James Cameron is criticizing the Oscars for frequently turning down science fiction films. In an interview with film writer Barry Hertz of Canada’s The Globe and Mail, Cameron stated that he never considers the Academy Awards, whether he is planning, producing, or marketing a film.
This is particularly true for his “Avatar” franchise, as science fiction films often don’t win Oscars. By criticizing the Academy for twice rejecting Denis Villeneuve as the director of “Dune” and “Dune: Part Two,” Cameron made his case.
“I don’t think about the Academy Awards that much,” Cameron said. “Intentionally, I don’t think about that at this point. I don’t try to make a movie to appeal to their sensibility… they don’t tend to honor films like ‘Avatar’ or films that are science fiction. Sci-fi is almost never properly recognized.”
He furthermore added, “Denis Villeneuve made these two magnificent ‘Dune’ films, and apparently these films make themselves because he wasn’t considered a director, not even by the Directors’ Guild. Like, okay, you can play the awards game, or you can play the game I like to play, and that’s to make movies people actually go to. Sorry!”
As Cameron points out, Villeneuve’s exclusion from the Best Director contests for both of his “Dune” films is regarded as one of the most awful Oscar snubs in recent memory. Josh Brolin, a member of the cast, asked Oscar voters to avoid making the same mistake with “Part 2” after the director was criticized for the first “Dune” film.
“If he doesn’t get nominated this year, I’ll quit acting,” Brolin told the outlet Variety. “It was a better movie than the first one. When I watched it, it felt like my brain was broken open. It’s masterful, and Denis is one of our master filmmakers. If the Academy Awards have any meaning whatsoever, they’ll recognize him.”
