Denis Villeneuve Calls Film Critics ‘a Mirror’ That Reflect His Work Back to Him

It’s hard to think of a filmmaker working today that’s more deserving of the “Visionary” title than Denis Villeneuve. From sci-fi masterpieces like “Arrival” and “Blade Runner 2049” to his lifelong passion project, a two-part adaptation of “Dune,” Villeneuve has demonstrated a singular ability to immerse audiences in worlds of his own creation that still manage to say something about the one we currently inhabit.

Villeneuve received the Visionary Award at the 2024 IndieWire Honors, which took place in Los Angeles on Thursday, December 5. Accepting the award, Villeneuve took the opportunity to reflect on the symbiotic relationship that filmmakers have with critics. He explained that neither profession is possible without the other, and that even painful commentary from critics can be a vital step in a filmmaker’s artistic growth.

“My relationship with film critics is one that is delicate,” Villeneuve said. “Frankly, I’m afraid of you. Film critics are like mirrors, and it can be frightening to see our reflection through your eyes. When the mirror reflects something that is far from flattering, or even too harsh, you feel like you’re looking through a distorted mirror. But when the reflection seems really accurate and you know right away that it is, it is inevitably painful but it’s also constructive. So I want to sincerely thank all of the film critics at IndieWire who have been accurate mirrors to me.”

With the epic challenge of making his two-part “Dune” movie behind him, Villeneuve is now able to pause and reflect on what a grueling challenge it was. The auteur compared the experience to what Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides endures when he’s forced to risk his life riding a giant sandworm in order to gain the acceptance of the Fremen people in “Dune.” Much like Paul, Dennis made it through the ride, and the thanked critics for providing the validation that gave him a sense of finality about the journey.

“I rode the worm, and believe me when I say I’m relieved I wasn’t ejected from its back and swallowed alive,” he said. “At least, that’s what I see in the rearview mirror. In your reflection, I survived.”

Watch Villeneuve’s full speech above, and check out all of our IndieWire Honors coverage right here.