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"The Imitation Game," starring Benedict Cumberbatch as British
World War II code-breaker Alan Turing and "Wild" featuring Reese
Witherspoon as a heart-broken woman trekking solo over hundreds
of miles of wilderness are among the 25 new feature films in
Telluride's main program.
The directorial debut of comedian and "The Daily Show" host Jon
Stewart, "Rosewater," the true story of a BBC journalist
imprisoned in Iran, will also show in the Colorado mountain
town's event, now in its 41st year.
Telluride and Toronto are both considered kick-offs to Oscar
season and competition between them heated up this year after
the Canadian festival refused to program films in the first four
days that premiered elsewhere.
That decision came after high-profile movies like Oscar winner
"12 Years a Slave" went to Telluride before Toronto last year
and stole thunder from the Canadian showcase.
The rule change put filmmakers and studios in a bind, because
they like to build buzz around their films in stages. Missing
the first four days at Toronto, when the festival draws the most
media attention, could reduce their exposure.
Minutes after the line-up was released, Stewart told Reuters
that, as a newcomer to the film world, "ignorance was bliss" and
he wasn't "that familiar with that type controvery."
"I think there is more of a sense of feeling pretty fortunate to
be involved with both" festivals, Stewart said.
Telluride is a small gathering of industry elite, film writers
and film buffs, while Toronto is a behemoth, screening 285
feature films from Sept. 4 to 14. The drama "12 Years a Slave"
won the top award there, voted by ordinary moviegoers, and went
on to win the best picture Oscar.
Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's "Birdman"
generated Oscar buzz after opening the Venice Film Festival on
Wednesday, and will also show at Telluride, which runs Friday to
Monday.
(Reporting by Mary Milliken; Editing by Eric Kelsey and Gunna
Dickson)
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