One of the signatures which differentiates filmmaker Lauren Wolkstein’s work is adaptability through medium. Lauren’s approach toward narrative and storytelling harbors a rare versatility, which allows her to nearly seamlessly transition from film to television; short to feature; thriller to drama; and dystopian commentary to historical narrative. She harnessed her talent and developed her ability as a screenwriter at Columbia’s MFA program, and made short films, like Cigarette Candy, which pushed the boundaries of trauma exploration. Her debut feature, The Strange Ones (Alex Pettyfer; James Freedson-Jackson), which she co-directed with Christopher Radcliff, was based on the short film of the same name premiered at South by Southwest in 2017. One of John Waters’s Top 3 films of 2017, the film, which dealt with themes like obsessive love, sexual abuse and trauma, spoke to her multifaceted ability to combine complex mental health themes with dynamic performances. In television, Lauren has directed episodes of Cloak & Dagger (Marvel); Dare Me (USA Network); and Y: The Last Man, starring Diane Lane, for FX. She directed the finale of the renowned mini-series, A Friend of the Family, starring Anna Paquin, Jake Lacy, Colin Hanks and McKenna Grace, for Peacock in 2022. And she recently directed episodes of Dead Ringers, a television adaptation of the David Cronenberg classic film of the same name, which is set to premiere on Amazon Prime on April 21, 2023; the series stars Rachel Weisz as twin gynecologists, reprising the Jeremy Irons role in the original film. In our conversation, we discussed the touchpoint we both share in being Columbia and Duke alums; growing up in Baltimore; shooting on film; mental health themes; and the continuity of serving as Producing Director on Queen Sugar for Oprah Winfrey’s network for multiple seasons.

Opening Credits: Ketsa - 10 Can-t-touch-me; Ketsa - 01 Test-Case; Closing Credits: Ketsa - 05 Eternal-Funk-Palace