Director Richard Linklater discusses Last Flag Flying

November 6, 2017

A DGA Q&A in Los Angeles

Three Vietnam War veterans reunite to bury the son of a comrade in Director Richard Linklater’s new drama, Last Flag Flying.

Linklater’s film tells the story of former Navy Corps medic Richard “Doc” Shepherd (Steve Carell), who enlists the help of his war buddies from three decades ago — former Marines Sal Nealon (Bryan Cranston) and Reverend Richard Mueller (Laurence Fishburne) — to go on a road trip to bury his son, a young Marine killed in Iraq. As they travel up the East Coast to Shepherd’s home in New Hampshire, they try to come to terms with shared memories of the war that continues to shape their lives.

Following the DGA membership screening in Los Angeles on November 5, Linklater sat down with Director Andrew Davis (The Guardian) to discuss the making of Last Flag Flying.

In addition to Last Flag Flying, Linklater’s other works include the feature films Slacker, Dazed and Confused, SubUrbia, School of Rock, Bernie and the award-nominated trilogy Before Sunrise, Before Sunset and Before Midnight; the movie for television $5.15/Hr.; the documentaries Inning by Inning: A Portrait of a Coach and Woodshock; and episodes of the television series Up to Speed. He was nominated for an Academy Award and the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for his 2014 feature Boyhood. Linklater has been a member of the DGA since 1997.

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

Pictures

Event photos by Shane Karns - Print courtesy of Amazon Studios.

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Director Richard Linklater speaks about the making of his new drama, Last Flag Flying, following the DGA membership screening in Los Angeles.

Bryan Cranston, Steve Carell and Laurence Fishburne in Director Richard Linklater’s Last Flag Flying.

Director Richard Linklater speaks about the making of Last Flag Flying with Director Andrew Davis (moderator) following the DGA membership screening in Los Angeles.

Steve Carell in Director Richard Linklater’s Last Flag Flying.

Director Andrew Davis (moderator) asks Director Richard Linklater a question about the making of Last Flag Flying.

Bryan Cranston in Director Richard Linklater’s Last Flag Flying.

The DGA Los Angeles Theater hears Directors Richard Linklater and Andrew Davis (moderator) discuss the making of Linklater’s new drama, Last Flag Flying.

Laurence Fishburne in Director Richard Linklater’s Last Flag Flying.

Directors Richard Linklater and Andrew Davis (moderator) pose for a photo following the Los Angeles DGA membership screening of Linklater’s new drama, Last Flag Flying.

Laurence Fishburne, Bryan Cranston and Steve Carell in Director Richard Linklater’s Last Flag Flying.

Director Richard Linklater chats with members of the audience following the Los Angeles DGA membership screening of his new drama, Last Flag Flying.

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