Exclusive: 25-Minute MoMA Talk With Charlie Kaufman, Duke Johnson & Jennifer Jason Leigh About 'Anomalisa'

AnomalisaYou couldn’t ask for a better end to the cinematic year than "Anomalisa." It’s the kind of movie cinephiles yearn for: bold, ambitious, unique, and unlike anything else on the big screen. And as part of MoMA Film’s Contenders series, three keys behind the film’s success sat down to discuss the movie at length.

READ MORE: Review: Charlie Kaufman & Duke Johnson’s Animated ‘Anomalisa’ Voiced By David Thewlis, Jennifer Jason Leigh & Tom Noonan

Co-directors Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson, and voice star Jennifer Jason Leigh, were joined by moderator Sophie Cavoulacos, Curatorial Assistant in the Department of Film at MoMA, for a wide-ranging discussion about the genesis of the project (which started as a stage play), working in the medium of stop-motion animation, visual inspirations, and more.

"Any chance to revel in a new universe created by Charlie Kaufman is one we will gladly take, and his ingenuity shows no signs of slowing with ‘Anomalisa,’ one film we could not overlook for the Contenders this year," Rajendra Roy, Chief Film Curator at MoMA, said. "The fun thing about the Q&A afterwards was the surprise addition of Jennifer Jason Leigh to the panel, whose voiceover work here should be a contender for any award possible. We gleaned a fascinating insight into Charlie’s extraordinary mind, where his storytelling can take us and the magic of what stop-motion can do."

Check out the fascinating talk below. MoMA Film’s Contenders series continues through January 15, 2016.