This is the fifth in a series of stories from the 2008 Telluride Film Festival, which was held over the Labor Day weekend. Offerings have included "Sneak Reviews," a quick look at a film screened the previous night; "High on Telluride," highlights of some of the group discussions and celebrity appearances; and "Festival Buzzwords," focusing on what received the most attention — good or bad — throughout the weekend.
Film: Slumdog Millionaire, set in contemporary India, made its world premiere August 30, 2008 at a sneak preview in Telluride, much to the dismay of the Toronto International Film Festival. Toronto has been trumpeting Slumdog’s international debut on September 7, eight days after its initial showing in Telluride.
Director: Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, The Beach, 28 Days Later, Shallow Grave), who told the Telluride crowd he would be heading back to London to make some last-minute adjustments on the unfinished product before “taking it to its ‘supposed’ world premiere.”
Running time: 121 minutes.
Scheduled limited release date: November 28, 2008.
Genre: Drama, with comic and romantic elements.
Leading roles: Dev Patal (18-year-old Jamal Malik); Freida Pinto (Latika).
Also appearing: Madhur Mittal (Jamal’s brother Salim); Anil Kapoor (TV host); Irrfan Khan (police inspector).
What’s it all about? The Three Musketeers, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, the Taj Mahal, and torture are all woven into a tale about an impoverished boy (Jamal) and his dreams and passions, focusing on the lovely Latika, while growing up in the slums of Mumbai. How can he survive in the streets after seeing his mother murdered, his brother Salim become a gangster and his best girl headed for a life of forced prostitution? By landing a spot on India’s version of the popular quiz show. Through his life experiences (told in flashbacks), Jamal is able to string together a number of correct answers (sample question: “Who invented the revolver?”) during the competition. That gets him arrested on suspicion of cheating. Will he handle the police's extreme interrogation tactics and be able to advance far enough to answer the final question worth 20 million rupees? And, more important, will he be reunited with the love of his life?
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