-by-the-sea-and-i-daniel-blake/

http://www.awardsdaily.com/2016/08/09/54th-ny-film-festival-lineup-announced/

http://moviecitynews.com/2016/08/new-york-film-fest-announces-main-slate/

Meanwhile, the Toronto International Film Fest announced a number of additions to its Docs, Vanguard and Midnight Madness sections.  That information allow us to suggest that docs from Errol Morris (The B Side) and Werner Herzog (Into the Inferno) will probably play Telluride.  Additionally a number of other docs could/might make The SHOW as well.

These are maybes:

Beauties of the Night
Chasing Trane
I Called Him Morgan
India in a Day
The Ivory Game
Water and Sugar

We can also scratch Paul Schrader's Dog Eat Dog, Nacho Vigolando's Colossal  and Ben Wheatley's Free Fire from Telluride's possible list.


Here's coverage of Toronto's announcement:

http://www.indiewire.com/2016/08/tiff-2016-midnight-madness-documentaries-vanguard-1201714643/

http://www.thewrap.com/toronto-film-festival-adds-movies-by-leonardo-dicaprio-werner-herzog-marlon-brando/

https://thefilmstage.com/news/tiff-2016-adds-the-bad-batch-free-fire-colossal-blair-witch-and-more/

http://theplaylist.net/tiff-sets-world-premiere-ben-wheatleys-free-fire-colossal-starring-anne-hathaway-20160809/


For those keeping track, these films are still in fall film fest limbo:

Rules Don't Apply
Allied
Fences
Gold
Passengers
Miss Sloane
Live by Night
The Accountant
Hidden Figures
Sully
The Founder
The Girl on the Train
The Mercy
Passengers
Wild Oats
Eternity

Three weeks (and a couple of days) out, all three fests may still have further films to reveal.  Venice head Alberto Barbera hinted at one more possibility but that's been two weeks ago and hasn't materialized, so maybe not.  TIFF should have one more announcement next week and NYFF programmers have said that more films could be added to their lineup as well.



ARRIVAL TEASER LOOKS PHENOMENAL

After bowing early yesterday morning on NBC, the first teaser for Denis Villenueve's Arrival arrived online.  I am very, very intrigued about this film and also torn about watching the teaser and leaving it all to be revealed at Telluride (because we're reasonably sure it's going to play).

However, I succumbed and have actually watched it a few times.

It's...uh...cool.

Coverage:

http://www.indiewire.com/2016/08/arrival-trailer-denis-villeneuves-amy-adams-jeremy-renner-best-actress-oscar-1201714471/

http://www.businessinsider.com/amy-adams-alien-movie-arrival-trailer-2016-8

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/arrival-trailer-amy-adams-can-918379



MY LIFE AS A COURGETTE UPS ITS PROFILE

Annecy Animation winner and possible Telluride selection My Life as Courgette (Courgette means Zucchini or Cucumber depending on who's doing the translation) quite probably boosted its Telluride chances/profile with the revelation this weekend that it will be Switzerland's Foreign Language Oscar submission.

I am fully of the belief that full length feature animated film The Red Turtle is on its way to T-ride and Courgette would be a second in that category which is somewhat unusual...but I just have a feeling that it could make The SHOW.

Here's coverage of the Swiss announcement from Variety:

http://variety.com/2016/film/global/switzerland-claude-barras-my-life-as-a-courgette-foreign-languageoscarrace-1201831359/



That's it for this Wednesday...

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.

Looking at Distribution: Sony Pictures Classics / Wells Gives Us Hints / Osiason Updates His Predictions

Good Monday All...


LOOKING AT DISTRIBUTION: SONY PICTURES CLASSICS

Each year at about this time I begin to break down three categories of film makers to look at the most probable of Telluride Film Fest lineup choices.  Those categories being Overseas Producers, The "Usual Suspects"...people with a very clear history with the fest and Distirbutors.

Today I begin the breakdown of distribution companies that have had films play at Telluride.  It's worth noting that not every film that makes the lineup each year has a distribution deal in place when it screens in Telluride but most do and by looking at a distribs past record and what they have in their stable, we can try to make some educated guesses about what films might make the trip to southwest Colorado over the Labor Day weekend.


So we begin by looking at Sony Pictures Classics.


SPC has historically been the largest distribution presence at Telluride for more than a decade and it's really not even close.  No other company has as long and consistent track record of having films selected for The SHOW program as Sony Pictures Classics.

Here's what SPC has shown in Telluride in the last 13 years:


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)

It was truly weird to see SPC with only one film on the Telluride list last year.  It's just uncharacteristic for a company that has averaged around five films at TFF over the past decade-plus. I suspect that last year will prove to be an anomaly and that SPC will be back to Telluride with a larger set of films.  Perhaps not the five that they have averaged, however.

So, what does SPC have and will those films play at Telluride?

According to IMDb these are the films that SPC currently has in place for distribution that seem most likely:

Elle

Julieta

The Red Turtle

Toni Erdmann

  

All four of these films played Cannes in May.

Any other SPC films scheduled for 2016 have already opened or played Sundance.

My expectations are very high on both The Red Turtle and Toni Erdmann.  I had them on last Friday's first Ten Bets list for this year at #8 and #3 respectively.

Both Elle and Julieta could make the TFF #43 lineup as well but I feel both are less likely. Alomdovar hasn't had a film play TFF since 2006's Volver and despite Elle's critical reception at Cannes, which was very good, I still can't bring myself to buy into a Paul Verhoeven film at T-ride. Maybe I'm just a snob.

As to Toni Erdmann and The Red Turtle...I feel relatively confident that their critical reception at Cannes  makes them likely .

Toni Erdmann trailer with English subs via YouTube

Chances for each:

Toni Erdmann-80%

The Red Turtle-80%

Elle- 50%

Julieta-25%

Tomorrow a look at Sundance Selects/IFC Films.

WELLS GIVES US HINTS

I was looking through some posts here and there over the weekend and ran across two recent entries from Jeff Wells at Hollywood Elsewhere that give serious insight to at least one potential Telluride selection and maybe two.

First, in a post from June 20 titled Open Letter to Personal Shopper Loyalists Wells reveals that he has been told that TFF's directors weren't that keen on the film.  Quoting now from the post:

"...two or three days ago Tom Luddy and Julie Huntsinger of the Telluride Film Festival were telling me how they didn't care for it (Personal Shopper)".

Taken at face value, it seems that we aren't probably going to see that film at the Labor Day soiree in Telluride.

The complete post is here:

http://www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/2016/06/open-letter-to-personal-shopper-loyalists/

Additionally, in a post from HE on June 24 titled I Wasn't Much, Now I Feel Differently Wells talks about Ewan McGregor's directing debut American Pastoral.  The film was featured here on MTFB last week when it released its first trailer.

Wells suggests that the film might be Telluride material at the end of his piece.  I hadn't even had it really on my radar until last week's look.  Now I'm thinking that it's a real possibility.  

The Wells mention, the fact that it's under the Lionsgate banner for distribution...which doesn't make it a lock but also doesn't rule it out...the fact that Kris Tapley (InContention/Variety) mentioned last week on Twitter that he's "Been hearing this was amazing since like March" and that it "Could be a real surprise later this season."  Finally, the film is slated to open on Oct. 21st which would certainly allow for plays at any of the big fall fests : Telluride, Venice, Toronto, New York.

As of this post, I'm warming to the notion that American Pastoral is a now a real candidate for Telluride inclusion.

American Pastoral trailer via YouTube

Wells speculation is here:

http://www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/2016/06/i-wasnt-expecting-much-now-i-feel-differently/

OSIASON UPDATES HIS PREDICTIONS

Tower poster from IMDb

Last week I posted Telluride predictions from film fan and expert prognosticator Jason Osiason. Since then Jason has added a couple of films to his "Likely" for Telluride list.  His original list looked like this:

20th Century Women
Aquarius
Arrival
Bleed for This
Elle
Fire at Sea
Loving
Manchester-by-the -Sea
Moonlight
Risk
The Eagle Huntress
The Red Turtle
The Salesman
Things to Come
Toni Erdmann
Wilson
How to Talk to Girls at Parties

He also lists as "possible":

Good Time
My Life as a Courgette (just won the top prize at the Annecy Fest)
Neruda
Nocturnal Animals
The Beautiful Days of Aranjuez
The Meyerowitz Stories
The Son of Joseph
The Mercy
Birth of a Nation
Girl on a Train

Since that post, Osiason has communicated that he also feels that Andrea Arnold's American Honey is likely as is Keith Maitland's Tower.

That's a wrap for this Monday.  Tune in again tomorrow as I take a look at what Sundance Selects and IFC have that could make a play at this year's SHOW.

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...

The Playlist Looks at 25 Cannes Films / The Pre-Cannes Peep Show Continues

Welcome back from the weekend and Welcome to Monday...


THE PLAYLIST'S LOOK AT 25 CANNES FILMS

The Playlist (at their new web address www.theplaylist.net) put up a lengthy piece this weekend examining 25 films playing Cannes in various segments of the festival.  They are:

American Honey
The BFG
Cafe Society
Dog Eat Dog
Elle
Graduation (was Family Photos)
The Handmaiden
It's Only the End of the World
Julieta
The Last Face
Loving
Money Monster
The Neon Demon
Neruda
The Nice Guys
Paterson
Personal Shopper
Risk
The Salesman
Sieranevada
Slack Bay
Staying Vertical
Toni Erdmann
Two Lovers and a Bear
The Unknown Girl

On The Playlist's Honorable Mention list are:

I, Daniel Blake
Blood Father
Hell or High Water
Sweet Dreams
Endless Poetry
After the Storm
From the Land of the Moon
Ma Rosa
Gimme Danger
The Wailing
Aquarius


What does The Playlist's list mean for Telluride?

Start with the films that you don't/can't consider: Cafe Society, The BFG, The Nice Guys and Money Monster.

One group of films is that which come from film makers that have had a significant presence at Telluride in the past:

The Dardennes (The Unknown Girl) at least three Telluride appearances: The Child (05)...at which they were recipients of a Tribute,  The Kid with a Bike (11), Two Days, One Night (14).

Asghar Farhadi (The Salesman)...two T-ride appearances: A Separation (11) and The Past (13).

Pedro Almodovar (Julieta) has screened multiple films at Telluride: Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and a tribute in 1988, Talk to Her in 2002, Bad Education in 2004, Volver in 2006.

Paul Schrader (Dog Eat Dog) has been a frequent attendee/presenter at Telluirde: He was a guest in 1980, 1988, 1990, 1997 with Affliction, 2000, was tributed in 2002, 2003 and screened and Adam Resurrected in 2008.

Olivier Assayas (Personal Shopper) who has played T-ride with Irma Vep in 1996 and Carlos in 2010.


Then there are the Telluride single players:

Sean Penn (The Last Face) who played T-ride in 2007 with Into the Wild

Andrea Arnold (American Honey) Telluride in 2009 with Fish Tank (and has guested before as well)

David Mackenzie (Hell or High Water) his Starred Up was at Telluride in 2013)

Xavier Dolan (It's Only the End of the World) TFF #41 with Mommy in 2014

Pablo Larrain (Neruda) No at Telluride in 2012

Cristian Mungiu (Graduation/Family Photos) who was at TFF #34 in 2007 with 4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days


That's a bunch (10) of directors from the Playlist 25 (plus Honorable Mentions) that have played Cannes/Telluride before.

If recency indicates anything that would point the finger at The Dardennes, Farhadi, Dolan and Mackenzie have the best shot at coming back.  I'm feeling bullish about Farhadi and The Dardennes Brothers.

Check the complete Playlist article here:

http://theplaylist.net/25-anticipated-films-2016-cannes-film-festival-20160505/



THE PRE-CANNES PEEP SHOW CONTINUES


As we count down the days to the opening of Cannes #69...we continue to get views/stills. teasers/trailers for films playing in France and, as a result, looks at films that could end up in southwest Colorado over Labor Day weekend.

I have collected more of those for your pleasure here.

It's Only the End of the World (clips):

https://thefilmstage.com/news/watch-first-clips-from-xavier-dolans-cannes-bound-its-only-the-end-of-the-world/


Personal Shopper (stills):

http://www.indiewire.com/article/kristen-stewart-cafe-society-personal-shopper-new-images-20160503


Multiple posters including: American Honey, Slack Bay, Julieta:

https://mubi.com/notebook/posts/movie-poster-of-the-week-the-posters-of-the-2016-cannes-competition/

Stills and poster for Hell or High Water:

http://www.indiewire.com/article/hell-or-high-water-first-look-chris-pine-jeff-bridges-cannes-2016


Stills from Neruda, Dog Eat Dog, Endless Poetry and more:

http://www.indiewire.com/article/cannes-film-festival-2016-preview-directors-fortnight-risk-sweet-dreams-neruda-dog-eat-dog

Contact me at:

michael_speech@hotmail.com OR

mpgort@gmail.com OR

via Twitter @Gort2 OR to

Michael's Telluride Film Blog's Facebook page: 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Michaels-Telluride-Film-Blog-and-The-Film-Awards-Clearinghouse/107846269309712