The Usual Suspects Part Two/"The Revenant" News/The Guardian on the Fall Season

Welcome to Wednesday film fans...



THE "USUAL SUSPECTS" PART TWO

I'm continuing my metaphorical stroll through some of the directors, producers and others who seem to have a personal and frequent connection to Telluride to parse their participation to see if there are clues for the TFF #42 lineup.

Today we start with actress Laura Linney.

Linney hasn't appeared at the fest since 2012's "Hyde Park on Hudson".  For a good long while I thought she'd be back this year with Bill Conden's "Mr. Holmes" starring Sir Ian McKellen.  Then, some months ago, Fox Searchlight dated the film for a July release (it opened last weekend).

But fear not Linney fans, she's still in the TFF #42 possibility game as she appears also in Michael Grandage's "Genius" which is in the Lionsgate stable.  The film was listed by IMDb as being in post-production in February.  The film also stars Nicole Kidman, Jude Law and Colin Firth (TFF tribute 2010). Grandage is a first time director.

Our next "Usual Suspect" for today's post is Stephen Frears.  Frears is an interesting case.  He hasn't had a film at the fest since 2010's "Tamara Drewe" but was reportedly supposed to have had "Philomena" sneak in 2013 only to have it pulled at the last minute (The Weinstein Company replaced it with "Salinger").  Another story that I heard was that Frears was approached to be Guest Director for the 2013 fest but couldn't due to other obligations.

If all that's true, then Frears still is in the Telluride orbit.  His current project that could make the grade for TFF #42 is his long gestating Lance Armstrong examination "The Program" starring Ben Foster as Armstrong and Chris O'Dowd as the journalist who kept after the allegations of doping that eventually caught up to the multiple Tour de France winner.  The film is currently without U.S. distribution.

Number three on today's look at "Usual Suspects" is Wim Wenders. Wenders has been coming to Telluride since 1978 and has played there with "Paris, Texas", "Faraway, So Close", "Pina" and last year with "Salt of the Earth"  This year he has a feature film called "Every Thing Will Be Fine" that stars James Franco and has played the Berlin Fest.  The film wasn't received all that warmly in a critical sense, but Wenders past connection with Telluride might be enough to get the film into the lineup.  The film's U.S. distribution is still up for grabs.

Our final "Usual" for this Wednesday are the Dardenne Brothers.  Now, I can hear some of you saying, "Wait, Michael.  The Dardenne don't have a film in the can."  And you're right.  But they do act as producers on a film that may have some Telluride legs:  Benoit Jacqout's "Diary of a Chambermaid" which stars Lea Seydoux (who made the trip to Telluride in 2013 with "Blue is the Warmest Color").  "Chambermaid" played Berlin in February and a couple of other fests and has U.S. distribution from the Cohen Media Group.  That distributor was last represented in Telluride in 2012 with "The Attack".

These factors might edge the film into the T-ride lineup.

So, in review, your chances for each of these four (five, if you count both Dardennes) "Usual Suspects" and their projects:

Linney/"Genius" 30%
Frears/"The Program" 35%
Wenders/"Every Thing Will Be Fine" 30%
Dardennes/"Diary of a Chambermaid" 20%

Tomorrow's "Usual Suspects" will be a little different as I'll look at two directors who are close to being "Usuals' as well as three fellows that are "Usuals" that would be doing something unusual if they were to come to this year's SHOW: Ariel Vromen, Matteo Garrone, Steve McQueen, Alejandro Inarritu and Francis Ford Coppola.



 "THE REVENANT" NEWS...

Alejandro Inarritu's "The Revenant" moved up on my wish list this past weekend with the release of a fantastic teaser/trailer.  Admittedly, the film isn't going to be ready in time for Telluride as word is that the crew is re-shooting a sequence in South America (where it is winter).  I have mentioned that I have some serious concern whether it will be ready TO go by its stated Dec. 25th release date.

Adding some fuel to that concern was a weekend tweet from The Playlist that asked if Fox was really likely to release both "The Revenant" and David O. Russell's "Joy" on the same date, as is now what is announced.

As if in answer to these concerns, Jeff Well/Hollywood Elsewhere posted late Monday night a piece concerning the re-shoot plans and timing based on a translated version of an interview with Inarritu. The good news, the post suggests that the film will be done earlier than thought.  The bad news, still not early enough to make it to Telluride.  Wells extrapolation suggests that it could be finished by late September/early October.  AFI Fest perhaps?

Here's the link to the Wells post:

http://www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/2015/07/revenant-will-actually-ready-sooner/

In other "Revenant" news, Chris Connelley was up yesterday at Grantland with a big piece on the film and interviews with DiCaprio and Inarritu.  If you're excited about the film, as I am, it's worth a read:

http://grantland.com/features/exclusive-leonardo-dicaprio-and-alejandro-g-inarritu-on-the-revenant/


Additionally, I have linked this Rope of Silicon story about cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki's interview about the difficulties in making the film here:

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/emmanuel-lubezki-talks-shooting-the-revenant-and-frozen-monitors/

THE GUARDIAN ON THE FALL SEASON

The Guardian's Nigel M. Smith posted his take on 40 films that he feels have the most serious Oscar potential late yesterday.  Included in the assessment of each of the 40 films, if they haven't already appeared at Cannes, are his guesses about where the films might show up in the fall festival lineup, including a number of Telluride guesses.  They include:

"Adam Jones" Dir: John Wells.  Stars Bradley Cooper.  Distrib: The Weinstein Company.  Release Date: Oct. 2.

"Black Mass" Dir: Scott Cooper. Stars: Johnny Depp, Benedict Cumberbatch. Distrib: Warners.  Release date: Sept. 18. (Parenthetical note...please let this be true...and the smoke is gathering that it might be).

"The Danish Girl" Dir: Tom Hooper.  Stars: Eddie Redmayne, Alicia Vikander. Distrib: Focus Features.  Release date: Nov. 27.

"Everybody Wants Some" Dir: Richard Linklater. Stars: Tyler Hoechlin. Distrib: Paramount Pictures.  Release date: TBD.

"Freeheld" Dir: Peter Sollett.  Stars: Julianne Moore, Ellen Page. Distrib: Lionsgate. Release date: Oct. 2.

"I Saw the Light" Dir: Marc Abraham.  Stars: Tom Hiddleston, Elizabeth Olsen. Distrib. Sony Pictures Classics. Release date: Nov. 27.

"The Light Between Oceans" Dir: Derek Cianfrance.  Stars: Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander.  Distrib: TDB.  Release date: TBD.

"Manchester-by-the -Sea" Dir. Kenneth Lonergan.  Stars: Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams.  Distrib: TBD.  Release date: TBD (but perhaps 2016).

"The Program" Dir: Stephen Frears.  Stars: Ben Foster, Chris O'Dowd.  Distrib: TBD.  Release dates: TBD.

"Suffragette" Dir: Sarah Gavron.  Stars: Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter.  Distrib: Focus Features.  Release date: Oct. 23.

"Truth" Dir: James Vanderbilt.  Stars: Robert Redford, Cate Blanchett.  Distrib: Sony Pictures Classics. Release date: TBD.

Among the Cannes debuts that Smith mentions that I feel have some shot at playing at Telluride are:

"Carol", "Son of Saul", "Macbeth" and "Youth"

And the films that Smith pegs as possible plays for Venice that I feel are also possible for T-ride:

"A Bigger Splash", "A Hologram for the King", "Our Brand is Crisis".

Other films that Smith includes in the list of 40 that might have Telluride legs would be "Steve Jobs".

Read the whole piece here:

http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jul/21/and-the-oscar-may-go-to-40-key-movies-in-contention-for-2016-awards


That's enough for today...more tomorrow...

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"Last Face" at Telluride?/The Usual Suspects: Part One/A Note from "Anonymous"

Good Tuesday Everyone!


"LAST FACE" AT TELLURIDE?

Sean Penn and Charlize Theron on the set of "The Last Face" via The Daily Mail

I have mentioned Sean Penn's "The Last Face" as a Telluride possibility only fleetingly the past several months (I count five MTFB mentions since January) because I just haven't felt a T-ride vibe for it.  The lack of a U.S. distributor has had a lot to do with that.

That said, a David Poland piece about potential Oscar contenders posted at Movie City News last weekend got me to re-examining its possibilities.

Poland mentions the film as a way, way outside shot for some Oscar consideration and its the only film in the piece that he actually puts in a Telluride perspective.  Poland suggests that the film makers are hoping for a Telluride berth, in so many words.  Poland's exact line is, "after it is screened at TIFF (and they will hope, Telluride..."

Perhaps Poland knows something, or is just spitballing.  Nevertheless, this lead me to re-assess, at least to some degree.

Admittedly, under normal circumstances, I would have probably taken the film as a serious Telluride contender because it's the first directing effort from Penn since "Into the Wild" which played T-ride in 2007 and the story line sounds like the kind of film that might play well there (see the IMDb link below).

But...I have always thought that Penn had to have been displeased with the way that film was received.  It was thought to be a Best Picture/Best Director Oscar contender (and it was nominated for two Oscars, Supporting Actor for the great Hal Holbrook and film editing) but that didn't happen despite generally great critical response.

As I re-examined the film in light of the Poland mention, I discovered that Telluride regular Bill Pohlad is one of the films producers.  Pohlad has been a huge supporter of Telluride over the years (listed last year as a"major supporter in the fest's film guide) and has been a producer on a  significant number of films that have played Telluride over the years. Examples: "Brokeback Mountain ('05), "Fur" ('06), "Into the Wild ('07), "12 Years a Slave" ('13) and "Wild" ('14).  (So, Pohlad is really the first entrant in my "Usual Suspects" piece below)

So, Pohlad's participation and Poland's mention make me think that "The Last Face" might actually be a more serious consideration for Labor Day.

Still, I don't think it's a lead pipe cinch.  One reason, I'd love to know why Pohlad's own directing effort, the Brain Wilson biopic "Love and Mercy" which has been really well reviewed since its June release, did not play Telluride last year, but did play Toronto (in the midst of that "can't play Telluride first" controversy).

Bottom line, "The Last Face's Telluride chances are up, but it's not likely to be on this week's "Ten Bets" update on Friday.

Here's the David Poland piece from Movie City News;

http://moviecitynews.com/2015/06/30-weeks-to-oscar-setting-the-field/

"The Last Face" IMDb page:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3286560/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt


THE USUAL SUSPECTS: PART ONE

Each summer for the past few years, I have analyzed a number of people that have become fixtures at Telluride as a way of trying to read the tea leaves fro what films might make the program.  These "Usual Suspects", as I call them, aren't always predictive, but sometimes, it leads to some good conclusions.

Last year, the "Ususal Suspects" posts predicted the presence of "The Look of Silence", "99 homes", "Wild", "Birdman", "Mr. Turner", "Two Days, One Night"and "Salt of the Earth".

As I mentioned above, the first "Usual Suspect" for this year, I suppose, is Bill Pohlad.

Next is the most usual of the "Usual Suspects", Werner Herzog.  Herzog is as regular to Telluride as anyone I can think of and is listed as one of their "Esteemed Council of Advisers".  Last year, I was dead certain his "Queen of the Desert" would play and it stayed in my Telluride calculus for a long time last summer (until Aug. 12).

Instead, "Queen" opened at the Berlin Fest in February to middling reviews.  It currently has no announced U.S. release date and its distributor, Atlas Distribution Company has no past Telluride relationship and is best known for distributing the "Atlas Shrugged" films.

Honestly, I've had this film in the lower levels of this year's "Ten Bets" lists, but, I honestly wouldn't be shocked if it DID NOT make the Telluride lineup.

Fear not T-ride Herzog fans.  The ever-busy Herzog has another trick up his sleeve.  "Salt and Fire" which stars Michael Shannon and Gael Garcia Bernal (and Herzog apparently as well) is listed as being in post-production at IMDb.  So maybe it gets a play at Telluride.  I have included an empireonline.com story about "Salt and Fire" here:

http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=43394

They describe the film as a "drama and romance".  IMDb lists it as a "thriller".

Doesn't sound like typical Telluride fare but I have a hard time believing that Herzog wouldn't have at least one of these films at Telluride.  After all, the fest played "Bad Lieutenant" and "My Son, My Son..." so...


Next on this first list of "Usual Suspects" for 2015 is Mark Cousins.  Cousins has been a frequent guest of the fest and is, like Herzog, a member of the"Esteemed Council of Advisers".  Cousins was not in Telluride last year but prior to that had appeared in previous years:

2010: The First Movie
2011: The Story of Film
2012: What is This Film Called Love?
2013: The Story of Children and Film

With that kind of track record, I have a feeling that Cousins could well be back in the Sn Juans in a few weeks with his latest documentary, "I am Belfast", which, as you might expect, takes an in depth look at the Northern Irish city.  "Belfast" may actually sneak onto this week's "Ten Bets" list.

Our final look at a "Usual Suspect" today is Jacques Audiard.  Audiard played Telluride to great success in 2009 with "A Prophet" and again in 2012 with "Rust and Bone".  Audiard first played Telluride in 1996 with "A Self-Made Hero".

His latest, "Dheepan", won the Palme d'Or at Cannes in May and is being domestically distributed by Sundance Selects.

I've had it in the top one or two spots on my "Ten Bets" list each time this summer and barring some weirdness, I suspect it's as good a bet as you could imagine without direct confirmation.

Chances of today's "Usual Suspects" and their films at TFF #42:

Pohlad's "The Last Face" 25%
Herzog's "Queen of the Desert" 60%
Herzog's "Salt and Fire" 40%
Cousins' "I Am Belfast" 60%
Audiard's "Dheepan" 90%

Tomorrow's "Usual Suspects; Part Two" will include: Laura Linney, Stephen Frears, Wim Wenders and The Dardennes Brothers.

A NOTE FROM "ANONYMOUS"

I always enjoy, well...most of the time enjoy, comments and emails to the blog.  In the nearly seven years that I've been doing this, I have published all but a handful and the ones I haven't published have either been solicitations or just mean.  Otherwise, I publish.  Even the few that have, on occasion been a little uncomfortable.

I don't usually mention a comment in the text of a following blog, but this, from "Anonymous" seems particularly knowledgeable.  If you want to see the original it was a response to last Friday's (7/17) post (that contained my most recent "Ten Bets").  Here's the comment:


Michael,
your blog is great. I would agree with you that 'Dheepan' and 'Son of Saul' are a lock at this point. I don't think 'Youth' is coming to Telluride though. What i've heard is that Searchlight is only bring the Malala documentary. Also Warner Brothers really believes in 'Black Mass' expect that to show up at Telluride and Toronto as well. Don't be surprised if the Weinstein co hangs onto 'Carol' until AFI Fest and doesn't show it in Telluride. Also something to consider is Focus is pushing two big films this year. 'Suffragette' and 
'The Danish Girl'. Don't be surprised if 'The Danish Girl' screens at Telluride instead of 'Suffragette', which i suspect is going straight to Tornto. That will depend on the talent and director and who is available. Telluride won't take the movie unless either the actors or the director is available as is the case for 'Youth'. Best of luck with your prognosticating

This also comes three weeks (6/26 post) after a previous "Anonymous"Balck  comment that also seems very smart about Telluride:

I totally agree with your assessment of 'Dheepan', 'Son of Saul', '45 Years', and 'Carol'. Telluride patrons are smart and generally an older crowd and so I think they curate the festival knowing this. I think there is going to be one big documentary premiere sneak like in years past with 'Salinger' and 'Tales of the Grimm Sleeper'. I think 'He Named Me Malala' is poised to be that big doc sneak and it is very much in line with Telluride patrons' sensibilities so I wouldn't rule that one out.


So the two "Anonymous" comments seem to agree on "Dheepan" and "Son of Saul", the "Malala" documentary and disagree on "Carol".

I am particularly intrigued by the "7/17 Anonymous" claim about "Black Mass' which would fit neatly into my theory that Warners is likely to return to Telluride with some film this year.  I am also intrigued by the "7/17 Anonymous" claim that "The Danish Girl" might be more of a Telluride possibility than "Suffragette".  You could certainly make that case as I could see Tom Hooper returning to Telluride in light of his 2010 success with "The King's Speech"

All in all...fun stuff to think about.

And a good place to remind any and all that comments/emails and such are always (well almost) welcome.

Email me at michael_speech@hotmail.com or mpgort@gamil.com
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That'll do for a Tuesday...more tomorrow...

Le French Part Trois/Ingrid?/"The Dressmaker" From Down Under

It's Monday in America, Peeps.  Hope it was a good weekend where you live.


LE FRENCH PART TROIS


ARTE FRANCE CINEMA

Another Franco production outfit that has had persistent presence in Telluride is Arte France Cinema.  Their track record looks like this:

2003: Dogville
2004: The Weeping Meadow
2005: The Child, Cache, Paradise Now
2006: Day Night Day Night
2008: O'Horten
2011: Le Havre, Goodbye First Love
2012: No films at Telluride
2013: Le Maison de la Radio, The Lunchbox
2014: No films at Telluride

Despite having not been represented with any films at TFF #41, Arte France Cinema is still a good resource to check into in as far as Telluride possibilities.  As you can see from above, they're more commonly involved in at least one film at Telluride each year and occasionally two.

This year there are a number of possibilities that have had production support fro Arte France Cinema:

"Mountains May Depart"
"Amneisa"
"The Measure of a Man"
"Mia Madre"
"Salt and Fire"

My bet is that at least one of these films makes the 2015 Telluride lineup.


CINECINEMA/CINE+

CineCinema changed over to Cine+ within the last three years or so but it's all the same.  This production company has often been represented at Telluride over the last few years:

2005: Lemming, Live and Become
2006: The Page Turner, Indigenes
2007: The Diving Bell and The Butterfly
2008: With a Little Help from Myself
2009: Farewell, Coco Before Chanel, A Prophet, Inferno
2010: The Illusionist, The Princess of Montpensier, Of Gods and Men
2011: Goodbye First Love, The Kid with a Bike, Le Havre, The Artist
2012: Rust and Bone, Superstar, The Attack, Amour
2013: The Past, Blue is the Warmest Color, Le Maison de la Radio

2014: Two Days One Night, The Price of Fame, The Gate

CineCinema/Cine+ is a solid Telluride contributor with 26 films over the past ten years (2.6 films/year) and the number of their films playing T-ride  has actually picked up over the last six years with 20 of those 26 coming in that time frame, so more than three per year recently.

In 2015 Cine+ could play in a significant fashion again with these films the most likely choices:

"The Lobster"

"The Measure of a Man"

"Amnesia"

"Youth"

That concludes this year's rundown of European producers.  Tomorrow we open up "The Usual Suspects" (frequent Telluride individual directors, producers, actors, etc.) bag and see who we can shake out of that.

INGRID?

"Ingrid Bergman In Her Own Words" trailer via YouTube

One of the films that was a part of the Cannes celebration on Ingrid Bergman this year was a new documentary from Sweden's Stig Bjorkman.  The doc looks at the life and times of one of the 20th Century's finest actresses and it's just the kind of "under the radar" film that I can see making the grade for Telluride.

It has no U.S. distribution/release date at this point but I could see that changing fast.

I can also envision a whole Ingrid Bergman presentation as a part of the Labor Day weekend with this doc as a centerpiece and the participation of Bergman's daughter Isabella Rosselini who was at the fifth Telluride Film Fest in 1978.

I could also see screenings of some of Bergman's classics or even lesser known works.  

Anyway, the trailer above appeared over the weekend.  I have also appended a story about the doc from The Playlist:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/watch-trailer-for-cannes-approved-classic-cinema-documentary-ingrid-bergman-in-her-own-words-20150717

"THE DRESSMAKER" FROM DOWN UNDER

"The Dressmaker" trailer via YouTube

Universal has their hands on this film from Australia that released its first trailer last weekend.  The film has no announced U.S. distribution or date of release, but, intriguingly, feels like it could be a film that might pique the interest of Telluride programmers.  

The film stars Kate Winslet, Liam Hemsworth, Judy Davis and Hugo Weaving and focuses on the return to a small Aussie town of a woman (Winslet) that has achieved great success in the world beyond where she came from but is still shadowed by the past that she left behind there.

Here are stories from Variety, Awards Circuit, First Showing and The Playlist:

https://variety.com/2015/film/news/liam-hemsworth-kate-winslet-kiss-dressmaker-trailer-1201538995/

http://www.awardscircuit.com/2015/07/13/watch-kate-winslet-in-the-first-trailer-for-the-dressmaker-from-jocelyn-moorhouse/

http://www.firstshowing.net/2015/watch-kate-winslet-in-trailer-for-australian-film-the-dressmaker/

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/watch-kate-winslet-returns-home-in-style-in-first-trailer-for-the-dressmaker-with-liam-hemsworth-20150713

That's your Monday post...more tomorrow...

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"Ten Bets" #4/European Producers: Le French Part Deux/First Trailer for "The Revenant"/Trailer and Interview for "The Assassin"

It's finally Friday...where has the summer gone?

LATEST "TEN BETS" (#4 for 2015)

Here's this week's installment of my weekly guess as to what are the ten most likely films to play as a part of this year's Telluride Film Festival.

First, a look at last week's "Ten Bets":

10) "The Club"
9) "Suffragette"
8) "13 Minutes"
7) "Queen of the Desert"
6) "45 Years"
5) "I Saw the Light"
4) "Carol"
3) "Youth"
2) "Son of Saul"
1) "Dheepan"

  

And now, "Ten Bets" #4

10) "The Club"

9) "Truth"

8) "Queen of the Desert"

7) "Suffragette"

6) "Youth"

5) "45 Years"

4) "I Saw the Light"

3) "Carol"

2) "Dheepan"

1) "Son of Saul"

SPC's "Truth" rejoins the "Ten Bets" replacing their "13 Minutes".  Also, "Mountains Amy Depart" drops a bit farther as its director is on the new "Program" jury for Toronto.  "The Measure of a Man" moves to "near Ten Bets" status.

EUROPEAN PRODUCERS: LE FRENCH PART DEUX

I'm continuing my look at European/French film production firms today with looks at Telluride legacies for France2 Cinema and France 3 as a way of looking for possible shows for The SHOW.

FRANCE2 CINEMA

Here are the films from France2 Cinema that have played Telluride in recent years:

2006: Indigenes
2009: A Prophet, Coco Before Chanel
2010: The Princess of Montpensier
2011: The Kid with a Bike
2012: Rust and Bone

2013: Blue is the Warmest Color
2014: Two Days One Night

TFF #42 possibilities:

"Youth"
"Mon Roi"
"Lolo"
 are the best bets from France2.

FRANCE 3

Here's the track record from France 3 at Telluride for the past several years:

2003: Dogville, The Tripletts of Belleville
2004:
2005: Lemming, Live and Become, Cache
2006: The Page Turner, Indigenes
2007: The Diving Bell and The Butterfly, Persepolis
2008: I've Loved You So Long
2009: The White Ribbon
2010: The Illusionist, The Princess of Montpensier, Of Gods and Men
2011: The Artist
2012: Superstar, Amour
2013: The Past

2014: Mr. Turner, The Price of Fame, The Gate

Their 2015 slate that might be Telluride possible includes:

"Diary of a Chambermaid"
"Disorder"
"Valley of Love"
 These films seem like the best bets from France 3.

FIRST TRAILER FOR "THE REVENANT"

"The Revenant" trailer via YouTube

Let me be clear, Alejandro Inarritu's "The Revenant" starring Leonardo DiCaprio is almost certainly NOT going to make it to Telluride.  The film is, the buzz says, NOT ready and WILL NOT be ready in time.

With a Dec. 25th release date, Inarritu has plenty of time before its theatrical release to get finished up...maybe.  Honestly, I wouldn't be all that surprised if this didn't get held until 2016 with a play at Cannes and then a 2016 Telluride play.

Nevertheless, we have a trailer that dropped this morning as you can see above and here are some of the related stories from other outlets that accompanied the trailer this morning:

http://www.slashfilm.com/the-revenant-trailer-leonardo-dicaprio/

http://www.thewrap.com/leonardo-di-caprio-does-not-fear-death-in-first-trailer-for-the-revenant-video/

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/watch-leonardo-dicaprio-tom-hardy-star-in-the-first-trailer-for-alejandro-inarritus-revenge-thriller-the-revenant-20150717

http://www.ew.com/article/2015/07/17/revenant-trailer-leonardo-dicaprio?hootPostID=f03a2f8aeed55cacf06a1c7f883a2b2b

http://thefilmstage.com/trailer/first-trailer-for-alejandro-gonzalez-inarritus-the-revenant-with-leonardo-dicaprio-and-tom-hardy/

TRAILER AND INTERVIEW FOR "THE ASSASSIN

Hou Hsiao-Hsien's "The Assassin" won the Best Directing prize at Cannes last May and that might be enough to see it make the Telluride 2015 program.  Last year's Cannes Best Director made the trip to T-ride-Bennett Miller and "Foxcatcher'.  Other Cannes Best Direction winners of recent years that have then played Telluride include: Gus Van Sant ("Elephant" '03), Michael Haneke ("Cache" '05) Alejandro Inarritu ("Babel '06) and Julian Schnabel ("The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" '07). Additionally, the critical response was very, very good.

The film is being distributed by Well Go Entertainment which has no real Telluride history but that might not matter.  The film also still has no U.S. release date but will have played half a dozen international festivals by the end of August.


I have linked an interview with Hsiao-Hsien from Mubi and the story from The Playlist that includes the trailer for the film:

https://mubi.com/notebook/posts/a-love-story-without-love-hou-hsiao-hsien-discusses-the-assassin/

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/watch-first-trailer-for-hou-hsiao-hsiens-cannes-award-winning-the-assassin-20150704


That's all for Friday.  Have a great weekend and look for a new post Monday.

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European Producers: Le French Part Un/"Steve Jobs" Gets Reactions/"Joy" Erupts with Trailer/"Demolition Departs for April

It's Thursday people!

EUROPEAN PRODUCERS: LE FRENCH PART UN

After the dearth of British production houses involved with Telluride possible films that we explored in yesterday's post, it's good to see that several of the French houses have a stronger hand.  We'll look at a couple of them today beginning with Canal+.

Here's their profile for the past dozen years or so at Telluride:

2003: The Barbarian Invasions, Dogville, Love Me If You Dare, The Tripletts of Belleville
2004: The Weeping Meadow
2005: The Child, Cache, Lemming, Live and Become
2006: Volver, Indigenes, The Page Turner
2007: The Diving Bell and The Butterfly, Terror's Advocate, Jellyfish
2008: With a Little Help From Myself, I've Loved You So Long
2009: Farewell, Coco Before Chanel, A Prophet, The White Ribbon
2010: The Illusionist, Carlos, Of Gods and Men, The Princess of Montpensier
2011: Crazy Horse, Albert Nobbs, Goodbye First Love, The Kid with a Bike, The Artist, Le Havre
2012: Rust and Bone, Superstar, The Attack
2013: Blue is the Warmest Color", Le Maison de la Radio", "The Past"
2014: Two Days One Night, The Price of Fame

And what might be a T-ride play for Canal+ this year?

"Youth"
"Amnesia"
"The Measure of a Man"
"The Lobster"
 are the most likely Canal+ supported titles.

Additionally, another French production house to pay attention to is StudioCanal.  Here's their recent track record at TFF:

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

No StudioCanal film played Telluride in 2014 and as you can see, their presence is sporadic but there are three films with them aiding in production that could make the TFF #42 lineup:

"A Bigger Splash"
"The Program"
"Mon Roi"

Tomorrow,  a look at more French production firms.

"STEVE JOBS" GETS REACTIONS

Michael Fassbender as "Steve Jobs"

Various and sundry of the folks I follow on Twitter revealed that test audiences have seen Danny Boyle's "Steve Jobs" over the past few days.  From all accounts, reactions have been good.  Jeff Wells/Hollywood Elsewhere posted this story about the screening last night:

http://www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/2015/07/steve-jobs-west-42nd-street/

I have been wary of the film's Telluride possibilities as it is in the hands of Universal which has had a negligible presence at TFF.  Still, the fact that its a Danny Boyle film makes you think that it should SHOW and the Wells piece reminded me that Scott Rudin is producing the film and he also has a significant film track record at Telluride.  Of course, Rudin produces a ton of films but still, here's his T-ride connection over the past few years:

2006: "Venus"
2007: "There Will Be Blood" (clip), "Margot at the Wedding"
2010: "The Way Back"
2012: "Frances Ha"
2013: "Inside Llewyn Davis"
2014: "Rosewater"

So, perhaps Rudin's involvement tips Steve Jobs" a bit more in Telluride's direction.

"JOY" ERUPTS WITH TRAILER

"Joy" trailer via YouTube

It was hard to miss on the internet yesterday...the above trailer for David O. Russell's "Joy" starring Jennifer Lawrence as the inventor of the Miracle Mop.  The film is set to open on Dec. 25 and is being distributed by 20th Century Fox arm, Fox 2000.

Now, David O. Russell has never been to Telluride and Fox 2000 hasn't either (the 20th Century Fox branch that does do T-ride is Fox Searchlight so the chances of this being in the San Juans on Labor Day weekend are pretty small but never say never.  

The film is produced, in part, by Annapurna Pictures/Megan Ellison, who brought a film to Telluride for the first time last year ("Foxcatcher"). There's your tiny glimmer of hope.

The reality is that the film will likely do what Russell's "The Fighter" and "American Hustle" did and not play any fest at all.

If it is scheduled for a fest appearance, I'd think that Toronto, New York or AFI would all have a better shot before Telluride (Russell has played Toronto twice with "I Heart Huckabees" and "Silver Linings Playbook").

Still, the trailer looks interesting.

Here are a number of links to stories that covered the drop of the trailer yesterday:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/watch-jennifer-lawrence-invents-miracle-mop-in-first-trailer-for-david-o-russells-joy-20150715

http://www.awardsdaily.com/blog/2015/07/trailer-jennifer-lawrence-in-joy/

http://www.thewrap.com/jennifer-lawrence-bradley-cooper-grows-up-in-first-trailer-for-david-o-russells-joy-video/

https://variety.com/2015/film/news/jennifer-lawrence-bradley-cooper-joy-trailer-miracle-mop-1201540711/

http://www.indiewire.com/watch-dazzling-joy-teaser-puts-jennifer-lawrence-and-david-o-russell-back-in-the-oscar-race

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/watch-jennifer-lawrence-stars-in-first-joy-movie-trailer/

http://www.firstshowing.net/2015/teaser-trailer-for-david-o-russells-joy-starring-jennifer-lawrence/

"DEMOLITION" DEPARTS FOR APRIL

Jake Gyllenhaal in "Demolition"

Late word yesterday that Fox Searchlight has pushed Jean-Marc Vallee's "Demolition" to an April, 2016 release date.  That moves the film out of awards season 2015 and probably means no fest exposure whatsoever for the Jake Gyllenhaal starrer.

Fox Searchlight is probably down to three possible films for Telluride: "Youth", "He Names Me Malala" and "A Bigger Splash".  "Demolition's" move likely means that the "Malala" documentary is a bit more likely to make the Telluride lineup.

  

Here are reports regarding "Demolition's " move:

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/demolition-avoids-oscar-season-gyllenhaals-southpaw-performance-gets-a-boost/

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/strike-it-from-oscar-season-demolition-with-jake-gyllenhaal-naomi-watts-opens-april-2016-20150715

That's all for Thursday...more tomorrow including a brand new "Ten Bets" list.

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Wells Looks at His Crystal Ball/European Producers: The British/New Looks for "Suffragette"/Toronto Note

Good Wednesday All...

WELLS LOOKS AT HIS CRYSTAL BALL

Jeffrey Wells at Hollywood Elsewhere posted his best guess at Telluride last night.  Wells is a long time Telluride attendee. That along with his status as an industry insider means that we should take a hard look at what he has to say in terms'

Wells lists six films as "All but Locks" for Telluride:

Todd Haynes "Carol", Paolo Sorrentino's "Youth", James Vanderbilt's "Truth", Laszlo Nemes' "Son of Saul", Sarah Gavron's "Suffragette",  and John Crowley's "Brooklyn".

Of these films I'd agree with "Carol" and "Son of Saul".  I feel that "Suffragette", "Truth" and "Youth" are probable/possible but not locks and "Brooklyn" is very, very unlikely as it played at Sundance.

Wells then suggests Tom McCarthy's "Spotlight" may forgo Telluride for Toronto.  You might remember that I suggested a few days back that it was one of about half dozen films about which there are rumors that it could be the Toronto opener. (BTW...see note about Toronto below)

His next list is called "Logical Spitballs" and includes five films:

Jay Roach's "Trumbo", Scott Cooper's "Black Mass", Brian Hegeland's "Legend", Luca Guadagnino's "A Bigger Splash" and Barry Levinson's "Rock the Kasbah"

I'd quibble with the last three and agree that both "Trumbo" and "Black Mass" are logical and two films that I would genuinely be excited to play at the festival.  You might recall that "Black Mass" is one of four Warners films that could make a Telluride play.  The other WB films mentioned by Wells are Jeff Nichol's "Midnight Special" and David Gordon Green's "Our Brand is Crisis".  Unmentioned by Wells from my WB list is Ron Howard's "In the Heart of the Sea"

Wells also includes one film that he calls a  "Bizarro" possibility, Baltasar Kormakur's "Everest" and a list of seven films he calls "Wishy-Wishies" that includes Alejandro Inarritu's "The Revenant" and Danny Boyle's "Steve Jobs".

Take a look at the entire post here:

http://www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/2015/07/telluride-likelies-spitballs-wishies/



EUROPEAN PRODUCERS: THE BRITISH

The first (and as it turns out only) Brit Production house to look at for Telluride clues is Film4 which has this recent track record with Telluride:

2006: Deep Water
2007: When Did You Last See Your Father, Brick Lane
2008: Happy-Go-Lucky, Hunger, Slumdog Millionaire
2009: No film
2010: Another Year, Never Let Me Go
2011: Shame
2012: No film

2013: Under the Skin, 12 Years a Slave, Starred Up

2014: Mr. Turner

Film4 has been associated with 12 films in the past eight years at Telluride, an average of 1.5 films/year.

In 2015, the most likely Film4 associated films that could make Telluride include:

Todd Haynes' "Carol"

Paolo Sorrentino's "Youth"

Sarah Gavron's "Suffragette"

Yorgos Lanthimos' "The Lobster"

Andrea Arnold's "American Honey"

Ben Wheatley's "High Rise"

Lenny Abrahamson's "Room"

As regular readers know, I'm very high on the chances for "Carol" and "Youth" and moderately serious about expecting "Suffragette".  "The Lobster" is certainly a possibility.  

"American Honey" might be higher in my estimation if I knew that the film was ready but I have doubts as Entertainment Weekly was reporting that star Shia LeBeouf was injured on set on June 24th.  Normally, the fact that the director is Andrea Arnold ("Fish Tank" TFF 2009) would have made me think that, were it prepped, it might well be a serious Telluride contender.

I'd be somewhat surprised should "High Rise" or "Room" make a Telluride appearance.

Other British production houses just don't seem to have been involved in much that seems Telluride-likely.  See Saw Films is involved with Justin Kurzel's "Macbeth" but BBC Films, the UK Film Council and The British Film Institute all seem mostly uninvolved in films that feel, to me at least, to be likely Telluride products.

Tomorrow, I'll begin looking at some French production houses that could have films in the mix for Telluride.

NEW LOOKS FOR "SUFFRAGETTE"

New posters dropped yesterday for Sarah Gavron's "Suffragette".  They're very impressive as you can see from the sample above.  I have linked the post from Rope of Silicon that includes all of the new posters that dropped yesterday for the film.


http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/new-suffragette-poster-art-featuring-mulligan-streep-and-carter/


TORONTO NOTE

I confirmed yesterday that Toronto doesn't begin announcing their lineup until July 28.  I had been working on the assumption (stupid me) that they would announce on July 21, one day earlier and in a Tuesday as they have for some time.  What I didn't count on was that Toronto, like Telluride, bumped back to a later calendar start date because of where Labor Day falls.  Consequently, their announcement calendar also follows the bump in dates.  So July 28th it is for TIFF.

That'll do for today...check back again tomorrow for more...

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A Final Look at Distributors/"Miss You Already" Trailer/Final Note for Tuesday

Welcome Back from the weekend.  My apologies for the late post today but I got in late last night from Steamboat Springs, CO. after being there for an art show.  Now onto the business at hand.


A FINAL LOOK AT DISTRIBUTORS

STRAND RELEASING

Strand has been a consistent presence at Telluride over the past five years:

2010: Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff
2011: Bonsai
2012: Paradise: Love
2013: The Missing Picture
2014: A Borrowed Identity (Dancing Arabs)

This year their most likely player, and really the only film they list at IMDb that seems like a possible T-ride choice,  is from 2010 Cannes Palme d'Or ("Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives") winner Apichatpong Weerasethakul's "Cemetery of Splendor".  The film played this year at Cannes in the Un Certain Regard program and has been very well reviewed since. I put the chances of this film playing at Telluride at 40%.


OPEN ROAD

Open Road Films showed up with a splash at Telluride last year with Jon Stewart's directorial debut "Rosewater".  To the best of my ability to research, it was the first time Open Roads has made a play at Telluride.  2015 could be the second straight year to make the fest with, I think, four films that might make the grade again this year with four possible films that seem to be intriguing as Telluride potentials:

Tom McCarthy's "Spotlight" starring Michael Keaton among others.
John Hillcoat's "Triple Nine"
Oliver Stone's "Snowden" and
Barry Levinson's "Rock the Kasbah"

However...

Hillcoat was in Telluride in 2009 with "The Road" but "Triple 9" isn't set for release until March, 2016.

Stone was in Telluride in 1997 with "U-Turn".  I wonder if he might be talked into returning to Telluride for this film.

McCarthy's "Spotlight", about corruption with the Boston Catholic Church hierarchy, is among a half dozen films that are being rumored to open the Toronto Fest.

Levinson played Venice with Al Pacino in "The Humbling" in 2014.  Perhaps he does that again this year and then makes the flight to Telluride.

Chances:

"Spotlight" 40%
"Snowden" 30%
"Rock the Kasbah" 30%
"Tripe 9" 20%

ALCHEMY

Alchemy was present at Telluride last year with Madam Bovary from director Sophie Barthes in only the second year of their existence.  This season they have a couple of Cannes films in their larder that could show at The SHOW.

Both Nanni Moretti's "Mia Madre" and Yorgos Lanthimos' "The Lobster" made respectable splashes in competition at Cannes.  "Mia Madre" won the Ecumenical Jury Prize and "The Lobster" won a Jury Prize.  So either film could easily be on the T-ride programmers radar.

Chances for both films is at 35%


KINO LORBER

KL was at Telluride last year with "The Decent One".

Other Telluride plays include:

2013: "Manuscripts Don't Burn", La Maison de la Radio", Burning Bush"

Kino has the U.S. distribution for Cannes competit1on film, and again, a very well reviewed film, Zhangke Jia's "Mountains May Depart".  I currently have "Mountains" off of the "Ten Bets' list, but it appeared a week earlier at #9.  I think its chances are very good to make the T-ride lineup.  Put those chances at 60%.


That will conclude this year's review of possible Telluride distributors.  It's not a complete list of potential distributors (for example, "Trumbo" is at Bleecker Street, but they have no previous Telluride footprint and such a small catalogue of past films, evaluating it is impossible) but it's fairly exhaustive based on recent festivals and the films that are currently announced for probable release this year.

Tomorrow I'll begin a series of  posts about European production firms that have a significant history with films that have played Telluride and what that might tell us for T-ride 2015.



"MISS YOU ALREADY" TRAILER

"Miss You Already" trailer from YouTube

We have our first look at Catherine Hardwicke's "Miss You Already".  The film is in the hands of Roadside Attractions/Lionsgate and that is the biggest reason to take it seriously as a Telluride possible after Roadside's three film presence at the Fest.

Here's the story from The Playlist:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/watch-first-trailer-for-catherine-hardwickes-miss-you-already-starring-drew-barrymore-toni-collette-20150709


FINAL NOTE FOR TUESDAY

Cameron Bailey, the Artistic Director for Toronto's Film Fest tweeted cryptically yesterday:

Who decides? News tomorrow morning. #TIFF15.

Seems to me that we're going to hear some news from TIFF about who their programmers are.
TIFF should announce their first wave of films a week from today.


More tomorrow...


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"Youth" Wins Audience Award/Distribution: Focus Features and Telluride/"Hateful" Happens at Comic Con

And we're back...from the weekend.  Hope yours was good.

"YOUTH" WINS AT KARLOVY VARY

Paolo Sorrentino's "Youth" stuck another feather in its it metaphorical hat with an audience award win this weekend at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival.  The film continues to gain steam and attention as one of Fox Searchlight's most likely awards friendly films.

I've felt for some time that it has an excellent chance to play Telluride in September.  It's currently sitting at #3 on the most current MTFB "Ten Bets" list.

I have linked the Karlovy Vary story from The Wrap as well as a link to Variety's coverage of the Harvey Keitel interview that was conducted there as a part of the film's festival presentation:

http://www.thewrap.com/karlovy-vary-film-festival-gives-top-prizes-to-bob-and-the-trees-youth/


http://variety.com/2015/film/festivals/harvey-keitel-on-brilliant-auteurs-and-the-importance-of-independents-1201538358/



FOCUS FEATURES AND TELLURIDE

Focus Features films at Telluride since 2003:

2003: Lost in Translation
2004: The Motorcycle Diaries
2005: Brokeback Mountain
2006: Catch a Fire
2012: Hyde Park on Hudson

Focus Features has had a spotty track record at Telluride with 5 films over the past 12 years so chances aren't great, you'd think anyway.  However, a couple of their films have some potential.  Sarah Gavron's "Suffragette" and Tom Hooper's "The Danish Girl".  Both directors have been to Telluride previously.  Gavron in 2006 with "Brick Lane" and Hooper in 2010 with the Oscar Best Picture winner "The King's Speech".  So both could actually be in play.  My assessment is that "Suffragette" is the most likely of the two at 60% (and I have actually had it on and near the "Ten Bets" list so far this summer).  Meanwhile, "Eddie Redmayne's starring role in "The Danish Girl" has people talking that he could be in the running for a second straight Oscar nomination for Best Actor. I put "Danish Girl's" chances of playing Telluride at 35%.

Tomorrow I'll take a look at Strand Releasing and maybe a couple of others...



"HATEFUL" HAPPENS AT COMIC CON

Yes.  Quentin Tarantino and a huge chunk of the cast from his upcoming "The Hateful Eight" made a splashy presentation at Comic Con in San Diego over the weekend.  The presentation included a seven minute reel from the film that QT cut just last week for the event.

Additionally, the film has a new poster and Tarantino dropped the news that Ennio Morricone will be scoring the film.  Perfect!

The presentation renewed speculation among some professional movie blogger types that the film might still be a special sneak at TFF in a few weeks.  That'd be cool but it would still be cutting it mighty close.  Fingers crossed, though.

Here's coverage from Rope of silicon and HitFix:

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/new-the-hateful-eight-poster-ennio-morricone-providing-original-score/

http://www.hitfix.com/awards-campaign/five-takeaways-from-quentin-tarantino-and-the-hateful-eight-comic-con-panel


That's it for Monday, come back again tomorrow...

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