“Fall festivals are fucked.”
That was one studio executive’s blunt assessment about the impact of an actors’ strike on the rapidly approaching Telluride, Toronto and New York film festivals. Showcasing Oscar contenders at these annual events is going to be much more difficult now that SAG-AFTRA has joined the WGA on the picket lines.
“You can’t premiere movies anywhere without your stars,” the executive said. “No stars, no movie.”
And SAG-AFTRA has made it clear that its members are not to do any promotional activity around their movies until a new contract deal is reached and ratified. So that means that the red carpets that make these festivals massive media events will be significantly less celebrity-studded. So why would studios shell out hundreds of thousands, even millions of dollars, to launch a movie at one of these gatherings?
First up is the Venice Film Festival, which takes place Aug. 30 through Sept. 9. Films such as Michael Mann’s “Ferrari” with Adam Driver and Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Poor Things” are expected to premiere at the gathering, though it’s unclear if the studios behind those films will move forward with plans if a strike is still taking place.
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The Telluride Film Festival is set to begin its 50th edition on Aug. 31 and last through Labor Day. The Colorado festival has not traditionally announced its lineup until the day before it starts, but it usually boasts most of the major awards contenders. Even today, press accreditations went out to attending media.
Of all the upcoming festivals, Telluride may be the least impacted by the SAG and WGA strikes. That’s because there are no press conferences and lavish step-and-repeats outside of the various venues around town. You could, in theory, find an A-list star walking around town and attending any of the selected movies — as long as they aren’t technically promoting them. However, per SAG-AFTRA rules shared during a call with publicists earlier this week, the studios can not foot the bill to send them to the expensive film festival, nor can actors attend studio-sponsored parties. Of course, the actor would not be able to introduce or participate in any of the Q&As or receive any of the three festival tributes they bestow yearly. Traditionally, the fest has favored filmmakers rather than stars for their honorees. Paid tributes in 2022 were directors Sarah Polley (“Women Talking”) and Mark Cousins, along with actress Cate Blanchett (“TÁR”).
“Telluride will be mostly unaffected,” one studio executive tells Variety. “I can’t say the same for the others.”
One group of talent won’t be impacted are the filmmakers themselves. That’s because the Directors Guild of America has already secured a new contract, but will the likes of Mann and Lanthimos be big enough draws to generate the attention these movies need to break through the cultural conversation? Internally, studio executives are considering delaying the release of some prestige films, believing they need acting talent to generate excitement.
When it comes to the Toronto International Film Festival, it’s a tailor-made launching pad for both consumer and awards-friendly titles such as Taika Waititi’s upcoming sports film “Next Goal Wins” with Michael Fassbender. TIFF will likely be the most impacted if a deal isn’t reached with both guilds. Without stars in attendance, sponsored photo and video studios will disappear, and the media presence will shrink considerably.
One awards and publicity strategist said studios are already considering pulling their movies from TIFF if a deal isn’t reached quickly, saying, “Why would they spend all this money to send the directors and producers to these expensive places? It’s not worth it for them.”
They’re not alone in that sentiment. Multiple sources at varying studios also tell Variety the possibility of pulling premieres is not off the table. Directors and producers could find out the hard way just how “unfamous” they really are in the eyes of consumers.
Led by Cameron Bailey, CEO of TIFF, the Canadian international festival has been among the most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. After canceling the in-person event in 2020 along with every other fest, 2021 was muted with very few movie stars, and 2022 saw a moderate uptick but also went up against the Primetime Emmys during its first weekend (which would happen again this year).
TIFF has a proven track record for spotlighting movies that dominate awards season, such as “Nomadland” and “Green Book,” but that probably won’t be enough to convince studios to pay for a splashy premiere in Canada’s biggest city.
And suppose a strike continues to drag on later in the fall. In that case, the likes of the New York Film Festival, which announced Todd Haynes’ “May December” as its opener, and the regional festivals that have become integral to the awards machine, such as Middleburg, Mill Valley and SCAD, may all have trouble finding movies to fill their screens.
One lingering question surrounds non-English language titles from international territories, whose actors and writers may not have any guild affiliation but already have U.S. distribution. How would the striking industry look upon those brought to the region by the studios? Would the guilds feel slighted? One publicist shares, “If major publications still have a presence, and the A-listers like Leonardo DiCaprio are not there to suck up all the oxygen, maybe they can have a bigger breakout or launch.”
We remain in limbo.
