Blue Ruin Screening with Jeremy Saulnier and Macon Blair

On Wednesday, April 16, a special screening of Blue Ruin took place, followed by a Q&A hosted by Jeff Goldsmith, and attended by Screenwriter/Director Jeremy Saulnier, and Macon Blair, the star of the film. The movie has made the rounds through various film festivals and has garnered critical acclaim, including a major win at the Cannes Film Festival.

Following the screening, Jeff Goldsmith hosted a Q&A with the duo, and they provided their thoughts on the filmmaking process for independent features. “The script was written in around four weeks,” said Saulnier, reflecting on how quickly the film came together. “This narrative was not predetermined,” he added, discussing how the storyline came together organically during the writing process. Jeremy finished the Q&A with a piece of advice for Film program students regarding editing, “Be as brutal as possible. When in doubt, cut it.”

Special thanks to everyone for attending the screening!