Maggie Gyllenhaal says directing is 'very similar to being a mother', opens up about filmmaking journey
Karlovy Vary, July 5
Actor-filmmaker Maggie Gyllenhaal has opened up about her passion for directing, describing the experience as "very similar to being a mother" because of the immense responsibility it carries, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Speaking to the media at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, where she received the festival's President's Award, Gyllenhaal reflected on her transition from acting to directing and what she enjoys most about the creative process.
"I feel it is very similar to being a mother. You become a mother -- all of a sudden you are actually responsible for the life of another person. That is both incredibly exciting, powerful, and absolutely terrifying," she said.
"In terms of responsibility, it is really major. That's a really interesting thing about directing, way more so than producing, and also way more so than acting."
Gyllenhaal also spoke about the collaborative process of preparing a film with her cinematographer, saying it has become one of her favourite aspects of directing.
Gyllenhaal also shared the joy she experiences as a director in the prep process with her cinematographer "thinking through the movie in a joined imaginary world," explaining: "It's so cool, it's so intense, and there is the pleasure for me in being on set with a plan with a shared language that we've built together."
"That was new to me, and I didn't know how much I would love it. So sometimes when people ask me if I want to act, I think no, I want to prep with my cinematographer, and I want to keep learning this language that I have gotten so much pleasure out of learning," she added.
The actor also reflected on the challenges women continue to face behind the camera.
"Directing is, historically and still, predominantly a male job," Gyllenhaal said. "I found that when I went to do it, I was treated with a kind of respect that I had never encountered before, just because that's how one treats the director," as per the outlet.
During the interaction, Gyllenhaal also spoke briefly about the US Independence Day, saying she was choosing not to celebrate it this year.
"It is the Fourth of July today, so we're celebrating it here," she said before adding, "I'm abstaining from celebration this year. I'm not celebrating the Fourth of July," according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Asked about her daughter Ramona, who was among those arrested during a Columbia University protest against Israel's war in Gaza last year, Gyllenhaal responded, "My daughter is her own woman. I'm sure you're not surprised to hear that."
The filmmaker also shared an update on her next project after The Bride!. Warner Bros. has optioned Rachel Kushner's novel Creation Lake, which Gyllenhaal is set to write, develop and produce.
"It's in the very, very beginning of the process. I feel like it's in the part of the creative [process] that is so personal and private and secret. I'm very excited about it. I love the author, Rachel Kushner. I love the book. I have my own unusual take on it, but it's just beginning to simmer," she said, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Gyllenhaal received the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival's President's Award during the opening ceremony. While accepting the honour, she recalled spending a semester studying in the Czech Republic two decades ago, including a visit to Karlovy Vary, which she said inspired her filmmaking journey.
She said the experience was "part of what pushed me to be a director to express my view of the world, however strange and challenging, and however different," according to The Hollywood Reporter.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Bold of her to not celebrate July 4th, but I appreciate her honesty. Also, her daughter being arrested at a protest - that shows she raised her right! Freedom of speech is universal, not just American. 💪
As someone who works in film production in Mumbai, I can tell you directing is indeed like being a parent - you're responsible for the vision, the crew, the budget, everything. But our Indian directors have been doing this for decades without making such comparisons. Just get on with the job, na? 😅
Lovely to see a woman filmmaker getting her due! Her comment about being treated with respect as a director instead of as a female actor is so true. I wonder if we have similar issues in Indian cinema? Our female directors like Zoya Akhtar and Gauri Shinde might have stories to tell. 🎬
Honestly, the comparison with motherhood is a bit cliché. Many male directors feel the same responsibility - it's not gender-specific. But her point about prep with the cinematographer is interesting. Reminds me of how Satyajit Ray used to storyboard everything. That shared language is key. 🤔
Her daughter getting arrested at a Columbia protest - that's the kind of parenting I respect! Stand up for what you believe in. But not celebrating July 4th? That's her choice. We have our own Republic Day to be proud of! 🇮🇳 Jai Hind.