Highlights from the 2007 Telluride Film Fest

The 2007 Telluride Film Festival, rated by many as one of the top ten film festivals in the world and one of the top 3 in the United States (wikipedia), wrapped up the night of Monday, September 3^rd. I was lucky enough to be hired on as staff this year, serving concessions.

Telluride is notorious for selecting movies which go on to huge acclaim and big time awards. Last year saw the premier of The Last King of Scotland and a selection of films that also included Babel, Volver, and The Lives of Others. Clearly, TFF has a knack for selecting major Oscar contending films. I'm sure that this year saw many powerhouse films yet again. While TFF does not give any awards to the films screened, merely being chosen for this festival is a great honor.

This year again saw a focus on independent films, and here are some of the ones that I think you'll be hearing a lot about in the near future.

Into the Wild

Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to see this one, because it was sold out everytime I tried to go. This film is the adaptation of the popular Jon Krakaeur novel. Sean Penn directed this 2 ½ hour movie about a man seeking the refuge of nature. Sean Penn was in Telluride to promote the film, which is due to be released on September 21^st. This could mark a major transition for Penn, and will surely garner a lot of attention for his directing talent. Into the Wild was one of the biggest buzz movies around town.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Jean-Dominique Bauby, the former publisher of Elle, suffered a sudden, massive stroke which left him incapable of any movement outside of one eye. With help, he was able to compose a memoir of his paralyzed life using an interesting technique, which I do not want to ruin for anyone. This film is not only the adaptation of that memoir, but an intimate look inside the life of a man whose mind remains active despite his extreme disability.