SANTA FE FILM FESTIVAL
Santa Fe's 12th Independent Film Fest announced its 2011 lineup this weekend. The fest is set for Oct. 20-23 and I'll be there during a good part of it...but I saw a lot of titles at Telluride...the overlap includes "The Artist" (the opening night film), "Le Havre" and "A Separation". Titles that are intriguing to me that SFFF announced: "Coriolanus" (which I will miss as it is scheduled for Sunday late afternoon), "The Deep Blue Sea" and "Once Upon a Time in Anatolia", Canadian Oscar entry "Monsieur Lazhar" and "Sleeping Beauty".
The complete Santa Fe lineup can be found on their website here:
http://www.santafefilmfestival.com/schedule-3/
Last year's SFFF included TFF #37 films "Le Quattro Volte", The Princess of Montpensier" as well as Cannes Palme D"Or winner "Uncle Boonmee..."
I don't know how much or which films I will get in. I'm also looking at trying to get in "The Ides of March" while I'm there...I'll let you know.
FASSBENDER SPEAKS
Red hot actor Michael Fassbender was represented at this year's Telluride Film Festival in two high profile projects, David Cronenberg's (unsuccessful) "A Dangerous Method" and Steve McQueen's (brilliant) "Shame". Consequently Fassbender is getting a lot of media play. I have a couple of interviews with him that appeared this week. The first is from The New York Times. Find it here:
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/07/michael-fassbenders-destructive-journey/?smid=tw-nytimesmovies&seid=auto
The other appears at BBC America. You can access it here:
http://blogs.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2011/10/07/michael-fassbender-talks-about-sex-and-his-humbling-success/
Fassbender for Best Actor (for "Shame")...the campaign continues..and for Carey Mulligan in the same film!
FOREIGN FILMS
The deadline for submission for foreign film Oscar consideration has coma and gone. The complete list includes (as you might expect) a good number of films that were a part of this year's TFF. Among them:
Le Havre
Pina
The Turin Horse
A Separation
Footnote
In Darkness
The Academy will cut the complete list to 9 films from which the 5 nominated films will be chosen. Telluride will be well represented when the nominations are announced in this category.
Also in foreign film news related to TFF #38 films, The Playlist's (indieWire) Christopher Bell reviews "The Turin Horse" here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/nyff_review_bela_tarrs_swan_song_the_turin_horse_is_despairing_but_unforget/
And Women and Hollywood (indieWire) interviews "In Darkness" director Agniezska Holland here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/womenandhollywood/archives/interview_with_agnieszka_holland_-_director_of_in_darkness/
OSCAR ITEMS
Anne Thompson (Thompson on Hollywood) and Kris Tapley (InContention/HitFix) have their weekly conversation about the state of the Oscar race on their podcast Oscar Talk which you can link to here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/2011/10/07/oscar_talk_clooney_leads_best_actor_field_davis_leads_best_actress_carnage_/
Thompson also has provided her "weekly wrap" of newsworthy items that is both comprehensive and touches/links to many Telluride related stories. Among topics that she lists are:
The Island President
A Dangerous Method
Into the Abyss
In Darkness
George Harrison:Living in the Material World
Plus a lot more. You can find it here:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/2011/10/08/weekly_wrap10/
HERZOG IS PERSUASIVE
And finally word this week that Werner Herzog has persuaded Sundance Selects to release his death penalty documentary "Into the Abyss" before the end of the year. He must be very good. The story is here via The Playlist:
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/werner_herzog_convinces_sundance_selects_to_release_into_the_abyss_next_mon/
