Day three at Telluride was jam-packed with exciting activities. I watched four films: The Zone of Interest, All of Us Strangers, Fingernails, and the North American Premiere of Poor Things. In addition to these screenings, I had the pleasure of enjoying a tribute to the talented Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos, known for his remarkable films like Dogtooth, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, The Lobster, The Favourite, and now, Poor Things. To top it off, we wrapped up the day with some late-night fun at a few studio parties.
My day commenced with Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest, a thought-provoking narrative set against the backdrop of the Auschwitz extermination camp, as seen through the lens of a German family residing just beyond its boundaries. In classic Glazer style, every frame in Zone is crafted with a deliberate and patient touch, inviting us to contemplate even the most subtle nuances. Much like his cinematic idol, Stanley Kubrick, Glazer is inclined to leave ample room for interpretation and discussion, particularly within the niche community of film enthusiasts.
The film is a visual masterpiece, although it occasionally lingers a touch too long in its enigmatic shadows. At its core, the film appears to tackle a seemingly straightforward premise: a German family finds solace in the routine struggles of daily life, such as job relocations, extramarital affairs, and the natural antics of children. However, what renders this experience profoundly unsettling is that this family navigates their existence amidst the haunting backdrop of the agonizing cries of Jews being consumed by flames, bullets, and drowning. These harrowing sounds become the disconcerting soundtrack of their lives, akin to the commonplace sounds of birds chirping, traffic bustling, and the gentle rustling of tree-lined suburban streets would for you and me.
The Zone of Interest boasts several brilliantly crafted scenes, such as the nuanced interactions between the elder and younger brother within the family greenhouse and a thought-provoking moment of clarity exhibited by the commandant towards the film’s conclusion. The latter scene appears heavily influenced by Kubrick’s iconic 2001: A Space Odyssey and is destined to loiter in my memory.
This film didn’t immediately reveal its full impact to me, leaving me somewhat uncertain upon initial viewing. However, I found myself genuinely admiring Glazer’s audacious ambition and his ability to execute his vision. The more it sat with me and the more I talked about it with other filmgoers, The Zone of Interest continued to evolve in my mind. It became increasingly evident that this is a work that demands revisitation to fully uncover its intricate layers and subtle nuances. It’s a cinematic experience that matures and deepens with reflection, making it all the more deserving of multiple viewings.
You can read Clarence’s full review here.
The next film I took in was Andrew Haigh’s exquisite All of Us Strangers, loosely based on Taichi Yamada’s 1987 novel, Strangers. Haigh’s previous work includes Lean On Pete and 45 Years, but with his latest film, Haigh has reached new heights and crafted something utterly and profoundly beautiful.
Andrew Scott gives a career-best performance playing Adam, a struggling writer whose life takes an unexpected turn when he encounters the mysterious Harry (Paul Mescal) in their desolate apartment building. While the narrative initially unfolds as a typical boy-meets-boy love story, Haigh masterfully injects a bit of magic by having Adam reunite with his long-deceased parents, who have not aged since their catastrophic car accident, still residing in his childhood suburban home.
All of Us Strangers is a poignant and graceful love story that evokes deep emotions. I was genuinely moved by the film’s intimate and sensitive exploration of the connections we forge in life and the inevitable need to let go and move forward from them in various ways. What struck me most was the diverse perspectives it elicited from my peers – some grappling with the recent loss of a parent, others connecting on a deeply personal level. My own connection to the film centered on the portrayal of the parents, played by Jamie Bell and Claire Foy. I’ve often contemplated what it would be like to be the same age as my children, much like Adam is with his parents. The idea of engaging with them on an equal intellectual level resonated deeply with me, and I couldn’t help but contemplate how different life would be in such a scenario. All of Us Strangers deeply moved me.
The third movie I watched was Fingernails, directed by Christos Nikou and featuring an ensemble cast including Jessie Buckley, Riz Ahmed, Jeremy Allen White, Annie Murphy, and Luke Wilson. In this whimsical love story, set in a world where a scientific study can determine if couples are truly in love, Anna (Buckley) and Amir (Ahmed) work together at the institute responsible for helping couples strengthen their relationships before they test. Despite both being in relationships that passed the assessment, Anna and Amir’s chemistry quickly grows, leading them to question the test’s effectiveness.
Fingernails is a quirky and charming little film that strikes a delightful balance between humor and drama. Jessie Buckley and Riz Ahmed deliver terrific performances, as always, and Christos Nikou is emerging as a promising director worth watching. During the Q&A that followed the screening, Nikou discussed his approach of finding the “melancholic smile” in his films by blending comedy and drama to create the perfect equilibrium. With Fingernails, Nikou has undoubtedly achieved just that.
I concluded the screenings for the day with the North American Premiere of Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things, a film that had already garnered rapturous reviews at Venice earlier in the week. Lanthimos himself attended for a Tribute, which was bestowed to him by Karyn Kusama (Destroyer). The audience was treated to a highlight reel of his films, including The Favourite, which had graced Telluride’s screens back in 2018.
In Poor Things, Lanthimos reunites with the screenwriter of The Favourite, Tony McNamara, and the talented actress Emma Stone to deliver one of the most wildly bizarre cinematic experiences you’re likely to witness. This Victorian-era feminist take on the Frankenstein story sees Stone in the role of Bella, a young woman reanimated by a mad scientist (Willem Dafoe). Initially possessing an infantile brain, we watch as Bella evolves from her feeble-minded, childlike beginnings into an educated and independent woman throughout the course of the film.
Mark Ruffalo brings a humorous touch as the scoundrel who takes advantage of Bella during her early years, providing her with an education in all matters sexual. It’s the best performance of Ruffalo’s career, and he nearly steals the show if the same weren’t also true for Emma Stone. Her brilliance is undeniable. Together, they make this ferociously entertaining tale work in unexpected and captivating ways.
Poor Things is equal parts brilliance and madness. Peculiar, perverse, and preposterous in all the best ways. It’s undoubtedly a strong contender for multiple Oscar categories, particularly Production Design (Shona Heath and James Price), Costume Design (Holly Waddington), and Makeup/Hairstyling (Claire Campbell), all of which had been anticipated since the release of the first trailer for the film. Poor Things also stands a good chance in categories such as Best Picture, Best Director (Lanthimos), Best Actress (Stone), Best Supporting Actor (Ruffalo, and perhaps Dafoe), Best Adapted Screenplay (McNamara), Best Film Editing (Yorgos Mavropsaridis), and Best Visual Effects.
The film’s buzz from Venice has only been amplified by its warm reception here in Telluride. Poor Things is unquestionably the must-see film in this year’s lineup.
To conclude the day, I attended a couple of studio parties, offering me the opportunity to reconnect with Emerald Fennell and be introduced to other esteemed directors like Oscar-winner Barry Jenkins (Moonlight) and Matthew Heineman (American Symphony). However, the festival’s standout moment for me was the chance to meet the Oscar-winning cinematographer, Linus Sandgren, renowned for his exceptional work on La La Land and First Man, which rank among my all-time favorite cinematic achievements. He also shot Fennell’s Saltburn, a film that impressed me with its unique 1.33:1 aspect ratio.
It was a very cool, laid back, and extremely informative conversation that I will long remember, making it a truly appreciated highlight of the festival.
Day four unfolds rather leisurely, featuring only one scheduled screening – Anatomy of a Fall – along with a couple more studio gatherings. But man, this turned out to be an absolutely remarkable day.
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