The Circuit

A note to buyers interested in "The Wrestler," screening tonight -- have your awards season strategy ready.

In Nick Vivarelli's story here, the pic's Italian distrib is looking at an early 2009 release:

A U.S. distribution deal for “The Wrestler,” which is co-produced by Gaul’s Wild Bunch, is now deemed imminent in Toronto.

Andrea Occhipinti, topper of Lucky Red, the pic’s Italo distrib, said he was eyeing a January release date "after the Oscars campaign."

Well before "The Wrestler's" win in Venice today, buyers have lined up in Toronto, eagerly hoping to get a foot in the door before Darren Aronofsky's film unspools tommorow.

The film's seller, CAA, says they won't be doing anything until after the film screens.

Here's Todd McCarthy's rave:

Talk about comebacks. After many years in the wilderness and being considered MIA professionally, Mickey Rourke, just like the washed-up character he plays, attempts a return to the big show in "The Wrestler." Not only does he pull it off, but Rourke creates a galvanizing, humorous, deeply moving portrait that instantly takes its place among the great, iconic screen performances. An elemental story simply and brilliantly told, Darren Aronofsky's fourth feature is a winner from every possible angle.         

by Nick Vivarelli
As the Toronto Film Festival gets underway, a few notes on this year’s Venice.

It’s not over yet, but more than halfway through, the first edition of Marco Mueller’s (pictured with Anne Hathaway) new four-year mandate has all the makings of an off-year. An honorable off-year, maybe. But still an edition during which the din of complaints – pretty much a constant at all film fests – has spiralled to an almost unbearable level.

Some random Venice-venting from anglo journos/critics overheard this morning at the Hathaway-starrer “Rachel Getting Married” press screening.

“Marco is in trouble. If he doesn’t get his act together next year, then the majors will snub Venice entirely and start just going to Toronto.”

“I’ve been coming for twenty years, but I don’t know if I will be able to come back next year; I just didn’t get enough interviews to justify the cost.” 

So how bad is Venice this year?

Well, first the bright side. The weather has been fantastic, almost always sunny, albeit humid. A slight decrease in attendees, about 12%, means it’s easier to parc your bicycle and get a table at Valentino, the only decent restaurant near the Palazzo del Cinema. And speaking of Valentino, the party at the Guggenheim Museum on the Grand Canal for docu “Valentino: The Last Emperor,” by former Vanity Fair journo Matt Tyrnauer, was a blast even though the food took ages. 

The real bummer are the movies. Still, Jonathan Demme’s “Rachel” went over well today, after a half-dozen other pics in the competish –  Hayao Miyazaki’s toon “Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea,” Amazon-set “Birdwatchers,” by Marco Bechis, Teutonic helmer Christian Petzold’s “Jerichow,” Takeshi Kitano’s “Achilles and the Tortoise,” Guillermo Arriaga’s “The Burning Plain,” and Alexey German Jr’s “Paper Soldier” – all seemed solid, though nothing to get too excited about, which of course is the problem.

Mueller at a luncheon today said the selection “reflects what is going on in world cinema today.”

He also pointed out that about one-third of his selection will now be screening in Toronto. 

So, be warned.


Photo by Dominique Charriau/WireImage.com

Anne T pointed to an Italian site, Badtaste, that has pics of Venice fest films, including a few rarities from Aronofsky's "The Wrestler" featuring a chewed-up Mickey Rourke.

There's another that has a poster in the background which I hope doesn't give away a plot-line.

Nick Vivarelli has the Venice lineup here.

Darren Aronofsky’s “The Wrestler,” Jonathan Demme’s “Rachel Getting Married,” Kathryn Bigelow’s “Hurt Locker,” and Joel and Ethan Coen’s “Burn After Reading” (pictured) will world preem at the 65th Venice Film Festival, alongside eminently ample lineups from Europe and Asia.

Similar to Cannes this year, the Lido’s upcoming edition, which unspools Aug. 27-Sept. 6, is lighter on Yank pics, largely due to a dearth caused by the writers’ strike.

How the strike is affecting fests is something Anne Thompson wrote about here.  That, combined with the fact that studios want their films in the first weekend of Toronto (since much of the press leaves afterwards) leads to the famous Venice/Toronto premiere conflicts. 

Venice will world preem "Babel" writer Guillermo Arriaga's directorial debut "The Burning Plain" starring Charlize Theron and Kim Basinger, writes Nick Vivarelli. 

He also lists some other rumored titles for the Lido:

"Milk," Gus Van Sant's biopic of slain gay pol Harvey Milk, with Sean Penn in the title role; Robert De Niro/Al Pacino starrer "Righteous Kill," helmed by Jon Avnet; Michael Winterbottom's "Genoa"; and Spike Lee's "Miracle at St. Anna."

You may have missed this among the holidays, but Nick Vivarelli has a report on Rome moving their dates closer to Venice. 

Rome is abandoning its customary mid-October start in favor of a Oct. 2 kickoff for its 2008 edition, in a move expected to re-ignite tensions between Italy’s two high-profile events.

And since that could put it within a month of Venice, the fest is pissed. 

New Venice Biennale topper Paolo Baratta has reportedly fired off a peeved missive to Rome fest officials asking for clarifications.

The drama between these two fests keeps building.  And with all the ego, money, and tradition involved, expect it to get worse.

“Brokeback Mountain” Golden Lion-winner Ang Lee won his second Lion for  “Lust, Caution” at the Venice Film Festival, while the Silver Lion for directing went to Brian De Palma for “Redacted.”  Todd Haynes “I’m Not There” collected awards -- the Special Jury Prize and Best Actress for Cate Blanchett.  Brad Pitt won for “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.”

Complete list here.

The producers, actors and director of "The Hunting Party," premiering at Venice, announced they'll donate their profits from the film's release in former Yugoslavia to charities committed to de-mining. Also, QED International (the producer) is donating its fee on the sale of the territory.

But no word yet on what exactly "profits" mean. Their backend participation? How much profit does Richard Gere make after the film screens in the small, Eastern European area? The various distributors, including the Weinsteins in the US, aren't mentioned as participating in the endeavor.

Fest director Marco Mueller tells Nick Vivarelli about the wrecking ball (pictured with fest president David Croff), smashing through the Palazzo del Cinema, right behind the red carpet. 

The big sphere... is a set piece by Oscar-winning production designer Dante Ferretti, devised with Mueller to celebrate Venice's 75th anniversary, just as construction on new futuristic digs at the Lido are finally said to be about to start.

"It's definitely a sign that there is bound to be a new phase, because, with all this history, if we don't keep moving, then Venice will just keep repeating itself and fade," a relaxed Mueller told Daily Variety Tuesday as he sipped Chinese tea in his office.