Every year the Oscar nominations come out, and every year there are a few glaring omissions. Last year everyone had a fit because Ben Affleck (poor baby) did not get a Best Director nod for Argo. This year one of the biggest surprises (after Inside Llewyn Davis) was the omission of Robert Redford for All Is Lost, a film that raised a good bit of critical praise despite lacking a wide release. Redford himself seems pretty unsurprised by the snub, however, and he recently told journalists the reason why.
Speaking at a press conference at the Sundance Film Festival, Redford answered questions about the perceived Oscar snub. He cites the fact that the film had “little to no distribution” and barely any Oscar campaign, acknowledging that the Oscars “can be very political” when it comes down to it. It does not appear that Redford is bothered at being snubbed either, saying that he’s “not disturbed or upset by it.”
All of what Redford says seems fair enough, although he did not really address his own responsibility in the campaign. As one of the bigger names in Hollywood, he could have been out there stumping for his film (and his nomination) every step of the way. It seems a tad disingenuous to blame the whole thing on the lack of distribution or lack of effort from Roadside Attractions, the small company that produced the film.
Maybe Redford does not really care that he didn’t receive an Oscar nomination, or maybe he recognizes all too well that the Oscars are pretty much a popularity game. A well-distributed film with big stars and a safe message (often “greed is bad” or “racism is bad”) tends to get more recognition from the Academy than more challenging, more complex, or more difficult to grasp narratives. All Is Lost only features Redford, largely wordless, on a boat, which does not lend itself to a typical Oscar musical tribute.
Tell us, what do you think about Redford’s assessment of the Academy, and the lack of a nod for All Is Lost. Let us know in the comments section below.
