Elvis Mitchell: “Tell us about your first day as a director.”

Greta Gerwig: “I prepared and I over-prepared. Film is weird—it’s a timed art. For everything you’re doing [on set], that’s something else you’re not able to do. But I was ready. It’s a mix of being totally in control and totally out of control. It’s thrilling.”*

Actor-screenwriter Gerwig grew up in Sacramento, went to a Catholic high school, attended Barnard, and wanted to be a dancer.

The last part of that story provided the basis for Frances Ha (2012), her screenplay collaboration with her work and life partner Noah Baumbach.

For LADY BIRD, Gerwig took over the directing reins for the first time, and the completed work—a roughly autobiographical coming-of-age tale about the Sacramento years, starring Saoirse Ronan in the title role and Laurie Metcalf as her mother—is one of the standout films of 2017.

 

LADY BIRD, now playing.

LAEMMLE NOHO, 5240 Lankershim Boulevard, North Hollywood.

laemmle.com/film

ARCLIGHT HOLLYWOOD, 6360 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles.

ARCLIGHT PASADENA, 300 East Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena.

ARCLIGHT SHERMAN OAKS, 15301 Ventura Boulevard, Sherman Oaks.

arclightcinemas.com/movie/lady-bird

*Greta Gerwig and Elvis Mitchell at the Film Independent screening of Lady Bird (2017), LACMA, November 2, 2017.

Image courtesy of WireImage and Film Independent.