Edward Berger Talks Filmmaking in a Streaming Age: “The Movie Industry Needed Netflix to Wake Up”

Edward Berger said cinema and streaming can coexist, arguing that Netflix helped jolt a film industry in need of new ideas and audiences after the pandemic. The director also described failure as central to his development, saying filmmakers should make projects that come from something they personally want to express.

Berger said doubts after working on World War Z led him back to more personal filmmaking with the low-budget Jack, which drew interest from international film-makers and helped open doors to later projects. His film Conclave earned $127 million worldwide, received eight Oscar nominations and won four awards; he has since worked on projects for Netflix and Apple, and said he aims to keep several projects in development while relying on collaboration.