Sean Penn’s strong comments about the Academy made headlines again when its director, Bill Kramar, finally spoke about them at the Marrakech Film Festival.
Penn said the Academy showed “cowardice,” which generated a lot of noise in Hollywood.
Bill didn’t get emotional or defensive when the question came up, as he said he wouldn’t share exactly how he was feeling at the time because he didn’t want his reaction to become a headline.
Instead, the 59-year-old CEO talked about how he tried to handle any kind of feedback.
He explained that the Academy had eleven thousand members who had different views on films, awards, and the organization itself.
However, Bill further said that he always tried to listen with an open heart, even when the comments were harsh or public.
He believed that serving the world of cinema meant taking all opinions seriously.
The current CEO of the Academy also highlighted the fact that not all problems can be solved quickly, but all voices remain important.
According to him, even comments that seem annoying could guide the Academy to improve or think in a new way, saying that these difficult moments could become lessons.
Previously, Penn claimed that the Academy limited imagination and cultural expression, as its response showed that it respected criticism and wanted to learn from it rather than replicate.
The exchange added to the ongoing discussion about how the Academy should grow and respond to the changing world of film.
