The awards season is officially at an end. The Oscars have come and gone. Now, filmmakers like Todd Field can go home and collect their thoughts and figure out what’s next. However, even though Field’s latest film, “Tár,” was one of the awards season darlings (as is the case with his previous two films, as well), the filmmaker isn’t sure he has another film in him.
In a new interview with Cinema Scope, Todd Field talked about the challenges that come along with making a film. And in discussing these issues, he mentioned something somewhat surprising—he’s not sure he has the capacity to make another film.
“There’s a real challenge in making a film of any size. It’s not for the faint of heart,” he said. “I wish I was cut out for different stuff because I probably wouldn’t make more films. It takes a great deal out of me to make a film; I don’t know that I’ll ever make another one.”
When asked if he believes “Tár” is his final film, the director replied, “Yes, I think so…I didn’t think about it until just now. It’s highly likely.”
Field does admit that it’s “possible” that he might re-evaluate those statements later when he’s had more time to process everything. However, the reasons he gives for not making any more films comes down to the toll it takes on him, creatively and physically.
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The filmmaker goes on to say that it doesn’t mean he’ll stop writing and stop directing. He said he’ll continue to write alongside Jonathan Franzen. He also admits that he’ll continue to direct commercials because “that doesn’t take much out of me.” However, a feature film of his own creation is an entirely different situation.
“But if something is really yours, and really matters—and it had better matter, for the length of time it takes to make a film—you have to give it everything,” Field said. “And as you get older, you realize how valuable time is, there’s only so much time in that hourglass. I’m not in my twenties or thirties anymore—I’ll be 60 in year and a half. You start thinking about these things.”
Typically, you’d think that it is wild to assume a filmmaker who isn’t even 60 years old would hang it all up and call it a day on his career. But when you see just how long it takes for Field to get studio backing to make a film, and just how much of his own creative energy goes into every aspect of the filmmaking process, it makes sense that he would be more inclined to just stop making features.
Field’s first feature that he directed is “In the Bedroom,” which was released in 2001. In the 20+ years since that film was released, he has only created two other features, “Little Children” in 2006 and “Tár” last year. And one of the most common themes in his awards season publicity circuit was just how exhausting and how all-encompassing the filmmaking process is for him. Clearly, he’s one of the best directors working today, but you can understand why he might not have it in him for one more after “Tár.”
Obviously, we hope he continues to make films, and we hope that studios are willing to give him the money to do so. Because, as we saw with “Tár,” Field is still at the top of his game.
