Sarah Polley and Greta Gerwig on 'Frances Ha' - Conversations Inside The Criterion Collection

'Frances Ha' is a magnificent, updated French New Wave film by way of America (even though the character does go to France). Poignant, humorous, heartbreaking, and extremely relatable, Greta Gerwig gives a career-defining performance as the titular character in a role she co-wrote with director Noah Baumbach. In this short doc about Frances Ha, acclaimed actress and director Sarah Polley gets real with Gerwig on the penetrating loneliness of New York City and how shitty it is to live an unstable life in your late 20s.

[benxamin]

3/4 into the movie I paused it and had one of the most intense, nicest cries of my life.

[MeganBennett]

I like it when she says, "There's something when you, when you watch someone alone, you feel like you don't... you never get to do that. I mean, because if you're there, you're there." I like that.
Being alone is so interesting. You are lonely, but also with yourself. Who you are to yourself can become a bit of a character or figure/being that is with you, so to speak. Not in any sense like you are having delusions or multiple personalities, just in the sense that you see yourself as you are when you are with yourself. If that makes any sense at all.

[rominabranlopez]

She's a real human being making movies about real human beings

[camerondiazstan]

"I feel like I have faith in other people's ability to do that with their art and I don't know that I can do it with mine but experiencing it that way gives me a feeling of well it's worth it. I don't know if mine's worth it but someone's is worth it" Wow I'm crying

[kahsa]

I adore this film, such menagerie of human frailties, failures, imperfections, small virtues--and the electric joy of connections within/without. there's a lustrous layering of meta-intentions and reflexive action. my grasping thoughts end up wordy and vague because it's really hard to put into words

[GiantSandles]

That movie makes you feel really good but in a way that doesn't seem deliberately crowdpleasing or cheesy in any way

[JohnMoseley]

'It's very sad on the page.' Yeah, this is what I got only on the second viewing. I think the trick is that for most of it, everything's really going cruelly wrong for her, but she's never visibly letting it get her down. She's heroic in that sense, almost like an action hero who keeps getting shot at and beaten up, but keeps cracking wise. For the viewer, I think her attitude prevents us from being conscious of the pain she's going through at first, even while it's also what makes the story matter.

[larissatavares]

Frances Ha is my favorite movie! I don’t know how many times I’ve seen it. I just relate with Frances and it’s so powerful when something like this happens.

[KlassicLoL]

At 1:48 during her hypothetical play. She names her character Harold. She named her first baby 4 years later Harold.

[lolah]

I love that Greta mentions Thewlis in Naked, which to me has to be probably the most compelling and interesting performance I've ever seen on film.

[exeuroweenie]

I loves me some Greta Gerwig.She's so natural, low key and amiable.

[MarvelGirl]

The commentator said we have never seen a character such as Frances Ha. She is right but not a character that has been brought to the screen. Writers do this all the time. We should really go back to reading so we see these characters and their complexities. Well written and a treat to see someone such as Greta taking a chance and saying here is my work. Saw - Mistress America and was blown away. She has set the new bar. An Actor writing for Actors. This is the New Norm. .

[masonwilson]

The best interview in the release. Still easily one of my favorite Criterions.

[sofiagual]

Two actresses/writers with an enormous potential. I love both Sarah and Greta

[getlifted]

I truly enjoyed watching this movie at 4a.m. and watching Greta Grewig play out this fantastic role.

[HarpreetBedi]

Amazing interview, I remember seeing this movie in a small theater during a time when things weren't going so smooth in life. I felt the movie was really well made, you could very easily connect with Francis. The ending, however, didn't make much sense to me back then, it felt too sudden. After watching this interview, it does make sense. 

[palelegs]

such an incredible film, felt like I was seeing myself on screen! You can tell the interviewer really is a big fan of Greta! Great inquisitive questions

[Ticklehug]

Probably my fav movie of the last year. 

[akashamitra]

I think this film is a quiet masterpiece. I watched again for the first time in about 10 years the other day. What a poignant, uplifting joy. Nobody really talks about how it is a celebration of friendship too - which is not something you see so much in cinema.

[rockdamic]

It's so strange because I just re-watched Frances Ha this evening and then ended up on YouTube looking for Sarah Polley interviews and now I found this video. And Sarah's description of her experience seeing the film for the first time is exactly how I felt about it. Had no idea what it was about and came out of it with so much bliss.