Obsessing about the Telluride Film Festival and the film awards season since 2008!
"The best blog out there for predicting what will be going to Telluride."-Matt Neglia, Next Best Picture
"The Nostradamus of Telluride"
-Tim Appelo, Movies for Grownups
"But it's our job." - Anne Thompson, Indiewire
We're down to three weeks and counting until we lift off the 41st Telluride Film Festival.and the anticipation is growing. Each day I'm scouring the interweb and looking/listening for sources to come forward to dig out the best guess at what the lineup will be. We should add more clarity on Tuesday as Toronto is scheduled announce another raft of films including, I believe, their additional Galas and Special Presentations. If past trends hold we can expect another seven Galas and anywhere from 20-30 more Special Presentations. That info should give us even more insight into Telluride's unannounced lineup.
At any rate, here's last week's "Ten Bets plus Two"
***Sony Pictures Classics just announced late yesterday that they were partnering with Participant Media for the release of "Merchants of Doubt". That is almost enough to lift it to the #16 spot for this week's "Ten (Plus) Bets". I've included links to a number of reports about the partnership including the first from Screen Daily which claims it IS headed to Telluride:
The jury is still out, but I'd like them to show up:
"Slow West"
"Suffragette"
"A Most Violent Year" "Kill the Messenger"
Big 'uns that have no announced film fest as yet (and maybe won't at all):
"Fury"
"Unbroken"
"Big Eyes"
"Interstellar"
"Exodus: Gods and Kings"
MAYBE IT'S BOGDO...
Earlier this week I speculated about who might get a tribute this year. I mentioned Tommy Lee Jones, Juliette Binoche...others. One name I should have included, but didn't, is Peter Bogdanovich. Bogdo was a TFF Guest Director in 1998 and attended with frequency through 2006 but hasn't (to my knowledge) been back since.
This year he has a Venice competition film: "She's Funny That Way" which could make the Telluride lineup but he's also the focus of a documentary that is playing Venice as well: Bill Teck's "One Day Since Yesterday: Peter Bogdanovich and the Lost American Film".
I can see that being part of a Bogdo tribute in three weeks.
That would also mean that this doc is one f the "Venice Five" (Venice director Alberto Barbera is on record as having said that five films will play Venice and Telluride).
I've included a link to a story about the Venice goings-on here from Thompson on Hollywood:
And in the same vein as Bogdo above, another good possibility for a tribute (as was pointed to me yesterday in a comment from "Anonymous" here on the blog) is Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon. We're about 98% certain that her new film "Wild" is going to be seen for the first time at Telluride. We know that she won her Oscar for 2005's "Walk the Line" which started her run to the win at TFF. And don't discount the connection to Alexander Payne. Payne directed her in what was a big breakout for them both in "Election" in 1999. So, yes indeed, boys and girls...Reese Witherspoon is definitely a TFF tribute candidate. More tomorrow including the "Best of the Week". Follow me on Twitter @Gort2
The Toronto International Film Festival announced a slew of Canadian titles yesterday that have been added across many of the different sections that the fest features. There was a film here and there that piqued my interest in terms of Telluride potential but none to the point that I'm ready to declare any of the films announced yesterday as Telluride likely.
Take a look at the new films announced here via Indie Wire:
The Playlist looked at the same list yesterday and they claim that Xavier Dolan's "Mommy" (which played well at Cannes in May and is being distributed in the U.S. by Roadside Attractions) by being a "Toronto" premiere "suggests that it'll be going to Telluride to make its North American debut".
Cannes Palme d'Or winner "Winter Sleep" has been chosen by Turkey to be its entrant for the Oscar for Best Foreign Language film. "Winter Sleep" has not been announced for Toronto and may or may not make its way to Telluride. I'd say it's about a 50/50 shot at this point.
Recent history suggest those odds are about right as five Palme winners since 2004 have not appeared at T-ride. Adopt Films is distributing the film for the U.S. which may tilt the odds somewhat toward a Telluride play. Adopt has been at T-ride for two consecutive years with "Bethlehem" and "Barbara"...so perhaps.
Here's the story of its choice for Oscar competition from The Hollywood Reporter:
Increasingly it seems unlikely that J.C. Chandor's "A Most Violent Year" will make the Telluride lineup. This would leave distrib A24 without a presence at Telluride after having been there for two straight years with "Ginger and Rosa" and "Under the Skin". I have been thinking for a few months that "Violent Year" was very, very likely but with the news yesterday from HitFix's Kris Tapley that editing is still going on, it looks like the A24 steak could be done.
Unless...
The Playlist dropped the first images from Julius Avery's "Son of a Gun" starring Ewan MacGregor yesterday. "Son" is described as "an Aussie crime drama".
I was noodling around the rising suspicion that Tommy Lee Jones "The Homesman" will be screened in just over three weeks in Telluride and as I was doing that, it struck me that a TLJ tribute in coordination with that film. I can see it pretty clearly. Maybe co-star and two time Oscar winner Hilary Swank attends as well. Makes a lot of sense to me.
And that got me to thinking seriously about other tribute possibilities.
Pete Hammond suggested a couple of weeks ago that Telluride might be dangling the tribute carrot in front of Chris Nolan in a play to get "Interstellar" on board. I've never thought it was a big likelihood and recent buzz is that no fest may have the film on its lineup.
I have suggested Nicole Kidman as a tribute possible in conjunction with the almost certain play of "Queen of the Desert".
I have also mentioned a Juliette Binoche tribute should Olivier Assasyas "Clouds of Sils Maria" be a T-ride selection.
Some weeks back, I mentioned a Michael Keaton tribute as a possibility with the screening of "Birdman", although that does seem a little far fetched.
How about Tim Burton if Telluride gets "Big Eyes"...yeah. that would make some sense.
Those seem the best bets to me for tributes, at least for the moment. Got any ideas? Comment and let me know.
EW LOOKS AT "99 HOMES"
"99 Homes" with Andrew Garfield and Michael Shannon via Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly was up yesterday with a first photo from Ramin Bahrani's "99 Homes" as you can see above. The film is scheduled to play the Venice fest in competition and I think, given its premiere status vis-a-vis Toronto that it's very likely to play Telluride as well. Bahrani was at T-ride in 2012 with "At Any Price" with star Dennis Quaid in attendance as well. "at Any Price" didn't exactly set the world on fire scoring a 60 rating at Metacritic and earning a reported $379,000 domestically.
"99 Homes" focuses on the U.S. housing crisis as Garfield plays a man who gets in over his head and ends up working with Michael Shannon who plays an unscrupulous realtor.
Stories are included here from Entertainment Weekly and The Playlist:
Couple of stray thoughts: "Spiderman vs. General Zod".
And one wonders if Garfield, who attended the fest 2010 with "Never Let Me Go" might return and if he does, if it's possible that his current significant other, Ms. Emma Stone, might be there as well as she's co-starring in Alejandro Inarritu's "Birdman".
ALEXANDER PAYNE IN THE NEWS: "NEBRASKA" IN COLOR
Past TFF Guest Director and frequent attendee, Alexander Payne popped up in my Twitter feed a couple of times yesterday. First came the news that his Oscar nominated "Nebraska", which was one of my favorite films at the 40th Telluride last year, will look a little different when it's aired on EpixHD TV. They will air the color version which Payne shot for overseas screening but who was reportedly hopeful that U.S. audiences would never see it that way.
Payne and his star from "Sideways" Paul Giamatti celebrated the tenth anniversary of the film this past weekend. "Sideways" was very close to having been a Telluride choice back in 2004 and that near miss is what ultimately led to Payne's stint as TFF Guest Director in 2009. After that, Payne has been hooked. I really expect that he'll be in town in three weeks in some capacity, perhaps just hanging with girlfriend Laura Dern...are they still a couple? (I think so.) Dern has a couple of films in which she appears that are probably on the Telluride Billl of Fare: "99 Homes" and "Wild"...
Anyway, Payne and Giamatti used the occasion of the Oscar winning film's anniversary to fund raise for a good cause and highlight the wine that was at the heart of the film.
Good Tuesday All...I'm in Santa Fe, NM on the way back to the home place after a great weekend in Crested Butte, CO.
TAPLEY MUSES
"Fury" trailer via YouTube
HitFix/InContention's Kristopher Tapley posted a fairly extensive look at the awards season last night that also included his thoughts about what is/might be/is unlikely to be Telluride bound. As you might expect, he comes to a number of the same conclusions that you've already read here.
He does mention a few things that are of specific interest...some intriguing...some a little disappointing. Tapley suggests that David Ayer's "Fury" might have a reasonable shot at playing T-ride but that Angelina Jolie's "Unbroken" is unlikely/unprepared for fests.
Tapley mentions a couple of films that I haven't had on my Telluride radar at all. Tom McCarthy's Adam Sandler starer "The Cobbler" and William Monahan's "Mojave" starring Mark Wahlberg. Additionally, he suggests a Telluride screening of "Whiplash" as he includes it on a list of Sony Pictures Classics "possibles/probables".
Tapley also says that J.C. Chandor is still editing "A Most Violent Year" which doesn't mean that the film is completely off the Telluride table...but it sure isn't encouraging.
Jennifer Aniston and Peter Bogdanovich via The Playlist
Last week Venice Film Fest officials said that they knew that they had five films scheduled that would roll on to Telluride. One of those could be Peter Bogdanovich's "She's Funny That Way" which for a good long while was titled "Squirrels to the Nuts". The comedy stars Owen Wilson, Imogen Poots, Jennifer Aniston and more. Bogdo has often been a part of past Telluride fests and it wouldn't surprise me greatly if this was included on the program this year.
The Playlist dropped a number of photos of the film late yesterday one of which is posted above.
One of the more intriguing films that played at Cannes (Critic's Week section and won prizes) in May was the all-signed "The Tribe". No speaking...all sign language. The film is directed by Myroslav Sloboshpytskiy. The film also won the top prize this week at the Motovun Film Festival.
I thought in May that it could be an interesting choice for Labor Day in The Rockies.
I did a little looking and the film's U.S. distributor is Drafthouse films which repped Joshua Oppenheimer's "The Act of Killing" in 2012...so perhaps it makes an appearance in just over three weeks.
Over the weekend Entertainment Weekly put out two photos from Jon Stewart's "Rosewater" starring Gael Garcia Bernal as real life journalist Maziar Bahari who was arrested in Iran in 2009 as he was reporting the election in that country. Any number of outlets reported the photos with an accompanying story. We believe fairly strongly that "Rosewater" will make the Telluride lineup owing to its designation by the Toronto film fest as a Canadian premiere.
Here are those photos:
Stories/Posts that went with these photos this weekend:
As I'm sure you're aware, I have posted most recently from Crested Butte, CO. as the CEO and I have been Art Festivaling this past weekend. Interestingly, I met Michael Brody who is the co-head honcho of the Crested Butte Film Festival. Michael is in his fourth year re-constructing a festival that was defunct for about six or seven years.
I took a look at their program form last year and ;let me tell you, they've got things going in the right direction. Last year's lineup included "20 Feet from Stardom", "After Tiller" and "Rust and Bone" among other offerings.
Michael also shared some of the films that they've planned for this year's fest which runs Sept. 25-28, and they've got some quality lined up. If you're in the neighborhood the last weekend in September, run to Crested Butte and catch a film.
We have our first photos of Tim Burton's "Big Eyes" starring Christoph Waltz and Amy Adams in a true story about the art of Margaret Keane and her husband Walter who was credited for a good long while with the artwork of characters with "big eyes". The film has not been announced for any festival to date and Burton did play "Ed Wood" AT TFF in 1994 so it's not a complete impossibility that we could see it pop up in three and a half weeks in the San Juans. Here from The Playlist and FirstShowing are the pics:
Hello from Crested Butte, Colorado on a Saturday...
"ROSEWATER" HAS A RELEASE DATE
Director Jon Stewart on the set of "Rosewater" (via Ioncinema.com)
HitFix's Kris Tapley reports that Jon Stewart's "Rosewater" has a release date in early November. Tapley also suggests that a Telluride screening is likely in the cards for the film which stars Gael Garcia Bernal. Here's the story:
If we're reading the Toronto tea leaves correctly, we may may have the best idea of the Telluride lineup beforehand ever.
Last week's "Ten Bets":
10) Leviathan
9) Two Days, One Night
8) Rosewater
7) The Imitation Game
6) Wild Tales
5) Queen of the Desert
4) Wild
3) Birdman
2) Mr. Turner
1) Foxcatcher
This week's "Ten Bets" plus a couple...
12) Red Army
11) The Look of Silence
10) Two Days, One Night
9) Leviathan
8) Rosewater
7) Wild Tales
6) Wild
5) The Imitation Game
4) Queen of the Desert
3) Mr. Turner
2) Foxcatcher
1) Birdman
TORONTO'S SECOND WAVE
Tuesday morning the Toronto International Film Festival announced its second wave of titles and again, reading between the lines, we can make some educated guesses about films that will have appeared at Telluride prior to TIFF...Here's what I can surmise:
In the Documentaries section:
There appear to be three or four of TIFF's announced docs that look to be Telluride bound:
Joshua Oppenhimer's "The Look of Silence"
Gabe Polsky's "Red Army"
Robert Kenner's "Merchants of Doubt"
These three appear solid as they are listed as Canadian Premieres. Ethan Hawke's "Seymour: An Introduction" is listed as an International Premiere and I can't find an instance of it having played yet anywhere else.
Frederick Wiseman's "National Gallery" which I had considered a real Telluride possibility, looks like it will not play at The SHOW.
In the Masters section it appears that we can plan to see Andrey Zvyaginsyev's "Leviafan" (Leviathan) as I have suspected since Cannes. It is listed as a Canadian premiere.
It also seems we can write off Roy Andersson's "A Pigeon Sat on a Branch...", "Jean Luc Goddard's "Goodbye to Language" and Michael Winterbottom's "The Face of an Angel" as they are all listed as either World or North American premieres.
In the Vanguard and Midnight madness sections there are a couple of films that are listed as International premieres but I'm not prepared to claim any status for them regarding Telluride. There are two films with Canadian premieres listed but they both played Sundance.
So, ultimately, we believe we know at least four more titles that are probably Telluride bound after this morning's TIFF announcement.
You can check the entire list of new films announced this morning form TIFF here from IndieWire:
For the last couple of summers I have included an analysis of certain European production companies focusing on the Brits and the French companies that are consistently connected to films that end up on the Telluride playlist. I'm doing it again this week beginning with some of the British companies.
BBC FILMS
Here's what I have been able to track down from the last half decade vis-a-vis BBC Films at Telluride:
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
Up until Tuesday, the best guess I would have had for Telluride from what BBC Films has in its stable this year would have been Alan Rickman's "A Little Chaos" but that was announced as TIFF's closing night film so that's off the table now. Perhaps the best BBC Film shot for Telluride this year is Michael Winterbottom's "The Face of an Angel" starring Kate Beckinsale and Daniel Bruhl.
Carol Morley's "The Falling" starring Greta Scacchi is also a possibility.
They have some involvement with the already assumed Telluride title "Mr. Turner". Additionally, BFI also has a hand in the above mentioned "The Falling". An additional title that might have some legs for Telluride is Debbie Tucker Green's "Second Coming" starring Idris Elba.
The best BFI shot this year is probably Ken Loach's Cannes competition piece "Jimmy's Hall" that's being distributed here in the U.S. by Sony Pictures Classics.
This British production house has an even more prevalent profile for Telluride over the past decade than BBC Films does, although they were shut out in 2012.
The UK Film Council track record over the past decade:
2003: Intermission, Touching the Void
2004: Enduring Love, Merchant of Venice
2006: Venus, The Last King of Scotland, Deep Water
2007: When Did You Last See Your Father, Brick Lane
2008: Happy-Go-Lucky
2009: Fish Tank, Bright Star
2010: Tamara Drewe, The King's Speech
2011: Shame, We Need to Talk About Kevin
2013: Under the Skin
Here's the thing...the UK Film Council has no film listed that seems remotely ready for a 2014 play date.
FILM4
Film4 has been a fairly constant presence at Telluride over the past few years and often when they are represented, they're represented with multiple titles:
2006: Deep Water
2007: When Did You Last See Your Father, Brick Lane
2008: Happy-Go-Lucky, Hunger, Slumdog Millionaire
2009:
2010: Another Year, Never Let Me Go
2011: Shame
2012:
2013: Under the Skin, 12 Years a Slave, Starred Up
This year, Film4 is associated with many titles that have the potential to play at TFF #41 including the all but certain Mike Leigh film "Mr. Turner".
Also in the Film4 basket:
"Slow West", "Suffragette", "Jimmy's Hall" and "Carol".
There seem to be some questions about whether either "Suffragette" and "Carol" will be ready for a festival play. "Jimmy's Hall" screened at Cannes, so it's clearly ready and "Slow West" has been listed on IMDb in post-production since December...so you'd think it should be ready.
See-Saw has only been producing since 2009 but in that short time they have been a part of a few films that have made an impact at Telluride. The first film they were associated with that made a splash at The SHOW was "The King's Speech" in 2010. They were also involved with:
"Shame" in 2011 and
"Tracks" in 2013.
In 2014, See-Saw has involvement with two Michael Fassbender starring vehicles: Justin Kurzel's "Macbeth" and John Maclean's "Slow West" (see above). Macbeth also stars Marion Cotillard and is listed as being in post-production by IMDb as of April. Could See-Saw be part of a Fassbender double play? Possibly.
Of the two, my guess is that "Slow West" might be the more likely play and that's based on nothing more than conjecture. Note this, however: Fassbender seemed to have a really great time in Telluride last year and he is an executive producer on the film.
And on a late note...it appears that Macbeth isn't ready to roll. See the Thompson on Hollywood story below.
This week, I've been looking at the films coming with attachemnts to production companies in Europe that have had some presence at Telluride over the last decade or so. Monday and Tuesday it was the British and today and tomorrow I'll be looking at French production houses and the films that they have been a part of that might be Telluride bound.
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"
There are a title or two that we can eliminate from the Canal+ canon as Telluride material based on what we know from Toronto's announcements. However, still in play are "Clouds of Sils Maria", "The Blue Room". "Bird People" and "Two Days, One Night".
STUDIO CANAL
Another French production outfit that sometimes plays at Telluride is StudioCanal. Look at their ten year Telluride track record:
2003: Young Adam, Love Me If You Dare
2004:
2005: Cache
2006: Indigines, Catch a Fire
2007:
2008:
2009:
2010: The Princess of Montpensier
2011:
2012: Love, Marilyn
2013: Inside Llewyn Davis
2014 seems to be a fairly sketchy title list for Studio Canal. "Before I Go to Sleep" starring Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth is a way, way outside shot. Also with a very outside shot "El Nino" starring Ian McShane. Nothing else on their schedule appears to be likely. This may be one of thise years where StudioCanal just doesn't have a play at Telluride.
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
As you can see, about one film per year plays that has been co-produced by France 2. This year, their best chances are two Cannes films (and one of them is a pretty good chance, I think): "Two Days, One Night" and "Bird People". I have a strong feeling that "Two Days" makes the T-ride lineup.
FRANCE 3 CINEMA
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
Though France3 has had a larger profile than France2 at Telluride over the past few years, their pool of films this year seems thin with no one film standing out as a likely suspect.
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:
2013: Le Maison de la Radio, The Lunchbox
After no Telluride presence in 2012, arte France Cinema came back in 2013 fairly strong. In 2014 their best chance at playing Telluride is the yet unannounced for any fall fest, Olivier Assayas' Cannes competition piece "Clouds of Sils Maria" starring Juliette Binoche, Kristen Stewart and Chloe Grace Moretz.
As we haven't seen it in Toronto's list yet, I am inching a little closer to thinking that it could actually play at Telluride and, perhaps a Juliette Binoche tribute?
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
Cine+ has four projects that they're involved in that could well make the Telluride playlist: "The Blue Room", "Bird People", "Two Days, One Night" and "Clouds of Sils Maria".
THE UNIFIED CLOONEY THEORY
I proposed "The Unified Clooney Theory" a couple of years ago as a different hypothesis to test possible Telluride films. Does it always work? Nope. Does it often work? I wouldn't even say that. .t get lucky every now and then? That's probably the best way to put it.
The UCT posits that by focusing on Clooney and his "known associates" (as law enforcement might call them) we can sometimes nail down a film or two that could play at Telluride.
The UCT last year suggested both "Gravity" and "12 Years a Slave" might make a Telluride appearance so what's The UCT suggest for this year?
Well, no Clooney...that's for sure. He's got zero projects as an actor, producer or director that are ready for a Telluride play.
But Clooney KA (known associate) Brad Pitt is loaded up as the star of David Ayers "Fury" which could play. I put its chances at 10%. Pitt is also a producer on the Jonah Hill/James Franco collaboration "True Story" which at least one website had as a Telluride possible early on...I'd think it's in the 10% range.
Brad leads to KA and significant other Angelina Jolie and her "Unbroken" which I have at a 25% level of being in the Telluride lineup. Also with "Unbroken" don't forget that another set of Clooney KA's, The Coen Brothers worked on the script.
Other members of The UCT we should look at? How about "Oceans" 11-13 alum Don Cheadle? Cheadle has a producer credit on "St. Vincent"...though, if you read yesterday's post...looks unlikely for T-ride.
Then there's Tim Blake Nelson whose "Clooneyness" stems from being cast within "Syriana" and "O Brother Where Art Thou". Nelson is in "Kill the Messenger" starring Jeremy Renner which is still unclaimed by any fall film fest. Nelson also has his own project reportedly in the can. His "Anesthesia" could conceivably make a Telluride appearance. I give "Messenger" a 15% shot and "Anesthesia" about a 10% chance to make the T-ride field.
Maybe semi-Clooney-ite Cate Blanchett shows at The SHOW in Todd Haynes "Carol". Chances are 15%.
There could be other members of The UCT I need to think about...and as/if I do, I'll pass them along.
MAYBE MAKE ROOM FOR "THE HOMESMAN"
I have been reluctant since Cannes to really think that Tommy Lee Jones sophomore directorial effort "The Homesman", starring the irascible Mr. Jones and two time Oscar winner Hillary Swank, was a high-likelihood Telluride possibility but a Hollywood Reporter story out yesterday is making me reconsider.
Pamela McClintock writes that: "its likely to get a coveted slot at Telluride" in the story about upstart Saban Films plans to position the film for Oscar season.
I had put it on the back burner of T-ride possibles owing to its mixed reviews out of Cannes, the lack of a Saban Films history with...well...any festival and the fact that Jones hasn't ever been to TFF. Now, if THR has it right, all of that may change.
Fox Searchlight dropped a new trailer for Alejandro Inarritu's "Birdman" yesterday. I still fully expect the film to make the Telluride lineup. Here's the new trailer
BAD NEWS ON THE ST. VINCENT AND VIOLENT YEAR FRONTS
"St. Vincent" photo via yahoo.com
Deadline.com reported yesterday that a Toronto World Premiere Gala is all but a done deal for "St. Vincent" starring Bill Murray. I have been holding out some hope that it and Murray would make the trip to Telluride but if the Mark Fleming, Jr. report is accurate...it looks unlikely now.
And speaking of bad news...there's some buzz that J.C. Chandor's "A Most Violent Year" which I was thinking was a pretty good Telluride bet (and I was hoping would make the trip as well) may not be ready in time for the festival.
Gotta say that I'm bummed if both of these films miss the fest.
NEW INTERSTELLAR TRAILER
Much was made of the reveal at Comic Con last week by Christopher Nolan of a new trailer for his "Interstellar". The film remains a way way outside possibility for Telluride, although I've become all but convinced that it won't happen. Nevertheless, the new trailer can be accessed at the official Interstellar website by typing in the access code 7201969...the date U.S. astronauts landed on the moon. Here's the site:
Flying Shows Art Studio (that's the wife...check here http://flyingshoesstudio.blogspot.com/ ) is in Crested Butte for the 42nd Annual Crested Butte Arts Festival ( http://crestedbutteartsfestival.com/ ) . Come by and see us...we're in Booth #23. It's not Telluride but it's close...geographically speaking.
TEN BETS #6
If we're reading the Toronto tea leaves correctly, we may may have the best idea of the Telluride lineup beforehand ever.
Last week's "Ten Bets":
10) Leviathan
9) Two Days, One Night
8) Rosewater
7) The Imitation Game
6) Wild Tales
5) Queen of the Desert
4) Wild
3) Birdman
2) Mr. Turner
1) Foxcatcher
This week's "Ten Bets" plus a couple...
12) Red Army
11) The Look of Silence
10) Two Days, One Night
9) Leviathan
8) Rosewater
7) Wild Tales
6) Wild
5) The Imitation Game
4) Queen of the Desert
3) Mr. Turner
2) Foxcatcher
1) Birdman
MAYBE MAKE ROOM FOR "THE HOMESMAN"
I have been reluctant since Cannes to really think that Tommy Lee Jones sophomore directorial effort "The Homesman", starring the irascible Mr. Jones and two time Oscar winner Hillary Swank, was a high-likelihood Telluride possibility but a Hollywood Reporter story out yesterday is making me reconsider.
Pamela McClintock writes that: "its likely to get a coveted slot at Telluride" in the story about upstart Saban Films plans to position the film for Oscar season.
I had put it on the back burner of T-ride possibles owing to its mixed reviews out of Cannes, the lack of a Saban Films history with...well...any festival and the fact that Jones hasn't ever been to TFF. Now, if THR has it right, all of that may change.
Fox Searchlight dropped a new trailer for Alejandro Inarritu's "Birdman" yesterday. I still fully expect the film to make the Telluride lineup. Here's the new trailer
Last week I spent a little time musing on the "who" of the festival. You know, the relatively smallish group of talent that will attend the fest to support this or that film. Last year featured Robert Redford and the Coen Brothers as parts of tributes as well a giant chunk of the "12 Years a Slave" crew: Brad Pitt, Michael Fassbender, Oscar winner Lupita N'yongo, Chiwetel Ejiofor. Ralph Fiennes was there.
So, as I said, last week, I thought about who could make the trip this year. One response came from friend of the blog Eric Bialis who tweeted out about the potential for Angelina Jolie to come in support of her "Unbroken" and Brad Pitt with "Fury". Is it possible? You bet. (I actually think if Angie shows up with "Unbroken" that Brad might just be there without "Fury"...maybe even a more likely scenario).
Would that make the small Colorado mining town a bit crazy? Ummm...probably.
But imagine this not so crazy scenario...
R-Pat and K-Stew...
Of course I'm talking about Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart. The two stars of the now completed "Twilight" series of films would still generate a ton of buzz were they to be in Telluride at the same time. Pattinson will almost certainly have at least one film playing the fest: Werner Herzog's "Queen of the Desert" and though it would seem more likely that if any talent attends from that film it would be Nicole Kidman...it's not impossible the Pattinson could make the trip as well.
Stewart could also make the weekend as a part of the crew for "Clouds of Sils Maria" should that film make the T-ride lineup...which, as I mentioned above, may be an increasing possibility.
Imagine the social media buzz...
A HERZOG RETROSPECTIVE
The Playlist has chronicled the career of Telluride institution Werner Herzog in a post that was up earlier this week. In light of the likelihood that "Queen of the Desert" is playing TFF #41, I have included that link here:
So many of the films you'll find on the comprehensive list have played at previous fests. Herzog fans should enjoy it.
THE UNIFIED CLOONEY THEORY
I proposed "The Unified Clooney Theory" a couple of years ago as a different hypothesis to test possible Telluride films. Does it always work? Nope. Does it often work? I wouldn't even say that. .t get lucky every now and then? That's probably the best way to put it.
The UCT posits that by focusing on Clooney and his "known associates" (as law enforcement might call them) we can sometimes nail down a film or two that could play at Telluride.
The UCT last year suggested both "Gravity" and "12 Years a Slave" might make a Telluride appearance so what's The UCT suggest for this year?
Well, no Clooney...that's for sure. He's got zero projects as an actor, producer or director that are ready for a Telluride play.
But Clooney KA (known associate) Brad Pitt is loaded up as the star of David Ayers "Fury" which could play. I put its chances at 10%. Pitt is also a producer on the Jonah Hill/James Franco collaboration "True Story" which at least one website had as a Telluride possible early on...I'd think it's in the 10% range.
Brad leads to KA and significant other Angelina Jolie and her "Unbroken" which I have at a 25% level of being in the Telluride lineup. Also with "Unbroken" don't forget that another set of Clooney KA's, The Coen Brothers worked on the script.
Other members of The UCT we should look at? How about "Oceans" 11-13 alum Don Cheadle? Cheadle has a producer credit on "St. Vincent"...though, if you read yesterday's post...looks unlikely for T-ride.
Then there's Tim Blake Nelson whose "Clooneyness" stems from being cast within "Syriana" and "O Brother Where Art Thou". Nelson is in "Kill the Messenger" starring Jeremy Renner which is still unclaimed by any fall film fest. Nelson also has his own project reportedly in the can. His "Anesthesia" could conceivably make a Telluride appearance. I give "Messenger" a 15% shot and "Anesthesia" about a 10% chance to make the T-ride field.
Maybe semi-Clooney-ite Cate Blanchett shows at The SHOW in Todd Haynes "Carol". Chances are 15%.
There could be other members of The UCT I need to think about...and as/if I do, I'll pass them along.
More to come tomorrow including the Best of the Week.
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