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Denis Villeneuve: Prisoners

September 19, 2013

Director Q&As in Los Angeles and New York

How far would you go to protect your child? The question sets up the circumstances for some disturbing answers in Director Denis Villeneuve’s new feature Prisoners.

In this psychological thriller, desperation drives a father to cross all sorts of boundaries after the chief suspect in the disappearance of his young daughter and her friend is released by the police due to lack of evidence.

Villeneuve discussed the joys of working with a top-notch cast (Hugh Jackman, Maria Bello, Viola Davis, Jake Gyllenhaal, Melissa Leo and Paul Dano) and the challenges of handling the tricky issues Prisoners explores, such as the line between seeking justice and becoming a vigilante, in conversations with Director James Gray (We Own the Night) after the DGA screening in Los Angeles on September 15 and Director Billy Kent (The Oh in Ohio) following the New York screening on September 18.

Villeneuve’s other feature films include Polytechnique, Incendies and the upcoming release Enemy. He has been a DGA member since 2012.

Pictures & Video

photos by Donald Rassmussen (New York) & Byron Gamarro (Los Angeles)
print courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

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FULL TALK (27:21): Directors Denis Villeneuve and James Gray discuss Villeneuve's new film, Prisoners, after a screening in Los Angeles.
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HIGHLIGHT: Denis Villeneuve discusses the importance of using improv with Jake Gyllenhaal and the rest of the cast on Prisoners.
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HIGHLIGHT: Villeneuve describes how the weather was a critical factor in setting the tone for Prisoners.
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HIGHLIGHT: Villeneuve describes the process of shooting material and paring it down to the final cut.
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FULL TALK (17:21): Directors Denis Villeneuve and Billy Kent discuss Villeneuve's new film, Prisoners, after a screening in New York.
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HIGHLIGHT: Villenueve talks about the Sound Design of the film, and the power silence can have on an audience.
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HIGHLIGHT: Denis Villeneuve discusses how the material helped draw a high-powered cast.
Director Denis Villeneuve speaks about the making of his new psychological thriller Prisoners following the DGA membership screening in New York.
Directors Denis Villeneuve and Billy Kent (moderator) discuss the making of Prisoners in New York.
Director Billy Kent (moderator) asks Denis Villeneuve a question about the making of Prisoners.
The DGA Theater audience in New York hears about the making of Director Denis Villeneuve’s new psychological thriller Prisoners.
Director Denis Villeneuve speaks about the making of his new psychological thriller Prisoners following the DGA membership screening in Los Angeles.
Directors Denis Villeneuve and James Gray (moderator) discuss the making of Prisoners in Los Angeles.
Director James Gray (moderator) asks Denis Villeneuve a question about the making of Prisoners.

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