The first true day of the Telluride Film Festival, like the previous years, was a truly remarkable experience that reminded each and every festivalgoer why this weekend is so significant to the awards season and filmmaking as a whole.
The Patron Brunch was attended by celebrities, many of whom have films screening, or, as of this writing, have already been screened, at the festival. Despite the presence of rain (a first for me, as the past few years have always had remarkably stable weather), it was still an incredible experience at the top of the mountain. Jeremy Allen White, Colin Farrell, the cast from Sentimental Value, and Ethan Hawke were just a few of the people whom I happened to catch a glimpse of or even shake hands with.
I even ran into some pundits, such as Scott Feinberg from The Hollywood Reporter, who can be found below.
The Patron Screening was Paolo Sorrentino’s Italian language film, La Grazia, which stars Toni Servillo as a president facing dilemmas, both personally and politically. From what I gather, it’s reminiscent of Sorrentino’s other works, focusing on issues of existentialism and individuality, being effective in some ways, but more pretentious in others. It didn’t need to be as long as it was, and there are moments that feel “artsy for the sake of artsy,” but it hits the mark.
Score: 7/10
Following this, I was lucky enough to attend the Ethan Hawke tribute followed by a screening of Richard Linklater’s Blue Moon, which stars Hawke as the composer Lorenz Hart, with Margaret Qualley, Bobby Cannavale, and Andrew Scott rounding out the supporting cast. It’s a unique and fascinating biopic, set over one night in a singular location, as Hawke interacts with each supporting character, offering glimpses into his life and character. Though its emotional core isn’t as fully realized as it could have been, it didn’t need to be aiming for the fences, and, by being a more laid-back project, it’s far more successful than it needed to be. See
it for Hawke and stay for the rest.
Score: 8/10
However, what was undoubtedly the biggest showcase of the day for me was Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet, starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal as Agnes and William Shakespeare, respectively. Highly anticipated and booked as one of the major Telluride premieres, this was one that was sure to be a major talking point, and based on my experience and others’, it truly was. What Zhao has crafted, not as “experimental” as something like Nomadland or The Rider, but not a traditional “studio movie” like Eternals, is a very remarkable accomplishment, one that sticks out both in its thematic concepts and the execution in its technical departments. Zal’s cinematography is astonishing, as is Richter’s score (though it might not be eligible), but it is Jessie Buckley who steals the show, her grief being impossible to look away from, but never feeling forced or unrealistic. Mescal is also strong, revealing the quiet side of how people cope with loss. What Zhao has created is something that will linger in the minds of those who watch it, emulating Campion’s style in The Power of the Dog in its meditative and calculated tone, yet still feeling like something entirely unique.
Score: 9/10
I look forward to tomorrow’s tentative screenings of The Ballad of a Small Player, Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, Jay Kelly, and Bugonia, though this is subject to change depending on TBA screenings. Nevertheless, what a strong start to the festival.
