Julie Huntsinger has spent two decades as the guardian of the Telluride Film Festival — a jewel box of off-duty movie stars and power players relaxing in the mountains and a consequential launchpad for the fall awards season.
As festival director, Huntsinger has her hallmarks. She doesn’t reveal the lineup until the eve of opening day. She has also punted competition categories and splashy red-carpet theatrics to keep the vibe mellow and the attention on what’s on-screen.
This year, the fall festivals kick off on shifting ground. Venice has a decidedly less starry lineup than in recent editions. The New York Film Festival is reasserting itself as a destination for top projects. But Telluride’s secret weapon is its treasured filmmaker and studio relationships. Stakeholders know that a Telluride debut means a carefully curated introduction to cinephiles.
Huntsinger sits down with Variety to discuss secret negotiations, the ones that got away and why she calls herself a “midwife.”
Telluride Film Festival
