As Netflix’s “Roma” continues to rack up accolades and maintains a solid shot at walking away with a few Oscars at the upcoming Academy Awards, not everyone is thrilled about streaming content made for television competing with projects meant to be viewed on a large screen in a cinema.
Accepting the Filmmaker Award at the Cinema Audio Society’s annual gathering in Los Angeles, reports Variety, director Steven Spielberg praised the bold work taking place in the television milieu while lamenting how streaming will never compare to the experience of watching a film in a theatre.
“I love television. I love the opportunity. Some of the greatest writing being done today is for television, some of the best directing for television, some of the best performances [are] on television today,” Spielberg said.
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“The sound is better in homes more than it ever has been in history but there’s nothing like going to a big dark theatre with people you’ve never met before and having the experience wash over you,” he added. “That’s something we all truly believe in.”
Spielberg has long been vocal about his opinion that films made for Netflix and other streaming services should not be allowed to receive Oscar nominations.
“Once you commit to a television format, you’re a TV movie,” he told ITV News last year. “You certainly, if it’s a good show, deserve an Emmy, but not an Oscar. I don’t believe films that are just given token qualifications in a couple of theatres for less than a week should qualify for the Academy Award nomination.”
