SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 08: (L-R) Mona Fastvold, Jesse Eisenberg, Joslyn Barnes, Peter Straughan, Tim Fehlbaum and Clint Bentley attend the writers panel at the 40th Santa Barbara International Film Festival on February 08, 2025 in Santa Barbara, California. (Photo by Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images for Santa Barbara International Film Festival)
SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 08: (L-R) Mona Fastvold, Jesse Eisenberg, Joslyn Barnes, Peter Straughan, Tim Fehlbaum and Clint Bentley attend the writers panel at the 40th Santa Barbara International Film Festival on February 08, 2025 in Santa Barbara, California. (Photo by Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images for Santa Barbara International Film Festival)

2025 SBIFF Writers Panel at the 40th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival

2025 SANTA BARBARA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL WRITERS PANEL MODERATED BY ANNE THOMPSON

PANELISTS FEATURED:

Clint Bentley (SING SING)

Jesse Eisenberg (A REAL PAIN)

Joslyn Barnes (NICKEL BOYS)

Mona Fastvold (THE BRUTALIST)

Peter Straughan (CONCLAVE)

Tim Fehlbaum (SEPTEMBER 5)

Quotes from the Panel

Clint Bentley (SING SING)

2025 SBIFF Writers Panel at the 40th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival

“By letting go of any control as a writer, we could get closer to the truth of what we tried to get across.”

Jesse Eisenberg (A REAL PAIN)

2025 SBIFF Writers Panel at the 40th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival

“My loyalty was always towards how can I convey authenticity through a story.”

Joslyn Barnes (NICKEL BOYS)

2025 SBIFF Writers Panel at the 40th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival

“We really had to figure out a different way to figure out cause and effect and to deal with the twist of the film…we [decided] on a sentient camera.”

 

“In this case, we also had to think about how the viewer would see…recognizing became really important…you’re inside of a memory most of the time.”

Mona Fastvold (THE BRUTALIST)

2025 SBIFF Writers Panel at the 40th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival

“It feels special and beautiful that we ended up with this group of people.”

Peter Straughan (CONCLAVE)

2025 SBIFF Writers Panel at the 40th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival

“It seemed that one of the central themes was that (this is a line in the film) certainty is the enemy of unity, and that seemed very important, especially in the world we’re in now.”

Tim Fehlbaum (SEPTEMBER 5)

2025 SBIFF Writers Panel at the 40th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival

“I immediately liked the challenge, how can I tell a story that is entirely in one place?”

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