#28: Finding The DNA | Editor & Film Director, Saar Klein
In this episode, we speak with two-time Oscar nominee editor Saar Klein. He’s known for editing films such as Almost Famous, The Thin Red Line, and The Bourne Identity, to name a few. He also directed the feature film After the Fall.In our conversation, we discussed how he broke into the industry, his approach to storytelling, managing egos, and the importance of opening yourself up to the creative process.This episode is sponsored by The Gate+ and produced by Jack Kirkwood.Hosted by directors Craig Bingham and Ozzie Pullin.Saar Klein - BiographyFilm editor Saar Klein is a two-time Oscar nominee for his work on Terrence Malick’s The Thin Red Line and Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous. The Thin Red Line was Klein’s second credit as editor, and alongside his Oscar nomination, Klein also received nominations from the ACE, ACCA, and OFTA Awards. For Almost Famous, Klein won the ACE Award for his editing and was similarly nominated for an ACCA and OFTA Award.Klein’s collaborative relationship with director Doug Liman began with The Bourne Identity for Universal Pictures, where the two relative newcomers introduced a new realism and energy to action that influenced the genre for years to come. Their partnership continued with films including Jumper for 20th Century Fox, Locked Down for Warner Bros., Fair Game, American Made, and most recently The Instigators for Apple TV, starring Matt Damon and Casey Affleck.Klein also works frequently with director Terrence Malick, their first collaboration being the documentary Endurance, which premiered at Venice Film Festival. Their relationship flourished with The Thin Red Line, The New World, and Klein’s uncredited work on The Tree of Life, and the two continue to collaborate to this day. Other credits include Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire’s Asphalt City, which was nominated for the Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival, Andrew Heckler’s Burden, which was nominated for the Sundance Grand Jury Prize, Antonin Baudry’s The Wolf’s Call for Netflix, and Dito Montiel’s Fighting for Universal Pictures.More recently, Klein worked on the Apple TV series Masters of the Air, directed by Cary Fukunaga and starring Austin Butler. Previously, Klein wrote, directed and edited his own film, After the Fall, winner of the 40th Anniversary Award at the Deauville American Film Festival. The film also premiered at Berlin International Film Festival and was nominated for an Audience Award at SXSW Film Festival.Originally from Jerusalem, Klein eventually moved to the United States and received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. On his first job, he assisted editors Joe Hutshing, Pietro Scalia, and Hank Corwin on Oliver Stone’s JFK, then later returned to co-edit Stone’s U-Turn. Klein’s versatility across various genres and experience with big-budget studio films and European and independent cinema are a testament to his diverse interest and expertise in storytelling that he continues to hone with each new project.
