Fall Film Festival Preview!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year… Fall film festivals are almost upon us! Hollywood has been buzzing with announcements over the past few weeks as the major festivals began to release their lineup of screenings. From Venice to Telluride to Toronto, we’ve got all the deets on what’s showing and who’s going!

Venice (August 29 – September 8)

Venice has some heavy hitters this year. Damien Chazelle is following up his La La Land success in a big way, opening the festival with his new flick First Man, starring Ryan Gosling as iconic astronaut Neil Armstrong and Claire Foy as his wife.

Luca Guadagnino is also returning for a second straight year of festivals, this time in the horror genre: Suspira, featuring Dakota Johnson. This is his first film after his amazing awards season run with Call Me By Your Name last year.

Other probable contenders with big names include: The Favourite, from director Yorgos Lanthimos, starring Oscar winners Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz; At Eternity’s Gate from Julian Schabel with Willem Dafoe and Oscar Isaac; and Jacques Audiard's The Sisters Brothers with Joaquin Phoenix, John C. Reilly, and Riz Ahmed.

Venice will also screen the premier of Bradley Cooper’s highly-anticipated remake of A Star Is Born, starring himself and Lady Gaga, though it isn’t in the running for any awards.

Telluride (August 31 – September 3)

Telluride is set to host the world premiere of two eagerly awaited titles. The first sees Melissa McCarthy taking on a rare dramatic role in Marielle Heller’s Can You Ever Forgive Me.

Next is David Lowery’s The Old Man & the Gun, starring the legendary Robert Redford in what he has said to be the last film we will see him in. Big stakes but it looks like it’s going to be a good one to go out on.

Also likely to screen at Telluride is The Front Runner, from Jason Reitman, with Hugh Jackman playing derailed 1988 presidential candidate Gary Hart, and Yann Demange’s newest film starring Matthew McConaughey, White Boy Rick.

Toronto (September 6 – 16)

Toronto has a huge lineup this year, so it’s sure to be star-studded and action-packed. It’s premiering If Beale Street Could Talk, from Barry Jenkins, an adaption of James Baldwin’s novel of the same name and is already getting awards buzz.

Felis van Groeningen’s Beautiful Boy, starring Oscar nominees Timothée Chalamet and Steve Carrell, is based on a true story about father and son’s relationship as one of them struggles to overcome addiction. I will be fighting my way to the front of the line to see this movie.

Another hotly-anticipated flim is from “This Is Us” creator Dan Fogelman, titled Life Itself, which boasts  an insane cast featuring Olivia Wilde, Oscar Isaac, Antonio Banderas, Samuel L. Jackson, and Annette Bening (just to name a few).

Other premieres include: Steve McQueen’s return with Widows, his first film since 12 Years A Slave (which won the Oscar for best picture) and which stars a huge cast including Viola Davis; Peter Hedges is bringing Ben Is Back to the show, which sees his son Lucas Hedges opposite Julia Roberts; The Land of Steady Habits with Ben Mendelsohn from Nicole Holohcener; George Tillman, Jr.’s big title The Hate U Give; Anthony Maras’s Hotel Mumbai with Dev Patel and Armie Hammer; Emilio Estevez’s The Public; and Trevor Nunn’s Red Joan with Judi Dench.

 We’re only a few weeks out from some of the biggest premiers of the year and I for one can’t wait to start my Oscar predictions. Which new movie are you most excited to see?

(Image via Universal Pictures)

- Kyla Killackey, YH Contributing Writer