Four of the five directors nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director convened in Santa Barbara on Tuesday to participate in a special tribute during the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Ryan Coogler for Sinners, Josh Safdie for Marty Supreme, Chloé Zhao for Hamnet, and Joachim Trier for Sentimental Value engaged in individual interviews before joining Scott Feinberg of The Hollywood Reporter for a group conversation. The fifth nominee, Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another, was not present.
The gathering provided these filmmakers the platform to discuss their nominated work, share reflections on the awards season, and consider their creative processes.
Reflecting on Early Connections and Collaborations
During their discussion, Coogler and Zhao reminisced about their initial meeting at the Sundance Screenwriters Lab in 2012, where Trier served as their advisor. This early mentorship fostered a close bond, with Trier noting that he provided editing feedback on Coogler’s 2013 film Fruitvale Station. Their longstanding connection highlighted the collaborative as well as competitive nature of the awards landscape.
Experiencing Awards Season: Its Rewards and Challenges
The group shared candid thoughts on the highs and lows of being part of awards season. While getting to know fellow nominees and celebrating their work was a highlight, the constant travel and separation from family weighed heavily. They also pondered alternative career paths: Safdie imagined himself as an architect, Coogler considered selling coffee, Zhao pictured working as a private detective, and Trier thought of becoming a therapist.
The Complex Relationship Between Filmmakers and Reviews
Comments turned toward how the directors gauge reactions to their films after release. Trier explained,
“It’s complicated because in a way a film becomes a commodity in the world and you need critics to like it,”
but added,
“to ask an artist how they feel about a critic is like asking a lamppost how they feel about dogs.”
Zhao expressed a particular interest in online audience responses, stating,
“I care about my Letterboxd curve, I do, because it’s an audience. I also care about Rotten Tomatoes but I shouldn’t. I actually go on Letterboxd and I read the reviews because these are audiences. They go out there and no one pays them to do that — some of them should do standup because they’re hilarious. I would screengrab them and send them to [Hamnet stars] Jessie [Buckley] and Paul [Mescal] because they don’t go online, those two.”
Perspectives on Longevity and Creativity in Filmmaking
The discussion touched on Quentin Tarantino’s belief that directors decline creatively as they age and his choice to retire early. Responding, Safdie stated,
“I hope I die working. I think maybe he meant they get too comfortable — that’s a problem when you get too comfortable, and you have people around you who are embracing the comfort. That could be a problem but man no, work sets you free.”
Coogler added his admiration for elder filmmakers citing Michael Haneke’s 2012 film Amour, which he called
“a film only an elder filmmaker could make and it made me look at life differently. I think about that movie probably every day so I hope elder people don’t stop making movies, they’ve got a lot to teach us.”
Honoring Underrated Films from Awards Season
As the event drew to a close, each director highlighted a film they felt deserved greater recognition during awards season. Coogler praised Hedda, Trier celebrated Sorry Baby, Zhao emotionally recommended the animated film Little Amélie, sharing,
“I had to stop that film multiple times and just sob uncontrollably and start again.”
Safdie acknowledged his brother Benny Safdie’s film Smashing Machine, calling it a special movie.
Significance and Implications for the Film Industry
This rare gathering of Oscar-nominated directors provided a glimpse into the personal and professional challenges they face during awards season, including the pressures of critical reception and maintaining creative vitality over time. Their reflections reveal the delicate balance between artistic integrity and industry expectations. With Chloé Zhao’s open engagement with audiences on platforms such as Letterboxd, there is a shift toward valuing grassroots feedback alongside traditional critics. The continued contributions of veteran filmmakers, as emphasized by Coogler, also point to the enduring richness of diverse perspectives in cinema.
