Vera Farmiga on Directing, Filmmaking, and Higher Ground (2011)

Vera Farmiga sits down for a deep, vulnerable conversation about her 2011 directorial debut Higher Ground, the challenges of adapting Carolyn Briggs’s memoir, and why she stepped behind the camera after Up in the Air. She reflects on creative control, spiritual doubt, editing as authorship, and building complex female characters rarely seen on screen. Farmiga revisits Down to the Bone, The Departed, and her own Ukrainian-American upbringing, all while discussing motherhood, artistry, and the search for purpose. A candid, thoughtful portrait of an actor-director in full command of her voice. 00:00 – Vera Farmiga’s early breakout and Oscar recognition 00:24 – Why she stepped into directing 01:07 – Developing Higher Ground and adapting the memoir 01:40 – Faith, doubt, and spiritual struggle 02:33 – The humor and humanity within the film 03:24 – Exploring a woman’s evolving identity 04:12 – Directing while pregnant and the realities of indie filmmaking 05:10 – Editing as authorship 06:11 – How the story resonated with her personally 07:10 – Crafting themes of purpose, holiness, and doubt 08:03 – The challenge and joy of directing 09:03 – Seeking advice, working with collaborators 10:00 – The film’s unexpected power 11:18 – Asking audiences to enter a spiritual journey 12:04 – The marriage crisis scene 13:27 – Directing intense emotional moments 14:21 – Revisiting The Departed 15:13 – Building her character with Scorsese 16:23 – Acting as manipulation and discovery 17:08 – What makes acting fun for her 17:41 – Balancing acting, directing, and motherhood 18:36 – Working with actor ensembles and giving others opportunity 19:16 – Her Ukrainian-American roots and family history 20:13 – Closing reflections Film Discussion is a curated interview archive and conversation series presented by Occupy Cinema. We spotlight the minds behind the movies—actors, directors, writers, and cultural critics—through thoughtful interviews, archival footage, and contemporary conversations. From Broadway to global cinema, Film Discussion explores the craft, politics, and impact of storytelling on screen and stage. Join our community of 800+ filmmakers: https://occupy.beehiiv.com/subscribe Instagram:   / filmdiscussion_   Facebook:   / filmdiscussionofficial   Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/filmdiscussion #VeraFarmiga #FilmDiscussion