A young woman navigates life with her unusual family in Director Matt Smukler’s comedic-drama, Wildflower.
Based on a true story about his extended family that inspired a documentary of the same name, Smukler’s feature version centers on Bea, the daughter of two intellectually disabled parents and a set of relatives that can't quite agree on the best way to help.
On March 18, after the DGA membership screening in Los Angeles, Smukler discussed the making of Wildflower during a Q&A moderated by Director Will Speck (Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile).
During the conversation, Smukler spoke about how the project transitioned from a documentary to a narrative feature after filming consistently for six years. “This was meant to be a companion piece for my niece to help her to get into college, but through a comedic lens it became more accessible in regard to sharing this with a bigger audience.” He also spoke about the challenges of making the shift in format. “It was a real balancing act – whether it was my family or not – it really was a celebration of love and family for me. This family that loves to live and laugh. So, I wanted to do the best to bring that out for everyone to see. It was a real inspiration.”
Wildflower is Smukler’s feature directorial debut. He has been a DGA member since 2003.
You can listen to Smukler's Q&A by clicking the podcast episode embedded below. You can find more DGA podcast episodes here.