For today’s bonus episode of our podcast, we’re featuring an intimate discussion with director Whit Stillman, who, along with cast members Isabel Gillies, Dylan Hundley, and Taylor Nichols stopped by the Film Society to talk about his 1990 indie classic, Metropolitan. The 25th-anniversary restoration of the film opens here today with the director and cast in person for Q&As at select screenings.

Metropolitan follows a group of college-age UHBs, or Urban Haute Bourgeosie, home for winter break in Manhattan during debutante season. Calling themselves the “Sally Fowler Rat Pack,” the Upper East Side preppies welcome a middle-class Westsider named Tom into the group. The introspective Audrey quickly falls for Tom, who still has feelings for his ex, Serena, while the whole group struggles with what the future has in store for them.

Metropolitan was a critical favorite at the 1990 New Directors/New Films festival, which is co-presented every year by the Film Society of Lincoln Center and The Museum of Modern Art. Upon its initial release, Roger Ebert wrote: “[Whit Stillman] has made a film Scott Fitzgerald might have been comfortable with, a film about people covering their own insecurities with a facade of social ease. And he has written wonderful dialogue, words in which the characters discuss ideas and feelings instead of simply marching through plot points as most Hollywood characters do.”

Listen to the conversation below and make sure to subscribe to The Close-Up on iTunes so you never miss an episode. If you like what you hear, leave us a review! It helps us connect with more film lovers around the world and make the show even better.