Awards Check up - Fall Festivals Edition

As Labor Day approaches, cinephiles and film fans will be flocking towards the big fall festivals that signify the unofficial start of the awards season. Most films that studios intend to aim for the Academy Awards, and the boosted economic and social profile that goes with them, will be seen for the first time by the public over the course of these next two weeks. From major box office hits to the long-awaited returns of auteurs, the fall festival circuit is back in full gear after COVID-19.

The three film festivals in question are the 78th Venice Film Festival held in Venice, Italy, the 46th Toronto International Film Festival held in Toronto, Canada, and the 48th Telluride Film Festival, held in Telluride, Colorado. While there are other highly anticipated festivals, such as the New York Film Festival in mid-September or the Cannes festival held earlier this summer, these are the three where one can expect most awards contenders to make their debuts.

Unsurprisingly, the most eccentric and interesting projects will be premiering at the 78th Venice Film Festival, which started September 1st and will go until September 11th. Internationally renowned filmmakers like Paolo Sorrentino and Pedro Almodóvar will be premiering their works The Hand of God and Parallel Mothers, respectively. Since 2018, a non-English director has been nominated for Best Director at the Academy Awards, so keep an eye on both of those.

One can expect a multitude of awards contenders and box office hits to premiere here as well. Options range from the always eccentric and creative Paul Schrader and his Oscar Isaac-led film The Card Counter to the newest film in the popular horror franchise Halloween Kills. Venice exclusives include one of two films from legendary director Ridley Scott, The Last Duel, which also features the first time Ben Affleck and Matt Damon have collaborated on a screenplay since their Academy Award-winning Good Will Hunting.

Closer to the United States but not quite, the 46th Toronto International Film Festival will go from September 9th to September 18th in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Palme d’Or winner Titane will be making its North American debut at TIFF, as will previous Academy Award winner Asghar Farhadi and his newest film A Hero. Farhadi has won two Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film, and the category in recent years has included one non-English language director in the Best Director category (since 2018). Farhadi, plus the previously mentioned Almodóvar and Sorrentino, could all find themselves in that one slot.

The festival opens with the film adaptation of the popular Broadway show Dear Evan Hansen, directed by Stephen Chbosky and starring the original Broadway star Benjamin Platt. Jessica Chastain will also premiere her newest film, The Eyes of Tammy Faye while receiving an honorary Actress award as the televangelist Tammy Faye. Kristen Stewart will have the North American premiere of her awards vehicle, the Princess Diana biopic Spencer. Olivia Colman, a previous winner for the 2018 film The Favourite and recent nominee for The Father in Supporting Actress at last year’s Academy Awards, will be taking another shot at awards in Maggie Gyllenhaal’s directorial debut, The Lost Daughter.

The shortest but the most impactful of the festivals, the 48th Telluride Film Festival is widely perceived as a necessary stop for any awards contender. Past Best Picture winners and nominees have all had a showing at Telluride, including winners Spotlight, Moonlight, The Shape of Water, and Parasite. While a showing at Telluride isn’t a guarantee for success, especially with more lowkey slates like this year’s, reactions from Telluride often serve as the launching pad for previously unexpected contenders.

In terms of the biggest star profiles to enter the festival, none come bigger than Will Smith. The legendary actor is releasing a memoir and a stand-up special later this year and will be debuting his newest film, the biopic about the father of tennis players Serena and Venus Williams. Biopics are like catnip to awards voters, and one featuring the overdue Smith in a category that favors this type of performance is bound to dominate the conversation. It is important to note that 7 of the last 11 Best Actor winners were in biopics. Other big-time celebrities making debuts will be Joaquin Phoenix in Mike Mill’s C’mon C’mon, about a filmmaker and his nephew going on a road trip, and Cyrano, a musical adaptation of the play starring Peter Dinklage.

As one can expect from festivals of this caliber, multiple films will be showing at two or even all three festivals. Films making the rounds at all three festivals include the previously mentioned Spencer, as well as The Power of the Dog, the long-awaited return to cinema from Jane Campion. The film happens to be Netflix’s highest-profile contender. The film’s star, Benedict Cumberbatch, will be receiving an honorary award at TIFF, providing his campaign an early boost to compete with industry veterans like Smith and Phoenix.

Several films will be premiering at two festivals, from Edgar Wright’s horror period piece Last Night in Soho at TIFF and Venice to Kenneth Branagh’s semi-autobiographic drama Belfast premiering at Telluride and TIFF. The Lost Daughter, A Hero, and The Hand of God are also films making bows at Telluride and the other two festivals.

One film in particular that will be premiering at both is perhaps the most anticipated film for the year; Dune, Denis Villeneuve’s science fiction epic based on the cult classic novel by Frank Herbert. Initially planned to release in 2020 but pushed back to COVID-19, Dune could be the rare genre film to enter into the awards conversation. As the debate of streaming versus theatrical releases heats up, Dune may see itself become a hot topic when it makes its theatrical debut to the public. If publicity plus quality ends up happening, the next Get Out or Mad Max: Fury Road may be upon us.

For the full lineups of every festival, please click here for Venice, here for TIFF, and here for Telluride.