The Director’s Cut - A DGA Podcast

Director Sean Durkin discusses his new film, The Iron Claw, with fellow Director Catherine Hardwicke in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses how he aimed to make a complex narrative exploring the absence of grief, filming with live wrestling fans during the ring scenes, and utilizing one-takes to keep the performances authentic. The film tells the true story of the Von Erich brothers, who made history in the intensely competitive world of professional wrestling in the early 1980s. Through tragedy and triumph, and under the shadow of their domineering father and coach, the brothers seek larger-than-life immortality on the biggest stage in sports. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2024/January2024/TheIronClaw_QnA_1223.aspx

Director John Woo discusses his new film, Silent Night, with fellow Director Brian Helgeland in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses his influence echoed throughout modern action films, the importance of classic Hollywood and musical films to his taste, and telling a story absent of any dialogue starring a speechless character. The film tells the story of Brian, a man who witnesses the death of his son when the boy is caught in gang crossfire on Christmas Eve. Recovering from a wound that cost him his voice, Brian embarks on a bloody quest to punish those responsible, all without uttering a word. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2024/January2024/SilentNight_QnA_1223.aspx

Director Tamika Miller discusses her new film, Honor Student, with fellow Director Paris Barclay in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, she discusses writing the character of the shooter against normal type, the secret meaning of her compositions, and decisions that would consider addressing the subject matter tastefully. The film tells the story of a Washington prep school student, outraged after having lost his twin brother in a mass shooting. Wanting to take the matter into his own hands, he attempts to teach America a lesson it will never forget. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2024/January2024/HonorStudent_QnA_1223.aspx

Director Francis Lawrence discusses his new film, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, with fellow Director Marc Webb in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses capturing a retro-futuristic visual aesthetic, utilizing his camera language while swapping between two main character points of view, and his visualization and rehearsal process for stunt work and action scenes. In this prequel to the popular franchise, a young Coriolanus Snow mentors for the 10th Hunger Games and develops feelings for the female tribute from District 12, Lucy Gray Baird, years before he becomes the tyrannical president of Panem. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2024/January2024/TheHungerGameBSS_QnA_1223.aspx

Director Michael Mann discusses his new film, Ferrari, with fellow Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses integrating melodrama into the story by balancing the family and industry, crafting a believable time period through color composition and mis-en-scene, and including real locations and historical participants in the film. The film tells the story of Enzo Ferrari, who in the summer of 1957 finds his auto empire in crisis. To regain his status, he enlists his team in the Mille Miglia, a treacherous thousand-mile race across Italy. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2024/January2024/Ferrari_QnA_1223.aspx

Director Emerald Fennell discusses her new film, Saltburn, with fellow Director David Lowery in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, she discusses making an unlikeable protagonist that the audience could empathize with, crafting the story while incorporating the gothic genre, and utilizing cinematography to accentuate feelings of seduction and desire. The film tells the story of Oliver, an Oxford student struggling to find his place, who befriends the charming and aristocratic Felix. Finding himself drawn into Felix’s world, Oliver is invited to Saltburn, the sprawling and eccentric family estate for a summer never to be forgotten. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2024/January2024/Saltburn_QnA_1223.aspx

Director Blitz Bazawule discusses his new film, The Color Purple, with fellow Director Gina Prince-Bythewood in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses the importance of sketching in his artistic process, how his background in music prepared him for the film, and trying to identify the heart of the original text in order to do the story justice. The film spans decades to tell the story of Celie, a woman who faces many hardships throughout her life. But ultimately she finds strength and hope in the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood, on her journey to independence. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2024/January2024/TheColorPurple_QnA_1223.aspx

Director Ava DuVernay discusses her new film, Origin, with fellow Director Ed Zwick in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, she discusses constructing the metalayers of the narrative, her intentional choice of the film format and look, and working with her composer to reflect music from multiple eras. The film follows author Isabel Wilkerson as she sets out on a path of global investigation following a tremendous personal tragedy. In what would become her novel, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent, she chronicles how lives today are defined by a hierarchy of human divisions. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2024/January2024/Origin_QnA_1223.aspx

Director Maryam Keshavarz discusses her new film, The Persian Version, with fellow Director Crystal Moselle in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, she discusses finding inspiration in her family and world events, achieving authenticity in her locations and production design, and aiming for representation in a grounded and personal story. The film tells the story of Leila, an Iranian-American woman who strives to find balance in her opposing cultures. But when her large family gathers in New York for her father’s heart transplant, a family secret is uncovered that catapults Leila and her mother into an exploration of the past. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2024/January2024/PersianVersion_QnA_1123.aspx

Director Kristoffer Borgli discusses his new film, Dream Scenario, with fellow Director Tim Heidecker in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses working with Actor Nicolas Cage to create the character he envisioned, his writing process and the influences that went into the story, and how he borrowed from multiple genres in an effort to transcend categorization. The film tells the story of Paul, a family man who finds his life turned upside down when millions of strangers start mysteriously seeing him in their dreams. But when his nighttime appearances start taking a nightmarish turn, Paul is forced to navigate his newfound infamy. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2024/January2024/DreamScenario_QnA_1123.aspx

Director Alexander Payne discusses his new film, The Holdovers, with fellow Director Jason Reitman in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses where the inspiration for the story originated, his favorite aspects of each of the three lead actors’ performances, and the filmic inspirations that contributed to the tone of the story. The film tells the story of Paul, a cranky history teacher at a boarding school in the 1960s, forced to chaperone a handful of students with nowhere to go over Christmas break. There, he forms an unlikely bond with a troubled student and the school’s head cook, who lost her son in the Vietnam War. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2024/January2024/Holdovers_QnA_1123.aspx

Director Sam Esmail discusses his new film, Leave the World Behind, with fellow Director Luke Greenfield in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses the changes he considered when adapting the book to screen, working with the Obama family as producers, and the amount of preparation he underwent before going into production. The film tells the story of Amanda and Clay, who rent a luxurious home for the weekend with their kids. Their getaway is upended when two strangers arrive bearing news of a mysterious cyberattack and the possibility of the collapse of life as we know it. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2024/January2024/LeaveTheWorldBehind_QnA_1123.aspx

Director Todd Haynes discusses his new film, May December, with fellow Director Gregg Araki in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses scouting for the right location to match the specific time and feel of the story, casting and working with longtime collaborator Julianne Moore, and playing with framing and reflections to mirror the multifaceted narrative of the story. The film tells the story of Gracie and Joe, a married couple who, two decades prior, were the subject of a scandalous tabloid romance. When an actress visits their home to research Gracie for a movie role, the uncomfortable details from the scandal emerge, causing long-dormant emotions to resurface. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2024/January2024/MayDecember_QnA_1123.aspx

Director Michelle Danner discusses her new film, Miranda’s Victim, with fellow Director Sarah Pirozek in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, she discusses the intention behind her casting choices, how she aimed to capture a classic era through cinematography and editing, and how she sought to explore her lead character’s mindset in tandem to the events of the story. The film tells the story of Patricia Weir, who in 1963, was kidnapped and brutally raped by Ernesto Miranda. Committed to seeing him pay for the crime, her life is destroyed by America’s legal system as she triggers a law that transforms the nation. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/December2023/MirandasVictim_QnA_1123.aspx

Director Bradley Cooper discusses his new film, Maestro, with fellow Director Todd Phillips in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses working with Bernstein’s children and how he was given the project, the practice that went into major performance scenes, and capturing the thought process of Leonard Bernstein while in the dual roles of lead Actor and Director of the film. The film tells the story of world renowned American composer Leonard Bernstein and his decade-spanning journey with Felicia Montealegre. A love letter to life and art, their relationship is an emotionally epic portrayal of endurance, passion and family. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2024/January2024/Maestro_QnA_1123.aspx

Director Christopher Zalla discusses his new film, Radical, with fellow Director Braden King in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, he discusses how the children’s POV informed his cinematography choices, his personal journey in finding a story that resonated with him, and how he worked with Actors of various backgrounds to achieve the types of characters he envisioned. The film tells the story of Sergio Juarez, a sixth grade teacher in a Mexican border town full of neglect, corruption and violence. Saddled with the worst performing students, he tries a radical new method to unlock his students' curiosity, potential, and maybe even their genius. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/December2023/Radical_QnA_1123.aspx

Director Kevin Greutert discusses his new film, Saw X, with fellow Director Marcus Dunstan in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses refocusing the series around its trademark antagonist, finding inspiration in a new setting when the initial location fell through, and having his cinematography capture uncharacteristic beauty in contrast to the iconic Saw imagery. The film tells the story of John - the serial killer known as Jigsaw - who goes out of country to undergo an experimental procedure in hopes of finding the miracle cure for his cancer. Once he discovers the entire operation is a scam to defraud the most vulnerable, he is armed with newfound purpose and uses deranged and ingenious traps to turn the tables on the con artists. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/December2023/SawX_QnA_1023.aspx

Director Rebecca Miller discusses her new film, She Came to Me, with fellow Director Noah Baumbach in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, she discusses how her background as a painter gave her an eye for composing scenes, how she overcame challenges that arose on-set and how she learned the dynamics of each Actor’s methods in order to work with them. The film tells the story of Steven, who is unable to finish the score for his big comeback opera. At the behest of his wife and former therapist, Patricia, he sets out in search of inspiration, but finds much more than he bargained for in the form of Katrina- a tugboat captain with her own obsessions. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/December2023/SheCameToMe_QnA_1023.aspx

Director Rebecca Cammisa discusses her new film, Yours in Freedom, Bill Baird, with fellow Director Tia Lessin and subjects Bill Baird and Joni Baird in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, she discusses how she mixed archival and modern day clips, surprising discoveries she made on her documentary journey, and giving the floor to her subject Bill Baird, he discusses his background and defining moments that drove him to take up his fight for reproductive rights. The film tells the true story of reproductive rights pioneer Bill Baird, the unsung hero of the birth control battle, who gave up everything — his family, his livelihood, his freedom — in pursuit of women’s rights. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/December2023/YIF-BillBaird_DocSeries_1023.aspx

Director Craig Gillespie discusses his new film, Dumb Money, with fellow Director Phil Lord in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses his process in finding a tonal balance between the comedy and serious in his scenes, working with a script so soon after the real-life events transpired, and using real footage, texts and even memes in the film. The film tells the true story of how regular guy, Keith Gill, starts a movement with other novice stock traders to get rich. By turning GameStop into one of the world’s hottest companies, he helps make stock market history, much to the chagrin of the finance industry giants who fight back. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/December2023/DumbMoney_QnA_1023.aspx

Director Steve James discusses his new film, A Compassionate Spy, with fellow Director Ondi Timoner in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses his process of shooting reenactments, the discovery of archival footage of Ted, and his aim to show the nuances and motivations of Ted’s decision. The film tells the true story of eighteen year-old physicist Ted Hall’s recruitment into the Manhattan Project. In 1944, concerned about U.S. having a monopoly on such a devastating weapon, Ted decides to divulge classified information about the world’s first atomic bomb to the Soviet Union. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/November2023/DocSeries_A_Compassionate_Spy-1023.aspx

Director Sofia Coppola discusses her new film, Priscilla, with fellow Director Celine Song in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, she discusses how she aimed for a sharp contrast in the Oz-like Elvis world and the drab normal world through her production design, how she deliberately changes the pace of her editing in the presence of Elvis vs when he’s missing, and the relationship between the real Priscilla Presley and Actor Cailee Spaeny. Based on the 1985 memoir Elvis and Me by Priscilla Presley, the film tells the story of how young Priscilla Beaulieu met Elvis Presley, chronicling their legendary relationship and marriage. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/December2023/Priscilla_QnA_1023.aspx

Directors Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin discusses their new film, Nyad, with fellow Director Lisa Cholodenko in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, they discuss the change in their co-directing process having gone from documentary filmmaking to their first feature film, the physical training Actor Annette Benning underwent for the role, and the inspiration behind why they were drawn to tell this story. The film tells the true story of how 60-year-old athlete Diana Nyad, with the help of her best friend and coach, committed herself to achieving her dream of completing a 110-mile swim from Cuba to Florida. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/December2023/Nyad_QnA_1023.aspx

Director Justine Triet discusses her new film, Anatomy of a Fall, with fellow Director Nicole Kassell in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, Triet discusses the deliberation that went into her cinematography to accentuate the sense of mystery, how she directed actors to give multilayered performances, and the consideration that went into crafting the ending. The film tells the story of Sandra, her husband Samuel and their blind son Daniel, who live a secluded life in the French Alps. When Samuel is found dead, Sandra becomes the main suspect and Daniel the main witness, beginning an unsettling psychological examination of their conflicted relationship. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/November2023/AnatomyOfAFall_1023.aspx

Director Nicol Paone discusses her new film, The Kill Room, with fellow Director Jim Rash in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Paone discusses taking lessons from making her last film, creating a soundtrack that helped balance the film’s dramedy tone, and working with both a production designer and art advisor to establish the artistic look of the film. The film tells the story of an art dealer who teams with a hitman and his boss for a money laundering scheme, trading paintings by way of assassinations. But when the exchange accidentally launches the hitman’s work into fame, the dealer is forced to pit her art world against the underworld. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/November2023/THE-KILL-ROOM_QnA_1023.aspx

Director George C. Wolfe discusses his new film, Rustin, with fellow Director Reinaldo Marcus Green in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Wolfe discusses roadmapping his scenes by taking reference from some of Rustin’s real-life tactics, working with and taking notes from the Obamas- who acted as Executive Producers, and displaying the characters' growth through the framework of compositions by jazz composer, Branford Marsalis. The film tells the true story of Bayard Rustin, an advisor to Martin Luther King Jr., who dedicated his life to the quest for racial equality, human rights and worldwide democracy. However, as an openly gay Black man, he is all but erased from the civil rights movement he helped build. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/December2023/RUSTIN_QnA_1023.aspx

Director Garth Davis discusses his new film, Foe, with fellow Director Darius Marder in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, Davis discusses playing with themes of reality, identity and change, utilizing locations as their own character, and working with actors to create scenes with multilayered meanings. The film tells the story of Hen and Junior, who farm a secluded piece of land which has been in Junior’s family for generations. But their quiet life is thrown into turmoil when an uninvited stranger shows up at their door with a startling proposal. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/November2023/FOE_QnA_1023.aspx

Director Martin Scorsese discusses his new film, Killers of the Flower Moon, with fellow Director Ti West in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Scorsese discusses lifting dialogue from real historical accounts when working on the script and its structure, speaking with current Osage tribal members to include their suggestions and accounts, and the fashioning of the title sequence and how a hundred-year-old camera was used in the crafting of it. The film tells the story of the true, serial murders of members of the oil-wealthy Osage Nation, which came to be known as the Reign of Terror. Set in 1920s Oklahoma and told through the impossible romance of Ernest Burkhart and Mollie Kyle, the film depicts the systematic conspiracy and murders, which spark a major F.B.I. investigation. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/November2023/KOTFM_QnA_1023.aspx

Director Grant Singer discusses his new film, Reptile, with fellow Director Louis Leterrier in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Singer discusses the genres he drew from to achieve his tone, his experience working alongside Benicio del Toro on the production end, and how he saw music as a drive for the film’s pacing. The film tells the story of Tom Nichols, a New England detective investigating the brutal murder of a young real estate agent. Though he's unflinching in his pursuit for justice, the case slowly begins to dismantle the illusions in his own life. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/November2023/Reptile_QnA_1023.aspx

Director Roger Ross Wiliams discusses his new film, Cassandro, with fellow Director Dee Rees in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, Williams discusses how he treated the story like a superhero narrative to guide his character’s transformation, how he established a progressing color palette with his DP to reflect the progression of the story, and how he integrated his documentary skills to create a naturally changing narrative. The film tells the true story of Saúl Armendáriz, a gay amateur wrestler who rose to fame and became an LGBTQ icon after participate in lucha libre wrestling matches as “Cassandro the Exotico.” See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/November2023/Cassandro_QnA_0923.aspx

Director Chloe Domont discusses her new film, Fair Play, with fellow Director Olivia Wilde in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Domont discusses how she used production design to drive the mood, how she intended her camera and audio to invoke the style of thrillers and horror movies, and how she worked to develop stronger emotional connections between her leading actors and create a more nuanced relationship for her characters. The film tells the story of Emily and Luke, a young couple working at a cutthroat hedge fund, who find themselves tested when an unexpected promotion threatens to unravel far more than their recent engagement. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/November2023/FairPlay_QnA_0923.aspx

Director Emma Seligman discusses her new film, Bottoms, with fellow Director Gene Stupnitsky in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Seligman discusses the difficulty of cutting favorite scenes to keep the tone she envisioned, building the world of a high school comedy with a unique set of rules, and the influences she pulled across films to form her vision. The film tells the story of best friends PJ and Josie, two gay teens who take the unusual approach of launching a high school fight club in a plan to meet girls and lose their virginity. But soon they find themselves in over their heads when the most popular students begin to beat each other up. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://cms.dga.org/Events/2023/October2023/Bottoms_QnA_0923.aspx

Director Juel Taylor discusses his new film, They Cloned Tyrone, with fellow Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Taylor discusses how test screenings helped him refine the film, the pitching process that helped start the project and how he mixed filmic inspirations to achieve his unique tone. The film tells the story of Fontaine, Slick Charles and Yo-Yo, an unlikely trio who discover a nefarious government cloning conspiracy and embark on a mission to save their neighborhood. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/October2023/TheyClonedTyrone_QnA_0923.aspx

Director Alejandro Monteverde discusses his new film, Sound of Freedom, with fellow Director Alonso Alvarez-Barreda in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Monteverde discusses how he wanted to depict horror through beauty in his cinematography, his real life inspirations for the film and how he balanced tone to make the movie impactful but not onerous. The film tells the story of a former government agent-turned-vigilante who embarks on a dangerous mission to rescue children from sex traffickers. After rescuing a young boy, he learns the boy’s sister is still captive and decides to quit his job and embark on a dangerous mission deep in the Colombian jungle to save her. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/October2023/SoundOfFreedom_QnA_0923.aspx

Director Ángel Manuel Soto discusses his new film, Blue Beetle, with fellow Director Jaume Collet-Serra in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Soto discusses how he kept the theme of family central to the film, his deliberate choices when casting each role, and the importance of fleshing out his characters. The film tells the story of a young man, made into a superhero after being chosen by an alien entity to be its symbiotic host. After Jaime Reyes, a recent college graduate, is bestowed with a suit of armor capable of extraordinary powers, it forever changes his destiny but never the bond with him and his family. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/October2023/BlueBeetle_QnA_0823.aspx

Director Ondi Timoner discusses her new film, Last Flight Home, with fellow Director Susanna Styron in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, Timoner discusses how she viewed the filming of this documentary as her own form of therapy, how she transitioned between the roles of daughter and filmmaker while behind and in front of the camera, and the effect of the film on her father’s closest friends and family. The film tells the story of Timoner’s father, Eli Timoner, during the 15-day waiting period before medically terminating his own life. Once a swashbuckling entrepreneur, now bedridden, Timoner says goodbye to those closest to him while they struggle to reconcile with his choice. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/en/Events/2023/October2023/LastFlightHome_DocSeries_0823

Directors Kristin Gore and Damian Kulash discuss their new film, The Beanie Bubble, with fellow Directors Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, they discuss the evolution of the script over the years, the limitations in using real likenesses and Beanie Babies, and structuring the story as a rise and fall for its many characters. The film tells the story behind the Beanie Baby toy obsession that took off in the 1990s, centered on manufacturer-turned-billionaire Ty Warner, and the women who were integral to his success. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/en/Events/2023/September2023/BeanieBubbleQnA_0823

Director Lisa Cortés discusses her new film, Little Richard: I Am Everything, with fellow Director Ondi Timoner in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Cortés discusses her thought processes when structuring the film, applying her knowledge and experiences from the music industry to the production, and her attempts to shake up the structure of a typical music documentary. The film tells the story of music legend Little Richard, combining a wealth of his archival and performance footage to reveal the true Black queer origins of rock n’ roll. As the icon’s story is unspooled, so too are the contradictions between his life and music, as he gave the world what he was never able to give himself. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/September2023/DocSeries_LittleRichardIAE-0723.aspx

Director Christian Petzold discusses his new film, Afire, with fellow Director Michael Almereyda in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, Petzold discusses the autobiographical elements of the film, the meaning and thought process behind the encroaching fire, and its dystopian as well as its pandemic influences. The film tells the story of a group of young friends who vacation in a house by the Baltic Sea as an encroaching forest fire threatens the group. As the days grow hotter and the fire nears, both temperature and tensions rise, allowing emotions of happiness, lust and love to give way to jealousies, resentments and tensions among the group. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/August2023/GCS_Afire_0723.aspx

Director Savanah Leaf discusses her new film, Earth Mama, with fellow Director Celine Song in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, Leaf discusses her familial inspiration for the story, working with a lead who isn’t typically an actor, and using cinematography as a method to bring out more from the actors. The film tells the story of Gia, a young pregnant woman with two children in the foster care system, who lives her life on the margins. As she works to make a life for herself and her kids, she fights the system in hopes of reclaiming her family, in this heavy yet hopeful look at young motherhood. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2023/September2023/EarthMama_QnA_0723.aspx

Director Adele Lim discusses her new film, Joy Ride, with fellow Director Jason Ensler in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Lim discusses working on a film as a first-time director, channeling the energy of the cast into their characters and how she accomplished scenes when plans didn’t work out. The film tells the story of four Chinese-American friends on an international trip in search of one of their birth mothers. Audrey, Lolo, Kat and Deadeye experience friendship, belonging, debauchery and eventually discover the universal truth of what it means to know and love who you are See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/August2023/JoyRide_QnA_0723.aspx

Director Cristian Mungiu discusses his new film, R.M.N., with fellow Director Victoria Hochberg in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Mungiu discusses the importance of diagetic sound and ambience in the film, the subconscious effect the film’s visual imagery contributes to the mood, and how he takes the time to fully understand his material before working on a film. The film tells the story of a father who returns home to his family in their Transylvanian village in Romania after a violent incident at his job in Germany. When the local factory hires foreign workers, deep-rooted impulses and animosities emerge, causing ethnic and economic resentments and shattering the veneer of peace in the community. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/August2023/GCS_RMN_0723.aspx

Director Tim Story discusses his new film, The Blackening, with fellow Director David E. Talbert in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Story discusses his process in trying to keep the film current, his effort in making a culturally rich comedy, and the ways he fleshes out distinct character personalities while still maintaining the core structure of the story. The film tells the story of seven Black friends who reunite for a Juneteenth weekend getaway, only to find themselves trapped in a remote cabin with a twisted killer. Forced to play by the killer’s rules in a deadly game, the friends use their street smarts and knowledge of horror movies to help them stay alive- to mixed results. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/events/2023/august2023/theblackening_qna_0723.aspx

Taylor Mac's 24-Decade History of Popular Music Directors Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman and performer Taylor Mac discuss their new film, Taylor Mac’s 24-Decade History of Popular Music, with fellow Director Ondi Timoner in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, the filmmakers discuss including behind-the-scenes costuming and makeup to drive the narrative, the editing process of turning a 24-hour live show into a shortened recorded special, and telling a multilayered story within the confines of a live taped performance. The film captures the drag star’s exuberant, blatantly gay 24-hour musical performance, featuring skilled performers, creative costumes, and the American myth recounted through sailor's ditties, disco, and sugary pop numbers. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2023/August2023/0623_DocSeries_TaylorMac.aspx

Director Joshua Caldwell discusses his new film, Mending the Line, with fellow director Bryan Woods in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Caldwell discusses how his own passion for fly fishing informed the making of the movie, how his research into PTSD and feedback from veterans affected the script, and facing difficulties while shooting in the Montana wilderness. The film tells the story of Colter, a Marine who returns to a VA hospital in Montana after being wounded in Afghanistan. There he meets a Vietnam vet who teaches him fly fishing as a means of coming to terms with his physical and emotional trauma. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/August2023/MendingTheLine_QnA_0623.aspx

Director Laura Terruso discusses her new film, About My Father, with fellow director Paul Weitz in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Terruso discusses her personal connection to the film, how she portrays a character who is both funny and complex, and her experience working with a veteran actor on set. The film tells the story of a man who is encouraged to bring his immigrant father on a weekend get-together with his fiancée and her wealthy family. The eccentric gathering soon develops into a culture clash, allowing father and son to discover the true meaning of family. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/August2023/AboutMyFather_QnA_0623.aspx

Director Rob Savage discusses his new film, The Boogeyman, with fellow director Parker Finn in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Savage discusses how he storyboards his visual language as inspired by shots from other movies, working with child actors on set, and designing the creature with the aim of capturing genuine primal childhood fears. Based on the short story by Stephen King, the film tells the story of a high school student reeling from the death of her mother. When a desperate patient of her psychiatrist father unexpectedly shows up at their home seeking help, he leaves behind a chilling paranormal creature that preys on families and feeds on the suffering of its victims. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/July2023/Boogeyman_QnA_0623.aspx

Director Eva Longoria discusses her new film, Flamin' Hot, with fellow director Patricia Cardoso in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Longoria discusses securing the project as her feature directing debut, maintaining Chicano authenticity throughout the story, and how the visual language of the film informs the development of the main character. The film tells the true story of how a former Frito Lay janitor disrupted the food industry by channeling his Mexican heritage to turn Flamin' Hot Cheetos from a snack into an iconic global pop culture phenomenon. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/July2023/FlaminHot_QnA_0623.aspx

Director Miranda Yousef discusses her new film, Art For Everybody, with fellow director Ondi Timoner in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Yousef discusses working with a vast array of archival material, navigating the true identity of Kinkade through accounts from friends and family, and applying her skills and expertise as an Editor in her debut as a feature-length documentary filmmaker. The film delivers a portrait of Thomas Kinkade, a complex man both celebrated and disparaged for his kitschy art style- and secretly plagued by demons. Following the discovery of a collection of unexpectedly dark paintings, an investigation is launched into the true personality under Kinkade's façade. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2023/July2023/Art4Everybody_DocSeries_0523.aspx

Director Martin Guigui discusses his new film, Sweetwater, with fellow director Jeremy Kagan in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Guigui discusses the challenges of maintaining a sense of historical accuracy, finding Globetrotter authenticity in his cast and implementing his vision of how basketball creates a level playing field. The film tells the story of how the game of basketball was changed forever when the New York Knicks took the initiative to integrate the team with the historic introduction of Harlem Globetrotters player, Nathaniel ‘Sweetwater’ Clifton. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/June2023/Sweetwater_QnA_0423-002.aspx