Thursday, July 9, 2015

Distribution: Sundance Selects and IFC Films/Venice Has a Mountainous Opener/The Dissolve Dissolves

It's a Thursday!


DISTRIBUTION AND TELLURIDE: SUNDANCE SELECTS AND IFC



Because Sundance Selects and IFC Films are inter-related film distribution outfits, I am tackling them both together today in my continuing assessment of the films that could play Telluride from those distributors that have a significant presences at the fest in recent years.

Here's Sundance Selects slate over the past few,  Sundance only began their Telluride presence in 2010:

2010: The Princess of Montpensier, Tabloid
2011: The Forgiveness of Blood, The Kid with a Bike, Goodbye First Love and Into the Abyss
2012: The Central Park Five, Everyday
2013: Blue is the Warmest Color
2014: Two Days, One Night, Seymour: An Introduction

So Sundance Selects has had 11 films represented at Telluride over the last five years making for a 2.2 film/year average.

IFC Films has been at Telluride recently as follows:

2003: Touching the Void, Intermission
2004: Nobody Knows
2005: Three Times
2006: Deep Water, Indigenes
2007: Secret Sunshine, 4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days, Jar City
2008: Hunger, Gomorrah, Flame and Citron, Everlasting Moments, The Good, the Bad and the Weird
2009: Fish Tank, Red Riding Trilogy, Life During Wartime, Vincere
2010: The Princess of Montpensier, Carlos
2011: Into the Abyss, Pina
2012: Frances Ha
2013: No Show
2014: No Show again

IFC has had 23 films in the last 12 year to average just under 2 films/year, but hasn't been at Telluride since 2012.

This year, Sundance Selects looks to have three films that could play: Jacques Audiard's "Dheepan", Andrew Haigh's "45 Years" and Alice Winocour's "Disorder".

IFC has Frenando de Leon Aranoa's "A Perfect Day" and Matteo Garrone's "Tale of Tales".

None of the five films should be ruled out of the Telluride calculation.

Cannes and Berlin Film Fest appearances boost chances for all five films.  Past Telluride for Audiard and Garrone also argue for their inclusion.

Chances for each film and their current "Ten Bets" position in parenthesis where applicable:

"Dheepan" 90% (#1)
"45 Years" 80% (#4)
"Tale of Tales" 40%
"A Perfect Day" 30%
"Disorder" 30%

Tomorrow a look at inter-connected distributors Roadside Attractions/Lionsgate/Saban Films.



VENICE HAS A MOUNTAINOUS OPENER


"Everest" trailer via YouTube


The official announcement came yesterday that the Venice International Film Festival will open on Sept. 2 with Baltasar Kormakur's "Everest".

The film stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Jason Clark and Kiera Knightley among many others. and focuses on an ill fated pair of climbing expeditions that suffered serious casualties in 1997 when weather on the world's highest mountain took a very bad turn.

I have been underwhelmed by the chances for the film to play Telluride as it is being distributed by infrequent Telluride player Universal and it has a Sept. 18 release date.

The Venice announcement, in some ways, argues that "Everest" might make a splash at Telluride as the last two Venice openers have made the trip: "Gravity" in 2013 and "Birdman" last year.  "Black Swan" did the same in 2010.  So, recent history suggests that it is possible.  Also, as I have mentioned in previous posts, Kormankur was at Telluride in 2006 with his "Jar City".

Still, at the end of the day, I remain skeptical about our chances to see "Everest" on Labor Day weekend.  It's possible, but still unlikely.

I have linked a few stories about the Venice announcement here:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/mountain-climbing-drama-everest-will-open-the-venice-film-festival-out-of-competition-20150708

http://variety.com/2015/film/festivals/baltasar-kormakurs-everest-to-open-venice-film-festival-1201535860/

http://www.indiewire.com/article/jake-gyllenhaal-and-keira-knightley-survival-thriller-everest-to-open-venice-film-festival-20150708



THE DISSOLVE DISSOLVES



You've seen me link to it here a number of times over the past two years, but that stops with today's link.  Film website The Dissolve has ended publication/posting.

It has been a good site to go to for in depth film stories, but alas, couldn't eke out a spot in a very competitive world of online film.

The final Dissolve post is here:

http://thedissolve.com/news/6187-the-end/

That wraps up the Thursday post for MTFB.  More tomorrow including the third "Ten Bets" list for 2015.

Like/Follow Michael's Telluride Film Blog on Facebook:

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

Follow @Gort2 on Twitter

No comments: