The Director’s Cut - A DGA Podcast

Atlantics with Mati Diop and Michael Almereyda (Ep. 246)

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

Richard Jewell with Clint Eastwood and Scott Cooper (Ep. 245)

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

Just Mercy with Destin Daniel Cretton and Anna Boden (Ep. 244)

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

1917 with Sam Mendes and Ed Zwick (Ep. 243)

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

Uncut Gems With Josh and Benny Safdie and Kenneth Lonergan (Ep. 242)

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

Knives Out with Rian Johnson and Denis Villeneuve (Ep. 241)

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

Harriet with Kasi Lemmons and Rick Famuyiwa (Ep. 240)

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

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood with Marielle Heller and Tamara Jenkins (Ep. 239)

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

Ford v Ferrari with James Mangold and Doug Liman (Ep. 238)

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

Bombshell with Jay Roach and Leslye Headland (Ep. 237)

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

Dark Waters with Todd Haynes and Gus Van Sant (Ep. 236)

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

The Report with Scott Z. Burns and David Mackenzie (Ep. 235)

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

Marriage Story with Noah Baumbach and Ben Stiller (Ep. 234)

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

Honey Boy with Alma Har’el and Boaz Yakin (Ep. 233)

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

Motherless Brooklyn with Edward Norton and Mike Binder (Ep. 232)

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

Queen & Slim with Melina Matsoukas and M. Night Shyamalan (Ep. 231)

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

Citizen K with Alex Gibney and Matthew Heineman (Ep. 230)

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

Little Women with Greta Gerwig and Rian Johnson (Ep. 229)

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

Jojo Rabbit with Taika Waititi and Paul Downs Colaizzo (Ep. 228)

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

The King with David Michôd and Neil Burger (Ep. 227)

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