It has been a busy few weeks for the world of film as papers and news sites are filled with headlines that have become more and more unbelievable. With red carpets, film premiers and enough celebrity drama to make even the most seasoned veterans heads spin, Venice, Telluride and Toronto film festivals have been highly eventful. Here are some of the highlights from each respective festival.
Telluride
Telluride sported some powerful directors for the features they showcased. Luca Guadagnino most well known for Call Me by Your Name premiered his new feature film Bones and All. This picture is described as a coming of age story that follows two lovers, played by Timothée Chalamet and Taylor Russel, who embark on a road trip and also happen to be cannibals. Although the premise may seem horrifying and bizarre, the film has been described as a somewhat touching and beautiful examination of young romance. Sam Mendes’ new film Empire of Light was also shown to Telluride audiences. The period drama is being described as a touching memoir to cinema boasting major talents such as Olivia Coleman and Colin Firth.
Venice
The Venice Film Festival seemed to have only one film on everyone’s mind due to the speculated incident at the Don’t Worry Darling premier. The newest picture from rising director Olivia Wilde has been steeped in mystery, intrigue and controversy. This culminated in the all too dramatic and bizarre press tour, between Florence Pugh being noticeably absent from the premiere, yet being spotted glamorously drinking Aperol Spritzes in Venice, Harry Styles allegedly spitting on Chris Pine and avoiding his girlfriend, Wilde, the whole press tour.
The premier was, to put it simply, a mess. Styles seemed clearly unprepared on how to discuss acting or the movie at all while the film itself was met with tepid responses from critics. One of the more uplifting moments from the festival however, was the premier of Darren Aronofskys’ newest film The Whale. The film was met with glorious praise, particularly directed at rising A-List celebrity, Sadie Sink, and returning veteran, Brendan Fraser, both of who received a 6 minute standing ovation.
Toronto:
Newest rom-com Bros starring Billy Eichner joined by an entirely LBTQ+ principle cast is the first ever “gay rom-com” to be produced by a major studio. After premiering at TIFF, the film has been met with an exceptionally warm reception.
TIFF audiences were also lucky enough to catch the sequel to instant classic Knives Out (2019), Knives Out: Glass Onion. There are new and exciting cast members like Kate Hudson, Kathryn Hahn and most importantly has the returning mysterious detective played by Daniel Craig. The sequel has been met with massive praise by critics, some even insisting this new feature is better than the original. The large cast and new setting are reported to be extremely exciting editions for the sequel.
Adam Van Eekeren – Film and TV Writer
