Most of the world's film press might be at Comic-Con right now (including a Playlister), but we're already starting to itch for the start of festival season. After all, with "The Dark Knight Rises" hitting theaters this week, there's only a few weeks of summer blockbuster season left, and the fall festivals — Toronto, Telluride, et al. — will almost be upon us. Things kick off in about six weeks time with the Venice Film Festival, and a major Italian newspaper has just run a report that, if true, confirms a few long-rumored pictures for the festival as well as adding a few more names to the mix.
After yesterday's announcement of the jury, which includes Matteo Garrone, Samantha Morton, Maria Abramovich, Ari Folman and Pablo Trapero, all headed by Michael Mann, La Repubblica, Italy's best-selling newspaper, has run a preview of the festival. And while we're limited a little by our lack of Italian and the drawbacks of Google Translate, it seems to make clear that some of the most high-profile films of the year will be bowing there.
Both Terrence Malick's "To The Wonder" and Paul Thomas Anderson's "The Master" have been heavily rumored for months, but proceed with caution before you get too excited. A Malick fansite claims that a source at FilmNation told them the movie would not be released this year (note, it still doesn't have a U.S. distributor) and even a trailer arriving was "possibly unlikely." That said, the film has been submitted to the MPAA and received an R rating, suggesting it's completed, so we'll see. Meanwhile, word circulating around has suggested that the New York Film Festival was trying to land the premiere of "The Master" (though what fall festival isn't?) and that it might be skipping festivals entirely, but both are named as likely inclusions on the Lido by La Repubblica. Joining them as English-language fare seem to be Joe Wright's "Anna Karenina," Robert Redford's "The Company You Keep" and Derek Cianfrance's "The Place Beyond the Pines."
Also mentioned are films we've long pegged for inclusion, including Manoel De Oliver's "Gebo Et L'Hombre," Marco Bellocchio's "Dormant Beauty," Bahman Ghobadi's "Rhinos Season," Susanne Bier's "All You Need Is Love," Olivier Assayas' "Something In The Air," Kim Ki-Duk's "Pieta" and Francois Ozon's "Dans La Maison." More out of the blue is the mention of new films from Takeshi Kitano (likely "Outrage Beyond"), Daniel Cipri, Paolo Virzi, Johnnie To and Israeli director Rama Burshstein. You can see how that compares with some of the predictions we made for the festival recently here.
It should be noted that we're not 100% sure on the source, at least until a helpful Italian-speaking reader can let us know how confident La Repubblica are. But the paper is a reputable source and likely has an inside line on the selection process, so this is as good an indication as we've got of late. Last year's line-up was announced on July 28th, so we'd expect the truth to emerge in the next couple of weeks, possibly with opening and closing film announcements to precede that.
If I'm not mistaken several, or at least more than one cut of THE TREE OF LIFE was submitted to the MPAA back in the summer to late summer of 2010, but for TO THE WONDER to have received its R rating(made public), and not least that Malick has been in-production on KNIGHT OF CUPS since May(or even April), one assumes TTW is finished, altogether. The same approach was at play when Malick finally stopped tweaking TTOL in the editing room in the beginning of September 2010(which was later confirmed by editor Mark Yoshikawa), and then went on to shoot TTW right after that; that is to say Malick didn't return for more tweaking on TTOL once he commenced work on TTW, and I strongly suspect he'll follow that example having gone on to KOC. That said it annoys me as well reading the rumor(?) on TTW not receiving either a US release nor seeing a trailer this year. I'm not a US recident, and I know for sure TTW will not premiere in my region(Denmark) before next year, but it would've been a relieve to see it released before years end in the US and then knowing the film had found its distributor here, a trailer would be underway soon, and hearing about audience/critics reactions. Hopefully it'll premiere in Venice, that would be wonderful – crossing my fingers on that on…
I'm italian, LaRepubblica's news is signed by Arianna Finos: not quite a journalist, but a gossip columnist instead… These are only rumors i think, but plausible rumors.
But will Only God Forgive?
I'm Italian, according to me it's not just rumours. La Repubblica say: "In anteprima, ecco alcuni titoli in gara al Lido" that means: "In anticipation, here is some titles in competition at Lido". It seems they know for sure what they say. Maybe they are wrong but I don't think so.
New fest director for Venice has several quotes strongly hinting they would get world premiere of The Master this year. Weinstein's greatly wanted a title at Venice and originally it was Lawless that was going to be there with The Master at TIFF. Imagine after Lawless was selected at Cannes earlier this got reshuffled. Venice or TIFF is where I'd put my money on as most likely world premiere contenders for The Master.
It's ridiculous for anyone to say that TO THE WONDER "will not be ready for 2012." Malick may not be able to leave it alone, and it may not find distribution, but it is (or was) ready. It has already been submitted to the MPAA and received an 'R' rating. They have to have a finished cut in the can for that to happen.
I'm Italian, and I can say La Repubblica is only reporting rumors. Anyway, they look believable to me. Barbera had told before that Malick's movie is ready (it will be released in december in Italy), and the other movies are pretty sure to be in the final line-up, which is gonna be out on 26th July. The opening movie is expected to be announced next week (maybe)…