Maggie Gyllenhaal at Busan: Successful Directors Know the Value of Collaboration and Empowering Crews

BUSAN, South Korea — Speaking candidly during a wide-ranging press conference at the Busan International Film Festival on Wednesday, acclaimed filmmaker and actress Maggie Gyllenhaal shared her philosophy on leadership behind the camera, arguing that the most successful and accomplished directors she has collaborated with inherently understand the immense value of drawing upon the collective minds of the people surrounding them.

Reflecting on her years working in the industry as an actress before transitioning into writing and directing, Gyllenhaal contrasted the security of visionary filmmakers with the insecurities of those who struggle to maintain control through intimidation.

“It was the people who were very scared—or just not very smart, who tried to squash other people’s voices,” Gyllenhaal told the gathered audience of international journalists and film professionals.

The filmmaker is currently visiting the prestigious South Korean festival to showcase her latest creative endeavor, “Flesh Impact,” a striking short film that she both wrote and directed. The project presents an imaginative and provocative premise, casting legendary actress Ellen Burstyn as a centenarian Marilyn Monroe at 100 years old, while contemporary star Dakota Johnson portrays the iconic icon during her youthful years of Hollywood stardom.

When Gyllenhaal made her acclaimed feature-length directorial debut with 2021’s psychological drama “The Lost Daughter,” her primary anxiety and focus as a first-time director was ensuring that everyone on her set—ranging from the principal actors and the cinematographer to the production designer and the gaffer—felt entirely free and empowered to contribute their creative insights.

“The truth is… it is ultimately up to me as the director. I have the power, so there’s no reason to squash anyone else’s voice,” she elaborated. “I mean, it’s just so obvious that the movie that I will make that includes all the minds of the people on my crew, at least as things I can draw from, is going to be exponentially better than the movie I can make trying to recreate something I imagined all alone by myself in my room.”

The Unlikely Genesis of ‘Flesh Impact’

The origin of “Flesh Impact” traces back to an unexpected invitation. The short film began as a special commission from Genesis, the luxury automotive brand and longtime major sponsor of the Busan International Film Festival, intended to commemorate what would have marked Marilyn Monroe’s 100th birthday in June. Gyllenhaal admitted that when the offer first arrived, her familiarity with Monroe was primarily rooted in her enduring legacy as a quintessential screen icon. Consequently, she took a full week to deliberate and immerse herself in research, reading biographies and watching Monroe’s classic films to determine whether she genuinely had anything fresh or meaningful to say about the Hollywood legend.

“I don’t think that when Genesis came to me and asked for a film about Marilyn Monroe to celebrate what would have been her 100th birthday that they imagined she would actually be 100 years old in the movie,” Gyllenhaal recalled with a smile. “I thought, ‘Okay, I have this idea. They’re never going to go for it.’”

To her surprise, Genesis enthusiastically approved the daring pitch, and Gyllenhaal moved quickly, finishing the screenplay within a single weekend. The finished film, which also features stellar performances from Peter Sarsgaard and Sepideh Moafi, celebrated its world premiere out of competition at the Venice Film Festival.

Beyond offering a meditation on fame and aging through the lens of Hollywood’s most enduring symbol, Gyllenhaal emphasized that the project serves another deeply personal purpose. As much as the film celebrates Monroe, she noted, “it is also 100% a celebration and an honoring of Ellen Burstyn and her incredible career, and Dakota Johnson and her incredible career.”

A Natural Evolution from Acting to Directing

For Gyllenhaal, the career trajectory from acting to producing, and eventually to writing and directing, felt like an organic and natural progression. Growing up, the landscape of the film industry was vastly different, with exceptionally few women working behind the camera as directors. For a young woman who deeply loved movies and was passionate about storytelling, acting naturally presented itself as the most accessible and obvious outlet.

“It felt satisfying and exciting for a long time, and then I think I hit the edge of what I was able to do as an actress,” she explained.

Her definitive pivot into writing and directing commenced roughly eight years ago with the development of “The Lost Daughter,” an adaptation of Elena Ferrante’s novel that earned widespread critical acclaim and Academy Award nominations. Ever since stepping behind the camera, Gyllenhaal noted that she has felt significantly more at ease and profoundly more inspired in her professional life.

Creativity and a passion for cinema are deeply embedded in Gyllenhaal’s family lineage. Her father, Stephen Gyllenhaal, is an established film director, while her mother, Naomi Foner, is a respected screenwriter. Recalling her childhood in a household dedicated to the cinematic arts, Gyllenhaal shared that her family made it a weekly tradition to go to the movies almost every Friday night.

Her family ties continue to heavily influence her creative process today. “My mom directed her first film as a grandmother. I think she might be the only person to have directed her first film as a grandmother,” Gyllenhaal remarked proudly, describing her mother as “probably the best note-giver that I have.” She also spoke warmly of her brother, actor Jake Gyllenhaal—who recently appeared in “The Bride”—noting that his distinct tastes and perspective serve as a constant creative gift.

Looking ahead, Gyllenhaal revealed that she has already begun drafting two budding new ideas, describing herself as being “in that very exciting place where I’m kind of like, ‘What is this going to ultimately be about, you know?’”

Her upcoming slate remains robust. Industry reports previously confirmed that she is slated to direct and produce an ambitious feature adaptation of Rachel Kushner’s acclaimed novel “Creation Lake” for Warner Bros., the studio that also backed her work on “The Bride.”

As the conversation at the Busan press conference turned toward the broader systemic challenges facing women in the film industry, Gyllenhaal reflected on her experiences earlier in the year at the Venice Film Festival, where she served as the president of the competition jury and openly addressed the stark reality that only a single woman had a film selected for the main competition.