Masterclass by Todd Haynes and Christine Vachon

Screening of the film 'Wonderstruck' (Pearls of the San Sebastian Film Festival) included

Acclaimed screenwriter and director Todd Haynes debuted in feature films with Poison (1991), Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, followed by Safe (1995), listed best film of the 90s by Village Voice. Velvet Goldmine (1998) won the Special Jury Prize at Cannes and Far from Heaven (2002) landed four Academy Award nominations. In I’m Not There he imagined the life and work of Bob Dylan through seven fictitious characters and in 2015 he adapted Patricia Highsmith with Carol, nominated for Academy Awards in six categories. Wonderstruck premiered at the last Cannes Festival.

Christine Vachon is an Independent Spirit Award and Gotham Award winner who co-founded the indie powerhouse Killer Films with partner Pamela Koffler in 1995. Over the past two decades, they have produced more than 100 films and some of the most celebrated American indie features including: Carol (nominated for six Academy Awards), Far from Heaven (nominated for four Academy Awards), Still Alice (Academy Award winner), Boys Don’t Cry (Academy Award winner), One Hour Photo, Kids, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Happiness, Velvet Goldmine, Safe, I Shot Andy Warhol and I’m Not There (Academy Award nominated). In television, Vachon executive-produced the Emmy and Golden Globe winning mini-series Mildred Pierce for HBO. Other recent work includes: Goat, Wiener-Dog, White Girl and Beatriz at Dinner. Killer Films recently produced Z: The Beginning of Everything starring Christina Ricci for Amazon Studios, as well as Todd Haynes’ latest film, Wonderstruck. They are currently in post-production on Paul Schrader's latest feature, First Reformed. Vachon is also the director of the MFA program at Stony Brook University. Vachon was the president of the Official Jury in San Sebastian in 2012.