There is no red carpet, there are no frills, the director told me.
If you see a filmmaker in line for a cup of coffee, speak to them.
They actually want to be engaged.
Trevante Rhodes, Janelle Monáe, André Holland, Naomie Harris and Barry Jenkins in 2016 at the ‘Moonlight’ world premiere at Telluride.Baz Bamigboye
Thats why filmmakers come over and over again, year after year.
Watch on Deadline
That vibe continues, he said.
However, he noted that the short films are free for one and all to see.
Barry JenkinsTIFF
Jenkins has curated the short film section for the past decade, a task he continues to this day.
And its crazy, he said.
Im saying this of the town in the middle of nowhere.
Its very difficult to get to and very expensive these days.
Whitest, wealthiest place Ive ever been to in my life, and I didnt feel any of that.
That first time, Jenkins remembers attending Q&A sessions with Fernando Meirelles, whoseCity of Godwas shown.
Chris Hedges and D.A.
Lynne Ramsay screenedMorvern Callar, and David Cronenberg showedSpider.
Really cool to be in that kind of environment and have that kind of access, he said.
And then the art is secondary.
Indeed, my own first encounter here was with Brad Pitt.
He was right in front of me on Colorado Avenue, the towns Main Street.
Dont you want to say, Hi, we have met, we do know each other?
We had a nice chat about films.
Not his private life.
This rarely, if ever, happens at the likes of Cannes, Venice, London or Toronto.
You do bump into people at such places, but theres a wall between you and them.
The wall consists of agents, producers, studio people and publicists.
Brad Pitt that day in 2012 was on his own.
Join us, he said.
Jenkins remembers walking down the street and tapping Cronenberg on the shoulder.
I was like, Hey, I really dug your film [Spider].
It was really beautiful.
He goes, Oh, cool, thank you very much.
I go, Can I ask you a question?
He goes, Yeah.
Jenkins grimaced as he recalled the conversation.
I was a kid.
This was the worst question I could ever ask.
Jenkins said Cronenberg responded: Well, you have to unpack what the word pretension means.
Am I trying to do certain things?
Yes, I am.
Do I ever want to feel bad about that?
Then Cronenberg told Jenkins that it was a really good question and went about drinking his coffee.
But thats the kind of thing you did that happens at this festival.
Im at a different place now.
One memory holds dear.
It took place in Colorado maybe eight years prior to the film.
I mean, it was just like one of the most intense things Ive ever experienced.
Jenkins has not missed a single year since 2002.
Initially, though, he had no idea how he was going to do it.
Jenkins was like, Oh yeah, I definitely want to do that.
And so I came back the next year as what they call a production apprentice for the festival.
He gave a hearty laugh and explained that apprentices were called the Telluride Dogs.
And thats really what got the ball rolling.
The festival has now become a part of my life, he told me.
The firstTelluride Film Festivalwas held in late August 1974, and movies were screened at the Sheridan Opera House.
Card died in 2000.Bill Pences deathwas announced late last December, and Luddypassed away in February.
Gloria Swanson, Francis Ford Coppola and Leni Riefenstahl were the festivals inaugural honorees.
Apparently all hell broke loose.
Jewish organizations objected to Riefenstahls associations with Adolf Hitler and demanded that Swanson and Coppola withdraw.
Both declined to do so.
They also screened Riefenstahls 1934 documentaryThe Triumph of the Will, a study of the 1934 Nazi Nuremberg rally.
We had long conversations about his love for cinema, and he mentioned the Riefenstahl affair.
He pointed out that Riefenstahl had been at the first Telluride because of her filmmaking.
They werent concerned about whether she had been friendly with Hitler.
Over the years the festival has acquired a reputation as a launching pad for awards-season pictures.
Luddy told me at the time that they loved the movie and wanted to show it.
They wanted to be clear that the main point of the festival is to show movies, Jenkins explained.
They drill that shit into you.
I wondered what language the festival uses to enforce the secrecy of the lineup.
Yes, its Shut the f*ck up.
Yeah, that is it.
Especially when its your own piece in the festival!
Yeah, shut the f*ck up.
Fifty years is a long time, Jenkins said.
Its hard to maintain the energy of anything for that long a duration.
I think the festival itself is like this iceberg, with the director at the top.
But holy cow, theres this two-week window where the four of us become 500 people.
And here I am, Ive been there 20 years.
Im working on this movie right now.
I probably should not be taking these days off to be at 10,000 feet drinking wine and watching movies.
But I cant help myself.
Where does he place Telluride?
Thats a terrible question, he snorted.
Yeah, I dont rank festivals.
Tellurides very special to me in a very particular way.
Toronto was also special to me in a very particular way.
So that one and Telluride have very special places in my heart.
He smiled, looked straight at me.
Look, I love film festivals.
Then he conceded that this one, of course, has my heart.
