The backstory of Brady Corbet's remarks about creative freedom during his acceptance speech for best dramatic film: "You give me that number, but don't tell me how to spend it."

"No one was asking for a three and a half hour film about a mid-century designer, on 70mm, but it works," the filmmaker said.

Drama and Best Director – Motion Picture, The Brutalist filmmaker Brady Corbet offered some food for thought: “Final cut tie-break goes to the director.” This, said Corbet, is “sort of a controversial statement,

"Final-cut tiebreak goes to the director," the filmmaker said while accepting his movie's third award of the night.