A poor, uneducated Texan faces execution for a crime he may not have committed in Director Edward Zwick’s new biographical drama, Trial by Fire.
Zwick’s film tells the tragic and true story of Cameron Todd Willingham (Jack O'Connell), who was convicted of an arson-related triple homicide in 1992. During his 12 years on death row, he forms an unlikely bond with Elizabeth Gilbert (Laura Dern), a Houston playwright who battles with the state to expose suppressed evidence that could save him.
Following the DGA membership screening in Los Angeles on May 26, Zwick sat down with Director Max Winkler (Jungleland) to discuss the making of Trial by Fire.
In addition to Trial by Fire, Zwick’s directorial credits include the feature films Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, Love & Other Drugs, Blood Diamond, The Last Samurai, Courage Under Fire, Legends of the Fall, Glory, About Last Night...; the movies for television 1/4life, Having It All, Paper Dolls; and episodes of the series Once and Again and Family. He earned a DGA Award nomination for his Thirtysomething episode "Account Receivable, Michael's Brother." He won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Specials for his 1983 movie for television Special Bulletin. Zwick has been a DGA member since 1979.
You can listen to Zwick's Q&A by clicking the podcast episode embedded below. You can find more DGA podcast episodes here.