Hello Reader,

In the final episode of the TIFF 2024 season, I talk to renowned theatre director Marianne Elliott, who has made her feature film debut with The Salt Path, which had its world premiere at TIFF.

The film, starring Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs, is an adaptation of Raynor Wynne's bestselling memoir and explores the journey of a couple embarking on a transformative hike along the English coast after a series of personal losses.

Marianne Elliott is a multiple Tony and Olivier Award Winner who has been directing on stage for 30+ years. She directed War Horse (2007) and The Curious Incident of the Dog at Night Time (2012) at the National Theatre in London, which have since toured the world. More recently, she directed the incredible National Theatre revival of Angels in America (2017) and the gender-swapped production of Sondheim's Company (2018).

Here's a preview of what Marianne told me about:

• Her love of telling stories about female protagonists
• The similarities and differences between directing for stage and screen, especially regarding the kind of work you can do with actors, including rehearsal
• The unique challenges and opportunities of directing for the screen after 30 years of directing on stage
• The connections between location scouting and stage design
• Her meticulous preparation and collaboration with cinematographer Hélène Louvart
• The unpredictability of shooting on location
• The art of editing

The Salt Path will likely be released in the U.K. in 2025, but it's still seeking a distributor in North America.

The episode is spoiler-free, so you can still watch the film fresh whenever you see it. You also don't need to have seen the film to understand the discussion. We talk a lot about the art of directing and the difference between working on stage and screen.

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Alex

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