Director Sam Mendes discusses 1917

December 18, 2019

DGA Q&As in Los Angeles and New York

Two young British soldiers undertake a perilous mission to save hundreds of their compatriots in Director Sam Mendes’ historical drama, 1917.

Set at the height of the WWI, Mendes’ film tells the story of two soldiers, Schofield (George MacKay) and Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman), who are given a seemingly impossible mission of crossing enemy territory to deliver a message that will stop a stop 1,600 men, including Blake's own brother, from walking straight into a deadly trap

Following the DGA membership screening in Los Angeles on December 14, Mendes sat down with Director Edward Zwick (Trial by Fire) to discuss the making of 1917. He also discussed the film in a conversation moderated by Director Ethan Hawke (Blaze) following the DGA membership screening in New York on December 15.

In addition to 1917, Mendes’ credits include the feature films Spectre, Skyfall, Road to Perdition, Jarhead, Revolutionary Road, and Away We Go. In 2000, he won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for American Beauty. Mendes has been a DGA member since 1998.

You can listen to Mendes' Q&A by clicking the podcast episode embedded below. You can find more DGA podcast episodes here.

Pictures

Event photos by Trixie Textor (Los Angeles) and Marcie Revens (New York) — Print courtesy of Universal Pictures.

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Director Sam Mendes speaks about the making of his new historical drama, 1917, following the DGA membership screening in Los Angeles.

George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman in Director Sam Mendes’ 1917.

Director Sam Mendes speaks about the making of his new historical drama, 1917, following the DGA membership screening in New York.

Director Sam Mendes speaks about the making of 1917 with Director Ethan Hawke (moderator) following the DGA membership screening in New York.

George MacKay and Benedict Cumberbatch in Director Sam Mendes’ 1917.

Director Sam Mendes (right) speaks about the making of 1917 with Director Edward Zwick (moderator) following the DGA membership screening in Los Angeles.

Director Edward Zwick (moderator) asks Director Sam Mendes a question about the making of Mendes’ new historical drama, 1917, following the DGA membership screening in Los Angeles.

John Hollingworth in Director Sam Mendes’ 1917.

Director Ethan Hawke (moderator) asks Director Sam Mendes a question about the making of Mendes’ new historical drama, 1917, following the DGA membership screening in New York.

Directors Ethan Hawke (moderator) and Sam Mendes pose for a photo following the New York DGA membership screening of Mendes’ new historical drama, 1917.

George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman in Director Sam Mendes’ 1917.

Directors Edward Zwick (moderator) and Sam Mendes pose for a photo following the Los Angeles DGA membership screening of Mendes’ new historical drama, 1917.