Could Villenueve Return to Telluride? / Denial Trailer Denied

Good Thursday campers!  Welcome to MTFB!

COULD VILLENUEVE RETURN TO TELLURIDE?

Still from Arrival via Twitter (@MichaelNotCera)

Canadian film maker Denis Villenueve has made a strong impression at Telluride in the recent past with both Incendies appearing there in 2010 and Prisoners in 2013.  Then, last year, his Sicario was not on the Telluride bill but was at Toronto and one has to wonder if his Canadian-ness was a reason for that.  We don't know why Sicario wasn't on the program for TFF #42.

We have seen speculation that Villenueve's newest project, Arrival (formerly The Story of Your Life) will open in November in Great Britain.  Further, The Playlist, which provides the context for this story, flat out suggests a possible return for Villenueve to Telluride with the picture.

The synopsis sounds intriguing...aliens and humans trying to communicate with them... and it stars Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner.  One fly in the ointment in terms of projecting it for Telluride is that it's in the Paramount stable for distribution and they don't often play at TFF, though they did play Telluride last year with Anomalisa.

The Playlist article is here:

http://theplaylist.net/denis-villeneuves-story-of-your-life-retitled-arrival-opens-uk-this-fall-20160615/

 And Arrival's IMDb page is here:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2543164/?ref_=ttco_co_tt



DENIAL TRAILER DENIED

Denial image via Indiewire

Mick Jackson's Denial hasn't appeared on my Telluride radar until the past few days.  An Indiewire post yesterday had, or appeared to have had trailer up for the film that stars Rachel Weisz, Timothy Spall and Tom Wilkinson.

It seems that it could land a spot at T-ride based on its release date- Spet. 30th and that its distributor is Bleeker Street which got its foot in the Telluride door last year as a partner with Netflix distributing Cary Fukunaga's Beasts of No Nation.

Denial is based on the true story of the libel suit between author Deborah E. Lipstadt (Weisz) and Holocaust denier David Irving (Spall).

At any rate, the trailer is not labeled as "private" both in the Indiewire story and at YouTube.  My guess is that we'll see the teaser relatively soon.

The Indiewire story is here:

http://www.indiewire.com/2016/06/denial-trailer-rachel-weisz-tom-wilkinson-holocaust-1201689080/

Denial's IMDb page:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4645330/



That's wrap for Thursday.

Contact MTFB at:

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What About the Big Dogs? / A Look at Daniel Blake

Good Wednesday to everyone...

Again, my apologies for not getting a post out yesterday.


WHAT ABOUT THE BIG DOGS?


There are films every year that get scheduled for fall and holiday seasons that are expected to resonate with film goers and the awards community and a constant mystery and guessing game is where and when they might land festival-wise or if they will land at a fest at all.

Our central question/speculation focuses on Telluride and so, let's take a look at that type of film and assess if the various BIG films coming soon might have the stuff to make an appearance at Telluride in September.

The candidates:

Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk-dir: Ang Lee.  Pro (making a Telluride play) Ang Lee has been around T-ride before: Brokeback, Crouching Tiger.  Con: Distrib is Sony and Tri Star which doesn't bode well.

Silence-dir: Martin Scorsese.  Pro: Scorsese was a Telluride player long ago and has continued to be a "presence" there in recent years as a producer of documentaries: Living in the Material World, The 50 Year Argument, Letter to Elia.  Also, Bill Pohlad's River Road is one of the producers.  Con: Paramount is distributing.

Allied still from Variety.com

Allied-dir- Robert Zemeckis.  Pro: Film stars Telluride sweetheart Marion Cotillard.  Con: Paramount again and the lack of history between  Zemeckis or the film's producers with T-ride.

Sully- dir- Clint Eastwood.  Pro: Eastwood has some history with Telluride; White Hunter, Black Heart.  It's from Warner Brothers which has a had a serious Telluride profile recently (Gravity, Black Mass).  Con: Eastwood has been content to avoid fall fests for a good long while.

Passengers-dir-Morten Tyldum.  Pro; Tyldum's last effort, The Imitation Game. played Telluride. Con: Sony distributes...no Telluride history beyond specialty arm Sony Pictures Classics.

War Machine-dir-David Michod.  Pro: Netflix distributes (Beasts of No Nation, Winter on Fire) and Brad Pitt's Plan B aids in producing (12 Years a Slave).  Con: Netflix may be eclipsed by Amazon as the streaming service with the profile at Telluride this year.

For other films expected to land as popular, critical or awards players check this post from Indiewire:

http://www.indiewire.com/2016/06/2017-oscar-predictions-best-picture-1201687971/


A LOOK AT DANIEL BLAKE

Ken Loach's I, Daniel Blake was a surprise winner of this year's Cannes Film Festival's Palme d'Or. That makes it a serious possibility for Telluride.  Added to that, Ken Loach has played Telluride before as a tribute recipient in 1993.

Additionally, the film is being released in the U.S. through by Sundance Selects which has a significant T-ride profile.  Also, Telluride hasn't scheduled a Palme winner since 2013's Blue is the Warmest Color and history suggests that we're due for a Palme winner in the San Juans.

All of that to tell you that we have our first look at a trailer for the award winning film via YouTube:

I, Daniel Blake is still unscheduled for U.S. release.

The Playlist has coverage of the trailer release:

http://theplaylist.net/first-trailer-ken-loachs-palme-dor-winner-daniel-blake-takes-tender-look-good-people-20160615/

That's it for Wednesday...

Contact MTFB at:

mpgort@gmail.com

OR on Twitter @Gort2

OR check out Michael's Telluride Film Blog on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Michaels-Telluride-Film-Blog-and-The-Film-Awards-Clearinghouse-107846269309712/

OR leave a comment...

Oops!

Sorry for the lack of post this morning.  Internet issues.  Tomorrow!

Jarmusch Interview / Serge Bromberg in NYC / Annecy Animation Fest

Good Monday all...


JARMUSCH INTERVIEW

Director/Writer Jim Jarmusch talked recently to journalists at the Cannes Film Festival.  Jarmusch was there with Paterson, a small, quiet film that critics endorsed strongly.

Paterson also has a distribution deal with Amazon which I suspect will have some presence in Telluride this year.  Perhaps a major presence.

Those two factors mean that you have to consider a T-ride play for Paterson in a very serious fashion.

Here's Jarmusch's interview through the prism of The Playlist:

http://theplaylist.net/jim-jarmusch-talks-paterson-amazon-studios-star-wars-20160518/



SERGE BROMBERG IN NYC

Scene from Laurel and Hardy's Battle of the Century from The Lincoln Center

Telluride regular Serge Bromberg played New York last night with a good chunk of the program he presented last fall in Telluride with his Retour Le Flamme.

If you've never seen Serge do his thing,  think about catching it the next time he brings it to the Labor Day wing-ding.  I caught it last year for the first time and enjoyed it thoroughly.  It's a film history lesson, musical-comedy, and a validation of the importance of film preservation.

Bromberg's presentation last night was covered by The Film Society of Lincoln Center here:

http://www.filmlinc.org/films/amazing-slapstick-comedies/



ANNECY ANIMATION FEST

The Annecy Animation Festival is opening today in France.  That fest frequently is represented  at Telluride and I wouldn't be surprised if that connection doesn't show up again this year in some fashion.  Annecy runs today through the 18th.  Check this story from Variety as well as the festival's official website:

http://variety.com/2016/film/festivals/annecy-animation-film-festival-things-to-do-master-classes-screenings-1201789390/

http://www.annecy.org/home


Done for Monday...

Contact MTFB at:

mpgort@gmail.com

OR on Twitter @Gort2

OR check out Michael's Telluride Film Blog on Facebook:

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OR leave a comment...

Release Date for a Telluride Possibility / Future Telluride: Marshall News

Good Friday people...


RELEASE DATES FOR A  TELLURIDE POSSIBILITY

News yesterday that two films with at least at chance at making the T-ride lineup have announced fall release dates that would put them in position to make Telluride a stop before their release.

Probably the most likely is Pablo Larrain's Neruda which has been dated for release Dec. 16th according to The Film Stage.  The film was also announced yesterday as part of the lineup for the Munich Film Festival.

The film played as a part of Cannes' Director's Fortnight section and was critically fairly well received.  Another factor working in its  favor for a play at Telluride is the presence of its lead actor and frequent TFF guest Gael Garcia Bernal.

A factor that may inhibit its T-ride potential:  The Orchard is distributing which, to the best of my research ability, seems to have had no Telluride presence previously.

Here's the Munich Film Fest lineup story from The Hollywood Reporter:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/munich-fest-books-cannes-titles-901494

PS...the Munich story also reveals that a number of titles that seem to be in the running for a Telluride play that have previously played Cannes: Aquarius, Sieranevada and The Salesman among others.


FUTURE TELLURIDE: MARSHALL NEWS

Thurgood Marshall (via AmericasLibraries.gov)

Open Road Films announced yesterday that they had acquired Marshall, a film the focuses on the early career of late Supreme Court justice Thurgood Marshall.  The film stars Chadwick Boseman as the younger version of the legendary jurist.

After Open Road's Oscar success last year with Spotlight that ran through Telluirde, you have to take news of what they have in their stable very seriously.

Open Road already has Snowden, Bleed for This and maybe even the Tupac Shakur film All Eyez on Me in the pipe for the end of 2016 so Marshall may be more likely as a 2017 Telluride possibility.

The Deadline article with the news reports that the film is in principal photography currently in Buffalo, NY.  The film is under the direction of Reginald Hudlin.

Check the Deadline story here:

http://deadline.com/2016/06/marshall-movie-chadwick-boseman-open-road-1201769820/


More to come next week...

Contact MTFB at:

mpgort@gmail.com

OR on Twitter @Gort2

OR check out Michael's Telluride Film Blog on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Michaels-Telluride-Film-Blog-and-The-Film-Awards-Clearinghouse-107846269309712/

OR leave a comment...

Accidental Image and a Reminder / After Billy Lynn?

Good Thursday world...


ACCIDENTAL IMAGE AND A REMINDER


Last March, in one of the 2016 Oscar season pieces that happened immediately after this past Oscar season finished, I mentioned that Mike Mills 20th Century Women might be a film worth keeping an eye on as a possible Telluride selection for TFF #43 and since then...nothing.

At the time, the film had no domestic distribution and according to an IMDb check, that's still true. Megan Ellison's Annapurna Pictures is among the producers on the film which stars Annette Bening, also set to appear in hubby Warren Beatty's Howard Hughes pic Rules Don't Apply.

Yesterday, it appears that someone leaked the first image of the film online which makes you think that, perhaps, the film is still on track for release and a possible run in some of the fall film fests.

Here's the image and the accompanying story from Film Experience:

http://thefilmexperience.net/blog/2016/6/8/thoughts-i-had-while-looking-at-the-first-20th-century-women.html

Also, here's the IMDb page for 20th Century Women:


http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4385888/?ref_=nv_sr_1




AFTER BILLY LYNN?

Ang Lee's Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk is set for release on Nov. 11 (ironically on the same day as Rules Don't Apply-mentioned above).

The film has a good deal of pre-Oscar buzz and it's certainly a long shot to play Telluride largely because Ang Lee, who used to play T-ride with some frequency, hasn't been back since 2005's Brokeback Mountain and also because Billy Lynn's distrib is Sony Pictures which hasn't exactly been a Telluride staple (unless you count their specialty arm-Sony Pictures Classics).

Nevertheless, because Lee HAS had a Telluride presence with Telluride in the misty past, I think you still take notice of his films and the slightest chance that they could make their way to southwestern Colorado.

To that end, we noticed news yesterday that Lee continues to prep for what seems to be his next project focusing on the Ali/Frazier "Thrilla in Manila" heavyweight championship fight.

The Film Stage reported on progress yesterday.  That report also relied on a Screen Daily interview.  Both are linked here:

https://thefilmstage.com/news/ang-lees-ali-frazier-boxing-drama-to-mark-sensorial-leap-forward/

http://www.screendaily.com/news/james-schamus-talks-muhammad-ali-movie/5104580.article

That's a wrap for Thursday...

Contact MTFB at:

mpgort@gmail.com

OR on Twitter @Gort2

OR check out Michael's Telluride Film Blog on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Michaels-Telluride-Film-Blog-and-The-Film-Awards-Clearinghouse-107846269309712/

OR leave a comment...

Aquarius Acquired by Netflix / Following Up: Anderson and Haneke

Welcome to Wednesday...


AQUARIUS ACQUIRED BY NETFLIX...

Various outlest reported yesterday that Cannes favorite Aquarius had been acquired for U.S. distribution by Netflix.  The streaming service also picked up Divines, a thriller that also played Cannes in the Directors Fortnight.  Aquarius earned strong reviews and a very solid combined 7.22 rating on the Reini Urban critics' collection.

The film also earned strong notices for its star Sonia Braga who, many Cannes observers thought, might well have been the best actress winner.  That didn't happen but there has been some talk of Braga being a potential Oscar candidate this year for her work in the film.

The Netflix play may make Aquarius a serious Telluride consideration.  Netflix had a substantail presence there last year with both Beasts of No Nation and Winter on Fire making the 2015 lineup. Up until this acquisition, I'm not really sure that Netflix had a truly strong candidate for T-ride.  Maybe War Machine...maybe...

In as far as Divines is concerned, it could be a possible consideration, but it was substantially less well received critically than Aquarius.  I'm not thinking that it's high on the list for T-ride.

Here's the coverage of the announcement from yesterday:

http://variety.com/2016/film/global/netflix-snaps-up-camera-dor-winner-divines-cannes-competing-aquarius-exclusive-1201780205/

https://thefilmstage.com/reviews/cannes-review-aquarius/



FOLLOWING UP: ANDERSON AND HANEKE

Updating a couple of stories that I covered within the last week.  First, the news that Paul Thomas Anderson may be on the way to making a new film with Daniel Day Lewis set in the fashion industry in  New York in the 1950's.  Vulture.com published an interesting speculative piece about a possible fashion icon upon whose life and career the film might be based.

Check that here:

http://www.vulture.com/2016/06/paul-thomas-anderson-movie-charles-james.html

 And we learned additional news about upcoming Michael Haneke project, Happy End, starring Isabelle Huppert.

The Film Stage reports:


https://thefilmstage.com/news/casting-updates-for-michael-hanekes-happy-end-and-steven-spielbergs-ready-player-one/


That's a wrap for Wednesday...

Contact MTFB at:

mpgort@gmail.com

OR on Twitter @Gort2

OR check out Michael's Telluride Film Blog on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Michaels-Telluride-Film-Blog-and-The-Film-Awards-Clearinghouse-107846269309712/

OR leave a comment in the comment section.

Talking Toni Erdmann / Could We See Birth of a Nation?

Hello all on this Tuesday...


TALKING TONI ERDMANN

No.  It didn't win any awards at Cannes last month but it was universally heralded by critics who saw the film screened there and lead every Maren Ade's Toni Erdmann made quite an impression in France last month.  Enough, in fact, that the film was picked up for U.S. distribution by Sony Pictures Classics.

The combination of critical reception and SPC involvement make me believe that Toni Erdmann has a very good chance of making The SHOW's lineup in September.

We're about three weeks away from the summer's first Ten Bets list but this is a likely candidate to make that first (as well as the final) list.

At any rate, I have included this interview with its director, Maren Ade with The Film Stage:

https://thefilmstage.com/features/maren-ade-on-toni-erdmann-being-inspired-by-andy-kaufman-and-finding-a-dramatic-balance/



COULD WE SEE BIRTH OF A NATION?

It seems that every summer that there are one or two Sundance Film Festival entrants that someone somewhere thinks will make a play at Telluride.  And it does happen sometimes but it's so infrequent as to be almost unguessable.

This year the top candidate is Nate Parker's Birth of a Nation.

I've seen/heard a good deal of buzz since it showed in Park City (and was picked up for distribution by Fox Searchlight) that Telluride was a possibility.  Now, I almost always discount that because in all the time (since 2008) that I've been writing this blog the Sundance/Telluride crossover hasn't happened but once.

The last time it did was in 2009 when Lone Scherfig's An Education played both Sundance and Telluride.  Additionally, the year before I started this obsession (2007) Tamara Jenkins The Savages played both Sundance and T-ride.  That's two films out of something north of 200 features.

So, it's rare.  Very, very rare. Like a 1% kind of thing.

But...

I've heard some rumblings here and there from some seriously smart people that this could be one of those 1% years.  I remain somewhat dubious as the two instances mentioned above included the participation of people who seem to be very well thought of by the fest (Scherfig for Education and Laura Linney in Savages).  Bit I also can't discount what I've heard on the grapevine either.

Ultimately, I'd love to see BOAN join the Sundance/Telluride 1% club.

Here's the latest teaser for the film and coverage of its release from Variety Latino from about three weeks back:

Teaser for Birth of a Nation via YouTube

http://varietylatino.com/english/2016/cine/noticias/the-birth-of-a-nation-teaser-nate-parker-243533/

That's a wrap for Tuesday...

Contact MTFB at:

mpgort@gmail.com

OR on Twitter @Gort2

OR check out Michael's Telluride Film Blog on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Michaels-Telluride-Film-Blog-and-The-Film-Awards-Clearinghouse-107846269309712/

OR leave a comment in the comment section.

Coming Attractions: Farhadi and Haneke / A Look at The Coen Brothers / Bill Plympton Talks Animation

Good Monday everyone from the Big Apple.  The adventure comes to a close tomorrow as we head back to the real world.  It has been a great and wondrous trip to NYC with many, many memories. I'll be sad to climb onto the plane tomorrow afternoon but also ready to get back home.  Between Art Show and NYC, it's been awhile since I've been on the homestead.


Today on MTFB; Coming Attractions-two films that are announced and likely to be made that stand a better than even chance at a future Telluride play as well as a look at some people who have recently been a part of the scene at various Telluride Film Fests.  First, a new mini-documentary of 2013 TFF tribute recipients Joel and Ethan Coen and then an interview with frequent TFF participant, the wonderful animator, Bill Plympton.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

Asghar Farhadi (via Indiewire) and Michael Haneke (via Salon.com)

In the post-Cannes afterglow, a couple of projects from auteurs who are frequent players at both Cannes and Telluride were reported recently as having forward momentum.  I'll be keeping an eye on both projects going forward as they stand very good chances at playing Cannes and T-ride.

Asghar Farhadi, fresh off of seeing his The Salesman win both a screen writing and best actor award at Cannes (which underscored that film's presence in the TFF #43 lineup conversation) is headed to Spain to shoot his next film which will probably star Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem.  Yes, it almost screams Telluride.

Check the report from Variety here:

http://variety.com/2016/film/news/penelope-cruz-javier-bardem-asghar-farhadi-movie-1201782734/


And another Cannes/Telluride regular Michael Haneke's Happy End looks posed to start filming per Isabelle Huppert.  The Guardian talked to her recently and, among many topics, talks about the new film:

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/may/22/isabelle-huppert-woody-allen-noah-baumbach-interview-phaedra-elle

A LOOK AT THE COEN BROTHERS

The Brothers Coen at TFF in 2013

This appeared from The Film Stage over the weekend.  It's from Viceland, a 43 min. retrospective about the Brothers Coen including interviews with T-ride Tributee George Clooney and Jeff Bridges. Take a look at the post and the mini-doc here:

https://thefilmstage.com/news/watch-the-coens-closest-collaborators-walk-through-their-career-in-new-documentary/


BILL PLYMPTON TALKS ANIMATION

Bill Plympton (The Huffington Post)

Additionally, Indiewire recently talked to master animator/director and sometime TFF participant Bill Plympton here:


http://www.indiewire.com/2016/06/bill-plympton-pixar-anomalisa-hilters-folly-1201684474/


That's a wrap for Monday.

Contact me at:

michael_speech@hotmail.com OR

mpgort@gmail.com OR

via Twitter @Gort2 

New York Reverie: Shuffle Along / Anderson and Day Lewis: TogetherAgain?

Hello Friday!

Late start to the day in NYC after a huge night.  Enjoyed watching Shuffle Along Or The Making of the Musical Sensation and All That Followed with Audra McDonald, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Billy Porter.  The show has 10 Tony nominations including acting noms for Brandon Victor Dixon for Featured Male Performance as Eubie Blake and Adrienne Warren for Featured Female in the duel role of Gertrude Sanders and Florence Mills,  The show is also nominated for Best New Musical and choreography from Savion Glover.

My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed the spectacular performance and were then fortunate enough through the efforts of Richard Riaz Yoder (who is in the cast and is marvelous), former teacher Rose Mary Baker and her former student Erin McCracken to get backstage after the show.

As a result we met and/or spoke with cast members including Brain Stokes Mitchell who introduced himself as "Stokes".  I said later Mitchell was cooler in that introduction than I will be my whole life.  Here's me and Kristy meeting the Broadway legend:

We also had the good fortune to meet someone who was in the audience watching the show along with us (actually one row back and about half a dozen seats to my right).  I told Kristy that I thought it was very likely that our fellow audience member was likely to go backstage after the show as well and he did.  Consequently we also got to meet and speak with another Broadway legend: Mr. Tommy Tune:

Both gentlemen were gracious and kind.  We exchanged words with Mitchell about our profession as teachers which lead him to reveal that an incredible number of his family are teachers as well, Tommy Tune and I talked about Oklahoma.  His mother was born in a small, small town about 35 miles from were I grew up.

Kristy and I were dizzy.  She also spoke briefly with Billy Porter and I got to rub elbows briefly with Audra McDonald who regular readers may remember that I have a crush on and have had for years. You might recall that I met her here in NYC two years ago:

Finally, here's a shot of our host last night who is phenom in the show and was so generous to bring a couple of small town teachers behind the scenes for one of the most moving and thrilling experiences of their lives.  Thank you again a million times over Richard Riaz Yoder:

Admittedly, it's not Telluride related but it was very, very cool.

ANDERSON AND DAY LEWIS: TOGETHER AGAIN?

PTA and DDL via Indiewire/Shutterstock

Now to Telluride-y stuff.  The interweb went crazy yesterday as news seeped out that Paul Thomas Anderson and Daniel Day Lewis who collaborated so brilliantly together in 2007 on There Will Be Blood may be getting ready to work together again.

Details from multiple sources suggest that the two are working on a film that would be set in the New York fashion world of 1950.  Word also is that Megan Ellison's Annapurna Films will be producing.  

The film, if it comes to fruition, would certainly be in high demand for any big name festival.  Anderson and Day Lewis were in Telluride in 2007 for a tribute to Lewis that included a preview for TWBB.

Would they return to Telluride?  That's unclear.  Day Lewis has been a couple of times at least.  2007 as mentioned above and also 1989.  Anderson has been rumored not have been enamored of his 2007 experience but who knows?

It would be a great "get" and I'll watch anything PTA does.  we'll be keeping track of the buzz as the film goes forward...assuming that it does.

Here's coverage of the story from yesterday:

http://www.indiewire.com/2016/06/paul-thomas-anderson-new-movie-1201683996/

https://thefilmstage.com/news/paul-thomas-anderson-and-daniel-day-lewis-plan-second-collaboration/

http://cigsandredvines.blogspot.com/2016/06/new-pta-project-with-daniel-day-lewis.html

http://variety.com/2016/film/news/daniel-day-lewis-paul-thomas-anderson-fashion-movie-1201768423/

That's a wrap for Friday.  MTFB returns Monday.  Have a great weekend!

Contact me at:

michael_speech@hotmail.com OR

mpgort@gmail.com OR

via Twitter @Gort2 

We Have a Poster for TFF #43 / Fire at Sea Trailer

Good Thursday everyone...Live from New York...it's Michael's Telluride Film Blog...

WE HAVE A POSTER FOR TFF #43

Yann Legendre is the poster artist for TFF #43 and here is the poster:

I have included the press release here from TFF:

43rd Telluride Film Festival Announces

2016 Poster Artist Yann Legendre

  

BERKELEY, CA, May 31, 2016 – 43rd Telluride Film Festival presented by National Film Preserve LTD., proudly announces illustrator, designer and art director Yann Legendre as its 2016 poster artist. Telluride Film Festival’s prestigious annual gathering for film industry insiders, cinema enthusiasts, filmmakers and critics takes place every Labor Day weekend in the picturesque town of Telluride, Colorado. The 43rd edition of TFF will run September 2-5, 2016.

 Born in France in 1972, Yann Legendre is an internationally recognized illustrator, designer and art director. His illustrations have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, GQ, Creative Review, Stylist Magazine and more. He regularly creates illustrations for Universal Music in London, the Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago, Janus Films and the Criterion Collection in New York. In 2011, CB2 (Crate&Barrel) commissioned him to illustrate a new collection of home furniture called “Fresh Ink“. In 2010 he started a collaboration with the American filmmaker Joe Swanberg, designing and illustrating all of the director’s movie posters. That same year Yann received the “Award of Excellence for the Best Movie Poster Design” from the SXSW Film Festival in Austin. His latest illustrated books included “Grimm's Fairy Tales”, (Rockport, 2014) and “Couture Confessions: Fashion Legends in Their Own Words” (Rizzoli, 2016). Yann splits his time between France and the United States.

 “Let me start by saying that it’s a great honour to be invited to design the poster of the 2016 Telluride Film Festival and a real challenge as well,” says Legendre.“During the Festival, Telluride is all about films and the love for cinema. While in the town, if you are looking carefully around, you may have a chance to see that even in the middle of the mountains the Yeti is trying his best to be involved in the Festival and hoping to become a movie star, by reaching the summit, literally and figuratively. I use this metaphorical scene to introduce the Telluride Film Festival as a unique place where the magic of cinema happens with a good dose of humour!”

 “Yann’s work is immediately recognizable for both its innovation and character,” comments Telluride Film Festival executive director Julie Huntsinger. “His unique vision and dose of humor are what attracted me to his designs and translated perfectly on to the page to create this year’s festival poster. “

 Legendre joins a prestigious list of artists who have shared their talents with Telluride Film Festival. Past poster artists include Laurent Durieux, Christian Marclay, Dean Tavoularis, Ed Ruscha, John Mansfield, Julian Schnabel, Dottie Attie, Doug and Mike Starn, David Lance Goines, Chuck Jones, David Salle, Alexis Smith, Jim Dine, Seymour Chwast, Frederic Amat, Francesco Clemente, Dave McKean, Gary Larson, Chip Kidd, John Canemaker, Mark Stock, Laurie Anderson, William Wegman, Ralph Eggleston, Maira Kalman and Dave Eggers.

 43rdTelluride Film Festival posters will be available for purchase throughout the four-day Festival, or purchase now by visiting the TFF website atwww.telluridefilmfestival.org.

Additionally, here is coverage of the poster release:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/telluride-film-festival-unveils-poster-898464

http://www.awardsdaily.com/2016/05/31/the-telluride-film-fest-unveils-beautiful-new-poster/



FIRE AT SEA TRAILER

Coming out of Berlin with the Golden Bear as best film. Fire at Sea, a documentary about the ongoing refugee crisis in Europe, seems well suited to make a play for inclusion at Telluride in September.  Kino Lorber has U.S. distribution which doesn't hurt its chances to play TFF.

Here's the trailer released last week via YouTube:

And coverage of the trailer release from The Film Stage:

https://thefilmstage.com/trailer/new-trailer-for-berlins-golden-bear-winner-fire-at-sea-explores-italys-migrant-crisis/

Contact me at:

michael_speech@hotmail.com OR

mpgort@gmail.com OR

via Twitter @Gort2 

Nocturnal Animals to Be Released / Acquisition Wrap-up from Cannes-So Many Telluride Possibilities / More Than the Palme Could Play

NOCTURNAL ANIMALS TO BE RELEASED

Nocturnal Animal stars Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal via MovieWeb

News this week that Tom Ford's sophomore directorial effort, Nocturnal Animals, will be released in November.  Telluride fans might want to take notice.  The film is being distributed by Focus Features (which we already are eyeballing because they're also distributing Jeff Nichols' Loving).  I really do expect Focus is likely to try to play Telluride and up until now that meant a play for Loving.  This dating of the release for Nocturnal Animals might change that calculus.

Additionally, a couple of the stories in the Big Time Press say that Telluride regular Laura Linney is in the cast, which might boost its T-ride profile.  However, a late check of Ms. Linney's IMDb credits shows no such affiliation with the film.  Can anyone clear that up?

Here's coverage of the date announcement:

http://variety.com/2016/film/news/jake-gyllenhaal-nocturnal-animals-release-date-1201784012/

http://www.ew.com/article/2016/05/26/jake-gyllenhaal-amy-adams-michael-shannon-film-release

https://thefilmstage.com/news/tom-fords-nocturnal-animals-starring-jake-gyllenhaal-and-amy-adams-gets-november-release/

ACQUISITION WRAP-UP FROM CANNES-SO MANY TELLURIDE POSSIBILITIES

Toni Erdmann

I have linked this report from The Hollywood Reporter that runs down a good deal of the acquisition news that came out of Cannes from last week.

Based on those acquisitions and past Telluride associations we should probably pay some attention to:

Sony Pictures Classics pickups: Toni Erdmann, Elle and The Red Turtle.

Sundance Selects: I, Daniel Blake

Amazon (with Cohen Media): The Salesman

Check the story here:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cannes-deals-wrap-fest-was-897057

MORE THAN THE PALME COULD PLAY

Last Thursday I put up a ranking of all 21 Cannes Palme competition entries in the order of what I think their probability of playing The SHOW.  But as you know, not all films that make the crossover from Cannes to Telluride are Palme competition films.  On average (over the last 10 years) one film from the Un Certain Regard section will double the two fests and another 2.2 films will come from other segments; Directors Fortnight or Special Screenings for example.

Based on directors, critical response, past Telluride plays and/or distributors, these ten films seem to me to be the most likely candidates for those 3-4 spots:

My best guess at the order of likelihood:

The Red Turtle
Hell or High Water
Dog Eat Dog
Neruda
Exil
Risk
Peshmerga
Endless Poetry
After the Storm
The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki


Tha's a wrap for Memorial Day...more on Thursday...when I'll begin the summer posting schedule of Monday through Friday.

Contact me at:

michael_speech@hotmail.com OR

mpgort@gmail.com OR

via Twitter @Gort2 OR to