Oscar-nominated filmmaker Brady Corbet is speaking out about the financial hardships that filmmakers encounter, stating that he has made "zero dollars" from his highly regarded picture The Brutalist.
Despite the film's critical acclaim and ten Academy Award nominations, Corbet, 36, discussed the tough financial realities of filmmaking on Marc Maron's WTF program. Corbet clarified, "I made zero dollars on the last two films I made." "I recently directed three Portuguese ads. I haven't earned any money in years till now.
The Brutalist has received praise for its directing and performances. Adrien Brody plays a Hungarian immigrant who comes to the United States to work as an architect after the Holocaust. This awards season, it has also received a lot of praise, especially for Brody, who took home several major honors, and supporting stars Felicity Jones and Guy Pearce.
Despite the movie's success at the box office, Corbet and his wife, co-writer Mona Fastvold, have had to rely on their prior profits to make ends meet. "We had to live off a paycheck from three years ago," Corbet acknowledged candidly. "The movie doesn't make any money. No money.
He went into detail about how difficult the movie's marketing campaign has been, involving a lot of travel, interviews, and public appearances. Corbet remarked, "There isn't time to go to work." Since Christmas, I have not taken a day off. The interrogation lasts for six months. You travel all the time and continue to work on the weekends.
Despite the seeming extremeness of Corbet's predicament, he disclosed that it is not unusual. He discussed how many of the directors working on Oscar-nominated films are also having financial difficulties. "I've talked to a lot of directors who are unable to pay their rent and had films nominated this year. He emphasized the financial difficulties that artists encounter in spite of the renown of their work by saying, "It's a real thing."
The director also talked about his professional background, describing how he went from acting to directing. The Childhood of a Leader, which he directed for the first time in 2015, was followed by Vox Lux (2018), which starred Natalie Portman. His third feature picture, The Brutalist, took eight years to create and finish.
The Brutalist is currently showing in theaters, and Corbet is committed to his work despite the financial difficulties.