Distributor Monday #8: Mubi / World of Reel Confirms and Reveals Titles for TFF #52 / Another Television Possibility?

DISTRIBUTION MONDAY #8: MUBI

Unlike the previous seven weeks, Mubi comes to Telluride with a much shorter resume only having initially screened a film at the fest in 2021.  Overall Mubi has screened five films in the last four fests.

2021: Unclenching the Fists

2022: No film

2023: Fallen Leaves, High and Low-John Galliano, Tehachapi

2024: Bird

This year Mubi is loaded with potential TFF film after having gone on a buying spree at Cannes.

To start off, let's note that the Jim Jarmusch film, Mother, Father, Sister, Brother is not Telluride bound.  This Mubi distributed film is going to North American Premiere as the Centerpiece of the New York Film Festival...so no T-ride play.  But here's the rundown of those Mubi films that could play TFF #52 with an * indicating when a participant has previously attended Telluride.

The first of which we covered last Monday as Focus Features also has a piece of its U.S. distribution.  Here that info is again:

The History of Sound. Dir. Oliver Hermanus*.  Stars: Paul Mescal, Chris Cooper, Josh O'Connell.  Release date: Sept. 12th..  IMDb description:

Two young men during World War I set out to record the lives, voices and music of their American countrymen.

Mescal and O'Connor are two of the hottest tickets around right now.  I had been pretty high on its chances of a Telluride play what with the distributor and Oliver Hermanus having previously having Living at TFF #49.

La Grazia (Grace).  Dir. Paolo Sorrentino*.  Stars: Toni Servillo, Anna Ferzetti.  Release date: TBD.  IMDb description: 

A love story set in Italy.

Seriously, that's the description.

La Grazia is opening the Venice Festival on Aug. 27th giving it plenty of time to make the jump to Colorado.

The Mastermind.  Dir. Kelly Reichardt.*  Stars: Josh O'Connor, John Magaro*, Bill Camp. The Mastermind played at Cannes in the Plame competition. The film had a fair critical average from Cannes-Ratings.org with a 6.29 our of 10 average.  Release date: Oct.17th.  IMDb description:

In 1970, Mooney and two cohorts wander into a museum in broad daylight and steal four paintings. When holding onto the art proves more difficult than stealing them, Mooney is relegated to a life on the run.

Reichardt was last at Telluride in 2019 with First Cow.

Die, My Love.  Dir, Lynne Ramsay*.  Stars: Jennifer Lawrence, Robert Pattinson, Nick Nolte, Sissy Spacek*.  Also played in competition at Cannes and had a critical rating just above that of The Mastermind with a 6.53.  Release date: Nov. 7th.  IMDb description:

In a remote forgotten rural area, a mother struggles to maintain her sanity as she battles with psychosis.

Lynne Ramsay was last in Telluride with We Need to Talk Abut Kevin in 2011.

My Father's Shadow.  Dir: Ankinola Davies.  Stars: Sope Dirisu, Godwin Egbo.  This film was in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes where critics responded strongly giving it a 7.47 average, the 12th best of all the films that were included in the composite ratings.  Release date: TBD.  IMDb description:

Two young brothers explore Lagos with their estranged father during the 1993 Nigerian election crisis, witnessing both the city's magnitude and their father's daily struggles as political unrest threatens their journey home.

I have to believe that Mubi lands at least one of these titles. Probably more than one.  The two "name" directors, Ramsay and Reichardt are the familiar possibilities but My Father's Shadow and Sound of Falling were more of the critical darlings at Cannes.  As to La Grazia, I'm still skeptical it opens Venice and then travels.

Chances:

My Father's Shadow 45%

Die, My Love 40%

The Mastermind 40%

La Grazia 30%

WORLD OF REEL CONFIRMS AND REVEAL TITLES FOR TFF #52

Over the weekend World of Reel's Jordan Ruimy posted some updated Telluride news.  The big reveals in the post were the seeming confirmations for Scott Cooper's Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere starring Jeremy Allen White and Jeremy Strong, Noah Baumbach's Jay Kelly starring George Clooney, Adam Sandler and Laura Dern and The History of Sound starring Josh O'Connor and Paul Mescal.

Ruimy also confirms films we were already pretty sure locks: Hamnet, The Ballad of a Small Player, Tuner, It Was Just an Accident, Sentimental Value and Nouvelle Vague.

Ruimy also confirms films that will NOT play Telluride including: The House of Dynamite, The Smashing Machine, Frankenstein, Mother Father Sister Brother and Marty Supreme.

And finally he's uncertain about whether Bugonia will or won't go the Telluride after Venice.  I'm still cautiously optimistic.

Here's the link to the complete story.

And, here from YouTube, is the trailer for The History of Sound:

 

ANOTHER TELEVISION POSSIBILTY?

Last Thursday I posted a speculation about Apple TV+ returning to Telluride this year with The Savant starring Jessica Chastain.  It seemed to me that after Disclaimer last year, that kind of situation might be repeated.

Then over the weekend I found out that Vince Gilligan's new series is set to be released by Apple TV+ on November 7th.  The series is titled Pluribus and stars Rhea Seehorn, who, of course, was Kim Wexler for Gilligan for six seasons on Better Call Saul.  

IMDb describes the series this way:

Follows the most miserable person on Earth and the one who must save the world from happiness.

So maybe this might be a candidate if TFF decides they want to partner up with Apple TV+ again this year.

PS...TIDBIT...Focus Features has dated Ronan Day-Lewis's Anemone for Oct. 3rd.  So...maybe?

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Distributor Monday #5 Searchlight / Venice Announces Opening Film...Does It Play Telluride?

 DISTRIBUTOR MONDAY #5: SEARCHLIGHT

Today's look at film distributors that have a fairly impressive track record at screening things at Telluride continues with Searchlight Films (formerly Fox Searchlight).  Over the nine years I looked back (and leaving out the Covid year of 2020) Searchlight has landed at least one at Telluride every year except 2016.

Over the years Searchlight has had a good deal of success when playing films at Telluride.  Since 2008 five (Fox) Searchlight films have played TFF and subsequently won the Academy Award for Best Picture:

2009: Slumdog Millionaire

2014: 12 Years a Slave

2015: Birdman

2018: The Shape of Water

2021: Nomadland (would have played TFF had the fest happened.  TFF did sponsor a screening or two)

Searchlight has also had a number of other films that were Best Picture nominated.  Some of those were TFF films, some not.  Since 2015:

2016: Brooklyn

2018: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

2019: The Favourite

2020: Jojo Rabbit

2022: Nightmare Alley

2023: The Banshees of Inisherin

2024: Poor Things

2025: A Complete Unknown

Looking at the possibilities from Searchlight we discover that there aren't many.  Three to be precise.  Here's the rundown for each listed in alphabetical order.  Participants in these films that have attended TFF previously are indicated with *.

In the Blink of an Eye.  Director: Andrew Stanton. Stars: Rashida Jones, Kate McKinnon, Daveed Diggs.  Release date: TBD.  IMDb description:

Three storylines, spanning thousands of years, intersect and reflect on hope, connection and the circle of life.

Frankly, I'd be surprised if this turns up.

Is This Thing On?  Director: Bradley Cooper.  Stars: Bradley Cooper, Laura Dern*, Will Arnett, Ciaran Hinds.  Release date: TBD.  IMDB description:

As their marriage unravels, Alex faces middle age and divorce, seeking new purpose in the New York comedy scene while wife Tess confronts the sacrifices she made for their family-forcing them to navigate co-parenting and identity.

I'm actually pretty excited about this film.  I am wary that it will be ready in time.  IMDb reports that it went into post-production in April...so...  Laura Dern's participation doesn't hurt its chances of making a TFF appearance as she has been a TFF regular for some time now.

Rental Family.  Director: Hikari.  Stars: Brendan Fraser, Takehiro Hira.  Release date: TBD.  IMDb description:

Japanese rental company hires struggling American actor in Tokyo. He plays various roles in clients' lives, embarking on an introspective journey through these unlikely experiences.

I actually think that Rental Family might be the most likely TFF entrant of the three.

Chances:

Rental Family 40%

Is This Thing On? 20%

In the Blink of an Eye 20%

Next week a look at Amazon/MGM.

VENICE ANNOUNCES OPENING FILM...DOES IT PLAY TELLURIDE?

The 82nd Venice Film Festival will open with Paolo Sorrentino's La Grazia (Grace).  Does that make it likely to also play at TFF #52?  That answer isn't clear at all.  Although I have frequently mentioned that the positioning of a film in the Venice schedule is crucial for any film that a distributor wants in both fests.  To make this double play a film has to be scheduled in Venice first two to three days.  Fourth day tops.  So you would think that Venice's opening night film would be a solid choice to make the way.  But...hold on...no so fast.  

I went back to 2010 and checked that scenario.  Here's what has opened Venice for each year since then with films that went on to cross the Atlantic to screen at T-ride indicated with a *.

2010: Black Swan*

2011: The Ides of March

2012: The Reluctant Fundamentalist

2013: Gravity*

2014: Birdman*

2015: Everest

2016: La La Land*

2017: Downsizing*

2018: First Man*

2019: The Truth

2020: The Ties

2021: Parallel Mothers

2022: White Noise

2023: Comandante

2024: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

As you can see, the Venice-Telluride scenario was very common from 2010-2018 with the Venice opener going west six times but beginning with 2019 the trend has not happened.

I can recall thinking that The Truth (19), Parallel Mothers (21) and White Noise (22) all had a pretty good shot at going to TFF and being wrong about them.

Muddying the predictive waters are the fact that director Paolo Sorrentino has recently been an invitee to Telluride.  In 2021 his The Hand of God did the Venice-Telluride thing with it playing Venice on Sept. 2 and then screening in Telluride the next day.

Additionally, La Grazia is being distributed in the U.S. by Mubi which has been a TFF player the last four years or so.

I'm inclined to think that the recent drought of Venice openers coming to Telluride isn't an accident.  It feels like the outcome of a deliberate choice to avoid that.  I have no real evidence other than the fact that the circumstance hasn't occurred for six straight years.

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Distributors Monday: Netflix / Animal Farm Clip / Tidbits

DISTRIBUTORS MONDAY: NETFLIX

We start this Monday (and the next several Mondays) by taking a look at the dozen or so distributors that frequently have films in the Telluride Film festival.  Distribution companies are the key connection between a film and where and when it plays.  Taking a look at the films that they have available can, sometimes, give us insight as to what might make the Labor Day weekend fest.

And sometimes not.  In prep to do this nearly annual assessment of distribution companies I looked back at my track record.  It's not that great.  So take these guesses with a big, big grain of salt.  Nevertheless, the list of possible films from each outlet, at a minimum, gives us a pretty extensive group of titles to consider.

So we begin these looks with Netflix and the reason we begin here is that Netflix has placed more films at T-ride over the last decade than any other distributor including Roma, The Irishman, Marriage Story and The Power of the Dog.

At this point it looks like Netflix has five possibilities, although there are likely more which are fairly obscure at this point.  Here's a bit of info on each which are listed in order of what I think the chances are for them to be at TFF #52. (Individuals who have previously attended Telluride are indicated with *).

The Ballad of a Small Player.  Director: Edward Berger*.  Stars: Colin Farrell, Tilda Swinton*.  Release Date: TBD. IMDb description:

When his past and his debts start to catch up with him, a high-stakes gambler laying low in Macau encounters a kindred spirit who might just hold the key to his salvation.

 

Berger's appearance last year with Conclave and its level of success make me think that "Ballad" has a good shot at TFF #52.

Jay Kelly.  Director: Noah Baumbach*.  Stars: George Clooney*, Adam Sandler*, Billy Crudup*, Laura Dern*, Emily Mortimer, Patrick Wilson, Greta Gerwig*.  Release date: Nov. 14th (though IMDb already says it will play the Venice Film Fest).  IMDb description:

Everyone knows Jay Kelly, but he doesn't know himself.

Baumbach at Telluride: Margot at the Wedding, Frances Ha and Marriage Story.

There are so many people involved in Jay Kelly that have been to TFF that you sort of have to believe Jay Kelly is a cinch but plenty of Baumbach's work has not played there including: The Squid and the Whale, Greenburg, While We're Young, Mistress America and White Noise.

Frankenstein.  Director: Guillermo Del Toro*.  Stars: Oscar Isaac*, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth and Christoph Waltz.  Release date:  IMDb lists its internet release as Nov. 2025.  No news about a theatrical release.  IMDb description:

A brilliant but egotistical scientist brings a creature to life in a monstrous experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation.

Having seen the trailer for this, it's one of my most hoped-for possibilities.  However, despite Del Toro's past at TFF (as well as that of his "amigos" Inarritu and Cuaron) I'm just not sure this makes the trip.

Left-Handed Girl.  Director: Shih-Ching Tsou,  Stars: Janel Tsai. Played Cannes Critics Week section. Release date: TBD.  IMDb description: 

A single mother and her two daughters relocate to Taipei to open a night market stall, each navigating the challenges of adapting to their new environment while striving to maintain family unity.

Netflix picked this up at Cannes after the film was very well received critically.  Additionally Sean Baker, fresh off of winning four Oscars for Anora, is co-writer, producer and editor of the film.    That makes me think it could be a TFF choice.

Nouvelle Vague. Director: Richard Linklater.  Stars: Guillaume Marbeck, Zoey Deucth, Aubry Dullin. Played Cannes Palme Competition category.   Release date: TBD.  IMDb description: 

Follows the production of Jean-Luc Godards's "Breathless".

Linklater, to the best of my knowledge, has never had a film at TFF.  A few posts back I wrote that this could be the year that changes that with this and his other film, Blue Moon, both coming out.  Blue Moon does have an announced release date of Oct. 17th.

Chances:

The Ballad of a Small Player 50%

Jay Kelly 40%

Frankenstein 35%

Left-Handed Girl 30%

Nouvelle Vague 20%

Next Monday: Sony Pictures Classics

ANIMAL FARM CLIP

In my previous post I passed along the news that Andy Serkis's Animal Farm is ready to roll.  It is headed for the Annecy International Animation Festival which kicked off yesterday.  The film also has a clip up now on YouTube.  Here it is:

TIDBITS

***Neon has announced that Cannes Grand Prix winner Sentimental Value will be released in the U.S. on November 7th.  That would allow a combo of Telluride and/or Toronto and New York.

***World of Reel reports that the Venice Film Fest will screen Jim Jarmusch's Father Mother Sister Brother and Paolo Sorrentino's La Grazia.  Venice won't actually announce its lineup for another month and then it won't be until August until they announce their screening schedule which can point to Telluride titles.

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