Here’s a shocker – Paul Schrader has very specific, candid feelings on a topic. All kidding aside, the usually outspoken filmmaker that is responsible for some of the most classic examples of American cinema was honored with his very first Oscar nomination yesterday, earning recognition in the Best Original Screenplay category for his film “First Reformed.” And as a surprise to exactly no one, the filmmaker is having trouble coming to terms with his outsider stance on Hollywood and feeling gratified with a nomination.
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Speaking to the LA Times, Schrader tries his best to come up with an explanation for how he’s feeling after learning of his Oscar nomination. For years, the filmmaker has been outspoken and known for his thoughts that he doesn’t care what others think about his work, as long as he’s happy with the end result. And he echoes that sentiment in his comments.
“That’s a very complex question,” said the filmmaker when asked how it feels to be nominated. “If the critics had not liked my film and if the academy had not liked my film, I would still know it was a good film. So my validation is not contingent on the academy or the critics. On the other hand, it is very heartening to realize that other people acknowledged what you tried to do.”
Ultimately, Schrader can’t really come to the conclusion about how he feels about his Oscar nomination. As he explains, he’s so torn because of how he’s historically viewed the Academy and the awards ceremony:
“I had a discussion with [Martin] Scorsese some years ago because Marty was very fixated on winning an Oscar. And I said, ‘Marty, look, if an Oscar is your priority, you need some new priorities.’ I felt that then; I felt that now. You know, this is a very difficult conversation because I have never really respected the Academy for their choices. On the other hand, I’m enormously gratified that they have selected me. So you live in a kind of conflicted world. Where on one hand you say it truly doesn’t matter. And on the other hand you say, ‘Well, I guess it does matter.’”
With a filmmaker as candid as Schrader, film fans can’t help but root for the man to win the award in late-February, if for no other reason than to imagine the acceptance speech he would give. However, we sincerely hope this is not the last time Schrader gets recognized for his work by the Academy.