"Che," To Be Unveiled With An Intermission, Will Qualify For Oscar Consideration



(photo via Brian Brooks/indieWIRE)

"Che," that four-hour release the made its debut at Cannes, has been hailed as both a work of genius and derided as a monument to Steven Soderbergh's towering self-indulgence. Say what you will about it: Che has it's own built-in buzz, if only for the fact that it is so massive. How does one unveil a four-hour film to an American, attention deficit addled audience? From Indiewire:

"This generation's 'Lawrence of Arabia' is how IFC Films and those involved with Steven Soderbergh's 'Che,' are talking about the epic film(s) about Argentine-born revolutionary Ernesto 'Che' Guevara that IFC acquired here at the Toronto International Film Festival. A unique December release, in time to qualify the film for Oscar consideration, will roll out as an event on both coasts that will likely include public appearances by Soderbergh, lead Benicio Del Toro and others at the Zeigfeld Theater in New York City and also in Los Angeles.

"He elaborated on his hopes of employing a roadshow approach, saying that "Che" should open in a town for a week as one movie, with no credits and a printed program. Later it could be split up into two films for the rest of its run in theaters. 'To me that would be an event, that would be something fun,' Soderbergh said back in Cannes. Today [Wednesday] in Toronto, Soderbergh reiterated the roadshow approach, which IFC plans in December. The slightly shortened films (seven minutes shaved from part one and five minutes from part two) will then roll out separately after the new year.

"IFC is planning an overture and an intermission for the roadshow screenings in December, following by possible expansion to a few other cities. Then in January it will be distributed via IFC's day-and-date theatrical and VOD strategy. 'We thought it would be pleasureable for people to see it that way,' 'Che' producer Laura Bickford explained to indieWIRE this afternoon, 'It's how we enjoy seeing it. It's like people going to see 'Lawrence of Arabia' and big event films of their day.'"

More here.