The Director’s Cut - A DGA Podcast

Episode 86: To The Bone with Marti Noxon and Rick Rosenthal

Director Marti Noxon discusses her new film, To The Bone, with fellow Director Rick Rosenthal. The drama tells the story of Ellen, a 20-year-old anorexic who has failed at various recovery programs in the past. Desperate for a solution, her family sends her to a group home led by a non-traditional doctor, whose rules force Ellen to truly confront her addiction in order to find a path to survival.

Episode 85: Landline with Gillian Robespierre and Marielle Heller

Director Gillian Robespierre discusses her new film, Landline, with fellow Director Marielle Heller. The film tells the story of two sisters in 1990s New York City who suspect their father may be having an affair. They set out to discover the truth without tipping off their mother.

Episode 84: Detroit with Kathryn Bigelow and Paris Barclay

Director Kathryn Bigelow discusses her new film, Detroit, with fellow Director Paris Barclay. The film recounts what happened when misconduct by those charged with upholding the law resulted in the beating of several innocent people and the deaths of three unarmed black men.

Episode 83: My Journey Through French Cinema with Bertrand Tavernier and Chuck Workman

Director Bertrand Tavernier discusses his new film, My Journey Through French Cinema, with fellow Director Chuck Workman. The film follows Mr. Tavernier's half-century-long love affair with film that began when he was just a boy. Supported by his formidable knowledge on the subject, he details both the giants of his native cinema as well as some frequently overlooked contributors in a film of both personal and historical observations.

Episode 82: War for the Planet of the Apes with Matt Reeves and Drew Goddard

Director Matt Reeves discusses his new film, War for the Planet of the Apes, with fellow Director Drew Goddard. The third installment in the Planet of the Apes franchise reboot finds Caesar leading a colony of apes who are forced into a struggle with an army of humans who want to destroy them.

Episode 81: Baby Driver with Edgar Wright and Christopher Nolan

Director Edgar Wright discusses his new film, Baby Driver, with fellow Director Christopher Nolan. The film tells the story of a young getaway driver named Baby who meets the girl of his dream. Hoping to leave his criminal life behind, he is coerced into one last getaway job. But when things go awry, all of his skills will be put to the test if he has any hope of survival.

Episode 80: All Eyez On Me with Benny Boom and Jeff Byrd

Director Benny Boom discusses his new film, All Eyez on Me, with fellow Director Jeff Byrd. The film tells the story of Tupac Shakur, the prolific rapper, actor, poet and activist. The feature film charts his meteoric rise and ultimate transformation into a cultural icon before his untimely death at the age of 25.

Episode 79: The King’s Choice with Erik Poppe and Victoria Hochberg

Director Erik Poppe discusses his new film, The King's Choice, with fellow Director Victoria Hochberg. The film tells the story of King Haakon VII during three days in 1940 when he faced a moral decision about whether or not to cooperate with the invading German Army. Although outnumbered and facing almost certain defeat, Norwegians, following their King's choice, broke all rules of international diplomacy and warfare.
This screening was a part of the DGA's Global Cinema Series. Erik Poppe's previous film Hawaii, Oslo, was the inaugural film of this series when it started in 2004.

Episode 78: Wakefield with Robin Swicord and Lesli Linka Glatter

Director Robin Swicord discusses her new film Wakefield with fellow Director Lesli Linka Glatter. Wakefield was adapted from an E.L. Doctorow short story about a suburban lawyer with a loving wife and family. Though outwardly successful and happy, his inner feelings of suffocation lead Howard to snap and disappear without a trace. Hiding in his own garage attic, he survives by scavenging at night and spends his time secretly observing the lives of his wife, children and neighbors.

Episode 77: Wonder Woman with Patty Jenkins and Richard Donner

Director Patty Jenkins discusses her new film Wonder Woman with fellow Director Richard Donner. The film tells the story of Diana, princess of the Amazons, who travels on an adventure after an American pilot suddenly crashes on the shore of her island and tells of a war to end all wars raging in Europe. Convinced she can stop the threat, she leaves home to fulfill her destiny.

Episode 76: City of Ghosts with Matthew Heineman and Chuck Workman

Director Matthew Heineman discusses his new film City of Ghosts with fellow Director Chuck Workman. The film tells the story of the Syrian citizen journalist collective, Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently, who banded together to reveal the truth about the ISIS occupation of the city of Raqqa.

Episode 75: The Drowning with Bette Gordon and Maggie Greenwald

Director Bette Gordon discusses her new film The Drowning with fellow Director Maggie Greenwald. The film follows child psychologist Tom Seymour who spots a young man trying to commit suicide by jumping off a pier. After rescuing him from the water, Tom realizes he and the young man have met before and their present situation is no mere coincidence.

Episode 74: Aftermath with Elliott Lester and Gregory Plotkin

Director Elliott Lester discusses his new film, Aftermath, with fellow Director Gregory Plotkin. Inspired by actual events, the film tells a story of guilt and revenge when a devastating plane crash causes two men's lives to be inseparably bound together.

Episode 73: Salt and Fire with Werner Herzog and Kevin Smith

Director Werner Herzog discusses his film, Salt and Fire, and prolific career with fellow director Kevin Smith. The film follows a scientific delegation who, after being tasked by the U.N. with investigating an ecogical disaster in South America, is kidnapped by the CEO of the Corporation responsible for the problem.

Episode 72: The Promise with Terry George and Tony Gilroy

Director Terry George discusses his new film The Promise with fellow Director Tony Gilroy. The film tells the story of a love triangle between Mikael, a brilliant medical student, Ana, a dance instructor, and Chris, an American photojournalist during the waning days of the Ottoman Empire and during the Armenian genocide.

Episode 71: The Lost City of Z with James Gray and Matt Reeves

Director James Gray discusses his new film, The Lost City of Z, with fellow director Matt Reeves. The film tells the incredible true story of Col. Percival Fawcett, a British explorer who discovers evidence of an advanced civilization deep in the Amazonian jungle in the early 20th century. Though ridiculed by his peers, Fawcett and his followers return to the jungle in an attempt to prove his case.

Episode 70: The Discovery with Charlie McDowell and Zal Batmanglij

Director Charlie McDowell discusses his new film, The Discovery, with fellow director Zal Batmanglij. The film examines the near future where a doctor discovers scientific evidence of an afterlife, an announcement that causes people to commit suicide in droves. While people search for meaning in the life they inhabit, the doctor's son falls for a troubled woman.

Episode 69: The Zookeeper’s Wife with Niki Caro and Lesli Linka Glatter

Director Niki Caro discusses her film The Zookeeper's Wife with fellow director Lesli Linka Glatter. The film stars Jessica Chastain as Antonina Zabinska, who runs the Warsaw Zoo alongside her husband Jan in 1939. When their peaceful lives are threatened after their zoo is razed during the German occupation of Poland, the Zabinskis find themselves creating elaborate plans to save hundreds of Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto.

Episode 68: Fist Fight with Richie Keen and Seth Gordon

Director Richie Keen discusses his film Fist Fight with fellow director Seth Gordon. The film follows Andy (by Charlie Day), a high school teacher who is challenged to a fight by another high school teacher Ron (played by Ice Cube) after Andy inadvertently gets Ron fired.

Episode 67: Logan with James Mangold and Gavin O’Connor

Director James Mangold discusses his new film, Logan, with Director Gavin O'Connor. The film tells the story of Logan as he cares for his ailing friend, Professor X. They are approached by a young mutant who is being pursued by a villain connected to Logan's past and must rise again to protect an innocent.