TFF #43 Ten Bets #4 / Euro Producers Part Two: The French-StudioCanal / The Rules Don't Apply for The Rules Don't Apply

It's FRIDAY!

TFF #43 TEN BETS

We're a couple of weeks away from the dual announcements of the first wave of Toronto films and the majority of films that will play the Venice fest and both of those lists will begin to give us our first real opportunity to do some inductive reasoning and a good idea of some of the Telluride lineup. Until then, you're stuck with my best guesses.

Last week's Ten Bets:

10) La La Land (Chazelle, Lionsgate, 12/2)

9) Things to Come (Hansen-Love, Sundance/IFC, TBA)

8) The Unknown Girl (Dardenne Brothers, TBA)

7) The Red Turtle, Dudok de Wit, SPC, TBA)

6) American Honey (Arnold, A24, 9/30)

5) Fire at Sea (Rosi, Kino Lorber, Y+TBA)

4) Moonlight (Jenkins, A24, 10/21)

3) Wilson (Johnson, Fox Searchlight, TBA)

2) The Salesman (Farhadi, Amazon/Cohen Media, 12/9)

1) Toni Erdmann (Ade, SPC, TBA)

This week's Ten Bets:

10) The Unknown Girl (Dardennes, Sundance Selects, TBA)
9) Things to Come (Hansen-Love, Sundance Selects, TBA)
8)  Wilson (Johnson, Fox Searchlight, TBA)

7) La La Land (Chazelle, Lionsgate, 12/2)

6) American Honey (Arnold, A24, 9/30)

5) Moonlight (Jenkins, A24, 10/21)

4) The Red Turtle (Dudok de Wit, SPC, TBA)

3) Toni Erdmann (Ade, SPC, 12/25)

2) Fire at Sea (Rosi, Kino Lorber, TBA)

1) The Salesman (Farhadi, Amazon/Cohen, 12/9)

Close: Lion, American Pastoral, Salt and Fire, A United Kingdom, Aquarius, Journey Through French Cinema, A Monster Calls, 20th Century Women, How to Talk to Girls at Parties, Paterson, Bleed for This, Arrival.

EURO PRODUCERS PART TWO: THE FRENCH- STUDIOCANAL

Over the past 13 years, these films have played Telluride while having some production assistance from StudioCanal:

2003: Young Adam, Love Me If You Dare

2005: Cache

2006: Indigines, Catch a Fire

2010: The Princess of Montpensier

2012: Love, Marilyn

2013: Inside Llewyn Davis

2015: He Named Me Malala

In the hopper:  The Lost City of Z, Gold, From the Land of the Moon.  We could see any, all or none of these.

THE RULES DON'T APPLY FOR THE RULES DON'T APPLY

Warren Beatty's new film...he says won't be in a fall film fest.  Warren Beatty is a trickster.  He's probably not spoofing us...but he might be.

And if he is?  

Honestly, the most likely spots would be AFI and New York.  Venice and then Toronto.  Telluride would be probably the last possibility...which makes it possible if Beatty is playing a game.  Do I think it's coming?  Nope.  But what if it did?

Anyway...the folks at 20th Century Fox released a trailer for the film early yesterday morning.  Here it is from YouTube:

It looks fairly humorous...

Coverage of the trailer drop is here:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/rules-dont-apply-trailer-warren-911007

http://www.awardsdaily.com/2016/07/14/trailer-warren-beattys-rules-dont-apply/

http://theplaylist.net/first-trailer-warren-beattys-big-screen-return-rules-dont-apply-lily-collins-alden-ehrenreich-20160714/

http://www.firstshowing.net/2016/watch-first-trailer-for-rules-dont-apply-directed-by-warren-beatty/

http://www.thewrap.com/warren-beatty-lily-collins-rules-dont-apply-trailer-howard-hughes/

http://www.awardscircuit.com/2016/07/14/watch-first-trailer-warren-beattys-rules-dont-apply-w-alden-ehrenreich-lily-collins/

http://www.showbiz411.com/2016/07/14/first-trailer-for-warren-beattys-rules-dont-apply-looks-like-a-hit


That's all for this Friday.  Have a great weekend everyone.

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Warren's Coming Nov. 11 and the Rules Don't Apply / Checking the Critics at Cannes / The Salesman Makes a Sale / Views from Cannes / Latebreaking: The Red Turtle Goes to SPC

Welcome to Thursday from Michael's Telluride Film Blog...



WARREN'S COMING ON NOV. 11 AND THE RULES DON'T APPLY

Warren Beatty as Howard Hughes in Rules Don't Apply (from Entertainment Weekly)

Taking a break from the incessant Cannes coverage (at least until a little bit later in this post) news splashed across the internet yesterday that the long-awaited Warren Beatty "Untitled Howard Hughes Project" has both a title and a release date.

The title: Rules Don't Apply
The date: Nov. 11, 2016.

The film has been something of a hit-or-miss obsession here at MTFB.

The Nov. 11 date would be perfect timing for plays at fests like Telluride, Venice, Toronto and New York.  However, remember that Beatty is reported to sluiced cold water all over that notion in a ShowBiz411 story back in the middle of April.

I wrote at the time that Beatty might be bluffing.  His personality as such that I wouldn't be surprised if he responded that fall fests were unlikely simply as a way of having some fun with the press.

Additionally, there appears to be some negative buzz about the films quality and rumors that it was even possibly turned down by Cannes.

Finally, 20th Century Fox is distributing and they have virtually zero history with Telluride save for releases through their Fox Searchlight division.

All of which leads one to believe that the chances that we'll see Rules Don't Apply at T-ride are ridiculously small.  No Warren Beatty Tribute seems in the offing.

Still, the whole thing is fascinating...

Here's a bunch of links of the coverage from yesterday, most of which stemmed from an original story from Entertainment Weekly:


http://www.ew.com/article/2016/05/18/warren-beatty-howard-hughes

http://variety.com/2016/film/news/warren-beatty-howard-hughes-movie-release-date-1201778002/

http://www.indiewire.com/article/rules-dont-apply-pictures-warren-beatty-film-lily-collins-alden-ehrenreich-20160518

https://thefilmstage.com/news/first-look-at-warren-beattys-rules-dont-apply-starring-alden-ehrenreich-and-lily-collins/

http://www.hitfix.com/motion-captured/rules-dont-apply-to-the-long-rumored-howard-hughes-film-by-warren-beatty



CHECKING THE CRITICS AT CANNES

As we make the turn toward the last few days of the Cannes Fest (it closes on Sunday)...here's what the various critic collectives have told us seem to be the consensus quality films in competition for the Palme d'Or

Screen Daily critics panel says the top three films thus far are (ratings are on a 0-4 scale):

1) Toni Erdmann 3.7
2) Paterson 3.5
3) Aquarius 3.1
Just outside: Sieranevada

Ioncinema's critics panel top three (using a 0-5 scale)

1) Toni Erdmann 4.0
2) Aquarius 3.6
3) Paterson 3.5
Close: Loving and Slack Bay

Todas Las Criticas top three (on a scale of 1-10)

1) Sieranevada 8.38
2) Toni Erdmann 8.21
3) Paterson 7.97
Close: Aquarius

Reini Urban Collation (scale of 1-10)

1) Toni Erdmann 8.23
2) Paterson 7.41
3) Sieranevada 7.33
Close: Aquarius

Check the current critical line for all of the films playing in competition and in the rest of the Cannes Fest at these links:

http://www.screendaily.com/festivals/cannes/cannes-aquarius-debuts-strongly-on-screen-jury-grid/5104129.article

http://www.ioncinema.com/news/film-festivals/2016-cannes-critics-panel-day-8-brillante-mendozas-slumdog-manila-in-ma-rosa

http://www.todaslascriticas.com.ar/cannes/2016

http://cannes-rurban.rhcloud.com/2016


So...what films win the Palme and other prizes?


THE SALESMAN MAKES A SALE

Ahead of its World and Cannes premiere as the last film in the Palme d'Or competition, Asghar Farhadi's The Salesman has picked up distribution for the United States.  Amazon and The Cohen Media Group have teamed up to take the distrib rights for the film.

That's a departure for Farhadi whose Academy Award winning A Separation and The Past were both distributed by Sony Pictures Classics.  SPC had both of those films make the T-ride lineup.

Despite the switch of distributor, however, I suspect that the sake yesterday doesn't diminish the film's chances of making kits way to the San Juans on Labor Day weekend.  The Cohen group had the largest distrib presence at Telluride last year with three films in the SHOW: Hitchcock/Truffaut, Marguerite and Rams.  Additionally, I'm already on record having said that I expect that Amazon will follow the trail blazed by Netflix last year and have some presence at Telluride this year.  The Salesman seems made to order.

Here's coverage of the sale:

http://variety.com/2016/film/news/cannes-amazon-cohen-media-group-nab-asghar-farhadis-the-salesman-1201777693/

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cannes-amazon-cohen-media-take-895317


VIEWS FROM CANNES

A collection of clips, teasers and trailers that have dropped for films playing at Cannes:

Personal Shopper:

via YouTube

http://www.indiewire.com/article/personal-shopper-trailer-kristen-stewart-ghosts-olivier-assayas-cannes-2016-20160517

https://thefilmstage.com/trailer/kristen-stewart-sees-a-ghost-in-first-trailer-for-olivier-assayas-personal-shopper/


The Unknown Girl:

https://thefilmstage.com/news/watch-first-trio-of-clips-for-dardennes-cannes-drama-the-unknown-girl/



American Honey:

https://thefilmstage.com/news/watch-first-clip-and-full-cannes-press-conference-for-andrea-arnolds-american-honey/


Dog Eat Dog:

via YouTube

https://thefilmstage.com/news/new-images-and-clips-from-paul-schraders-dog-eat-dog-starring-nicolas-cage-and-willem-dafoe/


LATE BREAKING: THE RED TURTLE GOES TO SONY PICTURES CLASSICS

News very early this morning is that Sony Pictures Classics has acquired the very well received Cannes animated film The Red Turtle.  The film is currently sitting with a 6.32 composite critics score which is fourth best among Un Certain Regard films that have screened in France thus far.

The SPC acquisitions places The Red Turtle into the Telluride conversation in a big way.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cannes-sony-pictures-classics-takes-895659

http://www.thewrap.com/sony-classics-buys-animated-movie-the-red-turtle/

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69th Cannes Film Festival Announces Its Lineup / Maybe No Warren

Good Thursday Everyone and MTFB is back.

After an unplanned layoff, I'm back in the saddle to post this Thursday and glad to be back.

69TH CANNES FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES ITS LINEUP:

Here is the lineup announced from Thierry Fremaux in Cannes from early this morning (via Awards Daily):

Opening Night Film

Cafe Society – directed by Woody Allen

Competition

Toni Erdmann – directed by Maren Ade

Julieta – directed by Pedro Almodovar

American Honey – directed by Andrea Arnold

The Unknown Girl – directed by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne

Personal Shopper – directed by Olivier Assayas

It’s Only The End Of The World – directed by Xavier Dolan

Ma Loute – directed by Bruno Dumont

Paterson – directed by Jim Jarmusch

Rester Vertical – directed by Alain Guiraudie

Aquarius – directed by Kleber Mendonca Filho

Mal de Pierres – directed by Nicole Garcia

I, Daniel Blake – directed by Ken Loach

Ma’Rosa – directed by Brilliante Mendoza

Loving– directed by Jeff Nichols

Bacalaureat – directed by Cristian Mungiu

Agassi – directed by Park Chan-Wook

The Last Face – directed by Sean Penn

Sieranevada – directed by Cristi Puiu

Elle – directed by Paul Verhoeven

The Neon Demon – directed by Nicolas Winding Refn

Un Certain Regard

Varoonegi – directed by Behnam Behzadi

Apprentice – directed by Boo Junfeng

Voir Du Pays – directed by Delphine Coulin and Muriel Coulin

La Danseuse – directed by Stephanie Di Giusto

Clash – directed by Mohamed Diab

La Tortue Rouge – directed by Michael Dubok de Wit

Fuchi Bi Tatsu – directed by Fukada Koji

Omar Shakhsiya – directed by Maha Haj

Me’Ever Laharim Vehagvaot – directed by Eran Kolirin

After The Storm – directed by Kore-Eda Hirokazu

Hymyileva Mies – directed by Juho Kuosmanen

La Large Noche de Francisco Sanctis – directed by Francisco Marquez & Andrea Testa

Caini – directed by Bogdan Mirica

Pericle Il Nero – directed by Stefano Mordini

The Transfiguration – directed by Michael O’Shea

Captain Fantastic – directed by Matt Ross

Uchenik – directed by Kirill Serebrennikov

Outside Competition

The BFG – directed by Steven Spielberg

Money Monster – directed by Jodie Foster

The Nice Guys – directed by Shane Black

Gok Sung – directed by Na Hong-Jin

Special Screenings

Gimme Danger – directed by Jim Jarmusch

The Train to Busan – directed by Yeon Sang-Ho

A Chad Tragedy – directed by Mahamat-Saleh Aroun

The Death of Louis XIV – directed by Albert Serra

L’Ultima Spiaggia – directed by Thanos Anastopolous and Davide Del Degan

Exile – directed by Panh Rithy

Le Cancre – directed by Paul Vecchiali

Some random thoughts regarding the announced films Telluride...remember that Cannes and TFF commonly share seven-ish films by average and that usually the majority of the films come from the competition slate.

Competition films that would seem to have the most likely chance of making the Telluride lineup are:

Arnold's American Honey

The Dardennes' The Unknown Girl

Assasyas" Personal Shopper 

Dolan's It's Only the End of the World

Nichols' Loving

Mungiu's Bacalaureat (Family Photos)

Penn's The Last Face

As of today none of the titles from Un Certain Regard or the Out of Competition or Special Screening selections jump out as big possibilities.  That could change when Cannes kicks off on May 11th.  We could also see  some titles show up in the Directors Fortnight that could intrigue T-ride programmers.

MAYBE NO WARREN

There was a good deal of speculation this week regarding the Warren Beatty Howard Hughes project. Reports that it was done.   Reports that it was NOT bound for Cannes but could be looking at the fall fests (intriguing!!!) and finally, word purportedly from Beatty himself that seems to cast doubt on ANY fest screening.  The last coming from ShowBiz411 quoting Beatty's response to a "fall festival" question with the response "Why would I want to do that?"

Sooo...it seems Beatty is either playing a bluff or...the film won't play any fest (most likely).  Perhaps Beatty might not regard New York or AFI a "fall fest; which might allow either of those fests to screen the film.

But taken at face value, it doesn't sound like the highly anticipated film will be at Telluride or anywhere else for that matter.

Here's the coverage from ShowBiz411:

http://www.showbiz411.com/2016/03/29/exclusive-warren-beattys-howard-hughes-movie-gets-a-distributor-fox-now-needs-a-title-release-date

http://www.showbiz411.com/2016/04/13/exclusive-warren-beatty-film-has-no-set-release-date-because-he-doesnt-want-to-do-film-festivals

 That's all for Thursday...come back for more on Monday...

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"Black Mass" to Venice/"Our Brand" Gets a Release Date/The "Unified Clooney Theory"/This Would Be a Shocker

Good Monday morning campers.  I hope you enjoyed a stress free weekend.



"BLACK MASS" TO VENICE

"Black Mass" trailer via YouTube

The Venice Film Festival announced Friday that Scott Cooper's "Black Mass" will world premiere out of competition as a part of their lineup on Sept. 4.

You probably noticed that I listed "Black Mass" in Friday's MTFB post at #10 and for the first time this summer.  I also mentioned in this space last week that I was seeing a good deal of smoke about the chances that it would play Telluride and in light of the Hollywood Elsewhere story above, the #10 spot seems conservative.

 Finally, I have been suggesting for months now that I thought that Warners would be back at Telluride this year after laying out last year.  Their success with "Argo" in 2012 and "Gravity" in 2013.  In addition to "Black Mass", Warners also has "Our Brand is Crisis" and "In the Heart of the Sea" and "Midnight Special" as potential material for Telluride.

The Telluride/Venice overlap is usually fairly smallish.  In most years, the overlap is around three films.  But...

The dating of the "Black Mass' premiere for Sept. 4th works for a Venice play followed by a Telluride screening half way through.  "Gravity" followed that path in 2013.



A couple of questions remain.  First, does Johnny Depp make the trip from Venice to Telluride and second, do any of the supporting players also come along?  Like Benedict Cumberbatch?  You may recall that in 2013 a mass of the "12 Years a Slave" crew made the journey: McQueen, Pitt, Fassbender, N'yongo, Ejiofor...so maybe the whole gang.

Here is a sampling of the coverage from the media about the Venice "Black Mass" announcement:

http://variety.com/2015/film/festivals/johnny-depp-starrer-black-mass-to-world-preem-at-venice-film-festival-1201547904/

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/venice-black-mass-world-premiere-810884

http://www.ew.com/article/2015/07/24/black-mass-venice-film-festival

http://www.indiewire.com/article/johnny-depp-heading-to-venice-film-festival-for-black-mass-world-premiere

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/johnny-depps-black-mass-will-officially-play-the-venice-film-festival-out-of-competition-20150724





"OUR BRAND" LANDS WITH A FALL DATE

Another tidbit of interest that was announced this weekend was the dating of release for David Gordon Green's "Our Brand is Crisis" for Oct. 30th.  That puts the film in prime position to be a part of any number of fall film fests including Telluride.  As mentioned above, "Our Brand" is being distributed by Warners which could bring it to T-ride along with "Black Mass" as they did with "Prisoners' and "Gravity in 2013.

"Our Brand" stars Sandra Bullock, Billy Bob Thornton and Zoe Kazan and is based on the 2005 documentary of the same name which explored the extension of American style political campaigning in South America.

The film also shows up below in my look at "The Unified Clooney Theory" of Telluride possibilities.

The stories from Variety and The Hollywood Reporter:


http://variety.com/2015/film/news/sandra-bullock-our-brand-is-crisis-set-for-oct-30-1201548567/

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sandra-bullocks-crisis-gets-october-811106

THE UNIFIED CLOONEY THEORY

George Clooney on the set of the Coen Brothers' "Hail Caesar"

It's time once again to re-visit my annual proposal of the "Unified Clooney Theory".  The UCT suggests that Telluride clues can be found by examining the work of George Clooney and his friends and associates.  Last year the UCT was abysmal at suggesting possibilities, but remember that 2013 when the UCT was actually fairly prophetic: "12 Years a Slave" and "Gravity".  So...it's a "so-so" tool at best but kind of fun...

So, start with Clooney himself.  Acting wise, he's involved with a couple of films that might be Telluride worthy: "Money Monster" directed by Jodie Foster that almost certainly is unready (IMDb says it is till filming and isn't "expected until Mar. 31) and "Hail, Caesar" the Coen Brothers (also members of The UCT) film that is set for Feb. 5, 2016 release.

I'd really love "Caesar" to be surprise at T-ride...but it's not likely.

Much more likely is a film that Clooney is a producer on which David Gordon Green's "Our Brand is Crisis"  The film stars (and is also being produced by) Sandra Bullock.  The film is distributed by Warners and I actually think there's a real shot for it to play on Labor Day weekend.

Next up in The UCT is Clooney pal and sometimes co-star Brad Pitt.  Pitt and his wife Angelina Jolie have a much anticipated film that they have done together and was directed by Jolie.  "By the Sea" is at Universal and is set for a Nov. 13th release.  Honestly, I think the film is more likely as a New York Film Fest possibility rather than Telluride...but you never know.

The third member of The UCT to mention is Matt Damon.  Unlike Clooney and Pitt, Damon has not made it to Telluride.  His big acting gig for this year is the upcoming "The Martian" from director Ridley Scott.  "The Martian" is distributed by 20th Century Fox and is scheduled for release on Oct. 2.  One could make the case that it could SHOW with a big splash as "Gravity" did a couple of years ago but I'd be very, very surprised.

Damon, like Clooney, might be more likely to be Telluride involved through hos producing as he is a producer for Kenneth Lonergan's "Manchester-by -the-Sea" which, although I don't think its T-ride chances are great, has a greater chance to make the lineup than "The Martian" does.

Then there's Damon's longtime friend and occasional collaborator Ben Affleck who is all about being Batman now in the upcoming "Batman vs. Superman" flick.  Affleck is also starring in "The Accountant" from Warners which has late January release date.  Warners could conceivably include it at T-ride with the roll out of "Black Mass".

Known Clooney accomplice Julia Roberts could show at The SHOW with "Secret in Their Eyes".

Cate Blanchett, another Clooney crony, has both "Truth" (which appears to be set for Telluride-see above) and "Carol" (which may not be as solid for Telluride as I have been thinking-also see above).

Of course, Clooney pal Don Cheadle is off the T-ride chart with his Miles Davis biopic that has been announced as the world premiere closing night film for the New York Film Fest.

Then there's Tilda Swinton who received a tribute at Telluride the same year as Clooney and has been in a number of films with Clooney and/or other UCT members: "Michael Clayton", "Hail, Caesar", "Burn After Reading", "Benjamin Button".  She's in "A Bigger Splash" which could be in the TFF #42 lineup.

Best UCT Telluride chances this year are:

1) "Truth" (Blanchett)
2) "Carol" (also Blanchett)
3) "Our Brand is Crisis" (Clooney)
4) "Manchester-by-the-Sea (Damon)
5) "Secret in Their Eyes" (Roberts)

THIS WOULD BE A SHOCKER

Roger Freidman's ShowBiz411 posted this tasty rumor/tidbit over the weekend: the Warren Beatty Howard Hughes project could show up at one of the three upcoming festivals...including Telluride.

The story seems unlikely, but I guess it's possible.  Freidman cites a "source close to the production" who also is reported to have claimed that if it were to show at Venice, Toronto or Telluride that it might well be a "surprise" screening.

That would be a stunning coup for any of the fests as the project is shrouded in mystery.

Here's the IMDb page for the untitled film:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1974420/?ref_=ttrel_rel_tt

and the link to the Freidman post:

http://www.showbiz411.com/2015/07/24/warren-beattys-howard-hughes-movie-may-surface-at-fall-film-festival



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