Telluride Film Festival announced its complete 2010 festival program on Thursday. Included are 24 new feature films presented by their creators in the festival’s main program; six programs curated by 2010 Festival Guest Director Michael Ondaatje; 25 new short films; plus 13 documentaries screening in the Backlot program. Celebrating works from more than 20 countries, Telluride Film Festival runs Friday through Monday.

Film Independent has set Feb. 26 as the date for the 26th Independent Spirit Awards. The time and location for next year’s event will be announced at a later date.
 

Roadside Attractions has acquired U.S. rights to filmmaker Ondi Timoner’s documentary “Cool It.” The film will have its world premiere at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival.

The only filmmaker to win the Sundance Grand Jury prize twice, Timoner’s film profiles controversial economist/political scientist Bjorn Lomborg, who authored the book "Cool It: The Skeptical Environmentalist's Guide to Global Warming."

Roadside is planning to release "Cool It" in the fall.
 

HBO has acquired U.S. rights to the documentary “Precious Life.” An official selection at the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival, the film will screen as part of the fest’s Real to Reel program, followed by its 2011 presentation on the pay-cable network.


 

Freestyle Releasing and Cinemarket Films will release Russian director Andrei Konchalovsky’s “The Nutcracker in 3D.” The film is scheduled to appear in theaters Nov. 24.

Shot on location in Budapest, Hungary, “The Nutcracker in 3D” stars Elle Fanning as young Mary, Nathan Lane as the kindly Uncle Albert, and John Turturro as the Rat King.

Well-known French film director Alain Corneau died early Monday at 67, his agent confirmed in a report by Agence France-Presse.

His latest film, “Love Crime,” is to make its International Premiere at next month’s Toronto International Film Festival. The murder-mystery stars Kristin Scott-Thomas and Ludivine Sagnier.

Corneau enjoyed a solid following at home for 17 features produced over more than three decades. President Nicolas Sarkozy called him "a great filmmaker struck down at his prime by illness," according to AFP.
 

The Walt Disney Studios was poised to become the first studio to have two billion-dollar films at the global box office in one year.

Two weeks after becoming the highest-grossing animated film of all time, Disney/Pixar’s “Toy Story 3” was in line to cross the $1 billion mark at the global box office Friday, joining “Alice in Wonderland” as the second billion-dollar film this year from Disney. “Toy Story 3” becomes the only animated film to reach this milestone and the seventh title in industry history.
 

Downtown Film Festival Los Angeles has selected the comedy "Everything Will Happen Before You Die," as its 2010 Centerpiece Gala premiere film. It will screen at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 11, at the new 400-seat Civic Center F. Deaton Auditorium, at corner of 1st and Main Street, across from City Hall in downtown L.A.

That evening during the Centerpiece program, actor John Hawkes will be honored with the festival's Indie Trailblazer of the Year Award, for his body of work in 2010. In addition to appearing in "Everything Will Happen Before You Die," Hawkes also appears in "On Holiday," another feature screening premiering at the festival earlier that afternoon. Earlier this year, Hawkes received critical acclaim for his starring role in "Winter's Bone," which debuted at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.

Massy Tadjedin’s romantic drama “Last Night,” starring Keira Knightley, will open the Rome Film Festival, which runs Oct. 28-Nov. 5. Another anticipated title to get a berth at Rome is John Cameron Mitchell’s “Rabbit Hole.”

Director Hilde Van Miegham’s “Madly in Love” has been picked as the opening film at the 37th Ghent Film Festival.

The romantic comedy focuses on the turbulent love lives of four women living together, played by Veerle Dobbelaere, Wine Dierickx, Marie Vinck and Aline Van Hulle. Their male counterparts are Koen De Bouw, Koen De Graeve, Kevin Janssens, Jan Decleir and Huub Stapel.

The Belgian film festival runs from Oct. 12-23.