Cannes. Toronto. Sundance. The Telluride Film Festival stands out as one of the most prestigious movie-showcasing events in the world.
Taking place in the small, romantic mountain town of Telluride, this Colorado film festival offers a unique backdrop of towering mountains and breathtaking vantage points. The walk around downtown ain’t half bad either.
The views aren’t the only reason for the siren call of movie buffs, though.
Films by the likes of movie giants Kathryn Bigelow, Ken Burns, Ang Lee, Pedro Almodóvar, and Errol Morris have spotlighted at this film festival. After filmmakers like Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Andrea Arnold, Steve McQueen, Alfonso Cuarón, and Alexander Payne opened up their movies to viewers in Telluride, they went on to receive accolades and awards.
One of the biggest draws of the festival, however, is the great pains in which organizers keep the movie titles a secret. This is great if you’re looking forward to the big surprises at the festival, but not when your editor is expecting you to come up with enough words to fill a page.
So, here goes. We movie buffs at DGO Mag will attempt to predict what viewers can expect at the 46th annual Telluride Film Festival. Be warned: these are probably all wrong and are mostly just the movies we hope will preview at the festival.
“The Farewell,” by Lulu Wang: This critically acclaimed dramedy tells the story of a family who decides not to tell the family matriarch that she is dying and all get together one last time before she dies.
“The Irishman,” by Martin Scorsese: Scorsese’s latest crime drama is based on Charles Brandt’s book, “I Heard You Paint Houses.” The film centers on Frank Sheeran and his relationships within the Bufalino crime family.
“Atlantics: A Ghost Love Story,” by Mati Diop: This film takes place in Senegal and tells the story of the relationship between a young construction worker and a woman who is being forced into an arranged marriage.
“Motherless Brooklyn,” by Edward Norton: Writer-director-producer Edward Norton adapted Jonathan Lethem’s book, “Motherless Brooklyn,” to be set in 1950s New York. Down-on-his-luck private detective Lionel Essrog uncovers a conspiracy that creates an even bigger racial and political divide in the city.
“Pain and Glory,” by Pedro Almodóvar: Antonio Banderas plays Salvador Mallo, a director whose health is declining. As a result, he experiences a creative block accompanied by a reckoning with his past.
“Beanpole,” by Kantemir Balagov: In post-WWII Leningrad, two Russian women, Iya and Masha, bond after fighting together as anti-aircraft gunners. The two friends attempt to acclimate themselves to a world scarred from war.
“Ask Dr. Ruth,” by Ryan White: The life of America’s iconic sex therapist Dr. Ruth is detailed in this documentary. We want to know every detail of Dr. Ruth’s life because, well, who wouldn’t.
Amanda Push
