Q&A with BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD director Benh Zeitlin.
Q: The film is based on a one act play by Lucy Alibar, how did you go about translating it for the screen?
> We treated the play like it was a greek myth to translate and draw from. In the play, there was a much more mythological apocalypse, and these huge larger than life characters. We took those pillars, and the emotions the underpinned them, and attached them to real places, and real people. We translated the apocalypse into real life environmental issues that are attacking South Louisiana, and translated the characters through our amazing cast who were all from the region. They helped us give this myth a grounding in reality.
Q: What was the casting process like?
> Our casting team had come directly from working on the Obama campaign and brought the type of grassroots organizing they did in 2008 to our casting process. We spend 9 months knocking on doors, going into churches and schools, and ended up looking at 4000 kids in order to find Quvenzhane Wallis.
Q: How has the experience been so far with the film and its growing popularity?
> Its been beautiful. I've gotten to travel the world and see how the film translates across the planet. Its also been a great experience having a lot of the people and filmmakers I idolize watch the movie and respond to it. It feels sometimes like theres this groundswell movement behind the movie and that's an incredibly thrilling feeling.
Q: What did you think when President Obama told Oprah Winfrey to watch your film?
> It was completely shocked. I'm not one to go on about films being able to change the world, but when people who actually have the ability to change the world sit down for 93 minutes with your perspective and your principles, you feel pretty fucking proud.
Q: Do you have anything in the works right now?
> I do, but it's a secret!
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