A hint or two in the twitterverse that Mark Romanek's "Never Let Me Go" might appear @ TFF#37. We'll see...

Venetian Announcements...What Do They Mean???

Frieda Pinto on the set of Julian Schnabel's "Miral"


The 67th Venice Film Festival has announced their competition line up. What's most intriguing is what is left off the list. Missing are "Tree of Life," "True Grit," Eastwood's "Hereafter," "The King's Speech," "London Boulevard, " "The Way Back," "127 Hours," "Another Year" and "The Debt." So, these are likely not ready, will go somewhere else or will show up in T-Ride.


Included in the list are: "Black Swan," Somewhere," and Schnabel's "Miral." Julie Taymor"s "The Tempest" is closing the festival.

The complete list from Ioncinema is here:

http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/5362/67th-venice-film-festival-gallo-coppola-reichardt-selected-in-the-main-comp

The Festival has also announced that they will add another film half way through the presentations. Hummmm????

Ioncinema also seems pretty sure that "The American" and "The Town" will be at the Lido out of competition.

More when both Venice and Toronto announce the rest of their lineups.

Toronto Begins Announcing...What Does It Mean?

Sean Penn and Naomi Watts in Doug Liman's "Fair Game" Coming to Telluride???

The 35th Toronto International Film Festival has begun announcing their lineup for this year. TIFF usually has a substantial lineup overlap with Telluride.

You can find Anne Thompson's post regarding the announcement today at this link:

http://www.indiewire.com/article/toronto_announces_2010_titles

So, almost certainly you can peruse this list and see some titles that will almost certainly be at Telluride. Some "suspects" included on the Toronto list that we've been following for a good long time include: Another Year, Biutiful, Miral, Tamara Drewe, Conviction, Brighton Rock, The Town, The King's Speech, and Casino Jack (Bagman). Maybe Blue Valentine...from Sundance...

Some "suspects" that weren't announced for Toronto on the initial list: Fair Game, Tree of Life, True Grit, 127 Hours, Love and Other Drugs, The Way Back and The Descendents.

Word from multiple sources that Julie Taymor's "The Tempest" will close Venice. Prob off the table for Telluride. Too bad...was hoping it would be there.

Variety Begins to Focus

Brad Pitt and co-stars in Terrance Malick's "The Tree of Life"

Variety's Pamela McClintock and Nick Vivarelli posted a large article yesterday that talks about all three September fests (Telluride, Toronto, Venice)...

The link is here:

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118022115.html?categoryid=1061&cs=1&query=toronto+telluride+venice

Among the highlights...

Confirmation that David O. Russell's "The Fighter" WILL NOT be at Telluride or anywhere else, for that matter, quoting: "Paramount, for example, has decided not to take David O. Russell's "The Fighter" to Venice, Toronto or Telluride. That's because the film -- toplining Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale -- doesn't open until Dec. 10, and Par feels it would be too hard to keep up the momentum."

Also, some good news and a line about Malick's "The Tree of Life." Again quoting: "If there's a bright spot for Venice, Telluride and Toronto, it's that there should be a glut of premium product to choose from, since a number of films weren't ready in time for the Cannes Film Festival.
One such film that everyone expected to turn up at one of the fall fests was Terrence Malick's "The Tree of Life," starring Brad Pitt and Sean Penn. But there are rumblings the film still isn't ready."

An interesting inclusive list: "Sofia Coppola's "Somewhere," Julian Schnabel's "Miral," Tom Hooper's "The King's Speech," Ben Affleck's "The Town" and Kelly Reichardt's "Meek's Cutoff" have been tipped for Venice, and could turn up in Toronto and Telluride as well."

An encouraging note about Sean Penn would seem to foreshadow "Tree" and/or Doug Liman"s "Fair Game"...quoting: "For a time, Sean Penn steered clear of Toronto or Telluride, but then had such a good experience with "Into the Wild" that he's far more amenable now to both."

Finally, another hint about Julian Schnabel's post World War II Freida Pinto starrer, "Miral." :

"Telluride is the hip, rich uncle who lives tucked away in a remote corner of the Rockies that's difficult to get to. And because the lineup isn't unveiled until the fest begins, there's less media in attendance. Rather, Telluride is about garnering critical acclaim.
Filmmaker loyalists include Schnabel, whose "Miral" could easily show up at Telluride this year."

All in all, a terrifically intriguing post.

Venice/Toronto Speculation

The Cast of the Coen Brothers version of True Grit

Indie Wire has a post up with 40 films that they say have a shot at either/or Venice and Toronto. You have to also figure a chunk of them end up in Telluride...

Here's the link:

http://www.indiewire.com/article/toronto_venice_wish_list_40_new_films_to_hope_for/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed

On the list that we'd love to see in Colorado in 5 weeks: 127 Hours, Miral, Hereafter, The Tree of Life, True Grit, The Tempest, The Fighter, and The Way Back...

More for Venice...Less for Telluride?

Natalie Portman in Darren Arnofsky's "Black Swan"

The Playlist has a big story today about "probable" Venice Fest films. Check it out at:

http://theplaylist.blogspot.com/2010/07/darren-aronofskys-black-swan-looking-to.html

Among films listed in the article that we thought might be on the Telluride short list are:

Black Swan (Aronofsky's follow-up to "The Wrestler")

The Town (Ben Affleck's new film)

The King's Speech (starring Colin Firth)

Others mentioned that we previously reported as likely going to Venice are: Somewhere, The American, and Miral.

And, again, Tree of Life continues to be an on-going mystery...

Another One Bites the Dust...The Fighter, that is..

The Playlist tells us today that David O. Russell's "The Fighter" is purportedly unlikely for ANY fall film festival. That according to an interview with star Marky Mark Wahlberg. (Christian Bale also stars). That story is at this link:

http://theplaylist.blogspot.com/2010/07/fighter-may-not-appear-at-tiff-2010-may.html

So it would seem that we'll not see the Fighter in Telluride...or the funky bunch for that matter.

Helen Mirren...Come Back to Telluride!

The Playlist reports today that "Brighton Rock" will "world" premiere at Toronto's festival. That doesn't automatically take it out of play as far as Telluride is concerned.

A cursory examination of the Toronto film list from last year reveals that "Life During Wartime," "Up in the Air," and the french film "Farewell" were "world" premieres and yet appeared at Telluride before or simultaneously.

Ultimately, today's announcement probably means that this adaptation of the Graham Greene classic is a bit less likely to be at TFF# 37...it doesn't preclude it's possibility entirely.

Danny Boyle's Return?

Inside info, speculation or just wishful thinking? That's the question to be answered after The Playlist posted a story on Danny Boyle's "127 Hours" yesterday.

The Playlist suggests (as we have) that the film which stars James Franco as hiker Aron Ralston may follow the same path that "Slumdog Millionaire" did two years ago when it took Telluride then Toronto and then the world and the Oscars by storm.

Here's the link to that story: http://theplaylist.blogspot.com/2010/07/clemence-poesy-playing-aron-ralstons.html

The story centers on Ralston's true life adventure in the Utah wilderness that required him to make some drastic choices to stay alive.

In other news, Ioncinema posted speculative pieces yesterday concerning their guesses for both the Venice and Toronto festivals. The link to those articles is here:

For Toronto: http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/5270/2010-toronto-int-film-festival-predictions

For Venice: http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/4404

The Eagle (now not of the Ninth)

Kris Tapley of Incontention.com reports that Kevin Mcdonald's "The Eagle of the Ninth" is changing titles and shortening it to "The Eagle."

Also a couple of sources (including Ioncinema) the last two days that Mcdonald is aiming for a Sundance slot in Feb. 2011...which implies that it will not be in the lineup over Labor Day in Telluride.

Mcdonald has had a fairly tight bond with TFF over the last half decade...not everything he has had a hand in has played as a part of the festival, but "Last King of Scotland" played in 2006 (and Forest Whitaker wins an Oscar) and "My Enemy's Enemy" in 2007 so speculation that he might be a part of the SHOW was no surprise. But it looks pretty likely that "The Eagle" will NOT be landing in the San Juan's in 2 months.

The Social Network

Anne Thompson of IndieWire's Thompson on Hollywood reveals that David Fincher's "The Social Network" will open the New York Film Festival 3 weeks after Telluride's opening night, thereby taking it out of play for other fall fests including Telluride.

See that story here: http://tinyurl.com/3a9leob

I had the Aaron Sorkin scripted "based on a true story" film about the birth of Facebook on the list of TFF #37 possibles owing to Fincher's presence in Telluride in 2008 with the director's cut of "Zodiac" and 20 minutes of Benjamen Button. Additionally, Fincher was honored with a tribute as part of TFF #35...so one might think it could possibly be in the running to show at the SHOW...but Anne says no, so off the list it goes...

TFF #37...Tree of Life

Rope of Silicon reports that Terrence Malick's "The Tree of Life" has received an MPAA rating. (PG-13 for those interested)...the link to that report is here: http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/latest-mpaa-ratings-bulletin-no-2128

I'm no expert, but it seems to me that it's done...finally.

Where does it go as far as fall fests???

Telluride's submission deadline for feature films is July 15...

Hummmmmm???

Uncle Boonmee...Maybe Not

Another pic from "Uncle Boonmee." He can remember his past lives, but he may not know how to get to Telluride!

In Contention.Com reports that Strand Releasing has picked up the distribution for Cannes Palme D'Or winner "Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives". That actually may portend a decrease in the chances that it will unspool in Telluride in 8 weeks.

It's not absolute, but the last Strand film I saw listed at a TFF was 2005's Lemming.

And Telluride doesn't always program the Palme winner. Cannes winner from 2008, "The Class" didn't play...sooo...maybe no Boonmee in the San Juans.

In other news...SPC has picked up "Life, Above All" which created a good deal of stir at Cannes. It was generally well received critically (earning a collective "B" average). This probably increases its chance of being a part of TFF #37. SPC also has "Inside Job" and "Of Gods and Men" making them prime suspects for Telluride inclusion.

Lots of quiet surrounding the following: "True Grit," "The Tempest, " "Love and Other Drugs," "Miral," "Biutiful," "The Social Network," "The Descendants," "Eagle of the Ninth," "Conviction," "Brighton Rock," Howl, " and "127 Hours." So keep them hanging around in the "maybe" column.

Also, not much recently about Malick's "Tree of Life." There had been a good deal of back and forth about its readiness prior to a speculated appearance as a part of the Venice Film Fest...included in that has been some spirited disagreement as to whether Venice is the target or not. As we have said here before, Venice inclusion doesn't automatically mean that a film won't play Telluride ("Life During Wartime" and "The Road" did both last year)...it's just that the overlap between these two festivals is very small.

Ondaatje Part Deux

Jay Fernandez and The Hollywood Reporter add some detail to what we reported yesterday, that author Michael Ondaatje (The English Patient) will be this year's guest director for TFF #37. Here's the link:

http://riskybusiness.hollywoodreporter.com/2010/06/30/telluride-film-festival-taps-michael-ondaatje-as-2010-guest-director/

The TFF #37 Guest Director Is....

Author Michael Ondaatje has been selected to Guest Direct the 37th Telluride Film Festival according to Kris Tapley at In Contention.


Ondaatje is best known as the author of "The English Patient" which won the Booker Prize and, of course, became the film of the same name that won 9 Academy Awards including Best Picture. Ondaatje shared the USC scripter award that year with Director/Screenwriter Anthony Minghella.

Ondaatje was born in Sri Lanka in 1943...but moved to England in 1954 and then to Canada in 1962. He's lived there ever since. He was primarily a poet in his early writing career.

Interesting tidbit: He authored a book in 2002 about Walter Murch and editing. Murch was a Telluride tributee in 2006.

It will be interesting to see what the author of "The English Patient" programs as his selections in this year's festival.

You can check out Ondaatje's "Contemporary Writers" page at:
http://www.contemporarywriters.com/authors/?p=auth205

Clooney and Venice and TFF #37

George Clooney takes aim at the Venice Film Festival

A couple of reports that Clooney's "The American" is set for Venice which decreases its likelihood of being in Telluride.

Also, quite a bit of pundit back-and-forth on Malick's "The Tree of Life" being at Venice or not. Sasha Stone at Awards Daily is the latest to opine that "Tree" is probably NOT at Venice, but is likely for Toronto, which oddly, makes Telluride continue to be a possibility. http://www.awardsdaily.com/?p=23068

One other tidbit, "Betty Anne Waters" has a different title..."Conviction"

TFF #37...Coppola...Sofia not Francis Ford

Scene from Sofia Coppola's "Somewhere"

Anne Thompson reports that Sofia Coppola's new directorial effort "Somewhere" has been tabbed to premiere at the Venice Film Fest making it unlikely to be a pick at TFF #37.

TFF #37...Schnabel

(Freida Pinto in Julian Schnabel's "Miral")

Hollywood News Reports that The Weinstein Company has picked up distribution for Julian Schnabel"s "Miral." It tells the story of an attempt to establish an orphanage in post WWII Jerusalem and stars "Slumdog Millionaire" beauty Freida Pinto.

This probably signals a boost for its chances to appear at TFF #37. I was surprised it did not show up at Cannes.

The Weinstein Co. had "The Road" at Telluride last year and Schnabel was in Telluride with "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" in 2007...a really great film... and Schnabel was Oscar nominated as Best Director for that.

It's IMDB page is http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1366409/

TFF #37 and Post-Cannes

A shot from Palme D'Or winner "Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives"...will it be recalled in Telluride in September?

Belatedly, here's a quick rundown of the Cannes scuttlebutt and what it may mean for Telluride's 37th Film Fest.

A Partial List of Cannes Winners (the complete list can be found at http://www.festival-cannes.com/en/theDailyArticle/57863.html):

Palme D'Or: "Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives"

Grand Prix: "Of Gods and Men"

Director: Mathieu Almaric/"On Tour"

Jury Prize: "A Screaming Man"

Actor (tie) Javier Bardem/"Biutiful" and Elio Germana/"Our Life"

Actress: Juliette Binoche/"Certified Copy"

Screenplay: Lee Chang-dong/"Poetry"

From the "Un Certain Regard" Segment:

"Ha Ha Ha" and "October"

Indiewire put together a compendium of critical reactions to the Cannes festival...I've listed the films that rated a combined "B" or better (complete grades are here: http://www.indiewire.com/article/cannes_2010_the_guide )

Four films earned a collective "A-": "Uncle Boonmee," The documentary "Inside Job," "The Autobiography of Nicolae Ceausescu," and "Draquila - L'Italia che trema"

Films earning a collective "B-plus" were: "Abel," "Chantrapas," "Blue Valentine," Certified Copy," "Poetry, " "Carlos,"and Mike Leigh's "Another Year."

Films earning a collective "B" were: "Of Gods and Men," Life, Above All, "Tuesday, After Christmas," "I Wish I Knew," "Angelica," "Countdown to Zero, " "Heartbeats," and Godard's "Socialism"

What does all this mean???

As mentioned in earlier posts, I think "Another Year" is a virtual lock. And "Uncle Boonmee" and "Biutuful" have increased their likelihood of being in Telluride on Labor Day. I also think "Certified Copy," "Poetry," "On Tour," and "Of Gods and Men" have upped their chances.

I also still think that "Blue Valentine" might follow the path blazed by "An Education" last year and cruise into Telluride despite having been preemed at Sundance.

And Woody Allen's new film ("You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger)....maybe not so much.

Still hoping for Malick's "The Tree of Life"....

And finally, I am headed to Telluride for the the graduation of Ms. Katie Mallard (THS Class of 2010) We understand that "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" will be playing at The Nugget. Might try to catch it there. I have a friend that says its the best movie he's seen in a long time...

More as it becomes available (and as Toronto begins to announce its lineup, because there is usually a big overlap between the two...while almost zero overlap with the Venice Film Fest)...