Ten (Plus) Bets #9 / Still No Fest Home / Live by Night in December? / Whispers and More Whispers / Burns for the Museum / And Congratulations

It is Friday...finally...

TEN (PLUS) BETS #9

We start today with an update of the weekly Ten Bets list that has more than ten bets.


Last week's Ten (Plus) Bets:

20) Journey Through French Cinema
19) Defying the Nazis
18) The B-Side
17) Into the Inferno
16) Julieta
15) Graduation
14) High Summer
13) Manchester by the Sea
12) Maudie
11) Una
10) Frantz
9) The Red Turtle
8) Fire at Sea
7) Moonlight
6) Bleed for This
5) Neruda
4) Things to Come
3) La La Land
2) Toni Erdmann
1) Arrival

And now, here is the latest version of Ten (Plus) Bets:

20) Journey Through French Cinema
19) Defying the Nazis
18) The B-Side
17) Into the Inferno
16) Wakefield
15) Graduation
14) Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer
13) Manchester by the Sea
12) Maudie
11) Una
10) Frantz
9) The Red Turtle
8) Fire at Sea
7) Neruda
6) Bleed for This
5) Moonlight
4) Arrival
3) La La Land
2) Things to Come
1) Toni Erdmann

Almodovar's Julieta drops off due to its TIFF designation as a North American Premiere.  I also dropped the animated French short High Summer to make way for the two films we think are in play after the latest TIFF reveal: Wakefield and Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer.



Other films that are still in somewhat serious play: The Circle, Miss Sloane, The Sense of an Ending, Exile, Peshmerga, Gold, Eternity, The Founder.

STILL NO FILM FEST HOME...

The list of films that might still be possible for a Telluride slot is getting smaller.  As of this post, these films do not have a festival berth that I'm aware of:

Rules Don't Apply (rumored for AFI)
Allied
Fences
Gold
Passengers
Miss Sloane
Live by Night (supposedly heading for a December Oscar qualifying limited release, see below)
The Accountant
Sully
The Founder
The Mercy
Passengers
Wild Oats
Eternity
Silence
Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk


LIVE BY NIGHT IN DECEMBER?

A number of film outlets were all over a reported comment made by Ben Affleck's Live by Night co-star Elle Fanning to the effect that the film would be seeing the light of day before the end of 2016. That has been a train of thought for some time since Warners moved the film's announced release date up from Oct. 2017 to Jan. 13, 2017.

To the best of  my knowledge there has been no confirmation from the WB people.

Here's the Elle Fanning story:

http://theplaylist.net/elle-fanning-says-ben-afflecks-live-night-will-arrive-december-20160817/



WHISPERS AND MORE WHISPERS

Eastwood and Hanks on the set of Sully (from CowboysandIndians.com)

We've reached that time of the year when the rumor mill is beginning to crank up to full capacity in regard to TFF.  Sometimes those tidbits pan out.  Often they do not.  The latest couple of quiet little buzzes have to do with Warners debuting Clint Eastwood's Sully (with Tom Hanks) as a part of the fest.  I'm dubious.

I've also heard that there could be another Venice title that makes the trip across the Atlantic in conjunction with a tribute.  What makes this intriguing is that this film would be in addition to a film that I think is already going to play Telluride and both of them feature the same star who would be the focus of the tribute.  Further, there is the suggestion that this new "Venice/T-ride crossover" is set to play Toronto and that it's currently listed premiere status is misleading.

I'm not ready to jump on board this yet, or name the possible new film but I believe that this story has more potential to be true than the Sully whisper mentioned above.

Stay tuned...



BURNS FOR THE TELLURIDE HISTORICAL MUSEUM

Got an email earlier this week that revealed that big time Telluride supporter and frequent presenter Ken Burns will be doing a pre-fest program for the Telluride Historical Museum on Aug. 28.  An Evening with Ken Burns will be presented for the third consecutive year and will take place at The Palm Theater at Telluride High.  Admission is $25 or $20 for Museum members.

Burns will be screening some of his National Parks: America's Greatest Idea documentary.  The program starts at 6pm.

I have linked more information here:

http://www.telluridemuseum.org/pressitem/an-evening-with-ken-burns-tickets-on-sale-now/


AND CONGRATULATIONS

Greg Ellwood announced yesterday that his Awards Campaign website will now be a part of The Playlist for whom he will be covering the awards season.  Congrats Greg!

Ellwood will be one of the more than a dozen industry pros that will be a part of MTFB's annual Professionals Telluride film ratings.

Here's coverage of the move from Greg's site:

http://awardscampaign.com/2016/08/18/awards-campaign-is-moving-to-the-playlist/



That's a wrap for this Friday.

Contact MTFB at:

mpgort@gmail.com

OR on Twitter @Gort2

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Or leave a comment.

Re-Visiting Films from Warner Brothers / Free Fire to Close London / FFC's Distant Vision

Good Tuesday friends...

RE-VISITING FILMS FROM WARNER BROTHERS

I've written it a number of times, Warner Brothers has become a strong presence at Telluride over the past four years.  Beginning with the Oscar winning run for Ben Affleck's Argo in 2012.  They followed that in 2013 with Gravity (another Oscar heavy hitter) and Prisoners.  They weren't in T-ride in 2014 but returned last year with Black Mass.

Last week in his overview of Oscar in relation to the first wave of Toronto announcements and the Venice announcements, Variety's Kristopher Tapley wrote this:


"Getting back to Telluride, which sold out passes in record time this year, Warner Bros. has leveraged the fest in the past with films like “Argo,” “Gravity” and “Black Mass.” This year the studio has Gavin O’Connor’s “The Accountant” slated for the same early-October release granted to “Argo” and “Gravity”; Clint Eastwood’s “Sully” primed for release immediately after the festival concludes; and Ben Affleck’s “Live By Night” on the backstretch with an expected December qualifying run. Certainly they’ll come with something."

It's that last sentence that stands out.  He seems confident that WB will be back to Telluride this year. Problem is that none of the bog three WB possibilities seems like a strong candidate though there could be an under the radar player or two.

The Accountant stars Ben Affleck and is set to open Oct. 14. That's the right date but almost no one seems to think it's a Telluride-type film.

The Tapley post is here in its entirety:

http://variety.com/2016/film/in-contention/oscar-contenders-venice-telluride-toronto-film-festivals-1201825632/

The Accountant's second official trailer via YouTube

Sully stars Tom Hanks and is set to open almost immediately after TFF is over-Sept. 9.  That's essentially the same lead time that they took last year with Black Mass (9/18).   Director Clint Eastwood has been to Telluride before.  But, again, there are issues.  It's a really short time between T-ride and the open, Eastwood has lately avoided fall fests and last week Venice artistic director Alberto Barbera revealed in an interview with Screen Daily that:

"I’m sorry Warner Bros is missing this year because they have been our most dependable partner in recent years. I tried to get Sully, but it was simply not convenient for them as Clint Eastwood wouldn’t be coming and Tom Hanks would’ve been too busy promoting Inferno. That is my biggest and only regret this year."

So that doesn't bode well.

The Barbera interview is here:

http://www.screendaily.com/festivals/venice/venice-alberto-barbera-reveals-line-up-gems-regrets-and-this-years-big-oscar-contender/5107112.article

Finally, there's Ben Affleck's other WB film, the one he's directing.  The adaptation of Dennis Lehane's Live by Night.  The film may be positioned for awards consideration.  The reason we think that is that WB moved off of its original release to Jan. 13th.  Many are thinking that WB may well try to get the film a qualifying run in December.

I've heard that it's being test screened which would suggest that there is some nearly complete version but all of that is also pretty murky to hang your hat on for a guess at a Telluride berth.

Then there are a couple of wild cards.  One is a highly anticipated big name film: Collateral Beauty starring Will Smith and Kate Winslet.  It's directed by David Frankel and has a Dec. 16th release date.

The other is a smaller film that nonetheless has gained some pre-awards notice.  The Yellow Birds stars maybe the hottest young actor on the planet right now, Alden Ehrenreich and there is some awards buzz for his co-star Jennifer Aniston.  The Yellow Birds does not have an announced release date and IMDb seems to be torn as to whether it could appear in 2016 or 2017.  IMDb lists both films as being in post production with the last update for Collateral Beauty listed as April 22 and for The Yellow Birds it's Jan. 30.

Maybe one of these films shows up in September.



FREE FIRE TO CLOSE LONDON

Brie Larson in Free Fire (The Playlist)

We found out yesterday that Ben Wheatley's Free Fire would close the London/BFI Fest on Pct. 16.  The film was announced as an European premiere.  I haven't been thinking seriously about the Wheatley film as a Telluride candidate but the European Preem designation got me to thinking...could it be T-ride bound?

The film's first screening must already be scheduled somewhere besides Europe and that points to one of three fests: Telluride, Toronto and/or New York.  It could play one of those fests or any combination of them.

The greatest chance is a spot in the as yet unannounced field of the still 200+ titles that TIFF has yet to announce.  They're set to announce another batch tomorrow although it is my belief that they will focus on Canadian films then.

Of course, the film is distributed from A24 and stars Brie Larson which matches the same characteristics as a film from last year that you may recall: Room.

I'm still expecting A24 to have a presence at Telluride with Barry Jenkins Moonlight but the presence of Larson and Telluride can't be ruled out (at least yet) because of the success that Room experienced last year.


Coverage of the London announcement is here:

http://variety.com/2016/film/global/ben-wheatley-free-fire-brie-larson-close-bfi-london-film-festival-1201827442/

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/brie-larson-starrer-free-fire-916072

http://theplaylist.net/ben-wheatleys-action-thriller-free-fire-close-bfi-london-film-festival-20160801/


FFC'S DISTANT VISION

FFC Works on Distant Vision (The Film Stage)

I have mentioned a couple of times that I believe that it is very possible that Francis Ford Coppola might return to Telluride this year to demonstrate, talk about, show his latest experiment in what he calls " kind of hybrid".  He also calls it "live cinema".  The project is named Distant Vision and Coppola has tackled a version of it twice now.  Once in Oklahoma City and most recently at UCLA.

I wouldn't be completely surprised if TFF #43 included a small demonstration of the project during the fest.

The Film Stage took a peak at what Coppola's been doing last week.  That story is here:

https://thefilmstage.com/news/watch-francis-ford-coppola-sharpens-distant-vision-in-rehearsal-for-next-film/

And a video of FFC at work and describing the project is here:

https://vimeo.com/175960112/3846472146


That's it for Tuesday.  Come back tomorrow for more...

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...

Pre-Torotno Announcement Guesses from Experts / Detective Work Reveals Animation Short for TFF #43 / Film Test Screening

Good Tuesday everyone.  I'll have dual posts today.  This one and another a bit later in which I will attempt to parse out what information I can from the first wave of film announcements for Galas and Special Presentations for the Toronto International Film Festival.  That will be livestreamed at 10:00am EDT here:

http://tiff.net/festivals/festival16/pressconferences

Meanwhile, here's the early edition of MTFB for Tuesday, July 26, 2016...

PRE-TORONTO ANNOUNCEMENT GUESSES FROM THE EXPERTS:

I have included links to posts/articles that have made some picks about what might be announced for TIFF later today:

The Guardian:

https://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2016/jul/20/40-films-predict-premiere-venice-toronto-telluride-festivals

The Globe and Mail:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/after-a-dry-summer-movie-season-will-tiff-deliver-salvation/article31055335/

Jeff Wells/Hollywood Elsewhere's Telluride "Spitball" with a good deal of Toronto news in it:

http://www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/2016/07/no-birth-of-a-nation-at-telluride/

TIFF Artistic Director Cameron Bailey has tweeted that we can expect 60+ Galas and Special Presentations to be announced so we should have a good deal of info to sift through later today.



DETECTIVE WORK REVEALS ANIMATION SHORT FOR TFF #43

Scene from animated short Plein ete via Miyu Productions

Every year something like this happens.  I follow threads, Twitter, Facebook, Google Search, Google News, Google Alerts...what have you.  Most of the time they're dead ends, but every now and then I do turn up some useful information.  It happened over the weekend as I followed a brief tweet in french no less that led me to this:

http://miyuproductions.com/prod/courts-metrages/plein-ete-en-prod/


Plein ete or High Summer appears to be playing TFF #43.  The director is Josselin Fraco.  So count this as another film that will be playing Labor Day weekend.


FILMS TEST SCREENING

Additional screening news came yesterday as we learned that Kenneth Lonergan's Manchester by the Sea is still test screening.  I'm all be certain that it is likely set for a Telluride play but it also makes me wonder about the possibility of both Ben Affleck's Live by Night and Theodore Melfi's Hidden Figures which we know have also been testing within the last week or so.

Of particular interest to me is Live by Night primarily because it's Ben Affleck doing Dennis Lehane (Mystic River and Affleck's Gone Baby Gone) and Warner Brothers.  WB has been playing in Telluride since Affleck's Argo four years ago.  They had Prisoners and Gravity in T-ride in 2013, skipped 2014 but were back last year with Black Mass.

I could actually imagine the Affleck brothers in town together (Casey stars in Manchester by the Sea) and throw in Matt Damon too as he's a producer on Manchester.  Suddenly we have Good Telluride Hunting.

WB could also strive to bring The Accountant, the other Ben Affleck starring film it has in its basket. It's slated for Oct. 14th but isn't really a high Telluride possibility.

The Accountant is directed by Gavin O'Conner.



MORE COMING LATER TODAY FOLLOWING THE ANNOUNCMENTS FROM TORONTO.

Distribution: Open Road and Zeitgeist / Ken Burns, Tom Hanks and Defying Nazis / First 2016 Oscar Poker Talks Some Telluride

Good Thursday Everybody...


DISTRIBUTION: OPEN ROAD AND ZEITGEIST FILMS

Using a baseball metaphor here on this Thursday as we round third base on distribution companies at Telluride and head toward home.  Today we'll examine Open Road Films and Zeitgeist Films. Tomorrow we'll bring the two week review of distributors home with a laundry list of players who are occasionally represented at T-ride.

OPEN ROAD FILMS

Open Road didn't make an appearance at Telluride until the past two years but they have made a substantial impression in that time.  In 2014 they brought Jon Stewart's directing debut, Rosewater, to the fest and though the film wasn't universally embraced, it certainly made some noise.  Then last year, Open Road was back with Spotlight which was universally praised and went on to Oscar glory for Best Picture and Original Screenplay as well as another four nominations.

With that as your preamble, you'd think that they'd be primed for another big run at Telluride and perhaps they are.

Open Road has two films that could figure into the Telluride lineup for 2016.  The most attention grabbing is Oliver Stone's Snowden.  The film features Jopseh Gordon-Levitt as the NSA-secret exposing Edward Snowden.  It also stars Shailene Woodley and Nicolas Cage.  The film is dated to open Sept. 16th.

I've mentioned before that Stone has been to Telluride in the past with U-Turn in 1997.  That's a long time ago.  I'm also a little out off by the 9/16 date, although that's the same weekend that Black Mass had after screening last year.

I have thought that the film could play Venice and Telluride. The Sept. 16 date tells you it's not going to be playing Toronto.

Meanwhile, the other Open Road possibility is Bleed for This with Miles Teller starring as real life boxer Vinnie Pazienza.  The film is directed by relative newcomer Ben Younger.

It seems to me that neither film is a slam dunk for The SHOW but that either or both could make it owing to Open Road's success the past two years.

Chances:

Snowden 40%
Bleed for This 40%


ZEITGEIST FILMS

Zeitgeist has played five films at Telluride over the past nine years.

2007- Chris and Don: A Love Story, Jellyfish
2008- Tulpan
2013- The Galapagos Affair
2014- Diplomacy

This year sees the specialty house with three films that could land on the Telluride list:

Old Stone directed by Johnny Ma (played well at Berlin)
InnSaei directed by Hrund Gunnsteinsdottir and Kristin Olafsdottir
Theo Who Lived directed by David Schisgall.

Old Stone is a feature and both Innsaei and Theo Who Lived are documentaries about which little is known.

Old Stone would seem to have the best shot at Telluride, but because director Johnny Ma has Canadian ties, it could well be a Toronto only play.

Give all three films a 25% chance of making the Telluride lineup.

Tomorrow, a laundry list of distribution houses:


KEN BURNS, TOM HANKS AND DEFYING NAZIS



Telluride regular (and MTFB "Usual Suspect") Ken Burns is a staple at the festival and often, though not every year, he has a project that screens as a part of the fest's lineup including 2012's Central Park Five.  This year, Burns has a documentary ready that is set for its PBS debut on Sept. 9.  Defying the Nazis: The Sharp's War.  The film is narrated by Tom Hanks.

It wouldn't surprise me greatly if the film actually debuts in Telluride.

Check the trailer here:

Defying the Nazis: The Sharp's War trailer via YouTube

Also take a look at this story from Mothers and Critics:

http://smallscreen.monstersandcritics.com/preview-tom-hanks-narrates-ken-burns-inspiring-tale-of-defying-the-nazis/

FIRST 2016 OSCAR POKER TALKS SOME TELLURIDE

Sasha Stone of Awards Daily and Jeff Wells of Hollywood Elsewhere have huddled up for their first Oscar Poker podcast for 2016 and in the course of their discussion they drop a few tidbits about Telluride.

The first is a glancing refernce to Telluride in the context of talking about the recently re-dated Ben Affleck film Live by Night.  The film was recently moved up by Warners to early January 2017 and there has been a good deal of speculation that Warners will release it in a limited fashion in December to qualify it for Oscar consideration.  The Telluride mention comes at about the 9:30 mark.

The duo also mentions Telluride 24 minutes in in regards to Damien Chazelle's La La Land.  It seems that both Wells and Stone feel that it's likely to make its bow at Venice on August 31.

They also spend a good chunk of time discussing Weinstein Company films Lion and HHhH both of which I have mentioned in terms of Telluride but Stone and Wells don't make that connection.  Their discussion of the two films happens about the 41 min. mark.

And finally, Wells re-iterates fairly strongly the notion that he espoused and we reported here June 27 that Olivier Assasyas' Personal Shopper is not going to play T-ride.  That comes near the end at the 57 min. mark.

Finally Stone and Wells more or less agree that they feel that there are six films that are out in front for the best picture Oscar at least perceptually at this point:

Silence
Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk
La La Land
Birth of a Nation
Manchester-by-the-Sea
Loving

Here's the link to the Oscar Poker podcast:

http://www.awardsdaily.com/podcasts/oscarpoker/episode126.mp3

Wells Seconds the La La Land Notion / United Kingdom to Open BFI Fest / Moving Dates

Good Tuesday.  Summer officially started yesterday.  It felt like it here in the Oklahoma Panhandle and we were not remotely the hottest place in the country.  Air conditioning..thank you.


WELLS SECONDS THE LA LA LAND NOTION

I wrote yesterday that the over-the-weekend announcement that Damien Chazelle's musical-La La Land as the opening film for the Venice Film Festival actually may boost its profile in as far as a play at Telluride is concerned.

I noted that 3 of the last six Venice openers have also made the trek to T-ride (Birdman, Gravity and Black Swan).

That notion got some support yesterday in a late afternoon post from Jeff Wells/Hollywood Elsewhere.  Wells, writing about what he perceives, at least at this point, a somewhat lackluster Oscar slate of films,  mentioned the Chazelle film and connected it to both Venice and Telluride.  It's the only mention of Telluride in the article.

Take a look at Wells' complete post here:

http://www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/2016/06/concerns-about-weak-tea/



UNITED KINGDOM WILL OPEN BFI  FEST

Still via The Hollywood Reporter

It was announced in Great Britain earlier today-Amma Asante's A United Kingdom will open the British Film Institute's Film Fest.  This is notable for a couple of reasons. 1) The opener the last two years has made its first showing at Telluride: Suffragette last year and The Imitation Game in 2014.  Additionally, the story from The Hollywood Reporter characterizes the screening as the film's European Premiere which probably signals a play at either Telluride. Toronto or both.

The film stars David Oyelowo and Rosamund Pike.  Oyelowo plays the King of Bechauanaland whose marriage to a white woman in 1947 resulted in fierce opposition from Britain and  South Africa.

Here's the link to the THR story:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/london-festival-open-united-kingdom-904889



MOVING DATES

photo via Screen Rant

News yesterday that some films that have been floating in and around my Telluride consciousness have been announced with shifts in release dates.  Most notably Warners' move up of to Ben Affleck's Live by Night to Jan. 13, 2017.  There is a good deal of speculation that it will likely get a limited run at the end of 2016 to qualify for Oscar consideration.  What had been a film that I thought might be a 2017 T-ride consideration now appears to be off the radar for 2016 as well.  Seems to me to be a very late debut for a film that would have to be ready to screen at T-ride almost four months before.  It's not impossible, but it's probably not making it to the San Juans.

Also, we learned that The Zookeeper's Wife from director Niki Caro has now been dated for Mar. 31, 2017 which truly takes it out of consideration for Telluride both this year and next.

I have linked a number of posts about the shift in dates:

http://theplaylist.net/jessica-chastain-vehicle-zookeepers-wife-will-skip-awards-season-lego-movie-sequel-delayed-20160620/

http://collider.com/ben-affleck-live-by-night-release-date-change/

http://deadline.com/2016/06/lego-movie-live-by-night-bastards-geostorm-warner-bros-release-dates-shifted-1201774989/

http://screenrant.com/live-by-night-ben-affleck-release-date-2017/

Contact MTFB at:

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More Post-Oscar Pre-Oscar Speculation / Post-Oscar Statistics

It's a Thursday in March...

MORE POST-OSCAR, PRE-OSCAR SPECULATION

The fine folks at Awards Watch have put their collective heads together to make their first set of way-too-early Oscar predictions for 2016 (and the 2017 Oscars).  You can find their lists of a number of categories here:


http://awardswatch.com/category/predictions/film-predictions/oscars-predictions/gold-rush-gang-oscar-predictions/2017-oscar-predictions/


Among their Best Picture Oscar picks that seem to have some Telluride potential are:

Ang Lee's Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk (distrib: Sony, opens Nov. 11)
Jeff Nichol's Loving (distrib: Focus Features, opens TBD)
Ben Affleck's Live by Night (distrib: Warners, opens TBD)
Barry Jenkins' Moonlight (distrib: A24, opens TBD)
David Michod's War Machine (distrib: Netflix, opens TBD)
Damien Chazelle's La La Land (distrib: Lionsgate, opens Dec. 2)
Garth Davis' Lion (distrib: The Weinstein Company, opens Nov. 25)
James Marsh's Deep Water (no distrib or release date)


From other categories besides Best Picture:

Craig Johnson's Wilson (Fox Searchlight, TBD)
Mike Mills' 20th Century Women ( No distrib, TBD)


POST-OSCAR STATISTICS

Nathaniel Rogers and The Film Experience take a look at any number of statistics and oddities that came to light as a result of this year's Academy Awards:

http://thefilmexperience.net/blog/2016/2/29/pt-1-winners-trivia-stats-howd-you-do-on-your-predictions.html

Also from the Academy itself... a database of all the Oscars from the beginning:

http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies


More to come on Monday...

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Five Future Films/And Then There's Another/MCN's Latest Gurus/Birdman Poster and Images/Latest Screen Talk

FIVE FUTURE FILMS THAT COULD PLAY TELLURIDE

Alejandro Inarritu

I'm always on the lookout for announcements of future film projects that seem to me to have the potential to end up in Telluride over Labor Day weekend.  I'll collect some of the posts and press material when I stumble across that kind of thing and hoard it.  Now that we're almost a month removed for the 41st edition of TFF, I thought that I might as well drag some of those out and post the some of the info that's been out there.  So, without further adieu, here are ten films that have been announced that could end up at a future Telluride Film Fest:

1) "The Revenant". Director: Alejandro Inarritu and starring Leonardo DiCaprio.  A revenge western.  Reason for a TFF play: Inarritu.  The Oscar nominated director has played Telluride with three straight films: "Babel", "Biutiful" and "Birdman".  A couple of sticking points:  Will it be done in time?  It's set for a Dec. 25th release in 2015 and the distributor is 20th Century Fox which has a spotty record at Telluride at best.  Here are your "Revenant" posts:

http://www.firstshowing.net/2014/scorseses-silence-inarritus-the-revenant-both-arrive-in-2015/

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/inarritus-revenant-starring-dicaprio-hardy-set-christmas-2015/

http://variety.com/2014/film/news/tom-hardy-confirmed-to-join-leonardo-dicaprio-in-the-revenant-1201255146/

http://www.thewrap.com/were-the-millers-star-will-poulter-joining-leonardo-dicaprio-in-the-revenant/

And the IMDb page:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1663202/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_2

Sir Ian as "Mr. Holmes"

2) "Mr. Holmes". Director: Bill Condon.  Starring: Ian McKellan and Laura Linney.  Reasons it would play Telluride:  Condon and Linney who have been at Telluride in the past with "Kinsey" in 2004.  Linney has also been a Telluride presence in "Jindabayne", "The Savages" and "Hyde Park on Hudson".  Additionally, the film is being co-distributed by Roadside Attractions whose TFF profile grew to three films this year and one of the Production companies is See Saw Films which has had a high profile Telluride presence in recent years with films: "The King's Speech", "Shame" and "Tracks".

"Mr. Holmes" links:

http://variety.com/2014/film/news/ian-mckellen-mr-holmes-us-distribution-1201296769/

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/first-look-ian-mckellen-sherlock-holmes-bill-condons-mr-sherlock/

"Mr. Holmes" IMDb page:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3168230/?ref_=nv_sr_1

From IndieWire; Trumbo and Cranston

3) "Trumbo" Director: Jay Roach.  Starring: Bryan Cranston, Helen Mirren, John Goodman.  Reasons ot would play Telluride:  Well, there really aren't ANY.  No history with this director.  As a matter of fact, Jay Roach's resume is odd.  He has a couple of quality HBO gigs under his belt: "Game Change"  and "Recount" but he also is the director of such "classics" as all three "Austin Powers" films as well as a couple of the "Fockers" franchise.

The listed U.S. distributor for "all media" via IMDb is Bleeker Street.  It's listed as exactly their fourth feature to distribute.  The other three: "Pawn Sacrifice" (Ed Zwick's Bobby Fischer/Boris Spassky flick), "Danny Coliins" (from Dan Fogelman) and "Captain Fantastic" (from Matt Ross).  So there's no TFF history there.

The film's production companies don't have any Telluride connection either.  IMDb lists Groundswell Productions (no T-ride past), Inimitable Pictures (ditto) and ShivHans Pictures (the same).

So, why is it on my list?  Because I think a Dalton Trumbo biopic starring Bryan Cranston in the title role sounds like a perfect fit for Telluride if it's well executed.  If Roach is in "Game Change/Recount" mode, then I could see this being a part of the TFF #42 lineup.

Here's some of the stories that have come out about "Trumbo":

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hobbit-actor-play-kirk-douglas-734744

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/casting-mike-epps-frontrunner-for-richard-pryor-biopic-daisy-ridley-returning-for-star-wars-8-9-and-more-20140811

http://www.thewrap.com/john-goodman-in-talks-to-join-bryan-cranston-in-jay-roachs-trumbo-exclusive/

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/bryan-cranston-star-as-blacklisted-631845

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/bobby-cannavale-joins-pacino-de-niro-in-martin-scorseses-gangster-picture-the-irishman-20140909


"Trumbo's IMDb page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3203606/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_2

From projectcasting.com: The novel and Affleck

4) "Live by Night" Director: Ben Affleck.  Starring: Affleck, Zoe Saldana, Elle Fanning and Sienna Miller.  Affleck returns to a Dennis Lehane story for this film.  Lehane wrote the novel that was the basis for Affleck's first directing experience, "Gone Baby Gone".  This story is set in the Prohibition era and features cops and gangsters.

Why Telluride?  Affleck and Warner Bros. cannot be unhappy with the way Affleck's last directing gig turned out.  "Argo" launched at Telluride and went on to win three Academy Awards including Best Picture.  That's enough for me to think that they may want to try the same path in 2015 or 2016 (IMDb lists its  domestic release on Oct. 7, 2016 but a number of the posts you'll look at below say it'll be out at the end of 2015).  TFF #42 or #43 could be a very real scenario.

Posts about "Live by Night":

http://www.thewrap.com/ben-afflecks-live-night-hit-theaters-christmas-day-2015/

http://www.slashfilm.com/ben-afflecks-live-by-night-will-shoot-this-fall/

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/ben-affleck-returns-to-dennis-lehane-territory-eyes-live-by-night-as-next-directorial-outing-20121011


The IMDb page for "Live by Night": http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2361317/?ref_=ttrel_rel_tt


5) Danny Boyle's next project...Boyle has a couple of potential projects bouncing about.  There's "Porno", sequel to his acclaimed "Trainspotting" and then there's the untitled film that centers on the 1973 "Battle of the Sexes" tennis match between Billy Jean King and Bobby Riggs.  "Porno" seems to be closer to actually being on the tracks to being made.  Either way, it seems that Boyle would be a likely candidate to return to Telluride after very successful trips there in 2008 with eight time Oscar winner "Slumdog Millionaire" and then again in 2010 with "127 Hours" which was nominated for six Academy Awards.  If Fox Searchlight gets involved, that would further increase the chances that we'd see the film in T-ride as they were distributors for both "Slumdog" and "127 Hours".

Here's some press about "Porno":

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-27293478

http://www.moviereviewworld.com/news/irvine-welsh-confirms-trainspotting-2-film-sequel-works/

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/watch-1-hour-talk-with-danny-boyle-mark-kemode-physicist-brian-cox-about-sunshine-20140211


and other posts about the possible "Battle of the Sexes":

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/danny-boyle-to-direct-film-about-1973-battle-of-the-sexes-tennis-match-between-billie-jean-king-bobby-riggs-20140219

http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/feb/19/danny-boyle-biopic-billie-jean-king-film-battle-of-the-sexes

http://www.firstshowing.net/2014/danny-boyle-working-on-a-billie-jean-king-bobby-riggs-tennis-drama/

 "Porno's" IMDb page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2763304/?ref_=nv_sr_2



AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER

It's been rumored for awhile and though still not confirmed, it appears to be very close to that.  We're talking the possibility/probability of Quentin Tarantino shooting seven weeks for his next film "The Hateful Eight" near Telluride.

You have to also think that if he does shoot there that he'd maybe want to play the film there as a part of TFF #42.  I've actually seen a couple of people suggest that possibility in correspondence.

According to the linked story below from the Denver Business Journal, the film would begin shooting in the San Juans in December if all the pieces fall into place.  Further, the film is being produced and will be distributed domestically by The Weinstein Company which just came off a triumphant set of screenings of "The Imitation Game" at last month's film fest.  The film is planned to have a late 2015 release.  It stars Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Tim Roth, Walton Goggins and Bruce Dern among others.

Check the Denver Business Journal story here:

http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/2014/09/26/embargoed-until-9-05-a-mcolorado-expecting-to-have.html

another story from The Denver Post:

http://www.denverpost.com/entertainment/ci_26611060/quentin-tarantino-set-shoot-hateful-eight-colorado


"The Hateful Eight's" IMDb page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3460252/?ref_=ttfc_ql


MCN'S LATEST GURUS

The Gurus of Gold have been polled post fall festival season and just prior to this past weekend's kickoff of the New York Film Festival.  They have "boyhood" at the top followed by "The Imitation Game" and "Birdman".  Take a look at that here (as well as some interesting numbers concerning actors and bumps that may have happened as a result of festival plays):

http://moviecitynews.com/2014/09/gurus-o-gold-pre-venicetelluridetoronto-best-picture-field-2/


'BIRDMAN" POSTER AND IMAGES

New images and a new poster for Alejandro Inarritu's "Birdman" emerged at the beginning of the weekend.  The poster you see above.  Here are accompanying stories from Vulture.com and The Playlist:

http://www.vulture.com/2014/09/check-out-the-brand-new-birdman-poster.html

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/exclusive-new-images-from-alejandro-gonzalez-inarritus-birdman-20140926


LATEST SCREEN TALK

Check here for the latest edition of Anne Thompson and Eric Kohn's Screen Talk podcast as the duo tackle the early info from the New York Film Festival and the ever evolving Oscar race:


http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/screen-talk-new-york-film-festival-preview-20140926


More on Thursday...