The Director’s Cut - A DGA Podcast

Director James Cameron discusses his new film, Avatar: Fire and Ash, with fellow Director Guillermo del Toro in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses his experiences of shooting in performance capture and how they compare to real-world shoots, coming up with the concept for the fire clan and the complex characters that stray from their expected alignments, and his own thoughts on capturing beauty in his films and advocating for the theatrical experience.

The third installment of the Avatar franchise continues the story of Jake and Neytiri’s family unit as they encounter a new, aggressive Na’vi tribe, the Ash People, led by the fiery Varang. When Varang forms an alliance with Jake’s nemesis, Colonel Quaritch, the conflict on Pandora escalates and a new moral focus emerges.

See photos and a summary of this event below:

https://www.dga.org/events/2026/january2026/avatarfirenash_qna_1125

Director James L. Brooks discusses his new film, Ella McCay, with fellow Director Albert Brooks in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses his process of casting and how he found Actor Emma Mackey for the lead role, shares how he works with his Cinematographers and Actors, and takes time to reflect on his storied career and history with Albert Brooks.

The film tells the story of Ella, a young politician who suddenly becomes the governor of her state after the longtime incumbent accepts a cabinet position with the president. Trying to navigate this new rough and tumble realm of politics, she finds that her fractured family relationships may pose an even bigger challenge.

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https://www.dga.org/events/2026/january2026/ellamccay_qna_1225

Director Hikari discusses her new film, Rental Family, with fellow Director Nicole Holofcener in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, she discusses working with Actor Brendan Frasier to capture a character out of their element, working with her Cinematographer to capture the beauty of Japan, and how she wanted to use this film to address the real life loneliness epidemic.

The film tells the story of Phillip, an actor struggling to find work and purpose in Tokyo. After discovering a company that hires actors to play a role in real people’s lives, he immerses himself in his clients’ worlds and rediscovers purpose, belonging, and the beauty of human connection.

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https://www.dga.org/events/2026/january2026/rentalfamily_qna_1125

Directors Daniel Junge and Sam Pollard discusses their new film, I Was Born This Way, with fellow Director Jade Jenise Dixon in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, they discuss trying to paint an honest, human portrait of Carl Bean, how they manage the collaborative directorial process in their creative partnership, and working with figures such as Lady Gaga, Billy Porter and Maxine Waters to investigate what the titular song means to them.

Screened as part of the DGA’s Documentary Series, the film tells the story of Carl Bean, who survived the oppression of racism and homophobia, and found his voice through a mainstream music career. But dissatisfied with his path to stardom, Bean chose a life of activism, founding LGBTQ+ and AIDS relief organizations to help underserved populations.

See photos and a summary of this event below:

https://www.dga.org/events/2026/january2026/docseries_iwasbornthisway-1125

Director Jon M. Chu discusses his new film, Wicked: For Good, with fellow Director Rob Marshall in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, he discusses the process of assembling the sequel having filmed both installments at the same time, how he chose to favor great Actor performances over interesting setups when they clashed, and how he strove to make the films relevant to the times.

The sequel to 2024’s Wicked resumes the story of Elphaba, the misunderstood Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda, the popular Good Witch of the North. As their unlikely friendship is tested by the Wizard’s regime, the arrival of a stranger from Kansas sparks a series of events that will change everyone’s lives for good.

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https://www.dga.org/events/2026/january2026/wicked4good_qna_1125

Director Richard Linklater discusses his new film, Nouvelle Vague, with fellow Director Jason Reitman in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses the challenges of making a French film without being fluent in the language, how he recreated the shooting of the original Breathless by researching the documentation left behind by the original production, and the clever and subtle use of visual effects to recreate the film’s time period.

The film tells the story of a young Jean-Luc Godard, who gives up writing for a French film magazine to make movies himself. With help from François Truffaut to write a treatment and assistance from Georges de Beauregard to fund the feature, Godard brings to life his vision for a film called Breathless.

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https://www.dga.org/events/2026/january2026/nouvellevague_qna_1125

Director Chloé Zhao discusses her new film, Hamnet, with fellow Director Barry Jenkins in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, she discusses working with Writer Maggie O’Farrell and their different experiences with Shakespeare, collaborating with Cinematographer Lukasz Zal and how they captured images invoking the void, and her process of working with Actors to channel their unconscious selves in their performances.

Based on the novel by Maggie O’Farrell, the film follows Agnes and William Shakespeare as they live a pastoral life with their family. When their young son Hamnet dies, they both deal with the loss in their own respective ways, sowing the seeds for the creation of the classic play Hamlet.

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https://www.dga.org/events/2026/january2026/hamnet_qna_1125

Director Edgar Wright discusses his new film, The Running Man, with fellow Director Daniel Scheinert in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses the vast number of locations where the film was shot, how he favored practical effects work and his attitudes on computer generated effects, and his vision for a dystopian future where technology simultaneously regresses as it advances.

The film tells the story of Ben Richards, a working-class man in a near future society who is convinced to enter the popular and deadly television show The Running Man as a last resort to escape poverty. But as the show hunts him down, Ben’s defiance, instincts, and grit turn him into a fan favorite and a threat to the entire system as he must outwit not just the game’s hunters, but a nation addicted to watching him fall.

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https://www.dga.org/events/2026/january2026/runningman_qna_1125

Director Sean McNamara discusses his new film, Soul on Fire, with fellow Director Dean Alioto in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses finding a balance in humor throughout the story as a reflection of the real John’s personality, how he works with his Actors and puts emphasis his rehearsal process, and incorporating the real John O’Leary with some creative filmmaking tactics.

The film tells the true story of John O’Leary, who survived a tragic accident as a young boy that left him severely burned all over his body. Recovering from his injury, he goes on to become a motivational speaker and inspire millions of people to make the world a better place.

See photos and a summary of this event below:

https://www.dga.org/events/2025/december2025/soulonfire_qna_1125

Director Ben Stiller discusses his new film, Stiller & Meara: Nothing is Lost, with fellow Director Ethan Hawke in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, he discusses how the project began as a reaction after his father passed, how the title originated from some of his mother’s personal philosophies, and how interviewing his family members and going through archives revealed much about his parents he did not know.

Screened as part of the DGA’s Documentary Series, the film tells the story of comedic duo Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, exploring their impact both on popular culture and at home. In the process, Ben turns the camera on himself to examine the generational lessons we all can learn from those we love.

See photos and a summary of this event below:

https://www.dga.org/events/2025/december2025/docseries_stillerandmeara-1125