Martin Scorsese says "the clouds lifted" on the future of cinema when he watched TÁR

Martin Scorsese praised new psychological drama TÁR at this year's New York Film Critics Circle awards, saying the movie made him feel positive about the future of cinema. The movie stars Cate Blanchett as one of the world's greatest living composers and conductors, the fictional Lydia Tár.

Scorsese presented the award for Best Picture to the film's director, Todd Field, saying: "For so long now, so many of us see films that pretty much let us know where they’re going. I mean, they take us by the hand, and even if it’s disturbing at times, sort of comfort us along the way that it will be all OK by the end. Now, this is insidious, as one can get lulled into this, and ultimately get used to it. Leading those of us who’ve experienced cinema in the past – as much more than that – to become despairing of the future of the art form, especially for younger generations."

He continued: "But that’s on dark days. The clouds lifted when I experienced Todd’s film, TÁR. What you’ve done, Todd, is that the very fabric of the movie you created doesn’t allow this. All the aspects of cinema and the film that you’ve used, attest to this. The shift in locations, for example, the shift in locations alone do what cinema does best, which is to reduce space and time to what they are, which is nothing."

TÁR was released in the US in October 2022 and finally arrives in the UK on January 13. For more viewing inspiration, check out our guide to all the most exciting movie release dates in 2023.