Not an Official Journalist but Still a Guru / Trafficking in Rumor / TFF Is in Men's Journal's Top Ten / Quick Notes

Tuesday.

NOT AN OFFICIAL JOURNALIST BUT STILL A GURU

As many of you know, I was denied "journalist" status for this year's festival.  That happened over three weeks ago.

But, I have been asked back by Movie City News to participate again this year as one their Gurus of Gold.  I'll be tasked with making "educated" predictions for this year's Oscar season.  MCN Guru guru Ray Pride emailed me, as well as other past Gurus, last Thursday.

As you might expect, I accepted the invitation.

I'm not sure yet when the Guru-ing will commence but you can be sure I'll be letting you know here when I do know.

Incidentally, it's also likely that I'll be writing an occasional Oscar-centric article or two for another film-centric web outfit but I'm going to keep that under cover until that's more assured.

TRAFFICKING IN RUMOR

Sooo...I'm relatively certain that I have a line on another film that will be playing the 46th iteration of the Telluride Film Festival.  This is one of those "All the President's Men" things.  I have two independent sources telling me that a film that is currently NOT an expected title, is currently NOT on my latest Ten Bets or Bonus Bets list but IS a film that I mentioned before.

I can also tell you that this mystery film is curiously related to a film that we are very sure will play the fest.

I'm hesitant to name the film without one more piece of corroboration and I'm spooking around for that.

Should the film pan out, it could well be an Oscar player (at least a couple of Oscar prediction sites have the film in their early predictions list).

More as it develops...if it develops.

TFF IS IN MEN'S JOURNAL'S TOP TEN

Men's Journal recently published an article entitled "The 10 Best Summer Festivals in America" and making the list is the one and only Telluride Film Festival.

The article names TFF as "one of the most prestigious" film festivals.

The article also includes the following fests:

Summerfest-Milwaukee, WI.

Taste of Chicago-Chicago, IL.

Vermont Brewers Festival, Burlington, VT.

The Great Taste of the Midwest, Madison, WI.

Made in America Music Festival, Philadelphia, PA.

Feast Portland, Portland, OR.

Wanderlust Festival, Chicago, IL.

Beer, Bourbon and BBQ-Multiple Locations

Newport Folk Festival, Newport, VA.

The complete article with links to all of the festivals is linked here.

QUICK NOTES

***The New York Film Fest is supposed to announce the rest of their main slate films today at noon eastern time.  I'll likely post an update here with the ramifications of that announcement as soon as possible.

***Jordan Ruimy wrote at World of Reel yesterday that Agnes Varda's swan song-Varda by Agnes-will play Telluride as well as Toronto and New York.  The NYFF announcement later today may provide a confirmation.  We'll see.

***Deadline reports that Gavin O'Connor's The Way Back (formerly Torrance) starring Ben Affleck has been moved by Warners to March, 2020.  That likely means we can take it off the list of possible films for TFF consideration.


Here's the current Ten Bets with Bonus Bets:


10) The Aeronauts
9) Ford v. Ferrari
8) The Two Popes
7) Pain and Glory
6) Uncut Gems
5) Judy
4) Motherless Brooklyn
3) Marriage Story
2) Portrait of a Lady on Fire
1) Parasite

"Bonus Bets":

Bonus 1) The Truth
Bonus 2) Varda by Agnes
Bonus 3) First Cow
Bonus 4) Family Romance LLC
Bonus 5) Country Music


EMAIL:  mpgort@gmail.com OR michael_speech@hotmail.com

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The Distributors 2019: Warner Bros / The Aeronauts Flies Into the Conversation / Country Music Preview

I'm back.

I was in Dallas, Texas all of last week working as a part of the staff for the National Speech and Debate Association's National Speech Tournament.  It was good.

THE DISTRIBUTORS 2019: WARNER BROS.

This week I'm continuing to look at film production/distribution companies whose past record and current stash of films point to a possible choice for the 46th Telluride Film Festival.  Up until today's post I have been focused on specialty firms and streaming services.  Today is our first look at a major studio: Warner Bros.  Warners has, over the past half dozen years or so, made a mark on the festival. 

Here's their recent run at Telluride:

2018: No Show

2017: No Show

2016: Sully

2015 Black Mass

2014: No Show

2013: Gravity, Prisoners

2012: Argo

Warner Independent played Telluride in 2006 with Infamous and 2007 with Rails and Ties.

Last year Warners only likely Telluride play was A Star Is Born and we all know that didn't happen.

Despite not having a film at Telluride the past two years, 2019 could mark the return of the WB to the San Juans with four films that should be considered as possibles:

Bill Condon's The Good Liar starring Ian McKellen and Helen Mirren set for releases on Nov. 15th.  Condon has Telluride history (Kinsey-2004).

John Crowley's The Goldfinch starring Nicole Kidman and Ansel Elgort set for release Sept. 13th.  Crowley has Telluride history (Intermission-2003).

Edward Norton's Motherless Brooklyn starring Norton, Bruce Willis, Alec Baldwin and more.  It is set for release on Nov. 1.  Norton has no history with Telluride as a director - this is his second feature as a director- and I can't find any indication that Norton has been a guest of the fest in the past.  He has appeared in films that have played the festival: Birdman (2014), Frida (2002).  Also of note, Motherless Brooklyn is based on the novel by Jonathan Lethem who served as the fest's Guest Director last year.  That could be a signal.

Gavin O'Connor's Torrance (now reportedly renamed Long Time Coming) starring Ben Affleck as a former star athlete looking for redemption.  Affleck also acts as a producer for the film and his past success with Argo, which started its run to Oscar glory at Telluride, could make it a potential SHOW choice.

I honestly think any of the three could make the lineup and this could be the second time Warners lands more than a single film at TFF.

Chances:

The Goldfinch 60%
Motherless Brooklyn 50%
The Good Liar 40%
Long Time Coming 25%



THE AERONAUTS

I posted my analysis for Amazon Studios Telluride chances on June 17th and in it,a film I didn't even mention is Tom Harper's The Aeronauts.

Couple of reasons for that:  Amazon is loaded with films that have a shot at Telluride and the film, which has a logline that reads like a straight thriller/action-adventure flick, just didn't seem like a film and director Tom Harper, to the best of my knowledge hasn't been near the festival in the past.

But after news this weekend, it seems that I may have miscalculated.

The International Film Critique Twitter account tweeted that:

If it were to be chosen to open Venice that means I definitely need to pay attention as a number of films that have been the Venice opener in recent years have then jumped to Telluride: Birdman, Gravity, La La Land, First Man, Downsizing.  So, should this be the choice for Venice, I'd better pay attention.

Adding fuel to the fuel to the fire was reporting from World of Reel's Jordan Ruimy.

Ruimy updated a fest-centric article from late May with news of The Aeronauts (as well as The Good Liar and Jojo Rabbit).  That updated post is linked here.  Ruimy also posted a small blurb about the film yesterday suggesting he's thinking that it might make the T-ride lineup.  See that here.

Put The Aeronauts on the list that I originally published a week ago for Amazon Studios as follows:

The Goldfinch 60%
Radioactive 50%
Les Miserables 40% (Cannes prize winner: Jury Prize)
Against All Enemies 40%
The Report 35%
The Aeronauts 30%

COUNTRY MUSIC PREVIEW

PBS has released a 25 minute preview of Ken Burns' upcoming multi-party documentary : Country Music.  Here's a link that will get you to the preview:

Ken Burns' Country Music on PBS

I still believe there's a reasonable chance that TFF #46 attendees may be able to see at least part of the doc over Labor Day weekend.

That's a wrap for MTFB on this Monday.  More on its way to you tomorrow and coming FRIDAY...the first TFF #46 Ten Bets list of the summer!

EMAIL:  mpgort@gmail.com OR michael_speech@hotmail.com

TWITTER @Gort2 (and follow me there as well)

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