Q&A with Filmmaker Morgan Gruer
Morgan Gruer is a multidisciplinary Writer/Director crafting female-driven stories with sharp humor, imagination, and emotional depth. Her latest short, Fire at Will, premiered at Tribeca 2025 and won Silver at the Young Director Awards in Cannes. Critics hailed it as “hilarious and seamless” (Ben Thompson, Tribeca) and “precisely choreographed chaos” with “masterful writing” (The Produced). Her past work includes Emmy® Award-winning title sequences, Webby-nominated PSAs, and shorts such as Ghosted (Best Director, Nòt Film Festival) and Reflections (Best Animation at LIFF and NFFTY).
This Q&A is part of the Bushwick Film Fest Filmmaker Q&A series
What inspired you to create this film, and how did the initial idea come to you?
The idea came straight from my real life. A few years ago, my parents gathered our family to talk about their will. What should have been a practical, calm conversation spiraled into a chaotic and absurd one. The whole time, I kept thinking: This would be a great movie. So I went home, wrote a script, and here we are.
What do you hope audiences will take away from watching your film?
I hope audiences consider how we’re perceived within our families versus how we see ourselves. Families often freeze us in time; going home can feel like you are eternally sixteen years old and breaking out of those roles can feel impossible. Going back home and holding on to your growth as an adult can be a challenge. On a broader level, the film is also about how artists are perceived; when you’re “successful,” you’re celebrated, and when you’re not, you’re dismissed. I hope audiences also consider their own roles in how we treat each other.
What was a big challenge you faced while making this film?
Shooting in my childhood home! Creatively, it was perfect; it had the right color, textures, and layout I was looking for. Mentally, it was a trip. I was directing a crew and established actors who were sitting in the same spot where I ate cereal before high school. That layering of past and present was emotionally intense. It forced me to confront my own role in my family, while also trying to lead a team.
Films are lasting artistic legacies; what do you want yours to say?
I hope my films convey that chaos can be beautiful, and humor can be just as sharp a tool as drama for cutting to the truth. I hope Fire At Will gives audiences permission to laugh at the mess, see the humanity in it, and reflect upon their own family dynamics.
One thing people don’t know about me is _____.
I'm a triplet.
Early bird or night owl?
Unfortunate early bird. I'm up at 7am no matter what time I go to bed
This Q&A is part of the Bushwick Film Fest Filmmaker Q&A series