For much of the spring and summer, Xavier Dolan has been teasing his forthcoming film, “The Death And Life Of John F. Donovan.” Official images and new posters arrived for the movie, along with an early report that the director was aiming to have his latest effort finished in time for the fall festival season. Unfortunately, that won’t be happening.
Films Séville, the official distributor for ‘Donovan’ in Canada, confirmed today that Dolan’s picture won’t be ready in time to screen at the Toronto International Film Festival. Organizers are getting ready to unveil their last round of titles next week, but you won’t be seeing ‘Donovan’ in the lineup.
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Starring Jessica Chastain, Kit Harington, Taylor Kitsch, Kathy Bates, Jacob Tremblay, Susan Sarandon, Natalie Portman, Nicholas Hoult, and Thandie Newton the film centers on the tribulations of John Donovan, an American TV star in his late 20s, and his correspondence with Rupert Turner, a young actor-to-be living with his mother in England. Their lives take dramatic turns when the existence of their pen-pal relationship is publicly exposed, eliciting the most ill-founded assumptions and sending Donovan in a vertical downfall. A decade later, the young actor recollects his relationship with his past idol over the course of an interview.
Needless to say, not only does the picture pack a lot of star power, as Dolan’s English language debut, expectations will be high. The film will apparently be completed later this fall, but it still needs U.S. distribution, and a high profile festival bow likely remains part of the rollout plans. The question now is whether or not the director holds his film, and takes it to Cannes next year, where he’s always been welcomed with open arms. Otherwise, Berlin is a possibility if he wants it out in the world sooner, but I would likely rule out AFI Fest which tends to be more awards oriented, or Sundance which could be seen as a step backwards for Dolan who has seen almost all of his films premiere on the Croisette (except the underrated and terrific “Tom At The Farm,” which unspooled in Venice). [La Presse]
