On today’s episode of our podcast, an esteemed panel of producers, writers, and filmmakers tackle the issue of diversity and inclusion in Hollywood. The event was one of our free NYFF Live talks, which are sponsored by HBO. In addition, you’ll hear highlights from the first half of the 53rd New York Film Festival, which continues through October 11. Subscribe to The Close-Up on iTunes, and, if you like what you hear, leave us a review!

In part one of the episode, you’ll hear three excerpts from some of the festival’s most talked-about events. The first clip comes from opening night, with director Robert Zemeckis joining the cast of The Walk for a press conference on the morning of the film’s world premiere. They talk about their memories of the World Trade Center and their experience visiting the site today. The second selection comes from the press conference for Danny Boyle’s Steve Jobs, which was the festival’s centerpiece presentation. The cast discusses how they tapped into the distinct energy of the film, and how they went about portraying their real-life counterparts. The final highlight comes from a lively conversation between Martin Scorsese and NYFF Director Kent Jones. It followed a screening of a new 35mm restoration of Ernst Lubitsch’s 1943 Technicolor classic, Heaven Can Wait, in conjunction with our 25th-anniversary celebration of The Film Foundation, Scorsese’s film-preservation initiative. 

Part two of this week’s episode features audio from Sunday’s “New Hollywood?” panel, which was one of the most topical events in this year’s NYFF Live series. Among the panelists were actress-turned-director Rose McGowan, whose recent criticism of sexism in Hollywood made national headlines, and producer Effie Brown, whose appearance on HBO’s Project Greenlight has sparked a vigorous debate about diversity in the industry. Joining them were producer Mynette Louie, Ira Deutchman of Columbia University, journalist and author Mark Harris, executive Susan Lewis, and producer Lydia Dean Pilcher. The provocative talk used a recent Sunday New York Times Arts & Leisure cover story by A.O. Scott and Manohla Dargis called “A Hollywood Face-Lift” as a jumping-off point. The evening was moderated by the Film Society’s Deputy Director Eugene Hernandez.