The Director’s Cut - A DGA Podcast

Director Aaron Sorkin discusses his new film, Molly's Game, with fellow Director John Gatins. The film tells the true story of Molly Bloom, an Olympic-class skier, who ran the world's most exclusive high-stakes poker game for a decade for such players as Hollywood royalty, sports stars, business titans, and finally, unbeknownst to her, the Russian mob.

Director Greta Gerwig discusses her new film, Lady Bird, with fellow Director Spike Jonze. The film follows Christine "Lady Bird" McPherson and her relationship with her wildly loving, strong-willed mother, who works tirelessly to keep her family afloat after Lady Bird's father loses his job. The film looks at both the humor and pathos in the turbulent bond between mother and daughter.

Director Richard Linklater discusses his new film, Last Flag Flying, with fellow Director Andrew Davis. The film tells the story of former Navy Corps medic Richard "Doc" Shepherd, who enlists his war buddies from three decades ago to go on a road trip to bury his son. As they travel up the East Coast to Shepherd's home in New Hampshire, they try to come to terms with the shared memories of the war that continues to shape their lives.

Director Jason Hall discusses his new film, Thank You for Your Service, with fellow Director Bradley Cooper. The film tells the story of four U.S. soldiers who try to cope with their return stateside after a tour in Iraq. As they struggle to readjust to civilian life, lingering memories and wounds sustained in the war threaten to destroy them long after they've left the battlefield.

Director The Man From Earth: Holocene discusses his new film, The Man From Earth: Holocene, with fellow Director Larry Brand. The sequel to his 2007 feature The Man From Earth, the film continues the story of John Oldman, a 14,000 year-old being comfortably hiding in plain sight as a college professor in northern California. When four students discover his secret, his existence comes crashing down, putting his life in grave danger and potentially shaking the foundations of humankind.

Director Martin Campbell discusses his new film, The Foreigner, with fellow Director Michael Apted. The film stars Jackie Chan as a London businessman who embarks on a revenge-fueled vendetta after his teenage daughter is killed in a terrorist attack.

Director Martin McDonagh discusses his new film, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, with fellow Director Niki Caro. The film stars Frances McDormand as Mildred Hayes, a woman frustrated by the fact that months after her daughter's violent murder, no progress has been made in the case. Infuriated by the lackluster effort by the local police, she commissions three billboards leading into her town with messages aimed at Ebbing's revered chief of police thereby setting off a battle of wills with the police force and the local community.

Director Stephen Gyllenhaal discusses his new film, So B. It, with fellow Director Michael Apted. The film tells the story of Heidi, a precocious 12 year-old whose mother has only 22 words in her entire vocabulary. But when a new word pops out of her mother's mouth, Heidi is propelled on a solo journey to discover who she is and where she and her childlike mother came from.

Director Simon Curtis discusses his new film, Goodbye Christopher Robin, with fellow Director Bob Balaban. The film offers a glimpse into the relationship between children's author A.A. Milne and his son Christopher Robin, whose toys inspired the Winnie the Pooh stories. As the books became an international success in England after the First World War, Milne's family grapples with the cost of fame.

Director Reginald Hudlin discusses his new film, Marshall, with fellow Director Jeff Byrd. The film tells the story of a young Thurgood Marshall as he faces one of his greatest challenges as a lawyer for the NAACP: defending a black chauffer accused of assault and attempted murder by a white socialite.

Director Todd Haynes discusses his new film, Wonderstruck, with fellow Director Dan Gilroy. The film tells the dual stories of Ben and Rose, two children living 50 years apart who both feel something missing from their lives. As each sets out on their separate quests, their stories unfold with mesmerizing symmetry.

Director Noah Baumbach discusses his new film, The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected), with fellow Director Brian de Palma. Starring Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, and Elizabeth Marvel, the film tells the emotional tale of three adult siblings who converge in New York to attend an event dedicated to their strong-willed artist father. While there, they must deal with both his fading legacy and the long shadow he has cast over their lives.

Director Andy Serkis discusses his new film, Breathe, with fellow Director Matt Reeves. The film tells the inspiring true story of Robin and Diana Cavendish, who are determined to live their lives to the fullest after Robin is confined to a hospital bed by polio at the age of 28 and given only a few months to live.

Director John Ridley discusses his new film, Let it Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992, with fellow Director Sam Pollard. In a reexamination of the 1992 Los Angeles riots, the film traces the roots of the uprising back to a decade before the first match was lit. Weaving in first-hand accounts from Los Angeles residents of all ethnic backgrounds and classes, the film covers the explosion of anger and the fear in the streets during the aftermath of the Rodney King verdict from the perspectives of the witnesses.

Director Sean Baker discusses his new film, The Florida Project, with fellow Director Paul Schrader. Set in a downtrodden hotel complex on the outskirts of Disney World, the film tracks one summer in the life of the precocious six-year-old Moonee, who finds mischief and adventure with her playmates as they spend their days nearly unfettered by adult supervision.

Director Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton discusses his new film, Battle of the Sexes, with fellow Director Nicole Holofcener. Set against the backdrop of the sexual revolution and the rise of the women's movement, the film tells the story of the historic 1973 tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs.

Director Mike White discusses his new film, Brad's Status, with fellow Director Miguel Arteta. Starring Ben Stiller, the comedic drama tells the story of Brad, whose comfortable life in suburban California isn't quite what he imagined during his glory days in college.

Director Denis Villeneuve discusses his new film, Blade Runner 2049, with fellow Director Rian Johnson. Picking up thirty years after the events of Ridley Scott's classic Blade Runner, the film follows K, an LAPD officer, who discovers a long-buried secret that could plunge what is left of society into chaos.

Director Angelina Jolie discusses her new film, First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers, with fellow Director Jeremy Kagan. Based on a memoir by human rights activist Loung Ung, the film recounts the Cambodian genocide of the 1970s through the eyes of a five-year-old girl as she embarks on a harrowing quest for survival during the Khmer Rouge's four-year reign terror.

Director Danny Strong discusses his new film, Rebel in the Rye, with fellow Director Richard Shepard. The film shines a light on the life of legendary author J.D. Salinger, detailing his relationship with socialite Oona O'Neill, his experiences in World War II, and the writing process for his best-known novel, The Catcher in the Rye.

Director Kenneth A. Carlson discusses his new film, The Heart of Nuba, with fellow Director Chuck Workman. The film covers the work of Dr. Tom Catena, who treats as many as 400 patients a day at Mother of Mercy Hospital as the region is bombed relentlessly by war criminal Omar Al Bashir.

Director Jeremy Kagan discusses his new film, Shot, with fellow Director Mick Jackson. The drama follows the immediate aftermath of a shooting as the victim, his wife and the emergency medical personnel fight for his life in the critical first hour. The film simultaneously shows the experiences of the teen shooter as he tries to avoid the consequences of his actions.

Director Darren Aronofsky discusses his new film, mother!, with fellow Director William Friedkin. The film tells the story of a young woman whose seemingly idyllic life is thrown into disarray when her husband invites strangers who claim to be fans of his work into their home. The film stars Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem alongside Michelle Pfeiffer and Ed Harris.

Director Michael Apted discusses his new film, Unlocked, with fellow Director Martin Campbell. The film follows CIA agent Alice Racine, who is forced to live in London as a caseworker after failing to apprehend the terrorist behind an attack in Paris that claimed dozens of live. When she is unexpectedly called back into action by a mentor, she discovers an even greater threat in the form of a lethal biological attack.

Director Matt Ruskin discusses his new film, Crown Heights, with fellow Director Gavin O'Connor. The film tells the true story of Colin Warner, a man wrongfully convicted of murder in 1980s Brooklyn. Convinced of his innocence, Colin's childhood friend, Carl King, spends the next two decades fighting for Colin's freedom and exposing the injustice of his incarceration.

Director Keith Maitland discusses his new film, Tower, with fellow Director Ondi Timoner. Told through archival footage combined with animation, the film recalls August 1st, 1966 when a gunman opened fire from the top floor of the iconic University of Texas tower.

Director Marti Noxon discusses her new film, To The Bone, with fellow Director Rick Rosenthal. The drama tells the story of Ellen, a 20-year-old anorexic who has failed at various recovery programs in the past. Desperate for a solution, her family sends her to a group home led by a non-traditional doctor, whose rules force Ellen to truly confront her addiction in order to find a path to survival.

Director Gillian Robespierre discusses her new film, Landline, with fellow Director Marielle Heller. The film tells the story of two sisters in 1990s New York City who suspect their father may be having an affair. They set out to discover the truth without tipping off their mother.

Director Kathryn Bigelow discusses her new film, Detroit, with fellow Director Paris Barclay. The film recounts what happened when misconduct by those charged with upholding the law resulted in the beating of several innocent people and the deaths of three unarmed black men.

Director Bertrand Tavernier discusses his new film, My Journey Through French Cinema, with fellow Director Chuck Workman. The film follows Mr. Tavernier's half-century-long love affair with film that began when he was just a boy. Supported by his formidable knowledge on the subject, he details both the giants of his native cinema as well as some frequently overlooked contributors in a film of both personal and historical observations.

Director Matt Reeves discusses his new film, War for the Planet of the Apes, with fellow Director Drew Goddard. The third installment in the Planet of the Apes franchise reboot finds Caesar leading a colony of apes who are forced into a struggle with an army of humans who want to destroy them.

Director Edgar Wright discusses his new film, Baby Driver, with fellow Director Christopher Nolan. The film tells the story of a young getaway driver named Baby who meets the girl of his dream. Hoping to leave his criminal life behind, he is coerced into one last getaway job. But when things go awry, all of his skills will be put to the test if he has any hope of survival.

Director Benny Boom discusses his new film, All Eyez on Me, with fellow Director Jeff Byrd. The film tells the story of Tupac Shakur, the prolific rapper, actor, poet and activist. The feature film charts his meteoric rise and ultimate transformation into a cultural icon before his untimely death at the age of 25.

Director Erik Poppe discusses his new film, The King's Choice, with fellow Director Victoria Hochberg. The film tells the story of King Haakon VII during three days in 1940 when he faced a moral decision about whether or not to cooperate with the invading German Army. Although outnumbered and facing almost certain defeat, Norwegians, following their King's choice, broke all rules of international diplomacy and warfare. This screening was a part of the DGA's Global Cinema Series. Erik Poppe's previous film Hawaii, Oslo, was the inaugural film of this series when it started in 2004.

Director Robin Swicord discusses her new film Wakefield with fellow Director Lesli Linka Glatter. Wakefield was adapted from an E.L. Doctorow short story about a suburban lawyer with a loving wife and family. Though outwardly successful and happy, his inner feelings of suffocation lead Howard to snap and disappear without a trace. Hiding in his own garage attic, he survives by scavenging at night and spends his time secretly observing the lives of his wife, children and neighbors.

Director Patty Jenkins discusses her new film Wonder Woman with fellow Director Richard Donner. The film tells the story of Diana, princess of the Amazons, who travels on an adventure after an American pilot suddenly crashes on the shore of her island and tells of a war to end all wars raging in Europe. Convinced she can stop the threat, she leaves home to fulfill her destiny.

Director Matthew Heineman discusses his new film City of Ghosts with fellow Director Chuck Workman. The film tells the story of the Syrian citizen journalist collective, Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently, who banded together to reveal the truth about the ISIS occupation of the city of Raqqa.

Director Bette Gordon discusses her new film The Drowning with fellow Director Maggie Greenwald. The film follows child psychologist Tom Seymour who spots a young man trying to commit suicide by jumping off a pier. After rescuing him from the water, Tom realizes he and the young man have met before and their present situation is no mere coincidence.

Director Elliott Lester discusses his new film, Aftermath, with fellow Director Gregory Plotkin. Inspired by actual events, the film tells a story of guilt and revenge when a devastating plane crash causes two men's lives to be inseparably bound together.

Director Werner Herzog discusses his film, Salt and Fire, and prolific career with fellow director Kevin Smith. The film follows a scientific delegation who, after being tasked by the U.N. with investigating an ecogical disaster in South America, is kidnapped by the CEO of the Corporation responsible for the problem.

Director Terry George discusses his new film The Promise with fellow Director Tony Gilroy. The film tells the story of a love triangle between Mikael, a brilliant medical student, Ana, a dance instructor, and Chris, an American photojournalist during the waning days of the Ottoman Empire and during the Armenian genocide.

Director James Gray discusses his new film, The Lost City of Z, with fellow director Matt Reeves. The film tells the incredible true story of Col. Percival Fawcett, a British explorer who discovers evidence of an advanced civilization deep in the Amazonian jungle in the early 20th century. Though ridiculed by his peers, Fawcett and his followers return to the jungle in an attempt to prove his case.

Director Charlie McDowell discusses his new film, The Discovery, with fellow director Zal Batmanglij. The film examines the near future where a doctor discovers scientific evidence of an afterlife, an announcement that causes people to commit suicide in droves. While people search for meaning in the life they inhabit, the doctor's son falls for a troubled woman.

Director Niki Caro discusses her film The Zookeeper's Wife with fellow director Lesli Linka Glatter. The film stars Jessica Chastain as Antonina Zabinska, who runs the Warsaw Zoo alongside her husband Jan in 1939. When their peaceful lives are threatened after their zoo is razed during the German occupation of Poland, the Zabinskis find themselves creating elaborate plans to save hundreds of Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto.

Director Richie Keen discusses his film Fist Fight with fellow director Seth Gordon. The film follows Andy (by Charlie Day), a high school teacher who is challenged to a fight by another high school teacher Ron (played by Ice Cube) after Andy inadvertently gets Ron fired.

Director James Mangold discusses his new film, Logan, with Director Gavin O'Connor. The film tells the story of Logan as he cares for his ailing friend, Professor X. They are approached by a young mutant who is being pursued by a villain connected to Logan's past and must rise again to protect an innocent.

James Moll moderates the Meet the Nominees: Documentary Symposium featuring Otto Bell, Ezra Edelman, Josh Kriegman, and Roger Ross Williams on their nominated films. Nominees Raoul Peck, the director of I Am Not Your Negro and Elyse Steinberg, the co-director of Weiner were not available to participate. The discussion covers a variety of topics including editing and interacting with the subjects of their films.

Jeremy Kagan moderates the 26th Annual DGA Meet the Nominees: Feature Film Symposium featuring Damien Chazelle, Garth Davis, Barry Jenkins, Kenneth Lonergan, and Denis Villeneuve on their nominated films. Topics for part three include the nominees' approach to pivotal scenes within each film and how they deal with the pressures of directing.

Jeremy Kagan moderates the 26th Annual DGA Meet the Nominees: Feature Film Symposium featuring Damien Chazelle, Garth Davis, Barry Jenkins, Kenneth Lonergan, and Denis Villeneuve on their nominated films. Topics for part two include how the nominees' approach casting and found the right actor for each films' pivotal roles.

Jeremy Kagan moderates the 26th Annual DGA Meet the Nominees: Feature Film Symposium featuring Damien Chazelle, Garth Davis, Barry Jenkins, Kenneth Lonergan, and Denis Villeneuve on their nominated films. Topics for part one include the nominees' thoughts on the challenging stage of editing and how each of their films portray time.