Director Matthew Heineman discusses A Private War

October 29, 2018

DGA Q&As in Los Angeles & New York

The extraordinary life of celebrated war correspondent Marie Colvin is retold in Director Matthew Heineman’s new biographical drama, A Private War.

Based on the Vanity Fair article “Marie Colvin’s Private War” by Arash Amel, Heineman’s film tells the story of how Colvin’s fearlessness and desire to give voice to the voiceless, drove her to the front lines of conflicts all across the globe in order to show the true cost of war.

Following the DGA membership screening in New York on October 21, Heineman sat down with Director Bob Balaban (Justice Served) to discuss the making of A Private War. Heineman also discussed the making of the film in a conversation moderated by Director Jeremy Kagan (SHOT) afterthe DGA membership screening in Los Angeles on October 28.

A Private War is Heineman’s narrative feature directorial debut. His other credits include the documentary feature Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare and episodes of the television documentary mini-series The Trade. He is a two-time winner of the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary for his 2017 film, City of Ghosts, and his 2015 film, Cartel Land, which also won a Primetime Emmy Award for Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. Heineman has been a DGA member since 2015.

You can listen to Heineman's Q&A by clicking the podcast episode embedded below. You can find more DGA podcast episodes here.

Pictures

Event photos by Marcie Revens (New York) and Byron Gamarro (Los Angeles) - Print courtesy of Aviron Pictures.

View slideshow

Director Matthew Heineman speaks about the making of his new biographical drama, A Private War, following the DGA membership screening in New York.

Rosamund Pike as celebrated war correspondent Marie Colvin in Director Matthew Heineman’s A Private War.

Director Matthew Heineman speaks about the making of his new biographical drama, A Private War, following the DGA membership screening in Los Angeles.

Director Matthew Heineman speaks about the making of A Private War with Director Bob Balaban (moderator) following the DGA membership screening in New York.

Jamie Dornan as war photographer Paul Conroy in Director Matthew Heineman’s A Private War.

Director Matthew Heineman speaks about the making of A Private War with Director Jeremy Kagan (moderator) following the DGA membership screening in Los Angeles.

Director Jeremy Kagan (moderator) asks Director Matthew Heineman a question about the making of Heineman’s new biographical drama, A Private War, following the DGA membership screening in Los Angeles.

Jamie Dornan as war photographer Paul Conroy and Rosamund Pike as war correspondent Marie Colvin in Director Matthew Heineman’s A Private War.

Director Bob Balaban (moderator) asks Director Matthew Heineman a question about the making of Heineman’s new biographical drama, A Private War, following the DGA membership screening in New York.

From the DGA New York Theater audience, Director Gary Donatelli asks Director Matthew Heineman a question about the making of Heineman’s new biographical drama, A Private War.

Rosamund Pike as war correspondent Marie Colvin and Jamie Dornan as war photographer Paul Conroy in Director Matthew Heineman’s A Private War.

Director Matthew Heineman chats with a member of the audience following the Los Angeles DGA membership screening of his feature, A Private War.

Directors Matthew Heineman and Jeremy Kagan (moderator) pose for a photo following the Los Angeles DGA membership screening of Heineman’s new biographical drama, A Private War.

Rosamund Pike as war correspondent Marie Colvin in Director Matthew Heineman’s A Private War.

Directors Matthew Heineman and Bob Balaban (moderator) pose for a photo following the New York DGA membership screening of Heineman’s new biographical drama, A Private War.

Calendar

8/19/2025 - 8/25/2025