Massive 2 Hour 40 Minute Talk With DGA Nominees Damien Chazelle, Denis Villeneuve, Garth Davis, Barry Jenkins & Kenneth Lonergan

Over the weekend, the Directors Guild of America invited the five feature film nominees to a theater to discuss their nominated work. DGA winner Damien Chazelle (“La La Land“), Denis Villeneuve (“Arrival“), Garth Davis (“Lion“), Barry Jenkins (“Moonlight“), and Kenneth Lonergan (“Manchester By The Sea“) all sat with moderator Jeremy Kagan to talk about the process of making their respective films. For those interested in an over two-hour discussion about directing, there was plenty to learn.

“La La Land” director Chazelle spoke at length about the challenges of bringing a modern, original musical to the screen, including casting the huge highway song and dance scene. Villeneuve discussed the difficulty editing “Arrival” due to its content and mystery. “Moonlight” director Barry Jenkins discusses the expedited filming schedule of only 25 days. All in all, the nearly three-hour discussion gives a fascinating look behind the scenes of five of the most critically acclaimed films of the year.