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

The Holdovers with Alexander Payne and Jason Reitman (Ep. 452)

Brought to you by the Directors Guild of America, "The Director's Cut" will bring you the behind-the-scenes stories of today's most talked about films.  Each episode features a different director interviewed by one of their peers, leading to revealing conversations about the grueling, but rewarding process of bringing their films to life.

TV & Film

Director Ned Benson discusses his new film, The Greatest Hits, with fellow Director Marc Webb in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses filming at landmark Los Angeles locations to ingrain the city as part of the story, working with the cinematographer to artistically convey the time traveling sequences, and working with his composer to craft a soundtrack that compliments a musically-inclined story.

The film tells the story of Harriet, who discovers that specific songs can transport her to the past to relive cherished moments with her former partner. But after meeting someone new in the present, she struggles to decide whether to alter the past and reclaim what she lost, or make peace with it and move on.

The Greatest Hits with Ned Benson and Marc Webb (Ep. 476)

Directors David and Nathan Zellner discuss their new film, Sasquatch Sunset, with fellow Director James Ponsoldt in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, they discuss working with actors who are performing in full makeup, their use of live animals throughout the film, and utilizing a score that integrates the sounds of nature as an instrument.

The film tells the story of a family of sasquatches living in the misty forests of North America. Over the course of one year, they embark on an absurdist, epic, hilarious, and ultimately poignant journey as they fight for survival in an ever-changing world.


See photos and a summary of this event below:

https://dga.org/Events/2024/May2024/SasquatchSunset_QnA_0424

Sasquatch Sunset with David Zellner, Nathan Zellner and James Ponsoldt (Ep. 475)

Director Robert Lorenz discusses his new film, In the Land of Saints and Sinners, with fellow Director Brian Helgeland in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses retaining the film’s authenticity in its Irish cast and texture of its 1970s setting, balancing the tone with moments of humor and severity, and using landscape shots of the remote Irish location to accentuate the mood of the film.

The film tells the story of Finbar Murphy, a man living a quiet life in a remote Irish fishing village, eager to leave his dark past behind. But when a menacing crew of terrorists arrive, he is forced to choose between keeping his secret identity hidden, or defending his community from the encroaching violence.


See photos and a summary of this event below:

https://dga.org/Events/2024/May2024/LandofSaintsNSinners_QnA_0424

In the Land of Saints and Sinners with Robert Lorenz and Brian Helgeland (Ep. 474)

Director Michael Mohan discusses his new film, Immaculate, with fellow Director Adam Robitel in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses how his personal background played into his making of the film, his creative partnership with actress Sydney Sweeney on and off the camera, and using Italian locations to try and keep the setting in a timeless state.

The film tells the story of Cecelia, an American nun who is offered a new role at a picturesque convent in the Italian countryside. But once there, her dream assignment quickly turns into a living nightmare when she discovers her new home harbors a sinister secret and unspeakable horrors.

See photos and a summary of this event below:

https://dga.org/Events/2024/May2024/Immaculate_QnA_0324

Immaculate with Michael Mohan and Adam Robitel (Ep. 473)

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

The Holdovers with Alexander Payne and Jason Reitman (Ep. 452)

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