During a speech at Variety’s awards brunch in Palm Springs, filmmaker Guillermo del Toro urged emerging directors to value their art amid claims it is unimportant. He described such dismissals as 'always the prelude to fascism.' Del Toro received a directing award for his Netflix film Frankenstein.
Guillermo del Toro received the Directing Award for his work on Frankenstein at Variety’s 10 Directors to Watch and Creative Impact Awards brunch, held during the Palm Springs International Film Festival. Addressing up-and-coming filmmakers, he emphasized the importance of art in challenging times.
"Be kind, be involved, believe in your art," del Toro said. He warned against those who downplay art's value: "At a time when people tell you art is not important, that is always the prelude to fascism. When they tell you it doesn’t matter, when they tell you a fucking app can do art you say, if it’s that important, why the fuck do they want it so bad? The answer is because they think they can debase everything that makes us a little better, a little more human. And that, in my book, and in my life, includes monsters."
Del Toro reflected on his first viewing of James Whale’s 1931 Frankenstein as a "religious experience." He brought Sara Karloff, daughter of the original film's star Boris Karloff, as his guest. "Sometimes the world gets so complicated, you can only explain it with the power of monsters," he noted. "We are in a time like that right now."
He encouraged ambition, adding, "It’s not just the size of the screens, it’s the size of the idea. Ambition includes failure – it’s right next door to success. There are no numbers on the door. You’re going to knock on that door, and it’s going to open, and it’s either a supermodel of your dreams or your mom in curlers."
Frankenstein, starring Jacob Elordi, Oscar Isaac, and Mia Goth, premiered on Netflix on October 17, 2025. Other honorees included Dwayne Johnson for The Smashing Machine and Teyana Taylor for One Battle After Another.
