Coming off of his acclaimed, Oscar-nominated drama Incendies, director Denis Villeneuve is currently in the middle of his one-two punch of A-list led, English-language dramas. Although it was shot more recently, Prisoners debuted this fall to a strong response and next spring will see the release of his first Jake Gyllenhaal collaboration, Enemy, but today brings news of his potential follow-up and it’s an enticing one.
According to Deadline, Villeneuve is attached to Sicario, a Mexican border drug drama that’s scripted by Taylor Sheridan. The short logline is a fascinating one that seems to match the intensity found in the Canadian helmer’s other works. The project focuses on a loophole in which mercenaries are legally allowed to cross the border of Mexico in order to bring in a drug lord. This specific story will zero in on a Tucson-based female cop who escorts two rangers to apprehend a drug kingpin. With favorable comparisons to No Country For Old Men’s “violence and depravity,” one can sign us up right now, especially if Roger Deakins returns.
As we await news on when this could attach a cast and head into production, Villeneuve was also honored in a recent voting ceremony, but not for his 2013 release. Instead, the Toronto International Film Festival group named his drama Enemy one of the top ten Canadian feature films of the year. Also including works by Xavier Dolan and Michael Dowse, check out the full list below, including links to our reviews, and if you’re lucky enough to be in Toronto next month, you can see all the films.
Canada’s Top Ten feature films of 2013
Asphalt Watches, dir. Shayne Ehman and Seth Scriver
Enemy, dir. Denis Villeneuve
The F Word, dir. Michael Dowse
Gabrielle, dir. Louise Archambault
Rhymes for Young Ghouls, dir. Jeff Barnaby
Sarah préfère la course (Sarah Prefers to Run), dir. Chloé Robichaud
Tom à la ferme (Tom at the Farm), dir. Xavier Dolan
Vic et Flo ont vu un ours (Vic + Flo Saw a Bear), dir. Denis Côté
Watermark, dir. Jennifer Baichwal and Edward Burtynsky
When Jews Were Funny, dir. Alan Zweig
Canada’s Top Ten short films of 2013
A Grand Canal, dir. Johnny Ma
Quelqu’un d’extraordinaire (An Extraordinary Person), dir. Monia Chokri
The Chaperone 3D, dir. Fraser Munden and Neil Rathbone
The End of Pinky, dir. Claire Blanchet
In guns we trust, dir. Nicolas Lévesque
Noah, dir. Walter Woodman and Patrick Cederberg
Nous avions, dir. Stéphane Moukarzel
Paradise Falls, dir. Fantavious Fritz
Subconscious Password, dir. Chris Landreth
Yellowhead, dir. Kevan Funk
Have you seen any of the above films? Are you looking forward to Villeneuve’s Prisoners follow-up?