Nouvelle Vague with Richard Linklater and Jason Reitman (Ep. 587)
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.
See photos and a summary of this event below:
https://www.dga.org/events/2026/january2026/nouvellevague_qna_1125
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Hamnet with Chloé Zhao and Barry Jenkins (Ep. 586)
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.
See photos and a summary of this event below:
https://www.dga.org/events/2026/january2026/hamnet_qna_1125
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The Running Man with Edgar Wright and Daniel Scheinert (Ep. 585)
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.
See photos and a summary of this event below:
https://www.dga.org/events/2026/january2026/runningman_qna_1125
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Soul on Fire with Sean McNamara and Dean Alioto (Ep. 584)
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
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31:54
Stiller & Meara: Nothing is Lost with Ben Stiller and Ethan Hawke (Ep. 583)
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
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.
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