The Director’s Cut – A DGA Podcast

Director Maureen Bharoocha discusses her new film, The Prank, with fellow Director Lena Khan in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, she discusses the influence of Hitchcock and Heathers on her tone, utilizing the score to control tension throughout the film, and working with Rita Moreno to portray the Actor in her first villain role. The film follows Ben and Tanner, two seemingly ordinary high school seniors. But when they both fail a physics test, they decide to exact revenge on their teacher by framing her for the murder of a missing student. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2024/May2024/ThePrank_QnA_0324

Director Denis Villeneuve discusses his new film, Dune: Part Two, with fellow Director Steven Spielberg in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses the throes of filming in the desert in comparison with Lawrence of Arabia, the comic and painterly inspirations for his imagery, and adjusting his adaptation to closer fit Frank Herbert’s original intentions. In this sequel to 2021’s Dune, Paul unites with Chani and the Fremen people while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Torn between love and the fate of the universe, he attempts to prevent a terrible future, in this continued adaptation of Frank Herbert’s groundbreaking novel. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2024/May2024/DunePartTwo_QnA_0324

Director Jeff Wadlow discusses his new film, Imaginary, with fellow Director Ari Sandel in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses working with a child actor, creating his creatures with a renowned creature effect house, and collaborating with the film’s lead, DeWanda Wise, as a producing partner. The film follows Jessica, whose daughter develops an eerie attachment to a stuffed bear they find in the basement of her childhood home. What begins as innocent games quickly becomes sinister, as they realize that the bear is much more than just a stuffed toy. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2024/May2024/Imaginary_QnA_0324

Director Johan Renck discusses his new film, Spaceman, with fellow Director Crystal Moselle in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, he discusses Adam Sandler’s casting and role in helping the film take off, consulting with real astronauts about the loneliness and melancholy of space, and working with an Actor and cgi character on a set simulating zero-g. The film tells the story of Jakub, an astronaut on a solo mission at the edge of the solar system. Increasingly concerned with the life he left behind, he sets out to fix his marriage with the help of a mysterious timeless creature living in the bowels of his ship. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2024/April2024/Spaceman_QnA_0224.aspx

Director Nicholaus Goossen discusses his new film, Drugstore June, with fellow Director Sammi Cohen in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses his first time writing, directing and editing a film himself, balancing his Actors’ improvisational scenes with the script when working on a tight shooting timeline, and referencing indie 80s and 90s movies to achieve a cinematic texture. The film tells the story of June, a wannabe-influencer whose life grows increasingly complicated as she juggles personal and interpersonal problems. Taking matters into her own hands, June heads out to get over her ex, solve a crime and become more of an adult. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2024/April2024/DrugstoreJune_QnA_0224.aspx

Director Reinaldo Marcus Green discusses his new film, Bob Marley: One Love, with fellow Director Jeffrey W. Byrd in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses shooting in Jamaica to include authentic actors and locations, finding his Bob Marley in the 11th hour, and having Ziggy Marley supervising on-set. The film tells the inspirational true story of Bob Marley, the legendary Jamaican reggae singer-songwriter and guitarist, and his journey as he becomes a pioneer and master of his craft. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2024/April2024/BobMarley1Love_QnA_0224.aspx

Martin Scorsese, Greta Gerwig, Alexander Payne, Yorgos Lanthimos and Christopher Nolan engage in a conversation with moderator Jeremy Kagan for the 33rd Annual DGA Meet the Nominees: Theatrical Feature Film Symposium. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/en/Events/2024/March2024/MTN_TheatricalFeatureFilm2024

Martin Scorsese, Greta Gerwig, Alexander Payne, Yorgos Lanthimos and Christopher Nolan engage in a conversation with moderator Jeremy Kagan for the 33rd Annual DGA Meet the Nominees: Theatrical Feature Film Symposium. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/en/Events/2024/March2024/MTN_TheatricalFeatureFilm2024

Director Zack Snyder discusses his new film, Rebel Moon: Part One - A Child of Fire, with fellow Director Louis Leterrier in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses how he aimed to capture the post-Star Wars pulp science fiction aesthetic, his process when pitching the film, and how he worked on stunt scenes with his Actors. The film tells the story of Kora, who crash-lands on a moon at the edge of the universe, and finds new life among peaceful farmers. But when peace is traded for bloodshed, newly formed revolutionaries must learn to fight together to defend their land, and survive the war on their moon. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2024/February2024/RebelMoon_QnA_1223.aspx

Director George Clooney discusses his new film, The Boys in the Boat, with fellow Director Jon Watts in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses the logistical nuances of filming scenes on the water, finding actors who could inhabit their characters and show physical prowess, and taking notes from other rowing movies as well as borrowing filming techniques from the actual 1936 Olympics. The film tells the true story of the University of Washington men’s rowing team, who stun the world when they unexpectedly win gold at the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2024/January2024/BoysInTheBoat_QnA_1223.aspx

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

Director Davis Guggenheim discusses his new film, Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, with fellow director Ondi Timoner in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Guggenheim discusses incorporating documentary, archival and scripted elements, making a movie about more than just Parkinson's disease, and overcoming expectations regarding a documentary about a famous individual. The film follows the actor, diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at the age of 29, as his public life is unspooled alongside his never-before-seen private journey, and explores what happens when an unwavering optimist confronts an incurable disease. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/June2023/STILL_AMJFMovie_DocSeries_0423.aspx

Director Kyra Sedgwick discusses her new film, Space Oddity, with fellow director Bennett Miller in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, Sedgwick discusses discovering the film's locations and look, influences that affected the story's tone, and the movie as a love letter to earth. The film tells the story of Alex, who bewilders his family after he gives up on life on Earth and begins training for a one-way trip to Mars. But an unexpected romance may force him to choose between an uncertain journey to the stars or an even more uncertain journey of the heart. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/May2023/SpaceOddity_QnA_0423.aspx

Director Chad Stahelski discusses his new film, John Wick: Chapter 4, with fellow director Louis Leterrier in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Stahelski discusses the influence location scouting had on setpieces, the preparation required for stunts, and how his earlier work as a Second Unit Director and Stunt Coordinator informed his directorial style. The film finds John Wick forced to take his fight against the High Table across the globe as he seeks out the most powerful players in the underworld. With the price on his head ever increasing, he faces off against a new enemy with powerful alliances and forces that turn old friends into foes. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/May2023/JohnWickChapterFour_QnA_0423.aspx

Director Linda Yellen discusses her new film, Chantilly Bridge, with fellow director Mary Harron in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, Yellen discusses her use of improvisation in both Chantilly Lace and Chantilly Bridge, and utilizing footage from the original film to craft a memory piece and meditation on aging. Set 25 years after her groundbreaking Sundance hit, Chantilly Lace, the film follows a group of lifelong, steadfast friends who reunite and discuss important issues that impact all women. Yellen brings back the same actresses for a story that traverses old and new films alike as old friends deal with the trials and tribulations in their lives. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/May2023/ChantillyBridge_QnA_0423.aspx

Director Zach Braff discusses his new film, A Good Person, with fellow director Zoe Lister-Jones in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Braff discusses the personal inspirations for the film, the challenges in working with a tight schedule, and his desire to add comic relief to the story. The film tells the story of Allison, whose life falls apart following her involvement in a fatal accident. She is brought together with Daniel, a grief-stricken father who is also dealing with the aftermath of that incident. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/May2023/AGoodPerson_QnA_0323.aspx

Tone is probably the strongest element that defines a project and yet, surprisingly, is a topic that is frequently the least discussed on a feature film, pilot, or first season of a television show. DGA members interested in learning more about techniques for determining and subsequently communicating this ever elusive but critical aspect gathered in the Guild’s Los Angeles theater for Special Projects Committee event, Creating & Talking Tone with Your Team. In a conversation moderated by Director Valerie Weiss, Directors Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris, Karyn Kusama and David O. Russell spoke about what has worked and not worked on their productions. In the conversation, the panelists discuss how the topic of tone is implemented throughout their projects and shared their advice on how to achieve tone through music, casting, opening shots and much more. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/April2023/SP-CreatingNTalkingToneWithYourTeam-0323.aspx

Director Matt Smukler discusses his new film, Wildflower, with fellow director Will Speck in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Smukler spoke about how the project transitioned from a documentary to a narrative feature, the challenges of making the shift in format and selecting a cast resembling family. Based on a true story about his extended family that inspired a documentary of the same name, Smukler’s feature centers on Bea, the daughter of two intellectually disabled parents and a set of relatives that can't quite agree on the best way to help. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2023/May2023/Wildflower_QnA_0323.aspx

Director Michael B. Jordan discusses his new film, Creed III, with fellow director Tim Miller in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Jordan discusses the challenge of directing himself, how the fight scenes were another language within the film, and how anime allowed the themes of the story to resonate. The film follows boxing champion Adonis Creed as he is forced to put his future on the line when a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy resurfaces after serving time in prison, eager to settle an old score and prove that he deserves his shot in the ring. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2023/April2023/Creed003_QnA_0323.aspx

Director Alice Diop discusses her new film, Saint Omer, with fellow director Dee Rees in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, Diop speaks about finding ways to expand the court room visually, how her personal experience of watching the trial informed her direction, and relying on intuition to lead her through the making of the film. Based on true events, the film tells the story of Rama, a successful author living in Paris, who travels to the northern town of Saint Omer to attend the trial of a young Senegalese women accused of murdering her baby daughter. Rama's plan to write a book about the case unravels when she is forced to reckon with memories of her own immigrant mother as well as her impending motherhood. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2023/March2023/GCS_SaintOmer_0123.aspx

Director Michael Showalter discusses his new film, Spoiler Alert, with fellow director Charles Rogers in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Showalter speaks about earning an emotional reaction to the film through technique, dealing with characters who use humor as a coping mechanism, and working with how an actor interprets a character naturally. Based on Michael Ausiello's 2017 memoir, Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies, the film follows the final 11-months of Manhattan photographer Kit Cowan's life from his terminal cancer diagnosis to his death, told through the eyes of Ausiello, his spouse. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2023/February2023/1222_QnA_SpoilerAlert.aspx

Director Sam Mendes discusses his new film, Empire of Light, with fellow director Karyn Kusama in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Mendes speaks about directing (recreating) scenes from his life, making films audiences can connect to, and relaying the cinematic experiences. Set on the South coast of England in the 1980s, the film follows Hilary, a lonely woman who works at a seaside movie palace and is engaged in a boring affair with her married boss, Donald. When Stephen, a young new theater employee arrives on the scene, Hilary senses something kindred in him and they fall into a tenuous romance. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2023/January2023/EmpireOfLight_QnA_1222.aspx

Director Scott Cooper discusses his new film, The Pale Blue Eye, with fellow director David O. Russell in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Cooper speaks about his belief in the importance of restraint in period movies, his collaboration with Christian Bale, and what helps the audience give themselves over to a film. The film brings us the story of a veteran detective who is hired to delve into the murder of a West Point cadet, but finds himself stalled by the cadets' code of silence. In order to solve the mystery, he enlists the help of one of their own, a young Edgar Allen Poe. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2023/January2023/PaleBlueEye_QnA_1222.aspx

Director James Cameron discusses his new film, Avatar: The Way of Water, with fellow director Guillermo del Toro in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Cameron speaks about working with Sigourney Weaver to develop her unique character, the innovative tech necessary for the film (and its upcoming sequels) and the groundbreaking process of underwater performance capture. The long-awaited sequel to Cameron’s DGA Award-nominated feature, Avatar, The Way of Water is set a decade after the events of the first film and follows human-turned-Na’vi Jake Sully, who must find a safe haven for his family when old foes return to ravage their beautiful home and destroy their harmonious way of life. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2023/February2023/1222_QnA_Avatar.aspx

Director Damien Chazelle discusses his new film, Babylon, with fellow director Taylor Hackford in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Chazelle discusses the real-life figures who inspired the lead characters in the film, capturing the DNA of a "party movie" through the use of music, and crafting an atmosphere on set where life blends with art. The film chronicles the rise and fall, outsized ambition, and outrageous excess of multiple characters during Hollywood’s transition from silent to sound films in the late 1920s. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2023/February2023/1222_QnA_Babylon.aspx

Director Darren Aronofsky discusses his new film, The Whale, with fellow director Greta Gerwig in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, Aronofsky discusses the motivation behind the film's 4:3 aspect ratio, the textual references between the play, his adaptation and the novel, Moby Dick, and his collaboration with lead actor Brendan Fraser. The film tells the story of Charlie, a reclusive English teacher whose guilt over abandoning his wife and baby daughter has led to a years-long eating disorder that now threatens his life. Faced with mortality, he attempts to make amends with the daughter he left behind. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2023/January2023/TheWhale_QnA_1222.aspx

Director Noah Baumbach discusses his new film, White Noise, with fellow director Todd Field in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Baumbach speaks about working with his actors during the month of rehearsal, the benefits of working with frequent and new collaborators, and how offering direction that includes physicality can be helpful to actors. The film unveils the story of Jack Gladney, his wife Babette and their family, who must grapple with the universal mysteries of love, death, and happiness in an uncertain world after their lives are upended by a catastrophic train accident that spreads chemical waste over their town. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2023/January2023/WhiteNoise_QnA_1222.aspx

Director Marc Forster discusses his new film, A Man Called Otto, with fellow director Taylor Hackford in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Forster speaks about how he uses storyboards in his directorial process, his collaboration with Tom Hanks, and his approach to editing flashbacks in the film. The film tells the story of Otto, a cantankerous grouch who's given up following the death of his wife. When a new family moves in nearby, he meets his match in Marisol, a quick-witted young woman who challenges him to see life differently, leading to an unlikely friendship that turns his world around. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2023/January2023/AManCalledOtto_QnA_1222.aspx

Director Luca Guadagnino discusses his new film, Bones and All, with fellow director John Krokidas in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Guadagnino discusses working with frequent collaborators, his one month journey through the Midwest that prepared him to conceptualize the film, and making a film from the era rather than about the era. The film tells the story of Maren, a young woman on the margins of society, and Lee, a disenfranchised drifter, who embark on an odyssey through the backroads of America and their own cannibalistic natures. However, despite their best efforts all roads lead back to their terrifying pasts. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2023/January2023/BonesAndAll_QnA_1122.aspx

Director Werner Herzog discusses his new film, The Fire Within: A Requiem for Katia and Maurice Krafft, with fellow director Jeremy Kagan in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Herzog speaks about crafting the voiceover for the film during the edit, obtaining the groundbreaking footage shot by the two subjects, and modifying facts to resemble the truth. Screened as part of the DGA's Documentary Series, the film crafts a fitting memorial to volcanologists and filmmakers Maurice and Katia Krafft, who were killed while filming the eruption of Japan's Mount Unzen on June 3, 1991. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2023/January2023/TheFireWithin_DocSeries_1122.aspx

Director Dean Craig discusses his new film, The Estate, with fellow director Alex Grossman in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Craig speaks about encouraging actors to bring ideas to their roles, the perks of directing your own material, and how he prefers making shot lists over storyboarding. In the film, two sisters are pitted against their greedy extended family members in a battle to win over their terminally ill, difficult to please Aunt, in hopes of becoming the beneficiaries of her wealth. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/December2022/TheEstate_QnA_1122.aspx

Director Mark Mylod discusses his new film, The Menu, with fellow director Lorene Scafaria in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, Mylod speaks about his approach to building the ensemble of actors, finding places to put the camera in a mainly one-location film, and handling the controlled chaos of as movie set. The film follows a young couple as they travel to a remote island to dine at an exclusive restaurant, only to find that the chef has prepared a few surprises along with the meal. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2023/January2023/Menu_QnA_1122.aspx

Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu discusses his new film, Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths, with fellow director Rodrigo García in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Iñárritu shares his thoughts on how fiction can elucidate truth, the four years of developing the script, and the joyful process of editing his own work. The film follows a renowned Mexican journalist and documentary filmmaker who is compelled to return to his native country, unaware that this simple trip will force him to grapple with intimate questions about identity, mortality, Mexican history, and what it means to be human in these peculiar times. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2023/January2023/Bardo_QnA_1122.aspx

Director Rian Johnson discusses his new film, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, with fellow director Phil Lord in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Johnson talks about the movies that influenced the conception of Glass Onion, his process when working with his "family" of filmmaking collaborators, and how nostalgia for a specific genre can be an obstacle to making a film. The film follows southern detective Benoit Blanc on a billionaire's lavish Greek island at a yearly reunion of a disparate group of friends. When one guest turns up dead, everyone becomes a suspect and must peel away the layers of their motivations, secrets, and lies. This is a spoiler-free podcast. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2023/January2023/GlassOnion_QnA_1122.aspx

Director Ryan Coogler discusses his new film, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, with fellow director Tyler Perry in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Coogler talks about how he approached the tribute to actor Chadwick Boseman after his passing, writing and directing from his worst fears, and staying tapped into his inner child when faced with challenging directing decisions on the film. The sequel to 2018's megahit Black Panther finds the people of Wakanda grieving the untimely death of King T'Challa and facing off against intervening world powers. However, when an advanced hidden nation threatens to destroy them, someone else must pick up the clawed gauntlet. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2023/January2023/BlackPantherWF_QnA_1122.aspx

Director Steven Spielberg discusses his new film, The Fabelmans, with fellow director Paul Thomas Anderson in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Spielberg discusses the development of the script with Tony Kushner, the process of directing Gabrielle LaBelle to play a version of himself, and the feeling of rediscovering his family through his camera. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2023/January2023/Fabelmans_QnA_1122.aspx

Director Tobias Lindholm discusses his new film, The Good Nurse, with fellow director Scott Cooper in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Lindholm talks about casting Eddie Redmayne and Jessica Chastain, wrestling with the true crime genre, and learning how to shoot diner scenes from David Fincher. Based on true events, a nurse risks her life to uncover the truth after she begins to suspect her colleague is responsible for a series of mysterious patient deaths. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/December2022/TheGoodNurse_QnA_1122.aspx

Director Maria Schrader discusses her new film, She Said, with fellow director R.J. Cutler in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Schrader speaks about shooting in the New York Times building, communicating the humanity of the leads rather than portraying an heroic treatment, and what it was like showing the film to Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor. The film recounts the true story of how New York Times reporters Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor broke one of the most important stories in a generation - one which unveiled decades of silence on the subject of sexual assault in Hollywood and helped launch the #MeToo movement. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2023/January2023/SheSaid_QnA_1122.aspx

Director James Gray discusses his new film, Armageddon Time, with fellow director Matt Reeves in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Gray discusses reconstructing his past onscreen, directing the actors who played his real-life family, and portraying the melancholic tone of the movie. The film follows Paul, a Jewish-American sixth grader who finds himself learning about racism and privilege against the backdrop of 1980s Queens. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/December2022/Armageddon-Time_QnA_1122.aspx

Director Evgeny Afineevsky discusses his new film, Freedom on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom, with fellow director Raymond De Felitta in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, Afineevsky shares insights about working with nine editors on the project, engaging a crew in Russia to shoot footage, and counteracting the propaganda war of the current conflict. The film depicts Ukraine's battle for freedom following Russian President Vladimir Putin's unprovoked invasion in early 2022, as told through the personal stories of civilians, children, soldiers, and doctors. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/December2022/FreedomOnFire_DocSeries_1022.aspx

Director Phyllis Nagy discusses her new film, Call Jane, with fellow director Sarah Pirozek in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, Nagy discusses directing actor/directors, the intentional performers who make up the soundtrack, and how restrictions make for interesting choices. Set in Chicago in 1968, the film follows Joy, a conservative housewife and mother who is faced with a devastating diagnosis when her second pregnancy leads to a life-threatening heart condition. Unable to get an exemption for a legal abortion, she turns to a clandestine group of women for help. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/December2022/CallJane_QnA_1022.aspx

Director Martin McDonagh discusses his new film, The Banshees of Inisherin, with fellow director Jeremy Kagan in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, McDonagh discusses his rehearsal process, how he approached the tone of the film, and utilizing the innocent lens of animals. Set on a remote island near Ireland's west coast, the film follows the shocking series of events that ensue when Colm tries to abruptly end a lifelong friendship with Padraic, while Padraic refuses to take no for an answer. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/December2022/Banshees_QnA_1022.aspx

Director Chinonye Chukwu discusses her new film, Till, with fellow director David Oyelowo in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Chukwu speaks about the care necessary in depicting the tragic story, the political act of where to face the camera, and how she is not precious with her footage during the edit. Based on the true story of Mamie Till-Mobley, the film recounts her relentless pursuit of justice for her 14-year-old Emmet Till, who in 1955, was lynched while visiting his cousins in Mississippi. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/December2022/TILL_QnA_1022.aspx

Director Todd Field discusses his new film, Tár, with fellow director Greta Gerwig in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, Fields speaks about choosing to move the camera less, dealing with "romance vs. finance" conflict during production, and working with Cate Blanchett to form the central character. Set in the international world of classical music, the film follows groundbreaking composter/ conductor Lydia Tear, as her life begins to unravel while preparing both a book launch and much-anticipated live performance of Mahler's Fifth symphony. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: Director Joseph Kosinski discusses his new film, Top Gun: Maverick, with fellow director Jason Reitman in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, they speak about how Top Gun came into his life (the first and second time), convincing Tom Cruise to hop back into the cockpit, and the complex process of shooting the actors while flying inside the jets. The sequel film takes us back down the highway to the danger zone as pilot Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, who has spent more than thirty years dodging a promotion that would ground him, is called up on to use his skills to train a detachment of graduates for a perilous special assignment. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/July2022/TopGunMaverick_QnA_0622.aspx

Director Parker Finn discusses his new film, Smile, with fellow director Zach Cregger in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Finn speaks about where to put the camera for an effective jump scare, integrating practical effects, and how the film went from planning to be released on Paramount+ to getting a thetrical release. The film follows Dr. Rose Cotter, who after witnessing the bizarre suicide of a patient, goes through increasingly disturbing and daunting experiences, leading her to believe what she is experiencing is supernatural. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/November2022/Smile_QnA_1022.aspx

Director Nicholas Stoller discusses his new film, Bros, with fellow director Judd Apatow in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses where the idea for the film came from, how much improv factors into his process for directing actors, and what surprised him about directing the film. The film tells the story of Bobby, a neurotic podcast host who is content not to have a serious relationship. That all changes when he meets Aaron, an equally detached lawyer. As they are repeatedly drawn to each other, both men begin to show their vulnerable sides and find themselves ready for something resembling a commitment. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/November2022/BROS_QnA_1022.aspx

Directors Maya Forbes & Wallace Wolodarsky discuss their new film, The Good House, with fellow director Susannah Grant in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, they discuss their particular method for co-directing, how they approached the tone of the film, and how they built the characters with the actors. The life of New England realtor Hildy Good begins to come to pieces as she rekindles a romance with her old high school flame. As their relationship heats up, their reckless behavior ignites long-buried emotions and family secrets. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/November2022/GoodHouse_QnA_1022.aspx

Director Peter Farrelly discusses his new film, The Greatest Beer Run Ever, with fellow director Larry David in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Farrelly speaks about shooting the movie in Thailand, how the real-life story compares to the film, and why he loves to have weather in a movie. Based on a true story, the film follows Chickie, a slacker and former marine living with his parents in 1967 New York. When he decides that the best way to support his friends serving in the Vietnam War is to deliver them cans of beer, Chickie's outlook on the war is forever changed. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/November2022/GreatestBeerRun_QnA_1022.aspx

Director Brett Morgen discusses his new film, Moonage Daydream, with fellow director Ondi Timoner in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Morgen discusses the film's themes of transience, the careful process of mixing the film, and the method he selected the songs that ended up in the movie. Screened as part of the DGA's Documentary Series, Moonage Daydream is a cinematic odyssey exploring the creative and musical journey of David Bowie. This film is the first documentary ever sanctioned by the Bowie estate with access to the artist's archives and features never-before-seen footage and performances spanning Bowie's half-century career. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/November2022/MoonageDaydream_DocSeries_0922.aspx

Director David O. Russell discusses his new film, Amsterdam, with fellow director Jon Avnet in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Russell speaks about setting the tone of the movie with his actors, capturing intimacy and immediacy with the camera, and how he personally connected with the story. Set in the 1930s, the film follows a doctor, a nurse, and a lawyer who witness a murder, become suspects themselves, and uncover one of the most secret plots in American history. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/November2022/Amsterdam_QnA_1022.aspx

Director Olivia Wilde discusses her new film, Don't Worry Darling, with fellow director Reed Morano in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, she speaks about reconfiguring the film's opening, melding the film's sound design and score, and guiding the film's ideas without sacrificing the entertainment value. The film follows couple Alice and Jack, who live in a utopian community for the workers of a top-secret project. But when cracks in her supposedly idyllic life begin to appear, Alice can't help questioning exactly what is really going on in this paradise. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/November2022/DontWorryDarling_QnA_0922.aspx

Director Gina Prince-Bythewood discusses her new film, The Woman King, with fellow director Stan Lathan in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Prince-Bythewood speaks about how she won the job, shooting the final battle in 11 days, and the grueling training process for the actors. Inspired by true events, the film follows general Nanisca, the Agojie's leader, as she prepares the next generation of recruits for a battle against an enemy determined to destroy their way of life. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/November2022/WomanKing_QnA_0922.aspx

Director Julian Higgins discusses his new film, God's Country, with fellow director Chloe Okuno in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Higgins discusses pulling off night exteriors on a small budget, the year hiatus during production, and the power of an impassioned letter. Based on a James Lee Burke's short story "Winter Light" and his own short film of the same name, Higgins' feature tells the story of a college professor who finds herself drawn into an escalating battle of wills after she confronts two hunters who claim they're just passing through. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/November2022/GodsCountry_QnA_0922.aspx

Director Nick Hamm discusses his new film, Gigi & Nate, with fellow director Ben Lewin in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Hamm speaks about why he decided to take on the project, his approach to the rehearsal process, and the effect of Covid-19 on the production. Based on true events, the film tells the story of Nate Gibson, a young man whose life is turned upside down after he suffers a near-fatal accident. Although moving forward seems impossible, he finds much needed hope with the assistance of Gigi, a curious and intelligent monkey trained to assist Nate with his basic needs. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/October2022/GigiAndNate_QnA_0922.aspx

Director Zach Cregger discusses his new film, Barbarian, with fellow director David F. Sanberg in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses creating a photoboard for the film with his cinematographer, shooting Detroit for Bulgaria, and pulling off the last scene in the film in only 40 minutes. The film tells the story of Tess, a young woman who arrives at her Airbnb late at night only to find that her rental has been mistakenly double-booked and a strange man is already staying there. Against her better judgment, she decides to stay the night, but soon discovers that there is much more to be afraid of in the house than the other guest. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/October2022/Barbarian_QnA_0922.aspx

Director Ron Howard discusses his new film, Thirteen Lives, with fellow director Akiva Goldsman in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, Howard reveals how much of the stunts the actors performed, his thoughts on the future of theatrical film, and his favorite scene in the film. The film follows the miraculous story of the 2018 Tham Luang Nang Non rescue, in which an international team of divers was assembled to save a group of 12 young boys and their soccer coach after they became trapped in a system of flooded caves in Thailand. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/September2022/ThirteenLives_QnA_0822.aspx

Director Olivia Newman discusses her new film, Where the Crawdads Sing, with fellow director Catherine Hardwicke in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Newman reveals how she pitched the film to producers, discusses the difficulty of doing chemistry reads via Zoom, and talks about the necessity of being flexible as a director. Based on the best-selling novel, the film follows Kya, an abandoned girl raised in the marshland, who finds herself falsely accused of murder by a small town in North Carolina. When the town attempts to prosecute her, Kya must clear her name as the truth of what happened lies within the murky waters of the marsh. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/September2022/WhereTheCrawdadsSing_QnA_0722.aspx

Director James Ponsoldt discusses his new film, Summering, with fellow director Ry Russo Young in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, they speak about why Ponsoldt wanted to make the film, his cinematic influences for the project, and how he helped the young actresses to function as a group and build chemistry. The film follows four best friends on the brink of starting middle school who struggle with the harsh truths of growing up as they realize their lives are about to change forever. On the last weekend of summer, they embark on a mysterious adventure. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/September2022/Summering_QnA_0722.aspx

Director George Stevens, Jr. sat in conversation with Director Paul Thomas Anderson to discuss his career and upbringing with his father, DGA Past President George Stevens, Sr. The conversation follows the release of Stevens' memoir, My Place in the Sun: Life in the Golden Age of Hollywood and Washington in which Stevens reflects on the legacy of his father and that of his family in Hollywood and the Directors Guild of America. In the conversation, Stevens and Anderson talk about their shared Valley upbringing, Stevens' founding of the American Film Institute, and candid moments he recalls with his father as a kid.

Director Theodore Braun discusses his new film, ¡Viva Maestro!, with fellow director Ondi Timoner in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Braun shares what drew him to the project, his approach to filming biographical documentaries, and how he captured the music of the film in Dolby Atmos. The film is a behind-the-scenes portrait of conductor and artistic director Gustavo Dudamel, following him around the world as his international tours are disrupted by deadly protests across his native Venezuela. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/August2022/VIVA_MAESTRO_DocSeries_0722.aspx

Director Kivu Ruhorahoza discusses his new film Father's Day, with fellow director Alex Stapleton at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, Ruhorahoza discusses how the film examines masculinity in the country of Rwanda and his process with working with actors to reveal deeper layers within the characters. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/August2022/GCS_FathersDay_0622.aspx

In a special anniversary discussion, Director Jonathan Lynn discusses his film, My Cousin Vinny, with fellow director Raymond de Felitta in a screening at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, hear Lynn discuss the improvised moments, the grueling shoots of the courtroom scenes, and the clever method used to get the shoot with the owl. The film tells the tale of Vinny, a wildly inexperienced New York lawyer who must save his teenage cousin and his friend from jail or worse after they are accused of murder in a backwater Alabama town. Complicating matters are Vinny's cranky fianceé, an uncompromising judge, and a smooth-talking district attorney. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/July2022/ERSP_AnniversarySeries_MyCousinVinny_0522.aspx

Director Daniel Adams discusses his new film, The Walk, with fellow director Alejandro Brugués in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, they speak about Adams' childhood connections to the story, what a really great performance is about, and making New Orleans look like 1970s Boston. The film weaves together three story threads as an Irish cop, his bigoted 17-year-old daughter and a young African American student and her father are caught up in the turbulent court-ordered forced integration of the Boston school system in 1974. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2022/July2022/TheWalk_QnA_0522.aspx

Director Joseph Kosinski discusses his new film, Top Gun: Maverick, with fellow director Jason Reitman in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, they speak about how Top Gun came into his life (the first and second time), convincing Tom Cruise to hop back into the cockpit, and the complex process of shooting the actors while flying inside the jets. The sequel film takes us back down the highway to the danger zone as pilot Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, who has spent more than thirty years dodging a promotion that would ground him, is called up on to use his skills to train a detachment of graduates for a perilous special assignment. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/July2022/TopGunMaverick_QnA_0622.aspx

Director Simon Curtis discusses his new film, Downton Abbey: A New Era, with fellow director Amy Holden Jones in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, they speak about how Curtis made the film his own after the televsion show and the previous film and how he hopes the film will be perceived. Based on the popular television series and a follow-up to the 2019 feature film, A New Era reacquaints us with the Crawley family and their servants, as some venture to the South of France, while others remain behind to oversee the shooting of a film at their estate. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/July2022/DowntonAbbey_QnA_0522.aspx

Director Charles Murray discusses his new film, The Devil You Know, with fellow director Matthew Cherry in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, they speak about how the film's premise developed over the years, his approach to casting Michael Ealy for the detective role, and his exploratory approach to directing actors. The film tells the story of Marcus, who after a lifetime of trouble is trying to turn his life around with the support of his loving family. When he discovers that one of his brothers may have been involved in a horrific crime, Marcus grapples with the limits of brotherhood and loyalty as he finds himself in the crosshairs of a seasoned but jaded detective. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/June2022/DevilUKNow_QnA_0422.aspx

Director Tom Gormican discusses his new film, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, with fellow director Scott Z. Burns in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation they speak about the letter that convinced Nicolas Cage to do the movie, directing the film from an Ipad in a hotel room, and the importance of music in a film with a constantly changing tone. The film stars Nicolas Cage as a fictionalized version of himself who is hired to attend the birthday of a superfan, who is actually a dangerous drug cartel kingpin. But when Cage is recruited by the CIA to help bring him down, he's forced to channel some of his most iconic on-screen characters. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/June2022/UnbearableWeight_QnA_0422.aspx

Director Tia Lessin & Emma Pildes discuss their new film, The Janes, with fellow director Ondi Timoner in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. They talk about the origin of the project, give more context on the films central characters, share their thoughts on the future of Roe v. Wade. Screened as part of the DGA’s Documentary Series, the film tells the story of the Jane Collective, a group of women who used code names, blindfolds and safe houses in an underground service for women seeking abortions in the years before the Roe v. Wade decision. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/June2022/THE_JANES_DocSeries_0422.aspx

Director Ryûsuke Hamaguchi discusses his new film, Drive My Car, with fellow director Victoria Hochberg in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. The conversation took place via Zoom and was translated by Aiko Hamaguchi. The film follows an aging widowed actor who receives an offer to direct a production of Uncle Vanya. During the production, he is forced to confront painful truths from his past with the help of the young woman assigned to chauffeur him. Join Mr. Hamaguchi as he shares his philosophy of what a director is and how he helps actors instinctively understand their characters. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://dga.org/Events/2022/May2022/GCS_DriveMyCar_0422.aspx

Directors Dan Kwan & Daniel Scheinert discuss their new film, Everything Everywhere All at Once, with fellow director Destin Daniel Cretton in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. When struggling laundromat owner Evelyn Wang finds out that only she can save the multiverse, she is swept into a dimension spanning adventure as she explores the other lives she could have led. Join Mr. Kwan and Mr. Scheinert as they speak about working with Michelle Yeoh, the films that inspired this film (The Matrix and Fight Club), and how twelve people completed the visual effects using After Effects. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/May2022/EverythingEverywhere_QnA_0422.aspx

Director Roland Emmerich discusses his new film, Moonfall, with fellow director Anna Foerster in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In a world on the brink of annihilation, two former astronauts team up with a conspiracy theorist to save humanity. Mr. Emmerich shares why Moonfall led him back to directing another disaster film, why production design led him to directing, how he copes with being in the edit. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/April2022/Moonfall_QnA_022219.aspx

Paul Thomas Anderson, Kenneth Branagh, Jane Campion, Steven Spielberg, and Denis Villeneuve engage in a conversation with moderator Jeremy Kagan for the 31st Annual DGA Meet the Nominees: Theatrical Feature Film Symposium. Part two finds the nominees discussing how they help actors find their characters, what they do when the shot just isn't working, and how they deal with fear. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: www.dga.org/Events/2022/April20…eatureFilm2022.aspx

Paul Thomas Anderson, Kenneth Branagh, Jane Campion, Steven Spielberg, and Denis Villeneuve engage in a conversation with moderator Jeremy Kagan for the 31st Annual DGA Meet the Nominees: Theatrical Feature Film Symposium. Part one finds the nominees discussing how they know they've "got the shot," where they like to sit on set, and how they prepare for production. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/April2022/MTN_TheatricalFeatureFilm2022.aspx

Director Jeff Tremaine discusses his new film, Jackass Forever, with fellow director Spike Jonze in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. The original Jackass crew return after 11 years to push the envelope with another round of hilarious and absurd displays of comedy. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/April2022/JackAssForever_QnA_0222.aspx

Director Kat Coiro discusses her new film, Marry Me, with fellow director Gillian Robespierre in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. When pop star Kat Valdez learns that her fiancé has been unfaithful seconds before their wedding in front of a global audience of fans, she decides to marry Charlie, a middle school math teacher and stranger in the crowd, instead. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/April2022/MarryMe_QnA_0222.aspx

Director Joel Coen discusses his new film, The Tragedy of Macbeth, with fellow director Guillermo del Toro in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. Based on the timeless work by William Shakespeare, the film reweaves the tale of the power-hungry Thane of Cawdor, who sets his sights on the Scottish throne. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/February2022/Macbeth_QnA_1221.aspx

Director Paul Thomas Anderson discusses his new film, Licorice Pizza, with fellow director Jeremy Kagan in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. Set in the early 1970s, the film follows Gary, a 15-year-old aspiring entrepreneur who falls in love with Alana, a 25-year-old yearbook photographer’s assistant, as they embark on a most unlikely romance in California’s San Fernando Valley. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/February2022/LicoricePizza_QnA_122119.aspx

Director Joe Wright discusses his new film, Cyrano, with fellow director Sam Taylor-Johnson in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. Based on the play by Edmond Rostand, the film adds singing to the story of Cyrano de Bergerac, who can dazzle with a word or a sword but, convinced that his appearance makes such a romance impossible, cannot declare his love for his beautiful friend Roxanne. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/February2022/Cyrano_QnA_1221.aspx

Director Nora Fingscheidt discusses her new film, The Unforgivable, with fellow director Suzi Yoonessi in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. The film tells the story of Ruth Slater, a woman recently released from prison after serving a sentence for a violent crime. As she attempts to re-enter a society that refuses to forgive her past, her only hope for redemption is finding the estranged younger sister she was forced to leave behind. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/January2022/Unforgivable_QnA_1221.aspx

Director Guillermo del Toro discusses his new film, Nightmare Alley, with fellow director Tim Blake Nelson in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. Set in 1940s New York, the film weaves the tale of a down-on-his-luck hustler who teams up with a clairvoyant and her mentalist husband to scam the wealthy. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/January2022/NightmareAlley_QnA_1221.aspx

Director Halle Berry discusses her new film, Bruised, with fellow director David E. Talbert in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. The film tells the story of mixed martial arts contestant Jackie Justice, who has failed at the one thing she's ever been good at - fighting. When the young son she abandoned years ago returns to her doorstep, Jackie must conquer her demons both inside and outside the cage. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/January2022/Bruised_QnA_1221.aspx

Director Kenneth Branagh discusses his new film, Belfast, with fellow director Christopher Nolan in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. The semi-autobiographical tale follows a working-class family and their nine-year-old son during the late 1960s in the Northern Ireland capital, where political and religious clashes turn their world upside down and change their lives forever. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/January2022/Belfast_QnA_1221.aspx

Director Steven Spielberg discusses his new film, West Side Story, with fellow director Damien Chazelle in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. The film retells the story of Tony and Maria, two teenagers from different ethnic backgrounds and rival gangs who fall in love in 1950s New York City. But tensions between their respective friends set them on a path toward tragedy. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/January2022/WestSideStory_QnA_1221.aspx

Director Aaron Sorkin discusses his new film, Being the Ricardos, with fellow director David O. Russell in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. The film revisits the story of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz as their complex relationship is threatened by shocking personal accusations, a political smear and cultural taboos during one critical production week of their groundbreaking sitcom I Love Lucy. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/January2022/BeingTheRicardos_QnA_1221.aspx

Director Sean Baker discusses his new film, Red Rocket, with fellow director Lizzie Borden in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. The film follows Mikey, who after failing in his adult film career, comes home to a town that doesn’t want him back and clashes with his estranged wife and her family. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/January2022/RedRocket_QnA_122104.aspx

Director Jason Reitman discusses his new film, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, with fellow director Eli Roth in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. Set three decades after the original Ghostbusters, the film tells the story of a single mother and her two children who move to a small town in Oklahoma, where they discover their connection to the Ghostbusters and their grandfather’s secret legacy. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/January2022/GhostbustersAL_QnA_1121.aspx

Director Mike Mills discusses his new film, C'mon C'mon, with fellow director Spike Jonze in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. The film tells the story of a man who forms a bond with his sister's son when they are thrown together on a cross-country trip. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/January2022/CmonCmon_QnA_1121.aspx

Director Rawson Marshall Thurber discusses his new film, Red Notice, with fellow director Jaume Collet-Serra in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. Starring Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds, and Gal Gadot, the film follows FBI profiler John Hartley, who is forced to partner with the world's greatest and most notorious art thieves on a daring heist. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/January2022/RedNotice_QnA_1121.aspx

Director Asghar Farhadi discusses his new film, A Hero, with fellow director Ritesh Batra in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. The film tells the story of Rahim, a man imprisoned because of a debt he was unable to repay. When he receives a two-day leave, he is confronted with a crisis he would never have imagined. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/January2022/GCS_AHero_1120.aspx

Director Benjamin Cleary discusses his new film, Swan Song, with fellow director Kari Skogland in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. The film follows a man who is diagnosed with a terminal illness as he considers whether to engage in an experimental trial that would allow him to shield his loved ones from grief. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/January2022/SwanSong_QnA_1121.aspx

Director Adam McKay discusses his new film, Don't Look Up, with fellow director Barry Jenkins in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. The film tells the story of two Michigan State astronomers who discover a planet-killing comet the size of Mount Everest is hurtling toward the Earth. With only six months until the comet makes impact, they embark on a media tour to try to get the world to take the situation seriously before it's too late. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/January2022/DontLookUp_QnA_1121.aspx

Director Justine Bateman discusses her new film, Violet, with fellow director Aaron Schneider in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. The film tells the story of a film executive named Violet who realizes that she has spent years letting fear drive her every decision and must learn to silence her relentlessly negative inner thoughts to live life show she wants. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/January2022/Violet_QnA_1121.aspx

Director Pablo Larraín discusses his new film, Spencer, with fellow director Rebecca Miller in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. Set years after the fairy-tale wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles, when the bliss has grown cold and rumors of affairs abound, the film picks up the true story on one Christmas holiday, as Diana wrestles with the pivotal decision of whether or not to leave. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2022/January2022/Spencer_QnA_1121.aspx

Director Blerta Basholli discusses her new film, Hive, with fellow director Nicole Kassell in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. The film recounts the true story of Fahrije, a woman who pulls together the other widows in her patriarchal village to launch a business selling a local food product. Their newfound independence draws the hostility of the men in the village who condemn their efforts, sparking a feud that threatens their sovereignty and the financial future of their families. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2021/December2021/GCS_HIVE_1121.aspx

Director Matthew Heinman discusses his new film, The First Wave, with fellow director Marc Levin in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. The film spotlights the everyday heroes inside one of New York's hardest hit hospital systems as they come together to fight one of the greatest threats the world has ever encountered. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2021/December2021/DocSeries_TheFirstWave_1121.aspx

Director Edgar Wright discusses his new film, Last Night in Soho, with fellow director Phil Lord in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. The film follows an aspiring fashion designer who encounters an ambitious singer when she mysteriously travels to the 1960s, but their façade of glamour soon cracks into something much darker. Please note spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2021/December2021/LastNightSoho_QnA_1023.aspx

Director Jeymes Samuel discusses his new film, The Harder They Fall, with fellow director Baz Luhrmann in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. The film tells the story of an outlaw who reunites his old gang to track down and exact revenge on an enemy who is being released from prison. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2021/December2021/HarderTheyFall_QnA_1021.aspx

Director Alan Taylor discusses his new film, The Many Saints of Newark, with fellow director Greg Mottola in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. A prequel to the award-winning television series The Sopranos, the film follows a young Tony Soprano as he grows up in one of the most tumultuous eras in New Jersey history. As he idolizes his uncle Dickie Moltisanti, we see how the relationship influences his adolescence and contributes to his transformation into the all-powerful mob boss he will someday become. Please note spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2021/December2021/ManySaintsOfNewark_QnA_1021.aspx

Director Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson discusses his new film, Summer of Soul (...Or When the Revolutioun Could Not Be Televised), with fellow director Amir Bar-Lev in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. The film shines a light on archival footage of The Harlem Cultural Festival, an epic event celebrating Black history, culture and fashion that took place in the summer of 1969. Standing as a testament to the healing power of music during times of unrest, the film includes concert performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, B.B. King and more. Please note spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2021/December2021/1021_DocSeries_SummerOfSoul.aspx

Director George Clooney discusses his new film, The Tender Bar, with fellow director Jason Reitman in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. Adapted from a memoir of the same name, the film tells the story of J.R., a fatherless boy who hangs out with his bartender Uncle in a bar that caters to an assortment of quirky characters. As his mother struggles to provide her son with opportunities and move out of her begrudgingly supportive father’s home, J.R. begins to pursue his romantic and professional dreams. Please note spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: www.dga.org/Events/2021/Novembe…Bar_QnA_102101.aspx

Director Denis Villeneuve discusses his new film, Dune, with fellow director Christopher Nolan in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. An adaptation of Frank Herbert’s groundbreaking science fiction novel, the film follows the son of a noble family, who is entrusted with the protection of the most valuable asset and vital element in the universe. Please note: spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2021/November2021/Dune_QnA_1021.aspx

Director Alexandre Moratto discusses his new film, 7 Prisoners, with fellow director Victoria Hochberg in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. The film tells the story of 18-year-old Mateus, who accepts a job in far-away São Paulo to provide a better life for his family. Once there, Mateus rebels after discovering that he and the other young men are held as prisoners to “work off” their “travel expenses.” He is ultimately forced to choose between helping the very man who imprisoned him or risk his and his family’s future. Please note spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2021/November2021/GCS_7-Prisoners_0921.aspx

Director Marilyn Agrelo discusses her new film, Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street, with fellow director Annetta Marion in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. Inspired by the book by Michael Davis, Street Gang takes us inside the minds and hearts of the artists, writers, producers, and educators who created Sesame Street, revealing not only how these visionary creators changed our world, but also what it was like to be at the center of a cultural and social phenomenon. Please note spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2021/November2021/0921DocSeries_StreetGang_NY.aspx

Director Siân Heder discusses her new film, Coda, with fellow director Suzi Yoonessi in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. The film follows Ruby, a Child of Deaf Adults who is the only hearing person in her deaf family. After the family fishing business is threatened, Ruby must choose between staying with her parents and leaving to pursue her love of music. Please note spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2021/November2021/CODA_QnA_092126.aspx

Director Theodore Melfi discusses his new film, The Starling, with fellow director David E. Talbert in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the film, a feisty starling sets up a nest at the home of Lilly, who is grieving a recent loss. As she battles with and attempts to rid her home of the combative bird, Lilly rediscovers her capacity for growth and love. Please note spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2021/November2021/TheStarling_QnA_092125.aspx

Director Paul Schrader discusses his new film, The Card Counter, with fellow director John Patrick Shanley in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. The film weaves the story of an ex-military interrogator turned gambler, who is haunted by the ghosts of his past decisions. When he is approached by a vulnerable and angry young man seeking revenge against a mutual enemy from their past, he sees a chance for salvation, but risks a fall back into dark territory. Please note spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2021/October2021/CardCounter_QnA_092112.aspx

Director Stephen Chbosky discusses his new film, Dear Evan Hansen, with fellow director Paul Hedges in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. An adaptation of the award-winning Broadway musical, the film presents the story of a high school senior with a social anxiety disorder, who embarks on a journey of self-discovery and acceptance after the suicide of a fellow classmate. Please note spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2021/November2021/DearEvanHansen_QnA_092112.aspx

Directors Aron Gaudet & Gita Pullapilly discuss their new film, Queenpins, with fellow director Cindy Chupack in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. Inspired by a true story, the film is about a bored and frustrated suburban homemaker, who hatches an illegal coupon club scheme with her best pal to scam millions from mega-corporations and deliver deals to fellow coupon clippers. Please note spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2021/October2021/Queenpins_QnA_092111.aspx

Director Destin Daniel Cretton discusses his new film, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, with fellow director Jon M. Chu in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. The film welcomes a new superhero into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, telling the story of a martial arts master who must confront the past he thought he'd left behind when he is drawn in to the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization. Please note spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2021/October2021/ShangChi_QnA_092105.aspx

Director Lisa Joy discusses her new film, Reminiscence, with fellow director J.J. Abrams in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. The film tells the story of Nick, a futuristic private investigator who helps his clients access lost memories. When an alluring new client named Mae disappears, Nick becomes obsessed with finding her and uncovers a violent conspiracy. Please note spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: www.dga.org/Events/2021/October…nce_QnA_082129.aspx

Director Morgan Neville discusses his new film, Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain, with fellow director Ondi Timoner in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. The film reveals how Bourdain went from chef at an obscure New York restaurant to a bestselling author, world traveler, Emmy-winning television writer and producer, and one of the most notorious and beloved figures in the food world and beyond. Please note spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2021/October2021/LA_DocSeries_RoadRunner.aspx

Director Liesl Tommy discusses his new film, Respect, with fellow director Radha Blank in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. The film follows the remarkable life of the “Queen of soul” Aretha Franklin, from her early days singing in her father's church choir to becoming a legendary international musical superstar. Please note spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2021/September2021/Respect_QnA_0821.aspx

Director Tom McCarthy discusses his new film, Stillwater, with fellow director Scott Cooper in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. The film tells the story of Bill, an unemployed oil-rig roughneck who flies to Marseille to visit his estranged daughter Allison, who is imprisoned for a murder she claims she did not commit. Bill embarks on a mission to exonerate Allison despite language barriers, cultural differences and a complicated legal system. Please note spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2021/September2021/StillWater_QnA_0821.aspx

Director Philippe Lacôte discusses his new film, Night of the Kings, with fellow director Alex Stapleton in a virtual Q&A. Set in Ivory Coast’s MACA Prison — an institute ruled by its inmates — the film tells the story of an ailing inmate king who assigns a young new prisoner to entertain the population with stories, but the ritual storyteller must keep the tales going all night long or forfeit his own life. Please note spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2021/September2021/GCS_NightoftheKings_0721.aspx

Director John Lee discusses his new documentary film, False Positive, with fellow director Sarah-Violet Bliss in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. The film tells the story of Lucy and Adrian, a couple attempting to conceive who find a dream doctor in the illustrious Dr. Ingle. But after becoming pregnant with a healthy baby girl, Lucy begins to notices something sinister through Hindle's gleaming charm. Please note spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2021/August2021/FalsePositive_QnA_062127.aspx

Director Barry Jenkins participates in a conversation with DGA President Thomas Schlamme on Jenkins' filmography, drawing examples from Medicine for Melancholy, Moonlight, If Beale Street Could Talk, and The Underground Railroad.

Director Matthew Heineman discusses his new documentary film, The Boy from Medellín, with fellow director Ondi Timoner in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. The film provides an immersive look at a dramatic week in the life of international superstar J Balvin. As he prepares for his sold out stadium concert in his hometown of Medellín, Colombia, public pressure and political unrest grow around him forcing him to reflect on how he will use his voice.

Director Jon M. Chu discusses his new film, In the Heights, with fellow director Nisha Ganatra in a spoiler-filled Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. The film tells the story of a likeable bodega owner named Usnavi in the tight-knit community of Washington Heights, NY, who saves every penny from his daily grind as he hopes for a better life. But when he inherits a fortune, Usnavi discovers he has mixed feelings about closing his store and retiring.

Director Maureen Bharoocha discusses her new film, Golden Arm, with fellow director Lucia Aniello in a spoiler-filled Q&A at the DGA theater. The film tells the story of Melanie, a nice girl baker who must trade whisks for barbells after her best friend Danny ropes her into taking her spot at the National Ladies Arm Wrestling Championship.

Listen to Chloé Zhao, Lee Isaac Chung, Emerald Fennell, David Fincher, and Aaron Sorkin continue their conversation with moderator Jeremy Kagan for the 30th Annual DGA Meet the Nominees: Theatrical Feature Film Symposium on their nominated films. Part three wraps up the discussion as the nominees talk about working with assistant directors, the last images of their film, and how they handle pressure.

Listen to Chloé Zhao, Lee Isaac Chung, Emerald Fennell, David Fincher, and Aaron Sorkin continue their conversation with moderator Jeremy Kagan for the 30th Annual DGA Meet the Nominees: Theatrical Feature Film Symposium on their nominated films. Part two finds the nominees discussing actors: tailoring the right approach to an actor’s working style, the importance of establishing confidence in their key collaborators, and readjusting performance to fit the film.

Chloé Zhao, Lee Isaac Chung, Emerald Fennell, David Fincher, and Aaron Sorkin engage in a conversation with moderator Jeremy Kagan for the 30th Annual DGA Meet the Nominees: Theatrical Feature Film Symposium. Part one finds the nominees discussing advice they've gotten from other directors, how they prepare for the first day on a shoot, and where they like to position themselves on set.

Director Heidi Ewing discusses her new film, I Carry You with Me, with fellow director Rodrigo García in a spoiler-filled virtual Q&A. The film tells the story of Iván, a young aspiring chef in Mexico who is working to support the mother of his child. Iván begins an affair with a handsome teacher, who unlike Iván is out as a gay man. After their relationship comes to light, Iván makes the painful decision to cross the border to advance his culinary career, promising his son and newfound love he will return.

Director Nisha Gantra discusses her new film, The High Note, with fellow director Laura Terruso in a spoiler-filled virtual Q&A. The film tells the story of Maggie, the overworked personal assistant to superstar singer Grace Davis. When Grace's manager presents her with a choice that could alter the course of her career, Maggie and Grace come up with a plan that could change both of their lives forever.

Director Josh Greenbaum discusses his new film, Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar, with fellow director Guillermo del Toro in a spoiler-filled virtual Q&A. The film tells the story of best friends Barb and Star, who leave their small Midwestern town for the first time to vacation in Vista Del Mar, Florida and soon find themselves tangled up in adventure, love, and a villain’s evil plot to murder the entire town.

Director Gabriela Cowperthwaite discusses her new film, Our Friend, with fellow director Maryam Keshavarz in a spoiler-filled virtual Q&A. The film tells the inspiring true story of Matt and Nicole Teague, whose lives are upended after Nicole is diagnosed with terminal cancer. As Matt's duties become increasingly overwhelming, the couple's best friend makes a huge sacrifice to stay with his friends and lend a hand.

Director Aaron Schneider discusses his new film, Greyhound, with fellow director Justine Bateman in a spoiler-filled virtual Q&A. The film follows a WWII Navy officer on his first war-time command assignment: defending an Allied merchant ship convoy through the Atlantic. When the convoy comes under attack by a German submarine wolfpack, the officer must battle the enemy, the elements and his own doubts to see the mission through.

Director Nate Parker discusses his new film, American Skin, with fellow director Jeff Byrd in a spoiler-filled virtual Q&A. Mr. Parker also stars in the film as a Marine veteran and school janitor, who is trying to mend his relationship with his son after a divorce. When his son is killed during a routine traffic stop and the police officer is acquitted, he takes matters into his own hands.

Directors Gerard Bush & Christopher Renz discuss their new film, Antebellum, with fellow director Tiller Russell in a spoiler-filled virtual Q&A. The film tells the story of Veronica, a renowned sociologist who must escape a terrifying reality that threatens her life and freedom.

Director Tara Miele discusses her new film, Wander Darkly, with fellow director Rachel Lee Goldenberg in a spoiler-filled virtual Q&A. The film follows a couple who, shortly after becoming parents, experience a disaster that takes them on a surreal and disorienting journey through both their past and an uncertain future.

Director Radha Blank discusses her new film, The Forty-Year-Old Version, with fellow director Liesl Tommy in a spoiler-filled virtual Q&A. Ms. Blank also stars in the film as Radha, a down-on-her-luck New York City playwright who is desperate for a breakthrough before 40.

Director Shaka King discusses his new film, Judas and the Black Messiah, with fellow director Taylor Hackford in a spoiler-filled virtual Q&A. The film tells the true story of William O’Neal, a career thief who is conscripted by the FBI to infiltrate the Illinois Black Panther Party and surveil their charismatic leader, Chairman Fred Hampton.

Director Ángel Manuel Soto discusses his new film, Charm City Kings, with fellow director Derek Cianfrance in a spoiler-filled virtual Q&A. The film tells the story of fourteen-year-old Mouse, who desperately wants to join the Midnight Clique. When the Midnight Clique’s leader takes Mouse under his wing, the lure of revving his own dirt bike skids him toward a road past the straight and narrow.

Director Julia Hart discusses her new film, I'm Your Woman, with fellow director Tayarisha Poe in a spoiler-filled virtual Q&A. Set in the 1970s, Hart’s film tells the story of Jean, a woman who is forced to go on the run after her professional thief husband betrays his partners, sending her and her baby on a dangerous journey.

Director Anthony and Joe Russo discuss their new film, Cherry, with fellow director Paris Barclay in a spoiler-filled virtual Q&A. The film tells the story of Cherry, a college dropout with only one solid thing in his life -- his true love, Emily -- who drifted into becoming an army medic in Iraq. After he returns from the war with post-traumatic stress disorder and his drug addiction puts him into debt, Cherry resorts to becoming a serial bank robber.

Director Viggo Mortensen discusses his new film, Falling, with fellow director Matt Ross in a spoiler-filled virtual Q&A. The film follows John, a gay man who lives with his partner and their adopted daughter in Southern California. When he is visited by his aging conservative father, who is searching for a place to retire, their two very different worlds collide.

Director Robin Wright discusses her new film, Land, with fellow director Amy Redford in a spoiler-filled virtual Q&A. The film also stars Ms. Wright as Edee, a woman who finds herself unable to stay connected to the world she once knew after suffering immense personal tragedy. She soon decides to retreat to the magnificent but unforgiving wilds of the Rockies and teach herself how to survive.

Director David Fincher discusses his new film, Mank, with fellow director Aaron Sorkin in a spoiler-filled virtual Q&A. In the film, 24-year-old prodigy Orson Welles hires Herman J. Mankiewicz, a scathing social critic and alcoholic screenwriter, to write the screenplay for his masterpiece, Citizen Kane.

Director Lee Daniels discusses his new film, The United States vs. Billie Holiday, with fellow director Michael Schultz in a spoiler-filled virtual Q&A. The film follows the career of legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday as she is targeted by the Federal Department of Narcotics with an undercover sting operation led by Black Federal Agent Jimmy Fletcher, with whom she had a tumultuous affair.

Director Miranda July discusses her new film, Kajillionaire, with fellow director Greta Gerwg in a spoiler-filled virtual Q&A. The film follows two con artists who have spent 26 years training their only daughter to swindle, scam, and steal at every opportunity. During a desperate, hastily conceived heist, they charm a stranger into joining their next scam, only to have their entire world turned upside down.

Director Sam Levinson discusses his new film, Malcolm & Marie, with fellow director Derek Cianfrance in a spoiler-filled virtual Q&A. The film takes place as Malcolm returns home with his girlfriend Marie following a celebratory movie premiere. Their evening soon takes a turn as revelations about their relationships begin to surface, testing the strength of their love.

Director Eliza Hittman discusses her new film, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, with fellow director Greta Gerwig in a spoiler-filled virtual Q&A. The film tells the story of Autumn and Skylar, cousins and inseparable best friends who are navigating adolescence in rural Pennsylvania. When Autumn finds herself pregnant and hemmed in by conservative legislation, the duo board a bus bound for New York to find the help she needs.

Director Ramin Bahrani discusses his new film, The White Tiger, with fellow director Scott Cooper in a spoiler-filled virtual Q&A. Based on a bestselling novel, the film follows the rise of a poor Indian villager who wrangles his way into a job as a driver for a wealthy couple who have just returned from America. After a cruel betrayal, he rebels against a rigged and unequal system to rise up and become a new kind of master

Director Andrew Heckler discusses his new film, Burden, with fellow director Reinaldo Marcus Green in a spoiler-filled virtual Q&A.The film tells the true story an orphan raised within the Ku Klux Klan, who eventually becomes a local Grand Dragon. After his girlfriend persuades him to leave, the Klan seeks him out for vengeance, and a black congregation led by a benevolent reverend take him and his family in.

Director Paul Greengrass discusses his new film, News of the World, with fellow director John Madden in a spoiler-filled virtual Q&A. Set five years after the end of the Civil War, the film follows a veteran who sets out to return a 10-year-old girl to her family after she is taken by the Kiowa people. Their journey across the harsh plains of Texas soon turns into a fight for survival as the traveling companions encounter danger at every turn.

Director George C. Wolfe discusses his new film, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, with fellow director George C. Wolfe in a spoiler-filled virtual Q&A. Based on August Wilson’s Tony Award-winning play, the film captures the tensions and temperatures that rise over the course of an afternoon recording session in 1920s Chicago with the legendary “Mother of the Blues,” Ma Rainey.

Director Fisher Stevens discusses his new film, Palmer, with fellow director Kenneth Lonergan in a spoiler-filled virtual Q&A. The film tells the story of former high-school football star Eddie Palmer, who has returned to his Louisiana hometown to rebuild his life after 12 years in prison.

Director Aaron Sorkin discusses his new film, The Trial of the Chicago 7, with fellow director David Fincher in a spoiler-filled virtual Q&A. The film recounts the infamous and unfair trial of seven political activists after a peaceful protest turned into a violent clash with the police at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

Director John Lee Hancock discusses his new film, The Little Things, with fellow director Karyn Kusama in a spoiler-filled virtual Q&A. The film follows Deputy Sheriff Joe "Deke" Deacon, who joins forces with Sgt. Jim Baxter to search for a serial killer terrorizing Los Angeles. The investigation uncovers disturbing secrets from Deacon’s past that could threaten more than the case.

Director Bong Joon Ho participates in a conversation with Rian Johnson on Director Bong's beginnings in the industry, how his early life informs his voice, and what guides him in his collaboration with actors. Director Bong discusses his directing process drawing examples from Parasite, Memories of a Murder, Mother, The Host, and Snowpiercer.

Director Regina King discusses her new film, One Night in Miami, with fellow director Barry Jenkins in a spoiler-filled virtual Q&A. Newly-crowned Heavyweight Boxing Champion of the World Cassius Clay gathers with activist Malcolm X, singer Sam Cooke and actor/athlete Jim Brown — for an historic evening where they shared their thoughts about the social pressures brought on by their celebrity and moving the country forward to equality and empowerment for all black people.

Director Spike Lee discusses his new film, Da 5 Bloods, with fellow director Kevin Willmott in a spoiler-filled virtual Q&A. The film follows four African-American veterans, who battle the forces of both man and nature when they return to Vietnam, seeking the remains of their fallen squad leader and the gold fortune he helped them hide.

Director Jason Woliner discusses his new film, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, with fellow director Phil Lord in a spoiler-filled virtual Q&A. Released from prison for bringing shame to his country, Kazakh funnyman Borat risks life and limb when he returns to America with his 15-year-old daughter.

Director Sofia Coppola discusses her new film, On the Rocks, with fellow director Alexander Payne in a spoiler-filled virtual Q&A. In the film, a young mother reconnects with her larger-than-life playboy father on an adventure through New York.

Director George Clooney discusses his new film, The Midnight Sky, with fellow director Scott Cooper in a spoiler-filled virtual Q&A. In this post-apocalyptic tale, a lonely scientist in the Arctic races to stop astronauts from returning home to Earth after a mysterious global catastrophe has occurred.

Director Beth McCarthy-Miller participates in a conversation with Shanta Fripp and Sarah Brooke on McCarthy-Miller's career as a filmmaker. She shares details from behind the scenes of her career including directing live television titles such as Saturday Night Live (for 11 years), the Super Bowl, The Sound of Music Live and half-hour comedies like 30 Rock, Veep, Modern Family, and Bob Hearts Abishola.

Director Julie Dash participates in a conversation with Melina Matsoukas on Dash's career as a filmmaker. She shares details from behind the scenes of her films (Daughters of the Dust, Travel Notes of Geechee Girl, The Rosa Parks Story) and talks about her desire to present narratives with authenticity.

Director Spike Lee participates in a conversation with John Turturro on Lee's early life and influences, his philosophy as a creative, and his beloved Brooklyn. Mr. Lee discusses his directing process using examples from Do the Right Thing, Mo Better Blues, Crooklyn, and Malcolm X.

Director Ang Lee engages in an in-depth conversation with Jeremy Kagan about his filmography and his philosophy regarding craft. Mr. Lee discusses his directing process using examples from Brokeback Mountain, Lust, Caution, and Life of Pi.

Director Ava Duvernay engages in an in-depth conversation with Alex Stapleton about her filmography and her philosophy regarding craft. Ms. Duvernay discusses her directing process using examples from When They See Us, Selma, and Queen Sugar.

Director Mimi Leder engages in an in-depth conversation with Jeremy Kagan about her filmography and the lessons she's learned over her career. Ms. Leder discusses her directing process using examples from The Leftovers, On the Basis of Sex, and The Peacemaker.

Director Judd Apatow engages in an in-depth conversation with Jeremy Kagan about his filmography and the lessons he's learned over his career. The two discussed his philosophy on directing comedies, the difficulty of cutting scenes from his movies, and how he is able to bring his features in on budget.

Michelle MacLaren, David Nutter, Ken Whittingham, and Jessica Yu, participated in a lively conversation moderated by DGA Past President Paris Barclay, where they delved into who and what inspires them to continue topping themselves artistically on series such as The Morning Show, Game of Thrones, Atypical, Fosse/Verdon and Station 19. Topics of discussion included who they admired when first stating out, what keeps them going during the COVID-19 pandemic-inspired production hiatus and how they expect their work and their process might change in the future.

This episode features an exclusive panel discussion with the directing team of the HBO limited series, Watchmen, presented by the DGA Eastern Directors Council’s Focus on Women Committee. Director Nicole Kassell, Director Steph Green, Actor Regina King, Producer/UPM Karen Lee Wacker, and 1st ADs Keri Bruno and Kayse Goodell met to discuss their experiences of crafting Watchmen in a conversation moderated by Kassell and DGA Fourth Vice President Laura Belsey.

Director Ron Howard engages in an in-depth conversation with Jeremy Kagan about his filmography and the lessons he's learned over his career. The two discussed how blocking can improve a scene that lacks vigor, technical and craft-oriented concerns of A Beautiful Mind, and Apollo 13, and why Mr. Howard hates shooting endings.

Director Ron Howard engages in an in-depth conversation with Jeremy Kagan about his filmography and the lessons he's learned over his career. The two discussed building relationships with collaborators, when he knows he's got the right shot, and directing difficult scenes in movies like Cocoon.

Director Nanette Burstein discusses her new documentary film, Hillary, with fellow director Rebecca Cammisa. Over four episodes, the series uses never-before seen footage from Hillary Rodham Clinton's historic presidential campaign in 2016, weaving together biographical chapters of her life to reveal how she became one of most admired and vilified women in the world.

Director Leigh Whannell discusses his new film, The Invisible Man, with fellow director David F. Sandberg. A modern update to the classic sci-fi-thriller, the film tells the story of Cecilia, who begins to suspect that the suicide of her abusive ex - a wealthy and brilliant scientist - was a hoax. As a series of eerie coincidences begin to threaten the lives of those she loves, Cecilia must convince others that she is being hunted by someone nobody can see.

Director Autumn de Wilde discusses her new film, Emma, with fellow director Mike Mills. Adapted from the Jane Austen novel, the film tells the story of Emma Woodhouse, a well-meaning but selfish young woman who meddles in the love lives of her friends while venturing through her won romantic missteps in a small town in 1800s England.

Director Jeff Wadlow discusses his new film, Fantasy Island, with fellow director Christopher Landon. Set on the mythical tropical resort where dreams can come true, the film shifts into nightmare territory as the guests of the enigmatic Mr. Roarke must solve the island's mystery in order to escape with their lives.

Director Nat Faxon & Jim Rash discusses their new film, Downhill, with fellow director Jenna Ricker. Inspired by Ruben Östlund's 2014 feature Force Majeure, Downhill follows a married couple who are forced to reevaluate their relationship after barely escaping an avalanche during a family ski vacation in the Alps. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2020/April2020/Downhill_QnA_0220.aspx

Director Rashaad Ernesto Green discusses his new film, Premature, with fellow director Dawn Wilkinson. Set in a hot summer in Harlem, Green's film tells the story of 17-year-old poet Ayanna who is drawn into a relationship with Isaiah, a young music producer who moves to the city just as Ayanna is about to leave for college. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2020/April2020/Premature_QnA_0220.aspx

Sam Mendes, Bong Joon Ho, Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, and Taika Waititi engage in a conversation with Jeremy Kagan for the 29th Annual DGA Meet the Nominees: Theatrical Feature Film Symposium on their nominated films. Part three shares the nominees' thoughts on working with actors and the lessons they learned on their movie.

Sam Mendes, Bong Joon Ho, Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, and Taika Waititi engage in a conversation moderated by Jeremy Kagan for the 29th Annual DGA Meet the Nominees: Theatrical Feature Film Symposium on their nominated films. Part two shares the nominees' thoughts on dealing with anxiety, how they tackle pre-production issues, and the language they use to adjust an actor's performance.

Sam Mendes, Bong Joon Ho, Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, and Taika Waititi engage in a conversation moderated by Jeremy Kagan for the 29th Annual DGA Meet the Nominees: Theatrical Feature Film Symposium on their nominated films. Part one shares the nominees' thoughts on where they like to be on set when directing and share details about shooting the openings and closings of their film.

Director Jon Avnet discusses his new film, Three Christs, with fellow director Rodrigo García. The film follows a Michigan psychiatrist as he treats three paranoid schizophrenic patients, each of whom believes that he is Jesus Christ. Please note spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2020/March2020/JonAvnet_discusses_ThreeChrists_QnA_0120.aspx

Director Pedro Almodóvar discusses his new film, Pain and Glory, with fellow director Kenneth Lonergan. This deeply personal film from Spain tells the story of Salvador Mallo, a depressed director who is thinking of leaving filmmaking because of chronic health problems. A series of encounters, both real and remembered, leads Mallo to reflect on the choices he's made. Please note spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Dec2019/GCS_PainYGlory_0919.aspx

Director Mati Diop discusses her new film, Atlantics, with fellow director Michael Almereyda. Set in the outskirts of Dakar on Senegal's Atlantic coast, the film tells the story of a young woman who is in love with a construction worker, but is already promised to another man. After the construction worker is lost at sea and the devastated woman prepares to go through with her original wedding, strange things begin to happen that may thwart her plans. Please note spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Dec2019/GCS_Atlantics_1019.aspx

Director Clint Eastwood discusses his new film, Richard Jewell, with fellow director Scott Cooper. The film tells the true story of Jewell, an American security guard who saved thousands of lives from an exploding bomb at the 1996 Olympics. But his life starts to unravel when he becomes the FBI's prime suspect in the bombing attempt and is vilified by press and public alike. Please note spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2020/Feb2020/RichardJewell_QnA_1219.aspx

Director Destin Daniel Cretton discusses his new film, Just Mercy, with fellow director Anna Boden. Based on a true story, the film follows young lawyer Bryan Stevenson's effort to overturn the murder conviction of Walter McMillian, who was sentenced to die for the murder of an 18-year-old girl despite ample evidence proving his innocence. Please note spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2020/Feb2020/JustMercy_QnA_1219.aspx

Director Sam Mendes discusses his new film, 1917, with fellow director Ed Zwick. The film follows two young privates fighting with British forces during the First World War. They are given the impossible mission of delivering a message into enemy territory to prevent 1600 men, including one of the soldier's brothers from walking into a deadly trap. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2020/Feb2020/1917_QnA_1219.aspx

Directors Josh and Benny Safdie discuss their new film, Uncut Gems, with fellow director Kenneth Lonergan. The film stars Adam Sandler as Howard, a charismatic New Yorker who is always on the lookout for the next big score. His latest scheme is a precarious high-wire act, balancing business, family, and encroaching adversaries on all sides in his relentless pursuit of the ultimate win. Please note spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2020/Jan2020/UncutGems_QnA_1219.aspx

Director Rian Johnson discusses his new film, Knives Out, with fellow director Denis Villeneuve. The film is a whodunit, following debonair detective Benoit Blanc's investigation of the death of renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey. With suspects aplenty in Thrombey's dysfunctional family and devoted staff, Blanc must wade through a sea of red herrings to uncover the truth. Please note spoilers are included. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2020/Jan2020/KnivesOut_QnA_1119.aspx

Director Kasi Lemmons discusses her new film, Harriet, with fellow director Rick Famuyiwa. The film tells the extraordinary true story of Harriet Tubman, an enslaved person who escaped her captors. After finding liberty in the North, Tubman then risked her freedom and her life to return to the South, and relied upon her courage, ingenuity and tenacity to free hundreds of others and change the course of history. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2020/Jan2020/Harriet_QnA_1119.aspx

Director Marielle Heller discusses her new film, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, with fellow director Tamara Jenkins. The film retells the story of the real-life friendship between television icon Fred Rogers and journalist Tom Junod. The story fictionalizes Juno as a skeptical writer named Lloyd Vogel, who is assigned to do a story on Mr. Rogers. Vogel is ultimately swayed as Rogers' kindness triumphs over his cynicism and he learns about empathy and decency from America's most beloved neighbor. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2020/Jan2020/ABeautifulDayintheNeighborhood_QnA_1119.aspx

Director James Mangold discusses his new film, Ford v Ferrari, with fellow director Doug Liman. The film follows American car designer Carroll Shelby and driver Ken Miles who battled corporate interference, the laws of physics and their own personal demons to build a revolutionary race car for Ford and challenge Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2020/Jan2020/FordVFerrari_QnA_1119.aspx

Director Jay Roach discusses his new film, Bombshell, with fellow director Leslye Headland. Based on the real-life scandal, the film follows the group of women at Fox News who exposed the toxic atmosphere of harassment at the network and took down CEO Roger Ailes. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2020/Jan2020/Bombshell_QnA_1119.aspx

Director Todd Haynes discusses his new film, Dark Waters, with fellow director Gus Van Sant. Inspired by true events, the film tells the story of an environmental defense attorney who uncovers a dark secret hidden by one of the world's largest corporations and risks his own career and family to bring justice to a community dangerously exposed for decades to deadly chemicals. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2020/Jan2020/DarkWaters_QnA_1119.aspx

Director Scott Z. Burns discusses his new film, The Report, with fellow director David Mackenzie. The film tells the true story of Senate staffer Daniel Jones, who was tasked by his boss, Senator Dianne Feinstein, to lead an investigation of the CIA's Detention and Interrogation Program created in the aftermath of 9/11. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2020/Jan2020/TheReport_QnA_1119.aspx

Director Noah Baumbach discusses his new film, Marriage Story, with fellow director Ben Stiller. The film stars Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson as a stage director and an actor who are struggling through a coast-to-coast divorce that pushes them to their personal and creative extremes. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Dec2019/MarriageStory_QnA_1119.aspx

Director Alma Har'el discusses her new film, Honey Boy, with fellow director Boaz Yakin. Starring Shia LaBeouf in a story inspired by his own real-life childhood, the film follows a young actor into early adulthood as he navigates a difficult relationship with his father and struggles to deal with his mental health. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2020/Jan2020/HoneyBoy_AlmaHarel_QnA_1119.aspx

Director Edward Norton discusses his new film, Motherless Brooklyn, with fellow director Mike Binder. Based on the novel by JOnathan Lethem, the film follows Lionel Essrog, a private detective with Tourette's syndrome who uncovers a web of corruption in 1950s New York while investigating the murder of his mentor. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Dec2019/MotherlessBrooklyn_QnA_1119.aspx

Director Melina Matsoukas discusses her new film, Queen & Slim, with fellow director M. Night Shyamalan. The film follows Queen and Slim, whose first date takes an unexpected turn when they are pulled over for a minor traffic violation. After the situation escalates and Slim shoot the police officers in self-defense, the couple become unwitting outlaws and a viral symbol of trauma, terror and pain for people all over the country. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Dec2019/QueenSlim_QnA_1119.aspx

Director Alex Gibney discusses his film, Citizen K, with fellow director Matthew Heineman. Photographed on location in the UK, Russia and Germany, the documentary follows Mikhail Khodorkovsky, one of the richest men in Russia who became known as the world-famous dissident "Citizen K" when he was imprisoned after a series of theatrical trials orchestrated by Vladimir Putin. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Dec2019/NYDocSeries_CitizenK.aspx

Director Greta Gerwig discusses her new film, Little Women, with fellow director Rian Johnson. Based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott, the film follows four sisters in America—Amy, Jo, Beth and Meg—as they come of age in the aftermath of the Civil War. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Dec2019/LittleWomen_QnA_1119.aspx

Director Taika Waititi discusses his new film, Jojo Rabbit, with fellow director Paul Downs Colaizzo. Set during the waning days of World War II, the film tells the story of Jojo, a young boy whose only friend is an imaginary and idiotic projection of Adolf Hitler. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Dec2019/JojoRabbit_QnA_1019.aspx

Director David Michôd discusses his new film, The King, with fellow director Neil Burger. The film stars Timothée Chalamet as Prince Hal, who had turned his back on royal life to live among the people until the death of his tyrannical father. Now, crowned King Henry V, the young ruler is forced to embrace the world he had previously tried to escape. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Dec2019/TheKing_QnA_1019.aspx

Director Robert Eggers discusses his new film, The Lighthouse, with fellow director Rian Johnson. Set in 1980s New England, the film tells the hallucinatory story of a grizzled veteran seaman and a novice lighthouse keeper who are thrown together on a harsh assignment. As isolation and alcohol being to eat at their sanity, they become threatened by their own nightmares. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Dec2019/Lighthouse_QnA_1019.aspx

Director Ron Howard discusses his new film, Pavarotti, with fellow director Ondi Timoner. The film examines the life and career of famed opera tenor Luciano Pavarotti. Featuring never-before-seen footage, concert performances and intimate interviews, the film takes an in-depth look at the lasting legacy of the musical icon affectionately dubbed "The People's Tenor." See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Nov2019/LA_DocSeries_Pavarotti1019.aspx

Director Martin Scorsese discusses his new film, The Irishman, with fellow director Spike Lee. The film follows Frank Sheeran, a retired WWII veteran and former mob hitman, as he reflects on the moments that defined his career as a figure in organized crime, especially his role in the 1975 disappearance and murder of Teamsters President Jimmy Hoffa. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Nov2019/Irishman_QnA_1019.aspx

Director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon discusses his new film, The Current War: Director's Cut, with fellow director Jonathan Mostow. The film reveals how electricity titans Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse engaged in a battle of technology and ideas to determine whether direct current or alternating current would power the modern world. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Nov2019/CurrentWar_QnA_1019.aspx

As part of a special celebration for the grand re-opening of the DGA’s brand new, state-of-the-art theater in Los Angeles, Director Ridley Scott discussed his 1982 sc-fi classic, Blade Runner. Scott’s final cut version of the film was shown with Dolby Vision picture and Dolby Atmos sound. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Nov2019/LA-TheaterReOpeningCelebration_091921.aspx

Director Todd Phillips discusses his new film, Joker, with fellow director Ivan Reitman. Starring Joaquin Phoenix, the film examines the slow descent into madness of the man who would become Batman’s arch nemesis. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Nov2019/Joker_QnA_1019.aspx

Director James Gray discusses his new film, Ad Astra, with fellow director Damien Chazelle (First Man). The film stars Brad Pitt as a near-future astronaut who makes a daring voyage to discover the truth about his father (Tommy Lee Jones) who disappeared on a deep space mission 30 year prior. The journey will unravel a mystery that challenges the nature of human existence and threatens the survival of our planet. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Nov2019/JamesGrayAD_ASTRA_QnA_0919.aspx

Director Michael Engler discusses his film, Downton Abbey, with fellow director Ritesh Batra. The film continues the story from the popular British show, as both the hosts and the help prepare for a royal visit from the King and Queen of England. Scandal, romance and intrigue will leave the future of Downton hanging in the balance. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Nov2019/DowntonAbbey_QnA_0919.aspx

Director Lorene Scafaria discusses her film, Hustlers, with fellow director Adam McKay. Inspired by a true story, the film stars Jennifer Lopez and Constance Wu as two former strip club employees who join forces to turn the tables on their Wall Street clients. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Nov2019/Hustlers_QnA_0919.aspx

Director Gavin Hood discusses his film, Official Secrets, with fellow director Phillip Noyce. The film tells the true story of Katharine Gun, a British intelligence specialist who leaked information to the press about an illegal NSA spy operation designed to collect compromising information on UN members and blackmail them into sanctioning 2003 invasion of Iraq. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Oct2019/GavinHoodDiscussesOfficialSecrets_QnA_0919.aspx

Director Gurinder Chadha discusses her film, Blinded by the Light, with fellow director Catherine Hardwicke. The film tells the story of Javed, a British teen of Pakistani descent growing up in 1987 England amidst the racial and economic turmoil of the Thatcher era. He writes poetry to escape the intolerance of his hometown and the inflexibility of his traditional father, but when a classmate introduces him to the music of Bruce Springsteen, "The Boss," his world is turned upside down. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Sept2019/BlindedByTheLight_QnA_0819.aspx

Director Quentin Tarantino discusses his film, Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood, with fellow director Paul Thomas Anderson. Set in Los Angeles during the waning years of Hollywood's Golden Age, the film weaves together multiple storylines, following fading television actor Rick Dalton, his stunt double Cliff Booth, and his neighbor Sharon Tate during the months leading up to one fateful night in August 1969. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Oct2019/Tarantino_OnceUponATimeInHollywood_QnA_0919.aspx

Director Andrea Berloff discusses her film, The Kitchen, with fellow director Lisa Cholodenko. The film tells the story of three Hell's Kitchen housewives whose mobster husbands are sent to prison by the FBI in 1978. Forces to take matters into their own hands, the women prove to be unexpectedly adept at mob life -- running the gangs and taking out the competition. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Sept2019/TheKitchen_QnA_0819.aspx

Director Lynn Shelton discusses her film, Sword of Trust, with fellow director Jake Kasdan. The film tells the story of Cynthia, who learns that her inheritance from her deceased grandfather is an antique sword that he believed was proof that the South won the Civil War. To sell the sword, Cynthia and her friend Mary team up with a cantankerous pawnshop owner and his man-child employee, who've discovered there's a market for the relic. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Sept2019/SwordOfTrust_QnA_0719.aspx

Director Jon Favreau discusses his film, The Lion King, with fellow director Sam Raimi. A photorealistic remake of the 1994 animated film, the film follows lion prince Simba, the son of King Mufasa of Pride Rock. When Mufasa's death at the hands of his brother Scar results in SImba's exile (and Scar's ascension to the throne), Simba must make new friends, grow up and battle Scar to take back what is rightfully his. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Sept2019/LionKing_QnA_0719.aspx

Director Erik Nelson discusses her film, The Cold Blue, with fellow director Sandra Luckow. The film uses newly restored 4K footage and outtakes from DGA and Oscar-winning director William Wyler's 1944 documentary about the European air war during WWII, The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress, as well as narration from surviving B-17 pilots to pay tribute to both Wyler and the men of the Eighth Air Force. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/August2019/NYDocSeries_TheColdBlue.aspx

Director Gail Mancuso discusses her film, A Dog's Journey, with fellow director Anne Fletcher. In the sequel to Lasse Hallström's 2017 feature, A Dog's Purpose, the film brings back the continually reincarnated dog and follows his adventures through multiple lives filled with love, friendship and devotion to his human family. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/July2019/A_Dogs_Journey_QnA_0619.aspx

Director Edward Zwick discusses his film, Trial by Fire, with fellow director Max Winkler. The film tells the tragic and true story of Cameron Todd Willingham, who was convicted of an arson-related triple homicide in 1992. During his 12 years on death row, he forms an unlikely bond with Elizabeth Gilbert, a Houston playwright who battles with the state to expose suppressed evidence that could save him. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/July2019/TrialByFire_QnA_0519.aspx

Director Olivia Wilde discusses her film, Booksmart, with fellow director Nicole Holofcener. The film follows, Molly and Amy, two overachieving high school seniors who try to make up for their all work and no play attitude by cramming four years' worth of partying into the night before graduation. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/July2019/Booksmart_QnA_0619.aspx

Director Amy Poehler discusses her film, Wine Country, with fellow director Nisha Ganatra. The film tells the story of six longtime friends who take a scenic Napa getaway to relax and reconnect during a 50th birthday celebration. But when the alcohol flows, tensions from the past boil over and the women begin questioning their friendships and futures. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/July2019/WineCountry_QnA_0519.aspx

Director Jonathan Levine discusses his film, Long Shot, with fellow director Ruben Fleischer. The film tells the childhood crush, Charlotte, now one of the most influential women in the world. After Fred is hired to be a speechwriter on Charlotte's Presidential campaign, sparks fly and their chemistry leads to a romance, even though on the surface the two have nothing in common See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/June2019/LongShot_QnA_0519.aspx

Director Roxann Dawson discusses her film, Breakthrough, with fellow director Allan Arkush. The film tells the true story of how all hope seemed lost after Smith's adopted son, John, fell into an icy Missouri lake and afterwards lay lifeless in a hospital. Even in the face of every scientific prediction and medical case history, Smith's refusal to give up and steadfast belief inspired those around her to continue to pray for John's recovery. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/June2019/Breakthrough_QnA_0419.aspx

Director Tina Gordon discusses his film, Little, with fellow director Tina Mabry. The film tells the story of tech mogul Jordan Sanders, who awakens one morning in her 13-year-old body. With only her long-suffering assistant in on the secret and do-or-die presentation on the line, Jordan must find a way to navigate through her new situation and learn how her ruthless approach to life affects the people around her. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/June2019/TinaGordon_Little_QnA_0419.aspx

Director Robin Bissell discusses his film, The Best of Enemies, with fellow director Hart Bochner. The film tells the true story of how civil rights activist Ann Atwater and Exalted Cyclops of the Ku Klux Klan C.P. Ellis came together to co-chair a community summit on the desegregation of schools in Durham, North Carolina during the summer of 1971, and how the events that unfolded would change their lives forever. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/June2019/BestOfEnemies_QnA_0419.aspx

Directors Anthony & Joe Russo discuss their film, Avengers: Endgame, with fellow director Todd Holland. The film takes place directly after the events of the previous film, Avengers: Infinity War, and follows the superhero team and their allies as they assemble one final time to undo Thanos' destruction and restore their devastated universe. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/June2019/AvengersEG_QnA_0519.aspx

Director Peter Bogdanovich discusses his film, The Great Buster, with fellow director Chuck Workman. The film chronicles the life and works of the influential filmmaker and comedian Buster Keaton. Interspersed with interviews with collaborators, filmmakers, performers and friends, the film examines Keaton's career as the director, writer, producer and star of his own films; as well as the loss of artistic independence and career decline that marked his later years. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/May2019/0419-DocSeries_GreatBuster.aspx

Director John Lee Hancock discusses his film, The Highwaymen, with fellow director Lawrence Kasdan. The film concentrates on the other side of the Bonnie and Clyde saga, telling their true story of Frank Hamer and Maney Gault – former Texas Rangers who are coaxed out of retirement to end the Barrow gang’s murderous run when even the full force of the FBI isn’t enough to capture the nation’s most notorious criminals. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/May2019/Highwaymen_QnA_0419.aspx

Director Beth McCarthy-Miller moderates The Science of Laughter: An Evening with the Directing Team from The Big Bang Theory featuring Director Mark Cendrowski, Director/Line Producer Kristy Cecil, Director/Editor Peter Chakos, Director/Associate Director Gay Linvill, Director/2nd AD Nikki Lorre and Director/1st AD Anthony Rich. The discussion covers a variety of topics including the demands of single vs multi-camera shows, the benefits of working on a show with such a long-running history, and the scenes that terrified the directors when they read the script. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/April2019/BigBangTheory-_Event_0219.aspx

Director Alison Klayman discusses her film, The Brink, with fellow director Kristi Jacobson. The film follows political consultant and former Trump administration chief strategist Steve Bannon on his global mission to spread extreme nationalism, tracking his moves through the 2018 American mid-term elections and shedding light on his efforts to mobilize and unify far right parties around the world. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/May2019/NYDocSeries_TheBrink.aspx

Director J.C. Chandor discusses his film, Triple Frontier, with fellow director Tony Gilroy. The film tells the story of five former Special Forces operatives who reunite to rob a cocaine cartel boss in a sparsely populated multi-border zone of South America. When events take an unexpected turn and threaten to spiral out of control, their skills, their loyalties, and their morals are pushed to a breaking point in an epic battle for survival. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/May2019/TripleFrontier_QnA_0319.aspx

Director Robert Mapplethorpe discusses his film, Mapplethorpe, with fellow director Maria Burton. The film follows iconic photographer Robert Mapplethorpe -- whose portraits, still lifes and chronicles of New York City's underground BDSM scene inspired censorship debates throughout the 1980s and remain touchstones of 20th century photography -- from his rise to fame in the 1970s to his untimely death in 1989. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/April2019/Mapplethorpe_QnA_0319.aspx

Director Stephen Merchant discusses his film, Fighting With My Family, with fellow director Rawson Marshall Thurber. Based on the true story of wrestling superstar Saraya "Paige" Bevis, who grew up in a tight-knit wrestling family that earned their living traveling around England performing. When Paige earns a spot in the highly WWE training program, she must find the courage to leaver her family and face this new world alone. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/April2019/FightingWithMyFamily_QnA_0219.aspx

Director Adam Robitel discusses his film, Escape Room, with fellow director Christopher Landon. Capturing the cultural zeitgeist of puzzle-box escape rooms, the film follows a group of adventurous game players vying to win $10,000 by cracking a series of puzzles in a mysterious building. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/March2019/EscapeRoom_QnA_0119.aspx

Ben Stiller (Escape at Dannemora), David Leveaux (Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert), Alex Rudzinski(Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert), and Jean-Marc Vallee (Sharp Objects) participate in the Meet the Nominees: Movies for Television and Limited Series Symposium. Nominees Cary Joji Fukunaga (Maniac) and Barry Levinson (Paterno)were not available to participate. The discussion covers a variety of topics including the director's approaches to casting, locations, and working with actors.

Jeremy Kagan moderates the 28th Annual DGA Meet the Nominees: Feature Film Symposium featuring Bradley Cooper, Alfonso Cuarón, Peter Farrelly, Spike Lee, and Adam McKay on their nominated films. Part three shares the nominees' thoughts on directing actors and knowing when you’ve gotten the performance. Highlights include Peter Farrelly commending his directorial team for helping him keep things moving, Adam Mckay sharing his amorphous directorial process, and Alfonso Cuarón sharing why you can't trust dailies and can only judge a moment in context.

Jeremy Kagan moderates the 28th Annual DGA Meet the Nominees: Feature Film Symposium featuring Bradley Cooper, Alfonso Cuarón, Peter Farrelly, Spike Lee, and Adam McKay on their nominated films. Part two shares the nominees' thoughts on casting. Highlights include how Peter Farrelly convinced Viggo Mortensen to take on the role of Tony Lip, why Alfonso Cuarón doesn't believe in directing kids, and how Bradley Cooper fared years ago during an audition for Spike Lee.

Jeremy Kagan moderates the 28th Annual DGA Meet the Nominees: Feature Film Symposium featuring Bradley Cooper, Alfonso Cuarón, Peter Farrelly, Spike Lee, and Adam McKay on their nominated films. Topics for part one include the nominees' thoughts on the night before the shoot and how they handle the immense pressure that comes with directing a film.

Director Matthew Miguel Cullen discusses his film, London Fields, The Director's Cut, with fellow director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck. The film weaves the tale of Nicola Six, a femme-fatale who ensnares three men into a love affair. The twist: she knows that one of these men will ultimately become her murderer. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Jan2019/LondonFields_QnA_1218.aspx

Director Anne Fletcher discusses her film, Dumplin', with fellow director Adam Shankman. The film tells the story of Willowdean "Dumplin'" Dickson, a plus-size teenager living in the shadow of her former beauty queen mother. To prove a point about measuring up and fitting in, Dumplin' signs up for her mom's Miss Teen Bluebonnet pageant. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Feb2019/Dumplin_QnA_1218.aspx

Director Peter Hedges discusses his film, Ben is Back, with fellow director Craig Johnson. The film tells the story of Ben Burns, a young man who unexpectedly returns home on Christmas Eve after spending time in a treatment center following a heroin overdose. While his mother is happy to see her son returned, she is worried about his ability to remain clean and ready to do everything in her power to keep him and the rest of her family safe. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Feb2019/BenisBack_QnA_1218.aspx

Director Adam McKay discusses his film, Vice, with fellow director Gus Van Sant. Inspired by true events, the film follows Dick Cheney as he moves from being a Washington insider and a bureaucrat to George W. Bush's Vice President and one of the most powerful men in the world, creating policies that changed the country and world in ways that are still felt today. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Feb2019/VICE_QnA_1218.aspx

Director Brady Corbet discusses his film, Vox Lux, with fellow director John Krokidas. The film tells the story of Celeste, a young singer who had a meteoric rise to fame after she survived a violent tragedy as a teenager and captured the nation's attention when she sang at the memorial service. Years later, the now superstar celebrity must deal with the aftermath of a scandalous incident which could derail her career. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Feb2019/VoxLux_QnA_1218.aspx

Director Susanne Bier discusses her film, Bird Box, with fellow director Alison Maclean. Based on the novel by Josh Malerman, the film takes place in a world where an unseen force has decimated Earth's human population, and the only thing the survivors know for sure is if you see it, you die. Against these odds a woman and her children attempt a perilous journey though the woods and down a river to find sanctuary, but in order to stay alive, they must complete the trip while blindfolded. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Feb2019/BirdBox_QnA_1218.aspx

Director Mimi Leder discusses her film, On the Basis of Sex, with fellow director Sacha Gervasi. Inspired by the true story of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the film weaves together her career as an attorney fighting for equal rights with her storybook romance with her husband, Martin Ginsburg, and her life as a new mother. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Feb2019/OntheBasisofSex_QnA_1218.aspx

Director Karyn Kusama discusses her film, Destroyer, with fellow director Christopher Nolan. The film stars Nicole Kidman as LAPD detective Erin Bell, whose undercover assignment when she was a young cop - the infiltration of a gang in the California desert - ended tragically. When the leader of that gang re-emerges years later, she seeks to finally lay to rest her personal demons from that case. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Jan2019/Destroyer_QnA_1218.aspx

Director Rob Marshall discusses his film, Mary Poppins Returns, with fellow director Ron Howard. Drawn from the Mary Poppins stories by P.L. Travers, the film takes place in depression-era London during the 1930s, where the adult Jane and Michael Banks find themselves in need of Mary Poppins' magical abilities once again after the family suffers a devastating loss. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Jan2019/MaryPoppinsReturns_QnA_1218.aspx

Director Suzi Yoonessi discusses her film, Unlovable, with fellow director Alethea Jones. The film tells the story of Joy, a woman who joins a 12-step program to take control of her sex and love addiction after losing her boyfriend and her job and surviving a suicide attempt. After seeking help, she finds a sponsor and discovers the beauty of platonic friendship when she begins making music with a socially inept musician named Jim. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Jan2019/Unlovable_QnA_1118.aspx

Director Fede Alvarez discusses his film, The Girl in the Spider's Web, with fellow director Sam Raimi. Based on the best-selling novels by David Lagercrantz, the film follows Lisbeth Salander as she hacks a computer program that can access nuclear weapons across the globe. Soon she and journalist Mikael Blomkvist find themselves caught in a web of spies, cybercriminals and corrupt government officials. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Jan2019/GirlInSpidersWeb_QnA_1118.aspx

Director Peter Farrelly discusses his film, Green Book, with fellow director Dan Gilroy. The film tells the true story of Tony Lip, an Italian-America bouncer from the Bronx who is hired to drive Dr. Don Shirley, a world-class African-American pianist on a concert tour from Manhattan to the Deep South in 1962. During the trip, they must rely on "The Green Book" to guide them to the few establishments that were safe for African-Americans. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Jan2019/GreenBook_QnA_1118.aspx

Director Jason Reitman discusses his film, The Front Runner, with fellow director Jon Avnet. The film follows the true story of Senator Gary Hart who was considered the front runner for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination until an extramarrital relationship sidelined his campaign. He was forced to drop out of the race as tabloid and political journalism began to merge -- a phenomenon that would leave a lasting impact on American politics. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Jan2019/FrontRunner_QnA_1118.aspx

Director Barry Jenkins discusses his film, If Beale Street Could Talk, with fellow director Paul Thomas Anderson. Based on the acclaimed novel by James Baldwin, the film tells the story of Tish, a Harlem woman who strives to prove the innocence of her fiance while pregnant with their first-born child. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Jan2019/BealeStreet_QnA_1118.aspx

Director David Mackenzie discusses his film, Outlaw King, with fellow director Jeremy Saulnier. The film follows legendary warrior Robert the Bruce, who claims the throne in 14th-century Scotland and leads a band of outlaws in an uprising as they attempt to win back the crown from English rule. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2018/Dec2018/OutlawKing_QnA_1118.aspx

Director Steve McQueen discusses his film, Widows, with fellow director Dee Rees. Set in Chicago, the film stars Viola Davis as Veronica, who is widowed after her husband is killed by police following an armed robbery attempt. Veronica soon joins forces with three other widows to enact a heist that her husband had been planning. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Jan2019/Widows_QnA_1118.aspx

Director Alfonso Cuarón discusses his film, Roma, with fellow director Alejándro G. Iñárritu. Set in the early 1970s, the film recalls Mr. Cuarón's own upbringing in the middle-class neighborhood of Roma in Mexico City, and serves as a love letter to the women who raised him during a time of domestic strife and social hierarchy. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2018/Dec2018/Roma_QnA_1118.aspx

Director Julian Schnabel discusses his film, At Eternity's Gate, with fellow director Lee Daniels. The film is a journey inside the world and mind of the tortured artist who, despite skepticism, ridicule and illness, created some of the world's most beloved and stunning works. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2018/Dec2018/AtEternitysGate_QnA_1118.aspx

Director Matthew Heineman discusses his film, A Private War, with fellow director Jeremy Kagan. Based on Arash Amel's Vanity Fair article "Marie Colvin's Private War," the film follows the extraordinary life of celebrated war correspondent Marie Colvin, whose fearless desire to give voice to the voiceless and show the true cost of war drove her to the front lines of conflicts all across the globe. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2018/Dec2018/APrivateWar_QnA_1018.aspx

Director Joel Edgerton discusses his film, Boy Erased, with fellow director Gavin O'Connor. Based on the memoir of the same name by Garrard Conley, the film tells the true coming of age and coming out story of Jared, who is viciously outed to his parents. Pressured into attending a church-supported gay conversion program, he butts heads with its head therapist and begins to find his own voice and accept his true self. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2018/Dec2018/BoyErased_QnA_1018.aspx

Director George Tillman Jr. discusses his film, The Hate U Give, with fellow director Greg Berlanti. Based on the best-selling young adult novel by Angie Thomas, the film tells the story of Starr Carter, a sixteen-year-old African-American girl who witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer and faces pressure from her community. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2018/Dec2018/HateUGive_QnA_1018.aspx

Director Paul Greengrass discusses his film, 22 July, with fellow director Brian Helgeland. The film dramatizes the true story of Norway's worst terrorist attack, following the survivors and grieving families as they rally the country for justice and healing. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2018/Dec2018/22July_QnA_1018.aspx

Director Alison Chernick discusses her film, Itzhak, with fellow director Robert Weide. The film follows celebrated violinist Itzhak Perlman, looking beyond his performances to see the polio survivor whose parents emigrated from Poland to Israel, and the young man who struggled to be taken seriously as a music student when schools saw only his disability. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2018/Dec2018/DocSeries_Itzhak.aspx

Director Felix Van Groeningen discusses his film, Beautiful Boy, with fellow director Mike Mills. Based on the pair of memoirs by father and son David and Nic Sheff, the film chronicles the heartbreak experienced by a family coping with addiction over many years -- including survival, relapse, and recovery. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2018/Nov2018/BeautifulBoy_QnA_1018.aspx

Director Jonah Hill discusses his film, Mid90s, with fellow director Bennett Miller. The film follows thirteen-year-old Stevie, who spends summer in 90s-era LA navigating between his troubled home life and a group of new friends that he meets at a Motor Avenue skate shop. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2018/Dec2018/Mid90s_QnA_1018.aspx

Director Bradley Cooper discusses his film, A Star is Born, with fellow director Jason Bateman. The film features Cooper as a seasoned musician who falls in love with a struggling singer and actress named Ally, played by Lady Gaga. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2018/Nov2018/AStarIsBorn_QnA_1018.aspx

Director Drew Goddard discusses his film, Bad Times at the El Royale, with fellow director Matt Reeves. The film follows seven strangers who meet at Lake Tahoe's El Royale, a rundown hotel with a dark past. As secrets come out and lives are entangled over the course of one night, everyone will have a last shot at redemption. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2018/Nov2018/BadTimes_QnA_1018.aspx

Director Damien Chazelle discusses his film, First Man, with fellow director Darren Aronofsky. The film tells the riveting stories of NASA's mission to land the first human being on the moon, and of Neil Armstrong, the astronaut chosen to make the one small step for man and giant leap for mankind on July 20, 1969. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2018/Nov2018/FIRSTMAN_QnA_1018.aspx

Director Tamara Jenkins discusses her film, Private Life, with fellow director Mike White. The film stars Kathryn Hahn and Paul Giamatti as a couple struggling to conceive who undergo multiple fertility therapies. But the process of trying to add to their family challenges their relationship with each other as they descend deeper and deeper into the world of assisted reproduction and domestic adoption. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2018/Nov2018/PrivateLife_QnA_0918.aspx

Director Dan Fogelman discusses his film, Life Itself, with fellow director Ron Howard. The film centers on the story of a young New York couple who experience unexpected twists in their journey from their college romance to marriage and the birth of their first child, creating reverberations that echo across continents and through lifetimes. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2018/Nov2018/LifeItself_QnA_0918.aspx

Director Yann Demange discusses his film, White Boy Rick, with fellow director John Singleton. Set during the height of the crack epidemic and the War on Drugs in 1980s Detroit, the film tells the true story of Rick Wershe, Jr., a teenager who was convinced by federal agents to become an undercover drug informant in exchange for keeping his gun dealing father out prison. Seduced by the lure of easy money, he gets in too deep and becomes a notorious drug dealer himself. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2018/Nov2018/WhiteBoyRick_QnA_0918.aspx

Director Nicole Holofcener discusses her film, The Land of Steady Habits, with fellow director Greg Mottola. The film tells the story of Anders Hill, a man who feels trapped in the wealthy enclave of Westport, Connecticut. Seeking to renew his lust for life, he quits his job in finance and leaves his wife and family, but is quickly confronted with the harsh reality of his choices. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2018/Nov2018/LandOHabits_QnA_0918.aspx

Director Wash Westmoreland discusses his film, Colette, with fellow director Scott McGehee. Set in the dawn of 20th century, the film tells the story of Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, a talented young writer who moves from her childhood home to Paris after she weds a writer known commonly as "Willy." Convinced by Willy to ghostwrite for him, Colette pens a bestselling semi-autobiographical novel that becomes a cultural sensation and spawns sequels. But her fight to regain creative ownership drives her to overcome societal constraints and challenge gender roles. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2018/Nov2018/Colette_QnA_0918.aspx

Director Ethan Hawke discusses his film, Blaze, with fellow director John Patrick Shanley. Adapted from Sybil Rosen's memoir, Living in the Woods in a Tree: Remembering Blaze, the film tells the story of Blaze Foley, a songwriting legend of the Texas outlaw music movement that spawned superstars like Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2018/Oct2018/Blaze_QnA_0918.aspx

Directors Jonathan Baker and Josh Baker discusses their film, Kin, with fellow director James Ponsoldt. Based on the Baker brothers' 2014 short film Bag Man, the film tells the story of an ex-con named Jimmy and his adopted teenage brother Eli, who are forced to flee their home after Jimmy lands in trouble with a local crime boss. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2018/Oct2018/Kin_QnA_0918.aspx

Director Daniel Adams discusses his film, An LA Minute, with fellow director Bill Fishman. In a satirical look at fame, the film tells the story of Ted Gold, a former Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist who gave up being a serious writer to cash in by penning trashy bestsellers, His world is shaken when he meets Velocity, a young beautiful and homeless performance artist, whose passion and integrity inspires him to follow her example. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2018/Oct2018/AnLAMinute_QnA_0818.aspx

Director Rob Reiner discusses his film, Shock and Awe, with fellow director Jeremy Kagan. Based on a true story, the film takes us back to the time after 9/11 when the Bush-Cheney administration claimed that then-President of Iraq Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, during their push to ramp up support for the invasion of Iraq. However, journalists at the Knight-Ridder news agency were skeptical of the evidence and stayed in pursuit of the real story while their colleagues mistakenly fed the American people news based on faulty and fabricated intelligence. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2018/Sept2018/ShocknAwe_QnA_0818.aspx

Director Eugene Jarecki discusses his film, The King, with fellow director Marilyn Agrelo. The King explores the legacy of Elvis Presley forty years after his death by taking viewers on a musical road trip across America in his 1963 Rolls Royce during the 2016 presidential election. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2018/Sept2018/NYDocSeries_TheKing.aspx

Director Jon M. Chu discusses his film, Crazy Rich Asians, with fellow director Jon Turteltaub. Adapted from the bestselling novel by Kevin Kwan, the film tells the story of Rachel, an American-born Chinese professor, who travels to Singapore to accompany her boyfriend Nick to his best friend's wedding. She soon discovers that Nick is from a family so wealthy that he is considered one of the most eligible bachelors in Asia, which puts a target on Rachel's back as she meets his family and attempts to navigate his ultra-rarefied social class. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2018/Oct2018/0818_QnA_CrazyRichAsians.aspx

Director Spike Lee discusses his film, BlacKkKlansman, with fellow director John Singleton. Set in the early 1970s amid the ongoing struggle for civil rights, the film tells the true story of Ron Stallworth, the first African-American detective on the Colorado Springs Police Department. Ron's arrival is greeted with skepticism and open hostility by the department's rank and file, but he soon makes a name for himself with a dangerous undercover mission to infiltrate and expose the Ku Klux Klan. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2018/Oct2018/BlacKkKlansman_QnA_0818.aspx

Director Rawson Marshall Thurber discusses his film, Skyscraper, with fellow director Joe Carnahan. The film tells the story of Will Sawyer, a U.S. war veteran who now assesses security for skyscrapers. When the tallest building in the world is set ablaze, Will finds himself framed for the crime of arson. Now he must use all his skills to both clear his name and rescue his family who are trapped inside the burning structure. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2018/Sept2018/Skyscraper_QnA_0718.aspx

Director Shana Feste discusses her film, Boundaries, with fellow director Jake Kasdan. The film tells the story of Laura, a single mother who always puts the needs of others before her own. When her pot-dealing, carefree father Jack is kicked out of yet another nursing home, Laura agrees to drive him to Los Angeles to live with her sister Jojo. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2018/Aug2018/Boundaries_QnA_0618.aspx

Director Lauren Greenfield discusses her film, Generation Wealth, with fellow director Marina Zenovich. The film continues Ms. Greenfield's examination of wealth culture and the pathologies that have created the richest society the world has ever seen by examining materialism, celebrity culture, and social status.

Director Jim McKay discusses his film with fellow director Rebecca Miller. The film examines the plight of undocumented immigrants by focusing in on a pivotal week in the life of Jose, a delivery man who works long hours six days a week trying to survive and make it in America.

Director Amy Scott discusses her film with fellow director Chuck Workman. Set against the backdrop of "New Hollywood" in the 1970s, the film celebrates the life and work of director Hal Ashby whose filmography includes Coming Home, Harold and Maude, Shampoo, and Being There. Ashby's obsessive genius but uncompromising nature became an archetypal story of art versus industry.

Director Jay Chandrasekhar discusses his film with fellow director John Hamburg. The long anticipated follow-up to the 2001 cult comedy Super Troopers continues the story of the wacky Vermont Highway Patrol officers who were fired for their shenanigans in the first film.

Director Paul Schrader discusses his film with fellow director John Patrick Shanley. The film tells the story of Reverend Ernst Toller, a former military chaplain who is now the parish pastor of a small dutch reform church in upstate New York. Stuggling with the death of his son who he encouraged to enlist in the armed forces, he finds his faith further challenged after a pregnant parishoner asks him to counsel her husband, a radical environmentalist who doesn't want to bring a child into a world he believes is doomed.

Director Lynn Shelton discusses her film with fellow director Ava DuVernay. The film follows Chris, a 38-year-old ex-con who is finally granted parole after twenty years behind bars, largely due to the tireless advocacy and support of his high-school teacher, Carol. After the two are reunited, Carol begins to realize Chris' feelings for her have turned romantic, a situation complicated by the fact she is married with a teenage daughter, who has also befriended the awkward parolee.

Director John Krasinski discusses his film with fellow director Doug Liman. Set in a very near future when most of Earth's population has been eradicated, the film follows a family survivors forced to live in silence as they hide from savage extraterrestrial creatures that hunt exclusively by sound.

Director Jason Reitman discusses his film with fellow director Karyn Kusama. The film stars Charlize Theron as a New York suburban mom whose life is slowly being drained away by the challenges of raising two kids and a newborn. When she is sent help in the form of a gifted night nanny named Tully, she is at first hesitant to accept the assistance but comes to form a unique bond with the thoughtful and surprising young woman.

Director Randal Kleiser discusses his film Grease along with several others including The Blue Lagoon, White Fang, and Big Top Pee-Wee with moderator Jeremy Kagan. After a special 4k restoration screening of Grease at the DGA theater, Kleiser and speaks in-depth about the film and his career as a director.

Director Susan Walter discusses her film with fellow director Maria Burton. The film tells the story of Senna, a clothing designer whose life seems to be spiraling out of control until she unexpectedly meets Adam, her perfect match, at her 46th birthday party. Expecting never to meet again, the two serendipitously reunite at her 47th birthday party and Senna's life begins to flourish.

Director Sean McNamara discusses his film with fellow director Helen Hunt. Based on a true story, the film follows a high school volleyball team and their coach, who overcome their grief after the sudden death of their star player and band together in hopes of winning the state championship.

Director Lynne Ramsay discusses her film with fellow director Maggie Greenwald. The film tells the story of a traumatized veteran who tracks down missing girls for a living. When he takes the case of finding the daughter of a rising politician who's running for the Senate, he uncovers a conspiracy that may lead to his awakening or his death.

David McCoy Barrett moderates the Under Cover: An Evening with the Directing Team from The Americans featuring Actor/Directors Noah Emmerich, Director/Executive Producer Christopher Long, UPM/Executive Producer Mary Rae Thewlis, UPM/Co-Producer Tyson Bidner, and 1st AD Charlie Foster The discussion covers a variety of topics including working with "the J's" (aka Showrunners Joe Weisberg and Joel Fields), the challenges of budgeting a period spy series shooting New York for Washington D.C., and how Rhys and Emmerich made the transition from acting to directing.

Director James Keach discusses his film with fellow director Lynne Littman. The film tells the inspirational story of Augie Nieto, a fitness industry luminary, who is diagnosed with ALS in 2005. Today, he takes on ALS with his wife Lynne, leading the race to a cure in the fight to save his own life and the lives of millions.

Director Trudie Styler discusses her debut film with fellow director Ira Sachs. The film tells the story of Billy Bloom, a confident and flamboyant teen newly relocated to an ultra-conservative high school in the deep South. After suffering persecution and bullying, he decides to wear his inner freak with pride and run for homecoming queen.

Mike Robe moderates the Meet the Nominees: Movies for Television and Mini-Series Symposium featuring Kyra Segwick and Jean-Marc Vallee. Nominees Scott Frank, the director of Godless, Barry Levinson, the director of Wizard of Lies, and George C. Wolfe the director of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks were not available to participate. The discussion covers a variety of topics including Vallee's challenging 90-day schedule and Sedgwick's nuanced take of a small story.

Jeremy Kagan moderates the 27th Annual DGA Meet the Nominees: Feature Film Symposium featuring Guillermo del Toro, Greta Gerwig, Martin McDonagh, Christopher Nolan, and Jordan Peele on their nominated films. Topics for part three include the nominees discussing how the nominees deal with unexpected and their best and worst days of directing.

Jeremy Kagan moderates the 27th Annual DGA Meet the Nominees: Feature Film Symposium featuring Guillermo del Toro, Greta Gerwig, Martin McDonagh, Christopher Nolan, and Jordan Peele on their nominated films. Topics for part two include the nominees discussing casting and the rehearsal process.

Jeremy Kagan moderates the 27th Annual DGA Meet the Nominees: Feature Film Symposium featuring Guillermo del Toro, Greta Gerwig, Martin McDonagh, Christopher Nolan, and Jordan Peele on their nominated films. Topics for part one include the nominees' thoughts on how writing and directing intersect and how each of them approached the opening scene of their films.

Director Scott Cooper discusses his new film, Hostiles, with fellow Director Peter Landesman. Set in 1892, the film stars Christian Bale as a U.S. Cavalry officer who reluctantly agrees to escort a dying Cheyenne war chief and his family on a harrowing journey through dangerous Comanche territory to their tribal lands in Montana.