Eric Lavallée

The ship has officially left the port on the Linda Lovelace biopic, and Lindsay Lohan's name isn't on the passenger list. Personal issues have foiled Lohan's involvement with what a couple of us in the blogger universe thought could have been a potentially great career re-launch, the Lovelace role will instead go to the still unproven actress who was recently featured in aptly titled The Bang Bang Club in Malin Akerman, who producers were apparently smitten by in the casting process.

We got all excited when we saw a whole bunch of stills from the AFM, but will Take This Waltz be ready in time for Park City? Wishful thinking perhaps, but Polley has a strong Sundance connection, as an actress, former juror and director - she did show Away From Her. If ready in time, fest programmers would have rolled out the equivalent to a red carpet a while time back especially with Seth Rogen, Michelle Williams, Sarah Silverman and Luke Kirby in the line-up. If invited, this would take up inventory space in the Premieres section and stir up a strong bidding war.

Previously, I had mentioned that there is always an Aussie film in the Sundance line-up, but I'm thinking that this debut might stand a better chance at locking the 2011 spot. A Filmmaker Magazine Top 25 New Face who saw her debut script make it on the annual Black List of 2008, if novelist Julia Leigh does come to Sundance packing Sleeping Beauty, she might join David Michod as the next breakout filmmaker from down under.

I distinctly remember George Ratliff's Joshua being a well-received buyer title in Park City. Currently in post-production, Ratliff might make it two for two with what appears to be a high value title for pick-up. Salvation Boulevard which packs several Sundance alumni in Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris, Pierce Brosnan, Marisa Tomei, Isabelle Fuhrman, Greg Kinnear and Jim Gaffigan, should be in the cards for the fest, that's if Sundance don't have a problem with the anti-church wave of films where, this, Farmiga's Higher Ground and Kevin Smith's film might form an unlikely thematic trio.

A 4 million dollar indie horror thriller, with not much dialogue that takes a controversial stab at religion and that includes players such as Kyle Gallner, John Goodman and Michael Angarano certainly sounds like the type of film that would play at a fest like Sundance. And while Kevin Smith's Clerks might be synonymous with the fest, it's been a long time since he has made a film that a programmer might roll out an invite for. Red State is ready for Sundance but is Sundance ready for Kevin Smith? If so, this would be the highlight of the Midnight in Park City section.