Recapping Days Four and Five of the Telluride Film Festival

Five days of festival going can be pretty exhausting. Between the number of movies we take in, the high-altitude air we gasp for as we trek from theater to theater, the writing, the lack of eating and sleeping, an old man like me begins to wear down after a few days of this. In the back half of the festival, more time is spent mingling at parties and the movie-watching begins to slow. Rather than catch three to four movies in a day, one or two sounds a little more friendly.

We started day four off with a Netflix reception for The Power of the Dog, one of the great films to play here at Telluride. Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Kodi Smit-McPhee, and Jane Campion were in attendance and we were lucky enough to enjoy conversations with them. Dunst shared insight on some of the scenes that were cut from the movie. She was very sweet and down to earth and seemed to enjoy our company. I just sat there thinking oh my god, it’s Claudia! Cumberbatch spoke deeply about his character’s interest in the boy he hounds throughout the film. His intuitiveness was beguiling, and the conversation added layers to the film for me. It was a great experience.

We then sought out for Jimmy Chin and E. Chai Vasarhelyi’s new doc, The Rescue. It should come as no surprise that the Oscar-winning duo (Free Solo) would knock it out of the park once again with the retelling of the youth soccer team that was stranded in a cave system in Thailand back in 2018. The movie really embodies what it means to be a hero, as men and women from a multitude of countries put their own lives in danger to work together to save the 13 trapped youths. It’s an absolutely fantastic watch and one of the most incredible and inspirational stories ever captured in a documentary.

From there we attended Neon’s party for their slate of films here, including Spencer. Director Pablo Larraín spoke to our group for a good amount of time. He is an incredibly passionate man. The type you could listen to for hours. He spoke about his affinity for costume design and how in his next life he would either design clothing or be a master chef.

We met Jonas Poher Rasmussen, the director of the hit Sundance film, Flee. Missing Flee here at Telluride was my biggest regret. I cannot wait to see this movie.

Just as I was about to head out to Mike Mills’ new film, C’mon C’mon, Kristen Stewart, the star of Spencer, arrived. She had an early-80s Madonna vibe and spoke about a script she is writing about Joan of Arc. She seemed very relaxed and approachable, nothing at all like the tabloids often make her out to be.

I arrived just in time to catch Mills’ film, and boy am I glad I got this one in. C’mon C’mon stars Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny, a dispassionate radio journalist who becomes reunited with his nephew, Jesse (played incredibly well by newcomer Woody Norman). Jesse’s parents, played by Gaby Hoffmann and the great Scoot McNairy, are entangled in matters of their own, and so Johnny takes Jesse under his wing, traveling from state to state for his work. C’mon C’mon works as a beautiful, deeply moving buddy flick, as the awkward, emotionally stunted pair develop a bond that brings out the best in each other. It is a deeply moving, handsomely shot film. Mills’ screenplay is simple yet terrifically smart and his direction helped produce outstanding performances from his cast, including noteworthy turns from Hoffmann and Norman, and a gentle and subdued performance from Phoenix.

I ended the day back where I started – at a Netflix party. This time, the distributor was celebrating Maggie Gyllenhaal’s directorial debut, The Lost Daughter. Gyllenhaal was there with her spouse, Peter Sarsgaard (who also stars in the film). Dakota Johnson and Ed Harris were also present to promote the film. The quartet followed-up a delicious steak dinner by dancing the night away. They were joined on the dance floor by Red Rocket star Simon Rex. It was a hell of a night.

I wrapped up the festival with another Netflix film, Paolo Sorrentino’s The Hand of God. Sorrentino, who won the Oscar for The Great Beauty, delivers a profoundly personal film celebrating his hometown of Naples. Comparable to Branagh’s Belfast, Sorrentino harmonizes humor with tragedy through the coming-of-age story of Fabietto, a young man with a passion for soccer star Diego Maradona and filmmaker Federico Fellini. Unlike Sorrentino’s previous work that centered around political and cultural icons, The Hand of God is a more delicate tale that, when at its best, is splendidly shot and cleverly told.

And with that, another Telluride has come and gone. It always seems to happen in the blink of an eye. What’s left are the memories spent with good friends, good films, and the beautiful backdrop that Telluride bequeaths generously on us each festival. I was able to catch 11 films, and while I loved The Power of the Dog and Spencer, Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast is the film I am most passionate about as I leave the thin, rocky mountain air behind me.

Julie Huntsinger, the executive director for the festival, has pulled off a miracle in the valley of Telluride. Just being able to make this all happen is quite a feat, but to do it at the level we witnessed this year is truly remarkable. Kudos to her and her team, the volunteers, and the sponsors who made this all possible. I am already looking forward to next year, God willing.