In this episode of the No Film School Podcast, GG Hawkins speaks with writer-director Mary Bronstein about her searing psychological comedy-drama If I Had Legs, I'd Kick You. The film, starring Rose Byrne, Conan O'Brien, Christian Slater, and A$AP Rocky, explores the emotional breakdown of a woman navigating a mysterious illness in her child, an absentee husband, and a dangerously dependent relationship with her therapist. Premiering at Sundance and earning Rose Byrne a Silver Bear at Berlinale, the film has received critical acclaim for its raw emotional honesty and darkly comedic tone. Mary shares her deeply collaborative process with actors—particularly Byrne—and how performance, not just plot or technique, is the true core of her work.In this episode, we discuss: Mary’s non-traditional journey into directing via acting and method trainingWhy understanding acting is essential for directorsThe intense six-week collaborative prep process Mary and Rose Byrne underwent to develop the character of LindaHow Mary tailors her directing style to unlock emotionally raw, performance-driven cinemaThe importance of maintaining artistic integrity over commercial conformityWhy most screenwriting classes and formatting “rules” are, in Mary’s words, “bullshit”The difference between directing for performance versus directing for aestheticsMary’s perspective on the resurgence of a new indie golden ageGuests Mary BronsteinSubscribe to the No Film School Podcast on:Apple PodcastsSpotifyGoogleGet your question answered on the podcast by emailing podcast@nofilmschool.com Listen to more episodes of the No Film School podcast right here: This episode of The No Film School Podcast was produced by Ryan Koo....
Published By: NoFilmSchool - 7 days ago