Toronto Film Festival opens as Telluride closes with awards contenders
Telluride has wrapped with strong buzz for Danny Boyle's 'Ink' and Mike Leigh's 'Tender Loving Care', while Toronto begins today.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
The fall film season is now in full swing, with the Toronto International Film Festival opening today as the Venice Film Festival winds down and the Telluride Film Festival has just concluded. The four-day Telluride event, set in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, is known for its relaxed atmosphere, with no paparazzi and no awards, focusing purely on the art of cinema.
Several films generated significant buzz in Telluride. Danny Boyle's 'Ink', a story about Rupert Murdoch's impact on tabloid journalism in late 1960s Britain, drew attention. Boyle, whose 'Slumdog Millionaire' launched at Telluride in 2008 and went on to win eight Oscars, expressed hope that this new film would be as interesting to audiences. The world premiere of 'Tender Loving Care', said to be the final film from veteran UK filmmaker Mike Leigh, was also a highlight. The 83-year-old Leigh could not attend, but sent a video message, and the audience responded with a warm show of appreciation. Actor Marion Bailey, who plays Birdie in the film, introduced it, describing it as being about love and people looking after each other.
Another notable premiere was 'Elsinore', a film about the late Scottish actor Ian Charleson, who starred in 'Chariots of Fire' in 1981. Andrew Scott's portrayal of Charleson, who performed Hamlet on stage in 1989 while suffering from AIDS, was widely praised and sparked Oscar speculation.
The festival also featured powerful documentaries. 'Rehearsals for a Revolution' offered a deep look into Iran over the past four decades, going beyond the news to capture the lives and dreams of the people. A surprise screening of 'You Can See Everything' became a real event, with Elizabeth Holmes, the imprisoned founder of a medical testing company convicted of fraud, having given filmmakers extraordinary access before going to jail. The documentary's intense interview sequences captivated festival goers.
As Telluride wound down, the consensus was that it had once again delivered compelling cinema and identified films and performances that will likely gain recognition as awards season gathers momentum. Now all eyes turn to Toronto, which continues the busy month for film.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC News |
|---|---|
| Telluride launched Slumdog Millionaire in 2008, which went on to win eight Oscars. | |
| Tender Loving Care is said to be Mike Leigh's final film. | |
| The Toronto Film Festival began on the day of the report. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
BBC News provided a detailed, on-the-ground report from Telluride, focusing on the festival's unique atmosphere and the films generating awards buzz. It highlighted specific performances and documentaries, and noted the start of Toronto as part of the broader festival season. The tone was informative and celebratory, with a clear emphasis on the artistic and cultural significance of the films.
- “It's so laid back. There's no paparazzi and there's no awards. It's just about the art of film.”
- “For me, the Telluride film with the best performances came in the world premiere of Tender Loving Care, what is said to be the final film of veterans celebrated UK filmmaker, Mike Leigh.”
- “As the festival wound down, the consensus was that Telluride once again did what it nearly always does, deliver some compelling cinema and identify films and performances that will go on to get recognition just as awards season is gathering momentum.”
Broadcast Timeline
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