Evan Watters: Movies I Saw at the Telluride Film Festival!

First things first: I did NOT get to see the ultra-secret release of the new Nathan Fielder movie. But I heard it was nuts and definitely worth seeing.

READ MORE: Evan's time at the Telluride Film Festival

Anyways, presented in no particular order, here’s everything I saw:

The Debut (Dir. Jesse Eisenberg, in theaters December 11)

This was my favorite film of the fest this year. Julianne Moore plays a naive housewife who tries out for community theater in New Jersey and miraculously gets a big part. Paul Giamatti is the play's director, who encourages her to try method acting to get into the role. Unfortunately she then takes things way too far. Extremely funny and full of familiar faces. This was by far the most mainstream-feeling film I saw this year. 

Tenzing (Dir. Jennifer Peedom, in select theaters October 9, streaming on Apple TV October 16)

Another mainstream-ish movie. This one’s not as hard-hitting as some of the rest on this list, but it’s heartwarming and inspiring. It tells the story of the first ascent of Everest through the eyes of Tenzing Norgay, the lead Sherpa on the expedition and (along with Edmund Hillary) the first person to stand on top of Everest. It’s a nice story about two outsiders (Tenzing wasn’t actually a Sherpa, and Hillary wasn’t actually a Brit) fighting the odds and accomplishing something incredible together.

Excellent production value that led me to question if they were actually filming the climb on the side of a mountain. Willem Dafoe is in it too! Easily the most family-friendly on this list and would be a great suggestion if the fam’s looking for something to watch on Thanksgiving.

La Bola Negra (Dir. Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, in select theaters October 16 and on Netflix December 2)

Probably the best film at the fest, and there were some serious contenders this year. This is an epic Spanish film following the intertwined lives of three gay men connecting modern day to the Spanish Civil War. Inspired heavily by the work of Spanish playwright Federico García Lorca. I think this one is definitely a contender for some Oscars. It won Best Director(s) at Cannes. Worth seeing on a big screen, but it’s also a Netflix production so if you wait an extra month or two you can stream it at home.

Minotaur (Dir. Andrey Zvyagintsev, in select theaters November 20 and on Mubi eventually?)

This is a real film festival’s film. French-produced Grand Prix winner at Cannes made by an exiled Russian director and filmed in Latvia. It’s the story of a Russian executive navigating the simultaneous stresses of his wife’s infidelity and his government’s pressure to recruit soldiers for the Russo-Ukrainian War. Loosely based on a French film called The Unfaithful Wife. This has somewhat of a slow beginning, but once it gets cookin’ it really holds your attention. Needless to say, it’s pretty bleak.

Fjord (Dir. Cristian Mungiu, in select theaters October 9)

Palme d’Or winner at Cannes. Stars bald Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve. What more do I have to say? This one’s another film festival darling, the story of an ultra-traditional Romanian family whose parenting philosophy and religious orthodoxy are challenged when they move to a progressive town in Norway. Based on a true story, it follows the legal proceedings when the family’s children are taken away under suspicion of abuse.

Ultimately, it’s an impressively objective look at the limits and contradictions of tradition and tolerance. I stayed for the Q&A with the director after the film and got to hear the full story of how they convinced Sebastian Stan to shave his head. This one has a special place in my heart because 10 years ago at my first ever TFF I saw Mungiu’s film Graduation. And yes, it did start with a shot of a fjord and I did lean over to my friend and say “that’s the fjord.”

Bucking Fastard (Dir. Werner Herzog, release date TBD)

Time for something weird. Werner Herzog, the namesake of the theater I work at during the festival, is back with the story of two unnervingly close sisters on trial for attempting to unravel the life of their shared lover (based on a true story!) This one is more about vibes than plot, but it’s definitely worth seeing just for the wild performances of Kate and Rooney Mara. This one got mixed reactions from my friends. Everyone agreed that it was entertaining and unsettling, but some of us wished for a little bit more of a story. If nothing else, do yourself a favor and check out this clip of Werner describing the film.

Everest: The Other Side (Dir. Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, in theaters October 30)

This was an interesting experience. Saw this at the outdoor theater in Telluride Town Park, and the film itself features B-roll of Telluride Town Park. It’s a doc following two extreme mountaineers (and Telluride locals) Jim Morrison and Hilaree Nelson, as they attempt to be the first people to ever climb up and then ski down the north face of Mount Everest. Their quest is plagued by tragedy, avalanches, injuries, and setbacks, and the film goes on long enough for you to start questioning why they’re risking their lives.

The more I thought about this one, the less I empathized with those involved, however Jimmy Chin’s crew did an amazing job capturing what it actually looks and feels like to climb the most dangerous side of Everest. It’s a Nat Geo film so it should be pretty easy to find, probably ending up on Disney+ soon. I think the creation of this film directly led to the divorce of its two directors.

A Song for the Snow Lion (Dir. Pawo Choyning Dorji and Yo-Yo Ma, unsure about release)

A beautiful short film made by Bhutanese director Pawo Choyning Dorji and commissioned by Yo-Yo Ma as a warning about climate change’s devastating impact on glaciers in the Himalayas. The film explores Bhutan's culture of protecting the mountains and forests and its status as the only carbon-negative country in the world, and features local folktales and music. This one played before the other Everest doc, which seemed like an odd pairing (going straight from Bhutanese culture, history, and reverence into American ski bros rippin’ down Everest.)

This was followed by a surprise live performance by Yo-Yo Ma in an outdoor theater, which was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me. Worth checking out if it ends up streaming anywhere.

Tender Loving Care (Dir. Mike Leigh, in theaters December 4)

Probably the last film by Mike Leigh, who specializes in heartfelt and intimate looks at the British working class, this film explores empathy and compassion and will make you cry till it hurts. It follows Amy and Rosie, two social workers who move in together to help each other navigate their difficult careers and Amy’s divorce, just as another family crisis closes in. I loved this film. It’ll give you the warm-and-fuzzies just before tearing your heart out. Starring Kate O’Flynn, who’s having a big year with the release of Widow’s Bay.

Seriously, try and see this one. But bring tissues. 

Rose (Dir. Markus Schreiner, in theaters December 11)

A German film based on 17th-century folk tales of women pretending to be men. Film festival favorite Sandra Hüller plays a woman who actually fought in the 30 Years’ War but lies about every other aspect of her identity. She pretends to be her deceased male friend and inherits his claim to a large farmstead in a rural village. Things get complicated when she marries a young woman and is expected to provide her in-laws with a grandchild. The story didn’t feel terribly original, but the cinematography and performances made it worth watching.

The Liberation (Dir. Guy Nattiv, in theaters January 8)

Time for a cult movie! Based on the real story of the director’s grandmother, this film follows Holocaust survivor and overwhelmed mom/bank manager Rita Cooper (Carrie Coon), who is convinced to join a woman’s health and wellness group that slowly reveals more sinister intentions. Her two daughters, played by Bella Ramsey and Odessa Young, go to the group’s compound to try and get her back.

This one got some mixed reactions, but I was impressed by the film’s empathy towards Rita and the believability of her indoctrination into the group. By the end of it, my blood was boiling. No trailer for this one is out yet unfortunately.

The Only Living Pickpocket in New York (Dir. Noah Segan, in theaters October 30)

John Turturro plays an aging pickpocket who unknowingly rips off the heir of the New York Mafia, forcing him into a race against time to recover what was stolen before his wife is killed. Steve Buscemi plays his fence, and Jamie Lee Curtis plays the head of the mob. Sounds awesome, right? Unfortunately this was the most so-so film of the fest. I don’t know how you take such a cool concept and make a movie so boring. The performances from the big names in the cast were great, but some of the supporting actors were just terrible. This overwhelmingly had the feeling of a bunch of nepo babies getting together and trying and failing to make a Scorsese movie.


And that’s everything I saw! A few other things that played that I didn’t see personally:

Club Kid: Many of my friends enjoyed this one. 

Elsinore: Sounds like Andrew Scott is likely to win the Oscar for Best Actor for this one.

Wild Horse Nine: Big John Malkovich movie. I wish I had gotten to see this one but I ran out of time.

Alpha Gang: Weird movie about alien bikers. Sounds like it was entertaining but didn’t have much of a story to it.