As a seasoned gamer of the silver screen, having navigated countless cinematic landscapes and traversed the labyrinthine world of film festivals, I must confess that Telluride 2023 has piqued my curiosity like no other. The tantalizing mix of political intrigue, star-studded premieres, and a dash of the surreal (a Lego biopic, anyone?) promises to deliver an experience that is nothing short of cinematic nirvana.
As the political national conventions conclude, Hollywood’s portrayal of “the race” is merely heating up with the commencement of the autumn festival season. This year’s Telluride event promises a diverse array of attractions, appealing not only to political enthusiasts but also film lovers.
The 51st annual festival kicks off this Friday in Colorado, featuring a lineup of world premieres such as a Hillary Clinton and Jennifer Lawrence-produced film about abortion, titled “Zurawski v Texas“, a Jason Reitman-directed mix of thriller and comedy based on the first season of Saturday Night Live, known as Sony’s Saturday Night, an adaptation of an August Wilson play dealing with intergenerational trauma, directed by Malcolm Washington, son of Denzel, for Netflix’s The Piano Lesson.
A year following the Screen Actors Guild strike that diminished the stardom at film festivals, Telluride is predicted to be brimming with top-tier celebrities once more. Notable attendees include Angelina Jolie, gracing the occasion for the North American debut of Pablo Larrain’s “Maria” after its acquisition by Netflix in Venice; Selena Gomez, representing Jacques Audiard’s crime musical, “Emilia Pérez,” which won at Cannes and is distributed by Netflix; and Pharrell Williams, showcasing his docu-biopic directed by Morgan Neville and told through Legos, titled “Piece by Piece” and distributed by Focus Features.
Besides the case of Zurakwsi v Texas, which Clinton plans to back in the Rockies, there will be numerous political documentaries available, such as Carville: Winning is Everything, Stupid, a depiction of the Democratic political strategist by Matt Tyrnauer; Petra Costa’s Apocalypse in the Tropics, examining the evangelical influence on Brazilian politics; and The White House Effect, a gripping tale about climate change policy produced by Bonni Cohen, Jon Shenk, Pedro Kos. These titles could attract audiences interested in this year’s presidential election, provided they are purchased beforehand.
“Julie Huntsinger, the director of these political films at Telluride, expressed that even if they don’t get released before the election, she hopes everyone will walk away feeling deeply touched, exclaiming, ‘Wow, I was truly moved!’ Her aim is to inspire feelings of optimism, understanding, and determination in people about our potential to impact the world positively.”
Some of these upcoming storylines incorporate a contemporary viewpoint, such as “Conclave”, a movie directed by Edward Berger and starring Ralph Fiennes that delves into the political machinations within the Vatican (Distributed by Focus Features), and “September 5”, a title we’ve acquired where Tim Fehlbaum portrays the Munich Olympics terrorist attack on Israeli athletes as seen through the eyes of ABC TV sports journalists who were covering the event.
As a gamer, I’m always on the lookout for new premieres, and this time around, some standouts include:
As a gaming enthusiast, I’m super excited to share that this year’s festival will be broadcasting on TV! You won’t want to miss the full run of Alfonso Cuarón’s gripping psychological thriller series, Disclaimer, starring the incredible Cate Blanchett, exclusively on AppleTV+. And if that’s not enough, there’s Social Studies by Lauren Greenfield, an FX docuseries chronicling the lives of a diverse group of Los Angeles teenagers as they navigate growing up in the digital age. Don’t miss out!
Every year, the festival will feature three honorees: Saoirse Ronan, Nora Fingscheidt’s film “The Outrun” (distributed by Sony Pictures Classics), which debuted at Sundance, Jacques Audiard, and editor Thelma Schoonmaker, renowned for her collaborations with Martin Scorsese. Each will be celebrated in turn.
Visitors to Telluride can expect to run into both familiar and surprise celebrities on its streets. Among them will be Martha Stewart, who is featured in R.J. Cutler’s documentary titled “Martha“, and Robbie Williams, the main subject and star of Michael Gracey’s biopic “Better Man” (Paramount).
Other notable films that garnered attention at Cannes, such as Sean Baker’s Palme d’Or winner “Anora” (Neon), Mohammad Rasoulof’s “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” (Neon), and Andrea Arnold’s “Bird” starring Barry Keoghan (Mubi), will soon be released.
Under the direction of guest curator Kenneth Lonergan, a selection of classic movies such as “Barry Lyndon” and “Dr. Zhivago” have been chosen for screening.
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2024-08-29 18:28