Sinners with Ryan Coogler and Rachel Morrison (Ep. 543)
Director Ryan Coogler discusses his new film, Sinners, with fellow Director Rachel Morrison in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses employing historical consultants to find authenticity in every niche of the film, how he collaborated with Composer and Executive Producer Ludwig Göransson to elevate the film with a distinct musicality, and how he came to the conclusion of using 70mm film to accentuate the sprawling, flat and isolating aspects of the southern setting.
In this fusion of gothic horror and 1930s Mississippi history, the film follows twins Smoke and Stack, who plan to open a new juke joint in their hometown. But as the pieces come together and their opening night begins, they find themselves confronted not only by the dangers of Jim Crow-era southern life but also a lurking undead menace.
See photos and a summary of this event below:
https://www.dga.org/events/2025/june2025/sinners_qna_0525
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38:48
The Wedding Banquet with Andrew Ahn and Daniel Kwan (Ep. 542)
Director Andrew Ahn discusses his new film, The Wedding Banquet, with fellow Director Daniel Kwan in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses working with the Screenwriter of the original film, updating the story to reflect contemporary LGBTQ+ attitudes while staying faithful to the original plot, and how he and his Actors utilized inventive techniques for discovering their characters on set.
This remake of the 1993 film tells the story of Min, a gay man hoping to stay in the country and avoid being dragged into his family business. Proposing a green card marriage to his lesbian friend Angela, things soon get complicated when his grandmother surprises them with plans for an extravagant Korean wedding banquet.
See photos and a summary of this event below:
https://www.dga.org/events/2025/june2025/theweddingbanquet_qna_0425
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38:16
Freaky Tales with Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden and Shaz Bennett (Ep. 541)
Directors Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden discusses their new film, Freaky Tales, with fellow Director Shaz Bennett in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, they discuss the real-life events that influenced the stories, using distinct visual styles and camera aspect ratios to differentiate each story chapter, and utilizing real locations and cameos from Oakland-born figures to cement the authenticity of the work.
The film weaves together the seemingly disparate sagas of an NBA star, a corrupt cop, a female rap duo, teenage punks, neo-Nazis and a debt collector as they embark on a collision course in 1987 Oakland, California.
See photos and a summary of this event below:
https://www.dga.org/events/2025/june2025/freakytales_qna_0425
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30:57
The Accountant 2 with Gavin O’Connor and Dan Gilroy (Ep. 540)
Director Gavin O’Connor discusses his new film, The Accountant 2, with fellow Director Dan Gilroy in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses working with his Actors to find more opportunities for humor, building out the scope of the film to expand on the world within the story, and aiming for an entirely different look and tone to create a fresh experience separate from the first installment.
The film tells the story of Christian Wolff, hired again to use his brilliant mind and highly lethal skillset to solve the puzzling murder of a Treasury Chief. Though a danger in his own right, this time he enlists the help of his equally lethal estranged brother as they uncover a deadly conspiracy full of ruthless killers and buried secrets.
See photos and a summary of this event below:
https://www.dga.org/events/2025/june2025/accountant2_qna_0425
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29:47
The Friend with Scott McGehee, David Siegel and Gail Mancuso (Ep. 539)
Directors Scott McGehee and David Siegel discusses their new film, The Friend, with fellow Director Gail Mancuso in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, they discuss working with Actors Naomi Watts and Bill Murray, the consideration that went into changes from the source material to the film, and working with a dog trainer to achieve emotional performances from their mastiff actor.
The film tells the story of Iris, a solitary writer who inherits a great dane once belonging to a late friend. At first creating problems for Iris, she finds herself unexpectedly bonding with the mastiff, gradually coming to terms with her lost friend and own creative inner life.
See photos and a summary of this event below:
https://www.dga.org/events/2025/june2025/thefriend_qna_0425
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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