Paul Thomas Anderson reveals ‘There Will Be Blood’ was originally rejected by coveted film festival
Paul Thomas Anderson has revealed that he was “heartbroken” after the New York Film Festival originally rejected his masterpiece, There Will Be Blood, turning down the opportunity to host the world premiere of the film.
The coveted director is proof that even the greats can face undue setbacks, after revealing in a new interview that the 2007 Western was ill-received by the industry upon first viewings.
Speaking at Festival Theaters in Palm Springs, Anderson shared that he was hopeful for a positive outcome from the New York Film Festival: “I won’t name any names, but I thought, boy, this is this movie is really good. I can’t wait to show this to somebody.”
However, the film snubbed the 2007 movie: “They came back, and they rejected the film.”
Interviewer and film critic David Ansen teased a few more details out of the director, revealing it wasn’t the entire board who rejected the film, rather, “It was one person who didn’t let the rest of the committee even see it.”
Anderson recalled, “I called, I said, ‘How did you like the film?’ It was done. He was like, ‘Are you… is it finished? Is this it?’ I was like, I was so confused and heartbroken. I thought this movie was really good, and the first person I showed it to…” Along with the audience, Anderson laughed at the blunder.
Though the setback knocked Anderson’s confidence, he is ultimately grateful for the critical feedback: “It was a hard couple of weeks. Those kinds of things are they’re a blow, they can really hurt you, but they’re also great in a way. They make you get back in the ring. And we had to find a way to show that film.”
Eventually, There Will Be Blood premiered at Fantastic Fest in Austin, which he described as a “great time” and a “warm” and “welcoming” environment.
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