Telluride Film Festival Overcomes Anxiety Amidst Hollywood Strikes
Majestic vistas, burbling brooks, and sanguine festival goers set the stage for the prestigious Telluride Film Festival, which showcased the most prestigious films of the year. However, this year’s festival was overshadowed by the ongoing strikes in Hollywood, causing anxiety and nervousness among attendees.
Julie Huntsinger, the executive director of the Telluride Film Festival, expressed the challenges of organizing the event amidst the strikes. With the writers’ strike reaching its fourth month and actors joining the strike, there was uncertainty surrounding the festival. Huntsinger had to plead with companies to ensure their films would still be shown.
Despite the concerns, the festival went on without a hitch. Telluride, known as a preferred stop for films vying for Oscar consideration, received every movie it requested, including several world premieres. While some filmmakers attend in search of distribution partners, the festival primarily focuses on viewing rather than sales opportunities.
However, the strikes did impact the festival, particularly for actors and tributes. Scheduled tributes for Annette Bening and Gael García Bernal were canceled, and prominent actors such as Austin Butler, Paul Mescal, Jodie Foster, and Colman Domingo did not attend the festival, despite their films premiering. Actors faced a complicated situation due to the strikes, especially with the restrictions imposed by the SAG-AFTRA union.
The union has been on strike against major studios since July, forbidding its members from promoting any project financed by them. While independent films can receive special dispensation, termed an “interim agreement,” allowing their members to promote their projects, the big-studio-backed films faced restrictions. Eleven of the 26 narrative films shown at Telluride were backed by major studios, preventing their actors from attending.
Actors attending the festival navigated the delicate balance between supporting their union and promoting their films. Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who attended with her film “Tuesday” from indie studio A24, received an interim agreement just days before the premiere. She made a rousing speech on behalf of her union and highlighted her film’s work and her stance on the strikes.
While studio executives did not comment on the strikes, they acknowledged the bittersweet screening experience without actors present to share in the success of their films. However, some actors, like Emma Stone and Dakota Johnson, followed the union’s guidance, attending the festival but not promoting their films.
Despite the challenges, the festival continued, with filmmakers and actors embracing the event’s convivial atmosphere. The premiere of Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi’s first narrative feature, “Nyad,” starred Annette Bening and Jodie Foster, who couldn’t attend due to their affiliation with Netflix, a member of the studio alliance. The filmmakers praised the actors’ performances while expressing their respect for the writers and actors on strike.
As the Telluride Film Festival celebrated its 50th anniversary, it proved that even in the midst of labor unrest in Hollywood, the show must go on. The festival’s commitment to showcasing exceptional films and providing a platform for emerging and established talents prevailed, despite the challenges posed by the strikes.