Criterion Will Likely Bring Lena Dunham’s Tiny Furniture To The Collection; Many IFC Titles Confirmed & Debunked

Earlier this evening, a user on the Criterion Forum posted several pieces from a conversation that he had with the IFC President, Jonathan Sehring, after a screening of Werner Herzog’s Cave of Forgotten Dreams. In his forum post, he discusses several films that were brought up in their conversation, as well as those that Criterion is looking at releasing in the future.

For myself, the biggest piece of news is not anything that they’re looking to release, but one that they’re skipping. Apparently Criterion’s Peter Becker considers Abbas Kiarostami’s Certified Copy to be “minor Kiarostami” and they won’t be releasing the film as a home video release. This is terribly disappointing, as it was one of my favorite films that I’ve seen in ages. There is a DVD / Blu-ray that was released in the UK, but we still don’t have a US release at this point.

We also learned that Criterion will in fact be releasing Lena Dunham’s Tiny Furniture at some later date (maybe it’ll be a July title?). I enjoyed the film when I saw it at SXSW 2010 (you can read my review here), but I honestly didn’t think it would find its way into the Criterion Collection when we learned that IFC had picked up the distribution rights. I actually had a $5 wager on the matter, but it looks like I’m going to have to pay   up on that.

Some other interesting tidbits: several films from Errol Morris are likely in the running for Criterion discs. The Gates of Heaven, Vernon, Florida and the Thin Blue Line “will be happening” according to the forum post. It also looks like 4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days was mentioned by Sehring.

IFC Films and Sundance Selects also recently picked up the distribution rights to Wim Wenders’ 3D dance film, Pina, and according to Sehring, Criterion will be releasing that. Will this be Criterion’s first attempt at a 3D Blu-ray? Who knows. Based on my conversation with Iain during the Berlinale, it seems like a tricky home video release, given the nature of the 3D. It doesn’t sound like Criterion will be releasing Cave Of Forgotten Dreams though.

I have to stress when reading all of this, that it is based on a post in a forum. None of this has been confirmed yet through Criterion or IFC by me, although I have sent some emails out tonight. I certainly trust the folks at the Criterion Forum, but always take the rumors with a grain of salt.

What do you think of these potential Criterion / IFC titles? Do you consider Certified Copy to be “minor Kiarostami”? Leave your thoughts in the comments below. 

From user “Harmonov” on the CriterionForum.org:

So, I did make it to the screening of Herzog’s Cave of Forgotten Dreams this evening. I asked IFC Films President Jonathan Sehring to shed some light on their relationship with Criterion and tried to drag some names of films out they might be working on. He said there’s a pretty long list of them, but didn’t delve too much into them despite my trying. He confirmed Criterion will be releasing Pina. He hopes that they will be releasing Cave of Forgotten Dreams, but Becker has balked at it. Certified Copy will not be released by Criterion…at least at this time. Becker considers it minor Kiarostami. Another trilogy of confirmations = Errol Morris’ Gates of Heaven, Vernon, Florida and the Thin Blue Line will be happening. Tabloid is still possible, but Becker and Turrell aren’t sure it’s major Morris. Mr. Sehring believes that opinion will change, though. And hold on to your hats, Criterionites – Lena Dunham’s Tiny Furniture will be released by Criterion. I can almost hear the collective sighs of this forum. He talked at length about the major restoration of Nolan’s Following and that’s what’s holding that up. He also mentioned…4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days. He mentioned IFC and Criterion would work on films together of directors Criterion has already released, but went no further than that. Perhaps Van Sant, perhaps Maddin. Any other guesses?