Interview
Director
The Soul of “Wildwood”: Travis Knight on Portland, Artistry, and the Power of Human Storytelling
Director Travis Knight takes us inside LAIKA's ambitious “Wildwood,” revealing how Portland inspired the film's fantasy world, why global artists are flocking to Oregon
Interview
Art Director, Director, Producer, Production Designer
From “Sinners” to “Stranger Things”: How Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights Turns Screen Nightmares Into Reality
Guests may come for the scares, but behind Halloween Horror Nights lies a year-round creative operation. Creative director John Murdy and production designer Chris Williams reveal how “Sinners,” “Stranger Things,” and other hit properties become immersive nightmares.
Interview
Director
Busan 2026: How “Everybody’s Oma” Filmmaker Jason van Genderen Turned Family Stories Into a Global Movement
From turning a pandemic family project into the acclaimed documentary “Everybody’s Oma” to pioneering smartphone filmmaking, Jason van Genderen shared his journey with emerging filmmakers at Busan, urging them to tell personal stories that resonate around the world.
Interview
Director, Screenwriter
Writer/Director Cristian Mungiu on “Fjord” and the High Cost of Living Inside Political Echo Chambers
With a screenplay mostly in Norwegian, along with Romanian, Swedish, and English, director Cristian Mungiu’s quietly riveting family drama is a true European co-production. “We shot in Norway, edited in Romania, sound design in Finland, and mixing in Denmark,” he said of Fjord, which won the Palme d’Or in Cannes this spring. “There was always somebody speaking Norwegian in post-production. For the final mixing in Denmark, we had people speaking Norwegian, Swedish, English and Romanian,...
Interview
Director, Screenwriter
Aaron Sorkin on His Chilling Return to Facebook in “The Social Reckoning” and the Fight to Keep Production in America
Writer/director Aaron Sorkin returns to the world of Facebook with “The Social Reckoning,” a legal thriller inspired by whistleblower Frances Haugen. He discusses Jeremy Strong's Zuckerberg, visualizing isolation, and why he supports efforts to keep film production jobs in the U.S.
Interview
Director
“Verity” Director Michael Showalter On How Anne Hathaway, Hitchcock & Upstate New York Were Key To His Vision
Director Michael Showalter takes us inside “Verity,” his adaptation of Colleen Hoover's bestselling thriller, discussing Anne Hathaway's fearless performance, Hitchcock-inspired influences, a one-of-a-kind filming location, and the enduring appeal of mid-budget suspense.
Interview
Director
How Directors Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado Brought Filipino Folklore to “Forgotten Island”
Directors Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado break down how “Forgotten Island” blends Filipino folklore, anime-inspired artistry, and innovative animation techniques to create a vibrant fantasy adventure rooted in friendship, memory, and cultural identity.
Interview
Director
“The Heart of the Beast” Is a Dog Named Odin: Director David Ayer on His Soulful Brad Pitt Reunion
David Ayer reunites with Brad Pitt for “Heart of the Beast,” a wilderness survival story centered on an extraordinary bond between a retired soldier and his dog. Ayer discusses the emotional script, filming in remote locations, and the remarkable canine family behind Odin.
Interview
Director
Making His Own Odds: 2026 MPA Creator Award Winner Francis Lawrence on Building Blockbusters With Heart
2026 MPA Creator Award recipient Francis Lawrence reflects on his rise from music videos to blockbuster filmmaking, the enduring power of “The Hunger Games,” and why he believes “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping” ranks among the franchise’s strongest films.
Interview
Director, Screenwriter
From Plague to Protest: Paul Greengrass Finds Modern Parallels in his Andrew Garfield-Led Epic “The Uprising”
Director Paul Greengrass discusses why Andrew Garfield’s reluctant hero became the emotional center of “The Uprising,” how the 1381 Peasants’ Revolt echoes modern unrest, and why ordinary people remain at the heart of history’s biggest movements.
Interview
Director
“The Dog Stars”: Ridley Scott on Preparing For the End of the World
Ridley Scott discusses his visually stunning adaptation of “The Dog Stars,” why Westerns continue to influence his filmmaking, how storyboarding shapes every shot he makes, and why optimism remains essential to surviving both filmmaking and the apocalypse.
Interview
Director, Screenwriter
From Personal Loss to Emmy Nomination: Writer/Director Jim Rash’s Journey With “Miss You, Love You”
Emmy-nominated filmmaker Jim Rash discusses drawing from personal loss to create “Miss You, Love You,” directing Allison Janney and Andrew Rannells, filming ambitious long takes, and finding humor, healing, and connection in grief.
Interview
Director, Screenwriter, Showrunner
Who’s More Human Than a Child? Noah Hawley on Wendy, Humanity, and the Expanding World of “Alien: Earth”
lien: Earth" creator Noah Hawley breaks down expanding the franchise beyond the Xenomorph, turning Earth into a haunted house, exploring AI and humanity through Wendy, and creating the season's most unsettling new creature: the Eye Midge.
Interview
Director, Screenwriter, Showrunner
Inside “Beef” Creator Lee Sung Jin’s Twisty Blueprint: Rise-Fall Graphs, Wealth Wars & Human Frailty
“Beef” creator Lee Sung Jin takes us inside the making of the Emmy-nominated second season, revealing how country club culture, wealth disparity, real-life experiences, and painstaking “story math” helped shape the interconnected lives of its deeply flawed characters.
Interview
Director
How Director Hanelle M. Culpepper Turned “Paradise” Finale “Exodus” Into an Emmy-Worthy Epic
Emmy-nominated director Hanelle M. Culpepper takes us inside "Paradise" finale “Exodus,” revealing how she balanced massive crowd scenes, emotional reunions, and visual spectacle to create one of television's most ambitious and moving episodes.
Interview
Producer, Screenwriter, Showrunner
“Hacks” Co-Creator and Co-Showrunner Jen Statsky on Giving “Hacks” the Perfect Last Laugh
As "Hacks" closes the curtain on Deborah Vance and Ava Daniels' remarkable journey, co-creator Jen Statsky reflects on the show's emotional finale, record-setting Emmy success.
Interview
Director, Screenwriter
How “The Wrong Girls” Writer/Director Dylan Meyer Captured the B-Sides of Los Angeles With Kristen Stewart & Alia Shawkat
Writer-director Dylan Meyer discusses making "The Wrong Girls," her punk-inspired, neo-noir-inflected ode to Los Angeles starring Kristen Stewart and Alia Shawkat, and why shooting with a 95% local crew made her feature debut especially meaningful.
Interview
Director
“Supergirl” Director Craig Gillespie on Embracing Grit, Texture & Practical Magic for Kara Zor-El’s Wild Ride
Director Craig Gillespie set out to make “Supergirl” feel tactile—gritty, messy, and real. Starring Milly Alcock and Jason Momoa, the film blends practical effects, raw textures, and emotional stakes to create a lived-in take on the iconic DC hero.
Interview
Actor, Director, Screenwriter
“Voicemails for Isabelle” Writer/Director/Actor Leah McKendrick on Grief, Love & Rewriting the Rom-Com Playbook
Leah McKendrick breathes new life into the rom-com with “Voicemails for Isabelle,” where messages meant for a lost sister lead to an unexpected connection. Inspired by love and loss, her film blends classic influences with bold, modern storytelling.
Interview
Director, Screenwriter
“Leviticus” Writer/Director Adrian Chiarella Reimagines Exorcism as a Weapon of Queer Erasure
Writer/director Adrian Chiarella reimagines exorcism in “Leviticus,” a chilling queer horror starring Joe Bird and Stacy Clausen, where desire, repression, and fear collide—and the true evil may be what’s forced inside.
