When we stop capturing images of images and start capturing images of the world, we open ourselves to creating new cinema. When I read the script for ‘Oh Canada,’ I saw more of my mentor than I had in any of his other films. My goal was to bring a sensitivity to his approach, to reveal the gentler side of his filmmaking.

From our first makeup test, I saw a willingness in Richard Gere to be vulnerable. When he asked how I was going to light it, I told him that I would let the light flow from light to shadow in every frame, giving him the freedom to decide how much of himself he wanted to reveal. My gaffer, John Raugalis, always says we should bring the light the scene needs, and this film was an exercise in honoring that—letting natural light and the actors’ performances guide us.

The scene I’m most proud of is Richard’s death. I would pace the parking lot every night, thinking about how to push our filmmaking, and when it came to that scene, I knew it had to be special. I wanted to capture his performance as naturally as possible — like the way he was discovered — in the magic of sunset. It was a true collaboration with the whole team and I’m so proud of the result because it felt as real as Richard’s performance.