Director David O. Russell wins Variety’s Indie Impact Award

Los Angeles, CA, United States (4E) – Director David O. Russell has won this year’s Indie Impact Award given by Variety during the Palm Springs International Film Festival awards brunch presented by Mercedes-Benz on Saturday.

Russell, whose award was presented by actor Bradley Cooper, said in his speech, “I had to make an industrial film about the motel complex center in exchange for $10,000 worth of rooms. That’s where everybody stayed. ‘Slow pan across the dining annex.’ Whatever it takes, right?”

As reported by USA Today, Russell also offered an advice to budding filmmakers, saying, “I want every opinion, whether it’s Bradley Cooper, who’s an amazing collaborator and amazing filmmaker, to Jennifer Lawrence and Robert De Niro to…Harvey Weinstein. Yes! He comes in the editing room, sure. I’m man enough to take it. I’ll give it back, but we’re going to find the best film by not being precious about it.”

Variety’s Executive Editor Steve Gaydos, upon announcement of Russell’s award, said in a statement, “Since he emerged as a wildly funny and extremely independent voice in American film nearly 20 years ago, writer-director David O. Russell has continued to delight and surprise fans of his unique cinematic vision. Along the way his comic touch has been reaffirmed in films like Flirting With Disaster and his current Oscar-contender, ‘Silver Linings Playbook,’ but as is clear in ‘Playbook,’ there is always a deep truth beneath the laughs in a David O. Russell film. And hit films like ‘Three Kings’ and ‘The Fighter’ have also demonstrated this gifted filmmaker’s tremendous and powerful social conscience that is never far from the center of action in his films.”

Past recipients of the said award include Philip Seymour Hoffman, Charlize Theron and Mark Wahlberg.

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