“First Cow”
Cast: John Magaro, Orion Lee, René Auberjonois
Synopsis: A hired cook for a group of fur trappers and a mysterious man on the run cross paths in the Oregon Territory during the 1820s.
What You Need to Know: Singular in their vision and radically divisive among audiences, Kelly Reichardt’s films speak volumes with silence. Renowned for her minimalistic character studies, Reichardt is arguably one of the most quietly celebrated American auteurs currently working in the industry, having focused the entirety of her career dissecting the United States from the introspective viewpoints of eco-terrorists and criminal runaways alike. However, “First Cow” surprisingly finds the director revisiting familiar territory; the project’s publicly available details draw more than a few comparisons to “Meek’s Cutoff,” and similar to Reichardt’s previous endeavor “Certain Women,” the filmmaker’s latest feature is an adaptation of a novel, “The Half-Life,” which was written by Jonathan Raymond, the director’s long-time cinematic collaborator. Nevertheless, with A24 handling distribution and Reichardt’s proven track record, “First Cow” is sure to spark conversation and polarize viewers.
Release Date: March 6, 2020. – JC
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“The Gift: Johnny Cash”
Cast: Emmylou Harris, Loretta Lynn, Dwight Yoakam, Graham Nash, Bruce Springsteen, Rosanne, and John Carter Cash, Rick Rubin
Synopsis: A new documentary about the life of legendary country singer Johnny Cash
What You Need To Know: Director Thom Zimny, uses audio of Cash from taped interviews as well as sit down interviews with some of country music’s greatest living artists as well as his children to weave a portrait of the singer-songwriter’s spiritual growth over the last 50 years of his life. Zimmy previously crafted documentaries about Springsteen and Elvis Presley. It’s a rare SXSW premiere to screen at Telluride.
Release Date: TBD. – GE
Tributes: Rene Zellweger, Adam Driver, Philip Kaufman
What You Need To Know: Zellweger will be on hand to discuss a career that has featured hits such as “Bridget Jones’s Diary,” “Jerry Maguire,” “Chicago” and an Oscar-winning turn in “Cold Mountain.” After a six-year break, she’s returning as the iconic Judy Garland in “Judy” which will screen after her tribute. Driver has gone from “Girls” to “Star Wars” and worked with some of today’s greatest filmmakers in-between. His tribute will be followed by “The Report,” which debuted at Sundance, and his latest film, “Marriage Story” will screen at Telluride following its premiere at Venice. The 82-year-old Kaufman is best known for directing 1978’s “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” 1983’s “The Right Stuff” and “The Unbearable Lightness of Being,” which landed him his only Academy Award nomination for screenwriting although ‘Stuff’ was nominated for Best Picture-winning four Oscars overall. He also earned a story credit on “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” – GE
The Telluride Film Festival runs August 30 – September 2. Look for our coverage beginning on Friday.
Follow along with all our 2019 Telluride Film Festival coverage here.
