In his film Handsome Devil, Irish writer-director John Butler urges young people to find their own voice.

The film follows the lives of Irish schoolmates Ned (Fionn O’Shea) and Conor (Nicholas Galitzine), as they are forced to share a bedroom at their boarding school. One is a music-loving loner, the other a popular rugby star. But the film transcends classroom drama, as it explores the characters’ sexual identities.

We spoke with Butler about the personal origins of Handsome Devil, the distinction between autobiography and emotional truth, and importance of exercise - or anchor fitness - as a writer.

In addition to this audio format, the print interview for this conversation is available on Creative Screenwriting Magazine’s website.

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