CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW)- Following his appearance alongside director Michael Gallagher and actor Jana Gallagher as a cast member in The Leader, which screened earlier Saturday night, Tim Blake Nelson appeared at the Paramount Theater for a screening of his latest directorial effort, “The Life and Deaths of Wilson Shedd.”

The film is Nelson’s sixth feature film as director, and his first since 2015’s “Anesthesia,” which starred Sam Waterston and Kristen Stewart. He is well-known for his performances in “O Brother Where Art Thou” and “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.” At Saturday evening’s screening, Nelson took to the stage to accept the festival’s Virtuoso Award, presented for “the achievement of a remarkably innovative and multi-faceted artist,” according to the festival’s website.

The film was conceived over the course of 12 years, and helped earn Nelson the award based on his multidisciplinary excellence in the fields of film, theatre, television and literature.

”I find it difficult to consider myself a virtuoso. Just to have the films play here would’ve been enough,” Nelson said. “Thank you for this award and thank you for believing in independent dramas.”

Following loud applause that met the film’s moving conclusion, Nelson also answered questions from Anne Thompson of Indiewire about the film.

The film’s central focus on execution, as Nelson acknowledged, was a heavy topic. 

”I always like to tell the truth, even when it’s ugly,” Nelson said. “Nevertheless, I got actors to commit to it. In the end, it can actually work out.”

Nelson shared that several actors dropped out of the project throughout the production’s history, before the leads for the final film were chosen and ready.

“The Life and Deaths of Wilson Shedd,” tells the tale of Karen, a teacher who works in an Oklahoma maximum-security prison. She is portrayed by Amanda Seyfried, who is coming off her starring role in 2025’s “The Testament of Anne Lee,” which played at last year’s festival.

While at work, Karen meets the title character, played by Scoot McNairy, who is incarcerated on death row. McNairy’s last film that played at the Virginia Film Festival was 2024’s “Nightbitch,” in which he appeared as the husband of the film’s main character, played by Amy Adams. Despite their limited time together, Karen and Wilson share a unique, intimate, connection spurred on by some classic books they share together. 

As the film nears its conclusion, Karen makes a decision that could result in freedom for them both. An Oklahoma native, Nelson stars in the film as Briggs. The film also stars Wunmi Mosaku as Gladys.  Mosaku played Annie in one of the 2025 Virginia Film Festival’s spotlight screenings, “Sinners.” “The Life and Deaths of Wilson Shedd” premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last month, and though it will compete in other festivals around the world, there is no set wide release for the film.

Nelson also shared with Thompson about the intent he took with the presentation of capital punishment and the person sentenced to it in the film. He did not wish to paint the story in a black or white fashion.

“I wanted to take the less familiar road, and look at this material with face value.”