Indignation: An interview with director James Schamus

Promoting the release of Indignation, James Schamus spoke to The Upcoming about his brilliant directorial debut, which tells the story of Marcus Messner, a fiercely intelligent, working-class Jewish boy who travels to college in Ohio in the 1950s, exempting him from the draft and introducing him to the enchanting Olivia Hutton. As Marcus negotiates his sexual awakening, he also comes up against the Christian, conservative culture of the age, and a gradual, difficult struggle ensues.

We spoke to Schamus about how the political climate that informs the backdrop of Indignation makes the film particularly relevant for our times, how much he enjoyed taking a turn as director, and about the experience of filming some of the more awkward scenes in the movie. He also spoke about the significance of the film’s title and how the “indignation” in question applies to the movie’s characters and themes on several levels.

Tess Colley
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