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.
Interview
Director
Director Hiro Murai Finds the Funny in Fear in “Widow’s Bay”—and a New Side of Matthew Rhys
Hiro Murai brings his signature tonal precision to “Widow’s Bay,” guiding Matthew Rhys, Kate O’Flynn, and Stephen Root through a world where comedy and dread collide—and where darkness itself becomes a tool for fear.
Interview
Director
“Passenger” Director André Øvredal on Designing a Demon You Can’t Outrun
For director André Øvredal, the terror at the heart of "Passenger" begins with something deeply familiar: the open road. But what starts as a universal experience quickly spirals into something far more sinister—a relentless, supernatural force that cannot be outrun. Øvredal explains how he grounded the film’s horror in physical reality, crafting a tangible villain, embracing practical effects, and transforming Washington’s diverse landscapes into a nightmarish American journey.
Interview
Director, Screenwriter
“Is God Is” Writer/Director Aleshea Harris on Faith, Fury, and Igniting a Scorching Revenge Odyssey
Writer/director Aleshea Harris brings a blazing, genre-bending vision to “Is God Is,” a revenge road movie steeped in biblical myth and emotional fire. In adapting her own play, Harris crafts a singular cinematic experience—one where questions of fate, faith, and family burn just as fiercely as the story’s quest for vengeance.
Interview
Director, Screenwriter
Curry Barker’s “Obsession”: The Indie Horror That Turned L.A. Into a Nightmare Playground
Shot in just 20 days for under $1 million, “Obsession” turned writer-director Curry Barker into one of TIFF’s breakout filmmakers—transforming a simple premise into a dark, feverish crowd-pleaser that caught the eye of Focus Features and proved that scrappy indie horror can still erupt into something big.
Interview
Director, Screenwriter
Writer/Director Olivia Newman on Finding the Deep Soul of “Remarkably Bright Creatures”
Director Olivia Newman talks about shaping grief, humor, and purpose in “Remarkably Bright Creatures,” starring Sally Field—and why the film’s octopus had to feel as real as its human characters.
Interview
Director
Marc Munden on Directing Kids in the Brutally Artful “Lord of the Flies”
More than seven decades after its publication, “Lord of the Flies” still speaks to the anxieties of the present day. Director Marc Munden explains how he reimagined William Golding’s novel as a four-part Netflix series—using first-time child actors, monsoon-drenched locations, and unsettling visual language to explore power, fear, and the fragility of democracy.
Interview
Director
“Michael” Director Antoine Fuqua on Jaafar Jackson’s Brilliance, Los Angeles, and Bringing “Thriller” Back to Life
Director Antoine Fuqua knew “Michael” had to be authentic—from Hayvenhurst to the original “Thriller” location. Anything less wouldn’t do.
