The Euro Producers: The French-France 3 Cinema / NYFF Opener is a Surprise / A Venice Tidbit

Welcome to Wednesday...

THE EURO PRODUCERS: THE FRENCH

FRANCE 3 CINEMA

Here's the France 3 Cinema track record at Telluride for the past several years.  As you can see, they have been a fairly active presence.


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: The Gate, The Price of Fame, Mr. Turner
2015: Marguerite

France 3's best shot at TFF #43 is the animated Ma Vie de Courgette (My Life as a Zucchini).  It's actually a pretty reasonable shot after its successful debut at the Annecy Animation Film Festival.

Here's the poster for the film:

And its IMDb page:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2321405/?ref_=nv_sr_1



NYFF OPENER IS A SURPRISE

It was all over the internet yesterday that the New York Film Festival had chosen Ava DuVernay's documentary The 13th to open that fest on Sept. 30.  Reports list it as the film's world premiere which means a couple of things for readers of this space,  First, we know that it won't be playing Telluride-it's "world" premiere status tells us that.  Second, it might open the door to Telluride for some other major films that could have conceiveably played that opening night slot for NYFF.

The film focuses on the discriminatory nature of the American justice system.

Last year's opener was Robert Zemeckis' The Walk.


Linked here are stories about the NYFF opener:

http://www.filmlinc.org/nyff2016/daily/ava-duvernay-the-13th-new-york-film-festival/

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ny-film-fest-ava-duvernay-912321

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/20/movies/ava-duvernay-new-york-film-festival-the-13th.html?_r=2


 A VENICE TIDBIT

As I mentioned yesterday, the announcement for the lineup for Venice's Film Fest is two weeks from tomorrow.  We may have learned a bit more via Twitter yesterday as a couple of tweets suggested that Tom Ford's Nocturnal Animals (Focus Features) will world premiere there.

That follows news from a month ago that Damien Chazelle's La La Land will open the Venetian soiree.

The Venice shot for Nocturnal Animals does not preclude a play at Telluride as it has become fairly common for a number of films to play both fests.  Last year eight films played both: Oscar winner Spotlight, Beasts of No Nation, Anomalisa, Black Mass, Heart of a Dog, Marguerite, Winter on Fire and Taj Mahal.  In 2014 Oscar winner Birdman, 99 Homes, The Look of Silence and The Price of Fame played the same duet.

Nocturnal Animals is set to open in the U.S. on Dec. 9.


Tis all for this Wednesday.  More tomorrow...

Contact MTFB at:

mpgort@gmail.com

OR on Twitter @Gort2

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

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The Euro Producers: The French-France 2 Cinema / The Unknown Girl Gets a New Trailer / Hidden Figures Revealed / And...Snowden Looks Like It's Out

Hello friends, it's Tuesday.

A quick reminder: Toronto announces their first wave of films one week from today and Venice will be right behind them two days later.  We'll get our first real hard data about what could be playing over Labor Day weekend...



THE EURO PRODUCERS: THE FRENCH-FRANCE 2 CINEMA

Here are the films from France 2 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,
2015: No film  

After no TFF #42 appearance, France 2's only real shot at a Telluride play in 2016 seems to be Paul Verhoeven's Elle which I have slowly warmed to as a real Telluride possibility.

THE UNKNOWN GIRL GETS A NEW TRAILER

Many sources reported the appearance of a new trailer yesterday for Telluride stalwarts The Dardenne Brothers' latest film The Unknown Girl.  Here it is from YouTube:

I have been including this film in my TFF #43 thinking for a long time simply because The Dardennes are such regulars of the Cannes to Telluride connection.   But...the critical response at Cannes made me step back a bit.  Ad today, the new trailer's drop was also tweeted out by the Toronto Fest.  I have to wonder if that is significant.

Odds are still in the favor of The Unknown Girl playing Telluride but it is not the slam dunk easy prediction that Two Days One Night was.

Here's further coverage of the trailer release:

http://www.indiewire.com/2016/07/the-unknown-girl-trailer-the-dardenne-brothers-cannes-1201706961/

http://theplaylist.net/first-international-trailer-jean-pierre-luc-dardennes-unknown-girl-unravels-mystery-20160718/

http://www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/2016/07/shorter-nothingburger

HIDDEN FIGURES REVEALED

And finally, after being teased by Variety/InContention's Kristopher Tapley early last week, we found out that Fox 2000 has dated the release of their new film, Hidden Figures, for late December.  Does that mean it's an awards player?  Does it's move into pre-2017 mean we should consider it for Telluride?  Probably not...but you never know.  Here's the news about Hidden Figures, a true story of African American women who made a huge contribution to the early U.S. space program.

Octavia Spencer, Taraji P. Henson and Kevin Costner star. Here's the IMDb entry for the film:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4846340/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1



AND...SNOWDEN LOOKS LIKE IT'S OUT

I had been thinking the last week or so that Open Road might be planning to drop Oliver Stone's Snowden at TFF #43 especially after the announcement of its European Premiere at the San Sebastien Film Fest opening Sept.16.  The film also opens in the U.S. on that date.  BUT...we found out yesterday from The Hollywood Reporter that the film will be "secretly" screened at Comic Con which would seem to move it out of T-ride consideration due to Telluride's North American premiere policy.

Here's the story from THR:


http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/comic-con-oliver-stones-snowden-912030


That's it for this Tuesday.  Come back tomorrow for more on French producers and other tidbits...

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...

Euro Producers: The French-Arte France / Daughter of the Dawn / Birth of a Nation

Welcome back from the weekend and a good Monday to you...

EURO PRODUCERS: THE FRENCH

After a two day respite, MTFB returns to continue our look at European production companies who have had a significant past presence at the Telluride Film Festival.  Today's producer 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:
2013: Le Maison de la Radio, The Lunchbox

2014: Diplomacy

2015: No films

But 2016 is chock full of TFF #43 possibilities: Salt and Fire, The Salesman, Peshmerga, The Red Turtle, Slack Bay, Things to Come and Fire at Sea.  My bet is that Arte France is in Telluride in 2016 with at least three films and maybe more.

DAUGHTER OF THE DAWN

You may recall from three years ago that I was dead certain that a silent film featuring Native American actors would play T-ride.  That didn't pan out.  But the film, Daughter Before the Dawn is set for Blue Ray release soon.  Ioncinema covers/reviews the release:

http://www.ioncinema.com/news/disc-reviews/the-daughter-of-dawn-norbert-myles-blu-ray-review




BIRTH OF A NATION

Amid buzz that the Sundance hit, Nate Parker's Birth of a Nation could play Telluride came another arresting image for the film over the weekend in the form of a new trailer and poster (above) for the film.  Coverage is here:

http://theplaylist.net/sundance-sensation-birth-nation-wants-rise-revolt-watch-new-trailer-20160621/


Here's the new trailer via YouTube:

That's going to do it for this Monday.  More tomorrow...

Contact MTFB at:

mpgort@gmail.com

OR on Twitter @Gort2

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

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

It's FRIDAY!

TFF #43 TEN BETS

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

Last week's Ten Bets:

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

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

8) The Unknown Girl (Dardenne Brothers, TBA)

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

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

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

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

3) Wilson (Johnson, Fox Searchlight, TBA)

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

1) Toni Erdmann (Ade, SPC, TBA)

This week's Ten Bets:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

EURO PRODUCERS PART TWO: THE FRENCH- STUDIOCANAL

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

2003: Young Adam, Love Me If You Dare

2005: Cache

2006: Indigines, Catch a Fire

2010: The Princess of Montpensier

2012: Love, Marilyn

2013: Inside Llewyn Davis

2015: He Named Me Malala

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

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

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

And if he is?  

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

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

It looks fairly humorous...

Coverage of the trailer drop is here:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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/

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Finding The Founder / Euro Producers; The French Part One-Canal+ / A Look at La La Land / Trailering A Monster Calls / And Finally, Miss Sloane

Hello on a Thursday everyone...lots to dissect from yesterday...plus French producer Canal+


FINDING THE FOUNDER

I have spent months not concerned about whether or not John Lee Hancock's The Founder starring Michael Keaton as Ray Kroc, the man who made McDonalds into the global behemoth it is today.  Initially the film was supposed to be a November release but that changed this spring when The Weinstein Company moved its release date to August.  That move meant no Telluride, no Toronto...

Then yesterday, TWC announces that they've decided to move the film back into the thick of Awards season with a new release date of Dec. 16.

So, does that also mean it should be in the conversation for fall festivals?  My head hurts.

Here's the trailer from YouTube:

Here are any number of posts/stories about the new date change for The Founder:

http://deadline.com/2016/07/the-founder-mcdonalds-movie-michael-keaton-release-dat-change-1201785969/

http://deadline.com/2016/07/the-founder-mcdonalds-movie-michael-keaton-release-dat-change-1201785969/

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/weinstein-pushes-michael-keatons-founder-910653

http://www.ew.com/article/2016/07/13/founder-release-date-michael-keaton-mcdonalds

http://www.indiewire.com/2016/07/weinstein-awards-slate-michael-keaton-the-founder-december-release-1201705517/

http://www.slashfilm.com/the-founder-release-date/

https://thefilmstage.com/trailer/michael-keaton-builds-a-fast-food-empire-in-first-trailer-for-the-founder/

http://www.thewrap.com/michael-keatons-the-founder-moves-to-december-for-awards-run/

http://www.awardscircuit.com/2016/07/13/weinstein-company-pushes-back-founder-december/

EURO PRODUCERS; THE FRENCH PART ONE-CANAL+

Look at the history of Canal+ as a producer of films that played at Telluride over the last decade:

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: The Price of Fame, Two Days One Night, Diplomacy
2015: Marguerite


Despite a connection to a single film last year, which, as you can see is anomaly, Canal+ has the chance to be represented by multiple films at Telluride in 2016.  The most likely are:

Things to Come
Elle
Slack Bay
Peshmerga


Check back tomorrow for more on French production companies.


A LOOK AT LA LA LAND

In a big news day yesterday, one of the highlights was the relelase of the first trailer for Damien Chazelle's La La Land.  The film has a lot of heat at the moment and has been announced as the opening night film for the Venice Film Fest.  A good number of people think it has a real shot at making the T-ride lineup.  The trailer intrigues.  Here it is:

And linked here is a ton of coverage that came with the trailer's release:

http://time.com/4397269/ryan-gosling-emma-stone-la-la-land-trailer/?xid=tcoshare

http://www.indiewire.com/2016/07/la-la-land-trailer-emma-stone-ryan-gosling-damien-chazelle-1201705221/

http://www.ew.com/article/2016/07/13/ryan-gosling-city-stars-la-la-land-streaming

http://www.slashfilm.com/la-la-land-trailer/

https://thefilmstage.com/trailer/first-trailer-for-damien-chazelles-la-la-land-starring-ryan-gosling-and-emma-stone/

http://theplaylist.net/watch-ryan-gosling-emma-stone-best-rogers-astaire-first-trailer-la-la-land-20160713/

http://www.thewrap.com/ryan-gosling-la-la-land-trailer-emma-stone-whiplash-director-damien-chazelle-song-video/

TRAILERING: A MONSTER CALLS

Another trailer dropping yesterday was for Focus Feature's J.A. Bayona directed A Monster Calls. It's Telluride profile was negligible until recently but has warmed somewhat in the last week or so. Check the trailer here from YouTube:

 Additionally, here's some of the coverage that accompanied the trailer's appearance:

http://www.ew.com/article/2016/07/13/monster-calls-trailer

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2016/07/12/sneak-peek-exclusive-a-monster-calls-movie/86955404/

http://theplaylist.net/theres-another-bfg-coming-new-trailer-j-bayonas-monster-calls-20160713/

http://www.thewrap.com/watch-liam-neeson-come-to-life-in-a-monster-calls-trailer-video/

https://thefilmstage.com/trailer/a-monster-calls-in-full-length-trailer-for-j-a-bayonas-fantasy-adventure/


AND FINALLY...MISS SLOANE?

Late breaking news last night was the upstart distributor EuropaCorpUSA has dated the Jessica Chastain starring John Madden (Shakespeare in Love) directed gun control drama Miss Sloane for Dec. 9.  Awards season?  Yes.  Festival possibility?  It is now.  The cast, in addition to Chastain is quite inpmressive: Mark Strong, John Lithgow, Michael Stuhlbarg, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sam Waterston.   Note to Telluride...yes please.

Here's the news from Dealine.com and Variety:

http://deadline.com/2016/07/miss-sloane-jessica-chastain-december-release-date-1201786282/

http://variety.com/2016/film/news/jessica-chastain-miss-sloane-december-release-1201814008/


Whew...that'll be all for this Thursday...more tomorrow including a fresh Ten Bets for TFF #43

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...

Euro Producers Part Three: The Brits-British Film Institute / A Look at Loving

Welcome to Wednesday...


EURO PRODUCERS PART THREE; THE BRITS: BRITISH FILM INSTITUTE

BFI hasn't been a long time fixture in as far as Telluride films are concerned going back over the past decade but, beginning with Ginger and Rosa in 2012, they have become a regular presence as the list below demonstrates.

BFI's past Telluride history includes:

2012: Ginger and Rosa
2013: Under the Skin

2014: Mr. Turner, '71

2015: Suffragette, 45 Years

Given the recent past and what BFI has had a hand in the only film that this truly points toward is Andrea Arnold's American Honey.  I've had American Honey consistently in my "Ten Bets" throughout the summer thus far.

Tomorrow we'll continue to look at European production houses and turn our attention to France.


A LOOK AT LOVING

A trailer has appeared for Jeff Nichols Cannes competition film Loving.  The film was well reviewed at Cannes in May and is regarded by many as a possible Oscar contender.  It stars Ruth Negga and Joel Edgerton and concerns the true story of an interracial married couple in mid-20th century Virginia whose case in front of the Supreme Court overturned the Virginia law that made their marriage illegal.

Here's the official trailer via YouTube:

I have also linked coverage of the trailer release here:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/judge-stops-web-sites-selling-91011

http://www.awardsdaily.com/2016/07/12/best-picture-watch-loving-trailer-debuts/

http://time.com/4394609/trailer-premiere-loving-movie-interracial-marriage/

http://www.indiewire.com/2016/07/loving-trailer-joel-edgerton-ruth-negga-jeff-nichols-oscar-contenders-1201704814/

http://www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/2016/07/a-respectable-period-drama-enhanced-by-ruth-neggas-performance

http://www.firstshowing.net/2016/must-watch-first-trailer-for-jeff-nichols-interracial-drama-loving/

http://www.slashfilm.com/loving-trailer/

https://thefilmstage.com/trailer/first-trailer-for-jeff-nichols-loving-starring-ruth-negga-and-joel-edgerton/

More to come tomorrow...

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...



European Producers: The Brits, Part Two-BBC Films / Stewart Talks Billy Lynn / A Look at La La Soon?

Welcome to Tuesday...


EUROPEAN PRODUCERS: THE BRITS, PART TWO: BBC FILMS

BBC Films has been a T-ride player solidly from 2008-2013.  Then a couple of years of not being represented:

2008: Millions
2009: Fish Tank, Bright Star, An Education
2010: The First Grader, Tamara Drewe
2011: We Have to Talk About Kevin
2012: Ginger and Rosa
2013: The Invisible Woman
2014- None
2015- None

Despite not having had a hand in a Telluride screened film in a couple of years, BBC Films has a shot with three films this year.  Ritesh Batra's The Sense of an Ending (CBS Films), Clint Eastwood's Sully (Warners) and James Marsh's The Mercy (still no U.S. distrib).  Of the three, Sense of an Ending might be the most probable with Sully the least.  That said, I wouldn't rate any of these film's chances at more than 30%  right now.

Our look tomorrow will be at The British Film Institute.


STEWART TALKS BILLY LYNN

Indie film darling  Kristen Stewart recently talked to Collider about the look and feel of Ang Lee's Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk in which she appears.  Though it's not a film that I think has a high chance of playing TFF #43, it's certainly on my wish list for the fest and a film that seems very intriguing.

Here's the link to the Collider story:

https://t.co/jnZXrUUcJD


A LOOK AT LA LA LAND SOON?

Jeffrey Wells at Hollywood Elsewhere yesterday reported that we should be seeing a teaser for La La Land soon as a precursor to the theatrical screening of Woody Allen's latest, Cafe Society.

The HE post tells us that the teaser is set to appear this weekend and speculates that we could conceivably see it pop online before Friday.

As regular readers are aware, owing to its announced status as the Venice opening night film and a good deal of speculation beyond this blog space, I'm modestly bullish on its chances of playing at TFF #43.  A look at the teaser is highly anticpated here at MTFB.

Here's the link to the Wells story:

http://www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/2016/07/yes-i-can-dance-you-know-i-can-dance



That's a wrap for Tuesday.  Come back tomorrow...

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...



Snowden Tease / European Producers: The British: Part One / Could We Spend Eternity in Telluride?

Good Monday Everyone.  I hope you had a great weekend,


SNOWDEN TEASE

I have mentioned Oliver Stone's Snowden in passing as an outside possibility for Telluride,  Among the factors that suggested that it could play were the fact that Stone has played Telluride before-1997 U-Turn- and that Snowden is under the Open Road banner...which had a better than average Telluride outing last year with a little film called Spotlight.

But, on the other hand, Stone has not been back to Telluride in the intervening years.  He seems to have been satisfied with playing his films since '97 in other places:Any Given Sunday-'99-didn't premiere at a festival, Alexander-'04-No fest premiere, World Trade Center-'06-Venice, W.-'08-Austin Film Fest, Wall Street-Money Never Sleeps-'10-Cannes, Savages-'12-no fest premiere.

News dropped on late Friday that raised my eyebrows just a little, however, as Snowden was announced for the San Sebastian Film Fest.  That fest opens Sept. 16th.  According to the reports the film will be having its European premiere at San Sebastian.  That designation tells us that the film could play Telluride, Toronto or both.  Screen Daily reached the same conclusion in their story about the announcement:

http://www.screendaily.com/festivals/san-sebastian/oliver-stones-snowden-to-get-european-premiere-at-san-sebastian/5106571.article?blocktitle=LATEST-FILM-NEWS&contentID=40562


The Hollywood Reporter also reported on he announcement last Friday:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/oliver-stones-snowden-san-sebastian-909266


Bottom line is that I am thinking that Snowden is now 50/50 for Telluride.  Maybe an Oliver Stone tribute.


EUROPEAN PRODUCERS: THE BRITISH:  PART ONE

We begin our look at European production companies that have had strong relationships with Telluride over the past decade or so and what that could mean in as far as TFF #43 is concerned.  We start today with Film 4.

Film 4's presence at Telluride in recent times looks like this:

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
2015- Carol, Suffragette, 45 Years, Room

And their participation in films that are in some form or another on my Telluride watch list: American Honey, Una and Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk.  Based on their past, it seems like at least one of these three films is probably going to make the lineup.


Tomorrow we'll review BBC Films.


COULD WE SPEND ETERNITY IN TELLRUIDE

Director Tran Ahn Nu Hung hasn't played Telluride but that could change this year with his starry french multi-generational film Eternity.  Though the film has no current U.S. distribution, The Playlist reports that it seems a probable choice for Venice.  Could it also make the Telluride lineup?  Possibly.  Over the weekend, we saw the release of a french language trailer with subtitles.  It's here:

Eternity trailer via YouTube

Here's the story from The Playlist:

http://theplaylist.net/watch-audrey-tautou-melanie-laurent-berenice-bejo-first-trailer-tran-anh-hungs-eternity-20160621/

That'll do to start the week.  More tomorrow.

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/

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Telluride Ten Bets #3 / Distribution Odds and Ends / A Sort of Trailer for How to Talk to Girls

Welcome to Friday!  Let's get right to it...


TELLURIDE TEN BETS #3

Last week's Ten Bets:

10) Things to Come (Hansen-Love, Sundance/IFC, TBA)
9) Lion (Davis, TWC, 11/25)
8) Moonlight (Jenkins, A24, 10/21)
7) Fire at Sea (Rosi, Kino Lorber, TBA)
6) The Red Turtle (Dudok de Wit, SPC, TBA)
5) The Unknown Girl (Dardennes, Sundance/IFC, TBA)
4) American Honey (Arnold, A24, 9/30)
3) Toni Erdmann (Ade, SPC, TBA)
2) Wilson (Johnson, Fox Searchlight, TBA)
1) The Salesman (Farhadi, Amazon/Cohen Media, TBA)

In the close category: American Pastoral, Loving, La La Land, A United Kingdom, Salt and Fire, Journey Through French Cinema, Aquarius, Birth of a Nation.

Now here's this week's latest iteration of ten films that I'm betting make the TFF #43 lineup.

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

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

8) The Unknown Girl (Dardenne Brothers, TBA)

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

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

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

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

3) Wilson (Johnson, Fox Searchlight, TBA)

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

1) Toni Erdmann (Ade, SPC, TBA)

Close: Loving, Lion. American Pastoral, Salt and Fire, A United Kingdom, Aquarius, The Birth of a Nation, Journey Through French Cinema, A Monster Calls, 20th Century Women, How to Talk to Girls at Parties, Paterson.

DISTRIBUTION ODDS AND ENDS

Taking a last stroll through some distribution houses with a limited Telluride profile over the past decade and what they might offer to the festival.

MAGNOLIA- Past T-ride: 2006-Severance, 2007-Terror's Advocate, A Thousand Years of Good Prayers, Redacted, 2012-The Hunt, A Royal Affair, 2015-Viva

Potential for 2016- Harry Benson;Shoot First 30%

SAMUEL GOLDWYN- Past T-ride: 2008-American Violet, 2011-Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel, The Island President

Potential for 2016- Finding Altamira and Spirit of the Game both 25%

OSCILLOSCOPE- Past T-ride: 2008-Kisses, 2011- We Need to Talk About Kevin

Potential for 2016- One Week and a Day.  Chances 30%

ADOPT FILMS- Past T-ride: 2012- Barbara, 2013- Bethlehem

Potential for 2016- Beyond the Mountains and the Hills Chances 40%

That's the 2016 look at distribution outlets.  Next Monday I'll start looking at overseas production companies and what that might tell us about Telluride #43.

Also, this reminder.  Toronto's first wave announcement is coming on July 26 and Venice's comes July 28.  That should give us some serious insight.


SORT OF A TRAILER FOR HOW TO TALK TO GIRLS

Elle Fanning photo via The Hollywood Reporter

No, it's not an actual trailer for the film that we're keeping on the Telluride radar because it's in the A24 wheelhouse.  What it is is a teaser for the graphic novelization of the original Neil Gaiman story. So, though it's not for the film...it's kind of close.

Find the teaser embedded in this story from The Hollywood Reporter:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/neil-gaimans-how-talk-girls-908473

That'll do it for this Friday and this week.  Have a great weekend everyone!

Contact MTFB at:

mpgort@gmail.com

OR on Twitter @Gort2

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

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Distribution: Open Road and Zeitgeist / Ken Burns, Tom Hanks and Defying Nazis / First 2016 Oscar Poker Talks Some Telluride

Good Thursday Everybody...


DISTRIBUTION: OPEN ROAD AND ZEITGEIST FILMS

Using a baseball metaphor here on this Thursday as we round third base on distribution companies at Telluride and head toward home.  Today we'll examine Open Road Films and Zeitgeist Films. Tomorrow we'll bring the two week review of distributors home with a laundry list of players who are occasionally represented at T-ride.

OPEN ROAD FILMS

Open Road didn't make an appearance at Telluride until the past two years but they have made a substantial impression in that time.  In 2014 they brought Jon Stewart's directing debut, Rosewater, to the fest and though the film wasn't universally embraced, it certainly made some noise.  Then last year, Open Road was back with Spotlight which was universally praised and went on to Oscar glory for Best Picture and Original Screenplay as well as another four nominations.

With that as your preamble, you'd think that they'd be primed for another big run at Telluride and perhaps they are.

Open Road has two films that could figure into the Telluride lineup for 2016.  The most attention grabbing is Oliver Stone's Snowden.  The film features Jopseh Gordon-Levitt as the NSA-secret exposing Edward Snowden.  It also stars Shailene Woodley and Nicolas Cage.  The film is dated to open Sept. 16th.

I've mentioned before that Stone has been to Telluride in the past with U-Turn in 1997.  That's a long time ago.  I'm also a little out off by the 9/16 date, although that's the same weekend that Black Mass had after screening last year.

I have thought that the film could play Venice and Telluride. The Sept. 16 date tells you it's not going to be playing Toronto.

Meanwhile, the other Open Road possibility is Bleed for This with Miles Teller starring as real life boxer Vinnie Pazienza.  The film is directed by relative newcomer Ben Younger.

It seems to me that neither film is a slam dunk for The SHOW but that either or both could make it owing to Open Road's success the past two years.

Chances:

Snowden 40%
Bleed for This 40%


ZEITGEIST FILMS

Zeitgeist has played five films at Telluride over the past nine years.

2007- Chris and Don: A Love Story, Jellyfish
2008- Tulpan
2013- The Galapagos Affair
2014- Diplomacy

This year sees the specialty house with three films that could land on the Telluride list:

Old Stone directed by Johnny Ma (played well at Berlin)
InnSaei directed by Hrund Gunnsteinsdottir and Kristin Olafsdottir
Theo Who Lived directed by David Schisgall.

Old Stone is a feature and both Innsaei and Theo Who Lived are documentaries about which little is known.

Old Stone would seem to have the best shot at Telluride, but because director Johnny Ma has Canadian ties, it could well be a Toronto only play.

Give all three films a 25% chance of making the Telluride lineup.

Tomorrow, a laundry list of distribution houses:


KEN BURNS, TOM HANKS AND DEFYING NAZIS



Telluride regular (and MTFB "Usual Suspect") Ken Burns is a staple at the festival and often, though not every year, he has a project that screens as a part of the fest's lineup including 2012's Central Park Five.  This year, Burns has a documentary ready that is set for its PBS debut on Sept. 9.  Defying the Nazis: The Sharp's War.  The film is narrated by Tom Hanks.

It wouldn't surprise me greatly if the film actually debuts in Telluride.

Check the trailer here:

Defying the Nazis: The Sharp's War trailer via YouTube

Also take a look at this story from Mothers and Critics:

http://smallscreen.monstersandcritics.com/preview-tom-hanks-narrates-ken-burns-inspiring-tale-of-defying-the-nazis/

FIRST 2016 OSCAR POKER TALKS SOME TELLURIDE

Sasha Stone of Awards Daily and Jeff Wells of Hollywood Elsewhere have huddled up for their first Oscar Poker podcast for 2016 and in the course of their discussion they drop a few tidbits about Telluride.

The first is a glancing refernce to Telluride in the context of talking about the recently re-dated Ben Affleck film Live by Night.  The film was recently moved up by Warners to early January 2017 and there has been a good deal of speculation that Warners will release it in a limited fashion in December to qualify it for Oscar consideration.  The Telluride mention comes at about the 9:30 mark.

The duo also mentions Telluride 24 minutes in in regards to Damien Chazelle's La La Land.  It seems that both Wells and Stone feel that it's likely to make its bow at Venice on August 31.

They also spend a good chunk of time discussing Weinstein Company films Lion and HHhH both of which I have mentioned in terms of Telluride but Stone and Wells don't make that connection.  Their discussion of the two films happens about the 41 min. mark.

And finally, Wells re-iterates fairly strongly the notion that he espoused and we reported here June 27 that Olivier Assasyas' Personal Shopper is not going to play T-ride.  That comes near the end at the 57 min. mark.

Finally Stone and Wells more or less agree that they feel that there are six films that are out in front for the best picture Oscar at least perceptually at this point:

Silence
Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk
La La Land
Birth of a Nation
Manchester-by-the-Sea
Loving

Here's the link to the Oscar Poker podcast:

http://www.awardsdaily.com/podcasts/oscarpoker/episode126.mp3