All-purpose man Aaron Schneider — his credits range from director, to editor, to cinematographer and beyond — won the Best Short Film, Live Action Oscar in 2004 for Two Soldiers, but, for all intents and purposes, he didn’t truly burst onto the scene until 2009’s acclaimed Get Low, his feature-length directorial debut. At the time, many speculated that this film would bring Robert Duvall (and perhaps even Bill Murray in peak supporting form) his first Oscar nomination of the new century.
Alas, though, the film fell through the Academy cracks, probably in most part due to the film’s middle-of-the-year theatrical run — a time frame in which a subdued, quiet character study like this one is especially vulnerable to being overshadowed by prestige titles later in the year. Nevertheless, Schneider proved his Oscar was no fluke, creating a film that, despite, I’d argue, an uninventive screenplay, managed to survive on crisp performances and an overwhelmingly authentic sense of place.
Since the times of Get Low, however, Schneider has been quite picky in choosing his follow-up project. But it looks like he’s finally landed on one — The Conscientious Objector, based on a screenplay from Robert Schenkkan (The Quiet American). The true-story film will follow the plight “of Desmond Doss, the first conscientious objector in American history to win the Congressional Medal of Honor. Doss served in WWII, joining the army as a medic. He was ostracized by his fellow soldiers because of his refusal to kill or even carry a gun. He proved his courage, saving 75 men at the Battle of Okinawa.” [Deadline]
In 2004, Terry Benedict helmed a documentary with the same title, and he — along with Bill Mechanic, David Permut, and Steve Longi — are signed on to produce the film.
Do you think this is a promising follow-up choice for Schneider?