Telluride Films Buzz
Will Smith, K Stewart, B Cumberbatch, Olivia Colman+
The Telluride Film Festival was a go this year after the pandemic forced last year’s cancellation. It ran from September 2 to September 6 and showcased a wide range of pictures. What’s interesting to note is that of its 34 films, 18 were directed by women. In addition, all attendees were required to show proof of vaccination, a negative covid test, and remain masked. We have not heard any news of a covid outbreak, so the precautions must have worked.
The lineup included a slew of exciting films, all vying for top prizes. Let’s take a look at five stand-outs from the festival.
Spencer
Pablo Larraín’s biographical drama about Princess Diana focuses on one specific Christmas for Lady Di (Kristen Stewart). It is during this holiday away at Sandringham House that Diana realizes she must leave her husband. Larraín focuses on the overwhelming sense of dread and claustrophobia that Diana feels in the marriage, turning the movie into a psychological thriller instead of a standard biopic.
Petite Maman
Céline Sciamma’s follow-up to Portrait of a Lady on Fire differs from her lesbian period romance film. Petite Maman follows a young girl named Nelly who goes to help her parents clean out her mother’s childhood home after her grandmother’s death. While exploring the woods one day, she meets another young girl her age who is building a treehouse.
King Richard
Another biographical movie stars Will Smith as Tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams’ father, Richard. The film showcases his unconventional methods as he raises his two daughters and coaches them to be two of the most extraordinary tennis players of all time. The film also stars Aunjanue Ellis, Saniyya Sidney, Demi Singleton, Tony Goldwyn, Jon Bernthal, and Dylan McDermott.
The Power of the Dog
Jane Campion returns with her first film in 12 years with this neo-western drama. The movie follows charismatic and mercurial rancher Phil Burbank (Benedict Cumberbatch), who finds himself at odds with his brother George (Jesse Plemons) when George brings home a new wife (Kirsten Dunst). However, Phil finds himself falling for his new sister-in-law’s son (Kodi Smit-McPhee).
The Lost Daughter
Maggie Gyllenhaal makes her directorial debut with this adaptation of the Elena Ferrante novel of the same name. The film follows a college professor obsessed with a woman and her daughter whom she meets while on vacation in Italy. This obsession leads her to re-examine her past. Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Dakota Johnson, Peter Sarsgaard, Paul Mescal, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, and Ed Harris star in this film.
