In a recent interview with British channel ITV News, director Steven Spielberg weighed in on whether or not films premiered on the streaming service Netflix should compete with theatrical releases. The Ready Player One auteur revealed that he believes the platform's shows should be considered for an Emmy and not an Oscar.
"Once you commit to a television format, you're a TV movie," he said to ITV news. "A good show might deserve an Emmy, but not an Oscar.”
Currently, when Netflix acquires or produces a prestige film, the online site gives the project a limited theatrical release before making it available to stream. This way, the film is still eligible for awards season circles, including the Academy award. In some cases, the film's streaming date can coincide with its premiere date in theaters.
Having joined the Academy's board of governors in 2016, Spielberg, went on to to clarify his position: “I don’t believe films that are just given token qualifications in a couple of theaters for less than a week should qualify for the Academy Award nomination,” he continued.
Similarly, Cannes Film Festival banned Netflix from competition after the uproar over allowing Bong Joon Ho's Okja and Noah Baumbach's The Meyerowitz Stories to run for awards. Both films were released on Netflix. The festival's head Theirry Fremaux altered the requirements for entry, requiring submitted films to be screened in theaters first.
For more on Spielberg, you can watch his interview in full below.
When you're done, check out these Oscar-winning movies you can watch on Netflix right now.
