On August 2, the Eastern Diversity Steering Committee (EDSC) hosted a special conversation with DGA Award-nominated Director Steve McQueen (12 Years A Slave) in the Guild’s New York Theater. In a conversation moderated by Director Jim Jarmusch (Broken Flowers) and illustrated by video clips, McQueen discussed his work, influences and career path.
Born in London, England, McQueen became interested in film while attending Goldsmiths College, University of London and later studied briefly at New York University’s Tisch School. His 2008 debut feature film Hunger, about the 1981 Irish hunger strike, premiered at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival and earned McQueen the Caméra d’Or (first-time director) Award. His 2013 feature 12 Years a Slave — the incredible true story of Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York, who must fight to survive and regain his freedom after being abducted and sold into slavery in the pre-Civil War United States — garnered McQueen both DGA and Academy Award nominations for directorial achievement and won the Oscar for “Best Picture.” McQueen’s other works include the Humanitas Prize-nominated feature Shame, the tale of a man struggling with sex addiction; and the short film art pieces Static, Deadpan, Exodus and Bear.
McQueen has been a DGA member since 2012.
About the Committee:
The Eastern Diversity Steering Committee (EDSC) represents the concerns of Guild members of African, Asian, Native American, Arab-Middle Eastern or Latino descent residing in the East. Committed to improving the employment opportunities, working conditions and the skills of ethnically diverse Guild members, the EDSC sponsors workshops, seminars, round-table discussions and networking events to showcase the talents of its members, recognize their contributions, and increase their visibility in the industry.