The Circuit

On paper, Sundance and Telluride read like sister fests.  Both are set in old mining towns turned posh ski resorts, both covet their preems, and both can be termed the most extreme kind of film festival -- though on opposite ends.  Telluride works to keep the experience unchanging from year to year.  Sundance has both embraced its popularity and fought against it.

At the International Film Festival Summit in Vegas on Monday, Variety's Anne Thompson sat down with Sundance senior programmer Trevor Groth and Telluride co-director Gary Meyer for a panel titled "The Art and Philosophy of Curating a Film Festival."  The two programmers compared their events to a conference room full of anxious, note-taking festival directors. 

• Groth, a former Sundance intern who rose the ranks, said the competition element of Sundance has its pros and cons. "I think Robert Redford would be happy not to have a film competition," said Groth. "But the competition attracted foreign films that wanted to compete."

"The biggest discussion we have is whether to slot a film in the Competition or [non-competition] Spectrum program," said Groth.  "Small films that take chances work better outside the pressure of competition."  Groth singled out "The Blair Witch Project" as one that was almost slotted into the dramatic comp.  It instead played in the better-fitting Midnight section, where it stood out and was quickly picked up.

• While Telluride has no competition, Meyer spoke on the remarkable run of award winning films that they've unspooled.  "'Capote,' 'Brokeback Mountain,' and 'Walk the Line' really transformed Telluride,'" he said, into a true awards season opener.

But while they scored again with the world preem of "Slumdog Millionaire" the 2008 fest saw little award product:  "The WGA strike hurt.  A lot of films just weren't finished."

• At both fests this year, industry execs grumbled about the lack or product while cinestes praised both fests as having gone "back to its roots."  "Every few years we get that comment," said Groth, particularly when not much has sold.

• Meyer reflected on a time in Telluride's history when they almost became Sundance.  "Before Sundance became the market it is, years ago Hollywood execs and agents tried to push their way into Telluride," said Meyer.  The town, as it is famous for, pushed them right back out.  "So the industry went to Park City instead.  Thank god for that."

Photo by Eugene Hernandez, indieWIRE.