Catching Up With AFI FEST Alumni: Joe Swanberg, Director of ALL THE LIGHT IN THE SKY
Joe Swanberg has directed several feature films, including HANNAH TAKES THE STAIRS (2007), ALEXANDER THE LAST (2009), UNCLE KENT (2011) and SILVER BULLETS (2011). His films have premiered at Sundance, Berlin, SXSW and AFI. Swanberg also directed and starred in the web series YOUNG AMERICAN BODIES for IFC.com, which he produced with his wife, Kris. We asked him to share his favorite moment from AFI FEST 2011 and fill us in on what he’s working on now.
My favorite moment of AFI FEST 2011 was walking into the movie theater in the heart of Hollywood to show and watch films that were made so far outside of the industry. It’s really important that AFI FEST puts a spotlight on unconventional and challenging films. I loved seeing THE COLOR WHEEL, a comedy about incest shot on 16mm B&W, playing in a theater next to films that would be getting Oscar® nominations a few months later. It’s what a film festival should be! It’s a celebration of all kinds of films.
I’m putting the finishing touches on a film called ALL THE LIGHT IN THE SKY that I’m making with Jane Adams. It’s about an actress reaching a point in her life and career that is causing her to reflect on family, relationships and the business of making movies. She loves her life, but it’s not at all what she imagined it would look like. Sophia Takal, Kent Osborne and Larry Fessenden co-star.
I’m also editing the film I shot this Summer, called DRINKING BUDDIES, with Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson, Anna Kendrick and Ron Livingston. It’s about craft beer and complicated friendships/relationships – things I know a lot about!!!!
