Best of the Fests: Telluride Goes Global

With a dearth of homegrown product, the Telluride Film Festival has gone for an international flavor this year. Only two American films -- Paul Schrader's Holocaust survivor drama Adam Resurrected (starring Jeff Goldblum, Willem Dafoe and Derek Jacobi) and Tim Disney's racial conflict drama American Violet (starring Alfre Woodard, Michael O'Keefe and Tim Blake Nelson) -- are on the schedule for the 35th annual fest, which starts today and runs through Monday.

Other notable features set to appear include Kim Ji-Woon's "Asian spaghetti western" The Good, the Bad and the Weird, Mike Leigh's Happy-Go-Lucky, Steve McQueen's Cannes winner Hunger, Philippe Claudel's I've Loved You So Long (starring a French speaking Kristin Scott Thomas) and Ari Folman's animated documentary Waltz with Bashir.

Also screening this weekend is David Fincher's director's cut of Zodiac; the director will also receive a Silver Medallion award from the fest, along with actress Jean Simmons (Spartacus, Guys and Dolls), Scandinavian filmmaker Jan Troell (The Emigrants) and film critic Richard Schickel, who will screen his documentary You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story. For more information, see Variety's preview of the festival.

In related news, Turner Classic Movies will air a 24-hour marathon of films honored by the Telluride Film Festival on Monday, beginning at 8:00 PM EST. Scheduled movies include Steamboat Bill, Jr.; Sophie's Choice; Sunrise; Au Revoir, Les Enfants, Touch of Evil and the original 3:10 to Yuma.

UPDATE: Cinematical's Kim Voynar has a great wrap up of this year's Telluride fest, including buzz on the transgender-themed documentary Prodigal Sons, the well received, unscheduled screening of Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire, and Jeff Goldblum's Oscar chances for Adam Resurrected.