Santa Barbara International Film Festival: Top Takeaways from the Producer & Director Panels

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Film enthusiasts received an exclusive glimpse into the movie industry at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) during the Producer and Director panels Monday evening.

SBIFF Producer Panel: Behind the Scenes of Hollywood’s Biggest Films

Nicole Sperling of The New York Times moderated a discussion featuring producers of Oscar-nominated films, including Dune: Part Two, Anora, The Substance, A Complete Unknown, and The Brutalist.

Overcoming Challenges: The Lowest Moments in Production

The panel opened with producers sharing some of the toughest moments they faced in bringing their films to life.

Cale Boyter, producer of Dune: Part Two, detailed the uncertainty surrounding Warner Bros.’ “Project Popcorn” strategy—a simultaneous theatrical and HBO Max release—which cast doubt on the sequel's viability. "We were devastated," Boyter said, adding that the first 22 minutes of Dune were rewritten and reshot after production was initially halted due to COVID-19.

Coralie Fargeat, director and producer of The Substance, recalled the anxiety of screening her cut for studio executives, who initially rejected it. "That was the moment time froze," Fargeat said, noting she had spent five years working on the film. She continued refining the project alone in Paris for months, uncertain of its fate, until The Substance was accepted into the Cannes Film Festival, securing its future.

Alex G. Scott, producer of The Brutalist, described a series of setbacks, including losing cast members, financing struggles, and relocating production after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine disrupted their original plans in Poland.

The Evolution of Filmmaking and AI’s Role in the Industry

With artificial intelligence (AI) becoming an increasingly relevant topic in Hollywood, the panel addressed its role in filmmaking.

Brian Young, producer of The Brutalist, explained how an AI tool called "Respeecher" was used to refine dialogue in Hungarian. "AI is so much more nuanced," Young said, describing it as another tool in a filmmaker’s arsenal.

Other panelists acknowledged AI’s growing presence while warning against its unchecked expansion. Boyter noted that AI is already used for previsualization and script drafting but cautioned about its potential impact on visual effects jobs.

SBIFF Director Panel: A Celebration of Filmmaking Visionaries

Scott Feinberg of The Hollywood Reporter moderated the Directors Panel, featuring Oscar-nominated directors Jacques Audiard (Emilia Perez), Coralie Fargeat (The Substance), Brady Corbet (The Brutalist), Sean Baker (Anora), and James Mangold (A Complete Unknown).

Directors Celebrate Each Other’s Work

Feinberg opened the discussion by asking each director to highlight an aspect of a fellow panelist's film that impressed them.

Mangold praised Audiard’s Emilia Perez for its seamless genre fusion, calling it “a rollercoaster of genres crashing into each other while maintaining cohesion.”

Baker shared how he took his cast and crew to see The Substance, describing it as a bonding experience that evoked the thrill of filmmaking. “It felt like a return to the films I grew up with—bold, fearless, and completely uninhibited,” he said.

Audiard echoed Baker’s sentiments, saying The Substance left a lasting impression on him. “It felt like a silent-era film in its visual storytelling and emotional impact,” he said, praising its near-mythological quality.

Writing vs. Directing: Which Is More Challenging?

A particularly engaging discussion arose when the directors were asked whether writing or directing was more challenging.

Baker and Fargeat described writing as a grueling, isolating process. "It’s the first time you put your guts on the page," Fargeat said. "It’s terrifying because no one asked for this—you just have to believe in it." Baker agreed, calling writing "absolute torture."

Mangold, however, argued that filmmaking is an extension of writing. "Directing is writing, editing is writing, and sound design is writing," he said, emphasizing that every stage of filmmaking shapes the story.

Audiard, who initially considered himself primarily a writer, admitted he has grown to enjoy directing more over the years. "I take more and more pleasure in shooting," he said. "And I apologize for that."

The Next Chapter: What Comes After Awards Season?

With the Oscars approaching, the directors were asked what they looked forward to once the awards season concluded.

Audiard had a simple answer: "Sleep. And read."

Baker was eager to begin scouting locations for his next film but kept details under wraps. "There’s a city calling me, and I need to go," he teased.

Corbet said he was looking forward to spending time with his daughter, acknowledging the challenges of being away during this pivotal time in her life. "I just want to be with my kid," he said.

Fargeat and Mangold echoed similar sentiments, both eager to return to writing. Mangold dismissed the idea of writer’s block. "There’s no such thing," he said. "If you don’t know what to write, go live your life. Get an idea worth writing, then come back."

The Oscar-nominated directors will find out who takes home the coveted awards on Sunday, March 2.