Michael's Telluride Film Blog : UK Film Council

Showing posts with label UK Film Council. Show all posts

Monday, July 28, 2014

More from Toronto Tomorrow/The British are Coming Part One/Rumor Central: Venice

It's Monday and will be all day...

MORE FROM TORONTO TOMORROW

The Toronto International Film festival will announce more titles tomorrow. According to sources, they will be announcing their Vanguard and Masters sections. I'm assuming that there will also be additional announcements regarding Galas and Special Presentations. That assumption is based on the fact that TIFF has done 20 Galas in each of the last three years and somewhere between 70 and 80 Special Presentations in that same time frame. Last Tuesday they announced 13 Galas and 46 Special Presentations. So, unless they have radically downsized, there are a lot more of that type of announcement to come as well and that's important to our attempt to sniff out Telluride-bound films.

In 2011 T-ride and TIFF shared 21 titles...8 were either Galas or Special Presentations. In 2012 the two fests shared 22 titles with 15 as Galas/Special Presentations and in 2013 they shared 23 films with 16 as Galas/Special Presentations.

In 2011 there was a higher concentration of T-ride films in the Contemporary World Cinema and Masters sections (9). Additionally, the two fests have commonly shared three or four documentaries.

We are already are assuming that two of the 13 Galas will have played Telluride first ("Foxcatcher" and "Wild") and five of the 46 Special Presentations ("99 Homes", "The Imitation Game", "Mr. Turner", "Rosewater", and "Wild Tales"). What that would mean in a "normal" year is that there are still about seven Galas and maybe 30-ish Special Presentations to be announce yet and that 8-10 of those additional films would play both festivals...but it's NOT a "normal" year.

All of this could be skewed this year as a result of TIFF's new "World/North American" premiere policy meaning that the Toronto program may not be as large as it customarily has been (and I have seen that suggestion in a couple of places) and/or there may not be as much overlap between the two fests as has been the norm.

At any rate, if past trends hold for the size of TIFF, they still have about a third of their program to announce as regards their Galas and Special Presentations and with TIFF's predilection to announce a film's premiere status, we'll probably be able to do some more Telluride guesswork based on what we hear tomorrow.

Finally, this note...I have a feeling that someone is going to test Toronto's mandate. I have no real reason for that, it's just an intuition but I'm thinking someone is going to attempt the Telluride "sneak preview" that is slated as a World/North American premiere at Toronto.

EUROPEAN PRODUCERS: THE BRITISH ARE COMING PART ONE.

For the last couple of summers I have included an analysis of certain European production companies focusing on the Brits and the French companies that are consistently connected to films that end up on the Telluride playlist. I'm doing it again this week beginning with some of the British companies.

BBC FILMS

Here's what I have been able to track down from the last half decade vis-a-vis BBC Films at Telluride:

2008: Millions
2009: Fish Tank, Bright Star, An Education
2010: The First Grader, Tamara Drewe
2011: We Have to Talk About Kevin
2012: Ginger and Rosa
2013: The Invisible Woman

Up until Tuesday, the best guess I would have had for Telluride from what BBC Films has in its stable this year would have been Alan Rickman's "A Little Chaos" but that was announced as TIFF's closing night film so that's off the table now. Perhaps the best BBC Film shot for Telluride this year is Michael Winterbottom's "The Face of an Angel" starring Kate Beckinsale and Daniel Bruhl.

Carol Morley's "The Falling" starring Greta Scacchi is also a possibility.

"The Face of an Angel's "IMDb page:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2967008/

BBC Film's IMDb page:

http://www.imdb.com/company/co0103694/?ref_=ttco_co_1

THE BRITISH FILM INSTITUTE

BFI's past Telluride history includes:

2012: Ginger and Rosa
2013: Under the Skin

They have some involvement with the already assumed Telluride title "Mr. Turner". Additionally, BFI also has a hand in the above mentioned "The Falling". An additional title that might have some legs for Telluride is Debbie Tucker Green's "Second Coming" starring Idris Elba.

The best BFI shot this year is probably Ken Loach's Cannes competition piece "Jimmy's Hall" that's being distributed here in the U.S. by Sony Pictures Classics.

"Jimmy's Hall's" IMDb page:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3110960/?ref_=ttco_co_tt

THE UK FILM COUNCIL

I'm doing the due diligence folks.

In an interview with Nancy Tartaglione published by Deadline.com last Thursday Venice head honcho Alberto Barbera told her that "He knows that there are five titles that will world premiere in Venice this year with the filmmakers immediately hopping a plane after the screening to get to Colorado."

Venice has announced 55 films and opens Aug. 27th (two days before Telluride) with Alejandro Inarritu's "Birdman or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance". Count that as one of the five. Also count Ramin Bahrani's "99 Homes" as another. So what might the other three be?

I'll eat my hat if Joshua Oppenheimer's "The Look of Silence" isn't one of them.

Best bets after that (at least as far as I can guess them) are:

Xavier Beauvois' "La Rancon de la Glorie" ('The Price of Fame") starring American actor Peter Coyote.

Peter Bogdanovich's "She's Funny That Way" (the now re-titled "Squirrels to the Nuts") starring Imogen Poots, Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson.

Roy Andersson's "A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence".

Lisa Cholodenko's HBO mini-series "Olive Kitteridge" which stars Bill Murray and Frances McDormand. It would pair nicely if Murray's "St. Vincent" also comes to town and maybe Ms. McDormand would be inclined after her husband was one of Telluride's tribute recipient's last year..Joel Coen.

Ulrich Seidl's documentary "In the Basement".

Of course, all of this speculation could be 100% wrong...

Barbera's interview is here:

http://www.deadline.com/2014/07/venice-chief-alberto-barbera-i-dont-like-the-idea-of-a-war-amongst-festivals/#more-787416

Monday, July 8, 2013

Brits Produce/Mads Mikkelsen: The Hunt/Wadjda Trailer

Good Monday to All. I hope everyone had a safe and enjoyable 4th of July weekend.

BRITS PRODUCE

Two weeks ago, I was looking at domestic distributors that seem to be frequently represented at the Telluride Film Festival. Last week I focused on smaller scale domestic distributors and a group of individuals that also have a frequent presence. This week I'm going to be looking at European film production companies that seem to pop up in film credits at Telluride with some frequency.

Today and tomorrow will be centered on the British. The end of the week on the French (and maybe one other).

But let's start with the U.K.:

BBC FILMS

Here's what I have been able to track down from the last half decade vis-a-vis BBC Films at Telluride:

2008: Millions
2009: Fish Tank, Bright Star, An Education
2010: The First Grader, Tamara Drewe
2011: We Have to Talk About Kevin
2012: Ginger and Rosa

BBC Films most likely Telluride offerings for 2013 would include:

"The Invisible Woman" and "Philomena". There actually seems to have been a backwards confirmation for "The Invisible Woman" as a TFF #40 film according to a Daily Mail story from June 27:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2350412/Backstabbing-RSC--Mantel.html

"Philomena" has also been fairly high on my list of Telluride possibles. I wouldn't be surprised if both films make the cut for The SHOW.

UK FILM COUNCIL

This British production house has an even more prevalent profile for Telluride over the past decade than BBC Films does, although they were shut out in 2012.

The UK Film Council track record over the past decade:

2003: Intermission, Touching the Void
2004: Enduring Love, Merchant of Venice
2006: Venus, The Last King of Scotland, Deep Water
2007: When Did You Last See Your Father, Brick Lane
2008: Happy-Go-Lucky
2009: Fish Tank, Bright Star
2010: Tamara Drewe, The King's Speech
2011: Shame, We Need to Talk About Kevin

So They've been represented in 8 of the last 10 years and often with 2 films in those years that they have been represented. The trouble is that there doesn't seem to be a lot to chose from in the UK Film Council pantheon of films at the moment.

Maybe the most likely is Kevin Macdonald's "How I Live Now". Macdonald, at one point, was often represented at Telluride but hasn't had a film play TFF since 2007's "My Enemy's Enemy". The film stars Saoirse Ronan.

We could see Ken Loach's documentary about WWII Britain, "The Spirit of '45". It played the Berlin Fest.

The third (and least likely possibility from my perspective) is Jonathan Glazer's highly anticipated "Under the Skin" starring Scarlett Johansson as an alien in human form.

Chances:

"How I Live Now" 50%
"Spirit of 45" 30%
"Under the Skin" 15%

Tomorrow I'll take a look at Film4 and Film Four...

MADS MIKKELSEN: THE HUNT

TFF #39 Tributee and current buzz-meister (for his role as Hannibal Lecter on NBC's "Hannibal"), Mads Mikkelsen was something of a rarity at last year's fest as he was the lead in 2 films: "A Royal Affair" and "The Hunt". He was also the lead in Cannes competition film "Michael Kolhaus". Anne Thompson sat down with the very busy actor while he was in Telluride and talked to him. Thompson posted the interview on her Thompson on Hollywood site this past week. Here it is:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/mads-mikkelsen-interview-at-telluride

WADJDA TRAILER

This past week The Playlist highlighted the release of the trailer for this ground breaking Saudi film that was featured at TFF #39. Here's the link to that post with the trailer included:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/put-on-your-must-watch-list-trailer-for-saudi-arabias-first-ever-film-wadjda-20130703

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More tomorrow...

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Eggers and Telluide/UK Film/Love is All?/Beauties and Bale

Good Tuesday to All!

EGGERS AND TELLURIDE

The news release hit my email yesterday at 11:44 AM CDT. I had a post up at 12:02 PM CDT. The news from the Telluride Film Festival Press Office was that author Dave Eggers had been selected as the poster artist for TFF#39...and the poster was up and running...

I think I had the story up first anywhere on the web...by a ways...

The frustration, such as it was, when it came to re-tweeting/re-posting...nada...zip...zilch. As the story rolled through the afternoon all of the movie blog type outlets you'd expect got it posted and it looks like Anne Thompson's "Thompson on Hollywood" got the majority of re-production. Good for her.

I had hoped that the rapidity of getting their first would have reaped some more online love...not so much.

Nevertheless, there's an interesting side note to the Dave Eggers selection. Eggers will obviously be in Telluride to schmooze and sign the poster and the press release says he will be honored by the UCLA film school in the course of the weekend's activities...but here's the intriguing thing...Dave Eggers also has film bona fides. He was the screenwriter for 2009's "Where the Wild Things Are" and "Away We Go" (starring Jon Krasinski and Maya Rudolph. His novel "Zeithoun" has reportedly been optioned by director Jonathan Demme and if you check his IMDb page you'll find that he has provided the "story" for "Promised Land".

"Promised Land"??? Wait. Isn't that the Gus Van Sant directed (TFF in 1995-"Elephant" and 2003-"To Die For"), Matt Damon and Jon Krasinski co-written and co-starring film being distributed by frequent Telluride participant Focus Features that The Playlist has reported could well be ready for a fall film fest debut? Here's The Playlist post:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/gus-van-sants-the-promised-land-could-hit-theaters-by-the-end-of-the-year-not-an-anti-fracking-movie-says-john-krasinski-20120618

Yes to all...

So does that mean "Promised Land" is suddenly a lock for TFF #39? No...but it does make me suspect it has a much better shot at being there than it seemed to have yesterday.

"Promised Land's" IMDb page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2091473/

AND...maybe there is a continuing connection with/to Maya Rudolph who shares three children with Paul Thomas Anderson who also happens to be directing a film with some buzz about it. You know..."The Master".

Last year my grand conspiracy theory was that George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon might all three show up in Telluride and have an "Oceans" movie reunion while their respective films ("Descendants", "Ides of March, "Moneyball", and "We Bought a Zoo") all played...

Only the Clooney part with "The Descendants" actually happened...but it was fun to spin the grand story.

This Dave Eggers/TFF #39 Poster/"Promised Land"/Gus Van Sant/Focus Feature/Maya-PTA/"Master" thing looks like it will be the story I spin for this year.

Chances that it happens: 1%...but it's a good story.

UK FILM COUNCIL

I continue looking at European film production houses that have had some Telluride presence in that past and to see if they have any films in the pipe that look reasonably Telluride-ish and today that's The UK Film Council. Their past at Telluride includes:

2011: Shame, We Need to Talk About Kevin

2010: The King's Speech, The First Grader, Tamara Drewe, Another Year, Camerman: Jack Cardiff

2009: Bright Star, Fish Tank

2008: Happy Go Lucky

2007: Brick Lane, When Did You Last See Your Father

2006: Venus, The Last King of Scotland, Severance

As you can see, the last 6 fests have had a substantial UKFC footprint with 2 films common and 2010 being the banner year with 5 films playing.

So what does their announced 2012 slate hold that might have Telluride potential?

The best bet is the Dakota Fanning starrer "Now is Good". I think the only other possibility (and I think it's not highly likely) is the Scarlett Johansson as an alien film "Under the Skin" from director Jonathan Glazer who is probably best known for 2000's "Sexy Beast".

I'd put "Now is Good's" chances at 30% and "Under the Skin" at 10%.

"Now is Good" IMDb page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1937264/

"Under the Skin" IMDb page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1441395/

LOVE IS ALL?

The international trailer for Susanne Bier's film (and thus T-ride possible) "Love is All You Need" popped up over the weekend. Here's the link to the story and the trailer from The Playlist:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/watch-international-trailer-for-susanne-biers-love-is-all-you-need-starring-pierce-brosnan-20120707

BEAUTIES AND BALE

And yet at least two more sets of photos have emerged from the Terrence Malick shoot of his "Knight of Cups" project starring Christian Bale. These feature Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire) and Teresa Palmer (I Am Number Four) and are beginning to make me think that the film is nothing more than Bale with 37,000 beautiful women...and a beach or an outdoor concert. You can find these stories both at The Playlist:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/freida-pinto-is-the-latest-actress-shooting-with-christian-bale-on-terrence-malicks-knight-of-cups-20120627#

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/teresa-palmer-the-latest-beauty-to-join-terrence-malicks-knight-of-cups-20120707

More later...

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