Pop-Culturalist.com

Ruth Du is a multifaceted creative celebrated for her ability to tell relationship-based stories with a genre twist. She produced The Archer, which premiered at SXSW 2017, and five award-winning short films through the AT&T Mentorship Program with Lena Waithe. As a director, her credits include Seeking, Your Baby Is Mine, The Deadliest Lie, and Yugen, a short film she helmed as a 2020 Film Independent Project Involve Fellow.

Her latest feature, Samson, is a must-see dark comedy thriller that uses non-linear timelines and multiple perspectives to tell the story of a broken-up couple, Emma and Dale, who must work together after being kidnapped by masked men, Drew and Joe. Co-written with David Harry Yoon, the film has been described as a Shakespearean Reservoir Dogs with a surprise musical number. It explores themes of identity, power, and resilience while seamlessly shifting between drama, comedy, and thriller.

Pop Culturalist spoke with Ruth about the creative risks she took with Samson, including its genre-defying structure and inventive storytelling choices. She shared insights into crafting its narrative, collaborating with her team to balance shifting tones, and bringing depth and authenticity to each moment. Ruth also reflected on the importance of pushing boundaries in independent filmmaking and the lasting impact of telling stories that resonate with audiences.

PC: You and the creative team took so many risks that, on paper, shouldn’t work, but they do. Those transitions feel so seamless. As a filmmaker, I know you love taking something familiar and adding a fresh perspective to it. How did you and your co-writer, David [Harry Yoon], take this idea that’s been with your cinematographer, Justin [Alpern], for so long and find ways to incorporate all these unexpected elements? How did you strike the right balance in deciding how far to push it?
Ruth: Taking risks was always part of the name of the game. For us, we wanted something different, and we knew this small movie was the perfect opportunity to take a risk. In bigger films, we often have other people involved who’ll say, “No, let’s keep it in this lane.” But knowing this was our moment to take big leaps and do something really, really funky, we just went for it.

Take the musical number, for example. When the idea came up, I said, “David, I feel like we have to do this musical number.” He was like, “Okay, but how do we weave it in, and how does it make sense to who she is?” That’s why, in the very beginning—the diner scene—there’s one little line where she says, “Remember when I used to sing karaoke, and you said that my voice…” It’s a small bit, but it shows how their relationship was falling apart. Then it comes back later, and we see she really can sing. That moment becomes her chance to shine and take control of the narrative.

We knew we needed to create transitions for the different genre changes and weave them in slowly but surely. There are some hard cuts, but we always made sure there were moments to breathe before moving to the next shift.

The pacing of the whole film helped tremendously with jumping around like that. That’s all in the editing. It could read on the page, but we worked to refine it editorially to ensure it felt like the right time to shift—when to pull back and when to push even further. It’s like solving a puzzle.

PC: Speaking of that pacing, it’s such a huge credit to you and the creative team for creating these really long sequences that never feel drawn out. It’s only after hearing you discuss the film that their length becomes apparent. Can you share a bit about how you brought those moments to life? What challenges and freedoms come with creating such extended yet engaging scenes?
Ruth: In the beginning, that approach was a practical solution to the challenges of production shooting days. Having those long scenes really helped because, instead of constantly breaking up locations and stopping and starting with the camera, we could stay in the moment for an extended period. When we were shooting, we would do very, very long takes. I approached it almost like theater. I love theater—being on stage and in the audience—and I’m always happy to watch something unfold in real time.

From the actors’ standpoint, they embraced this approach wholeheartedly. Everyone came incredibly prepared to perform these extended sequences. I did give them a heads-up that we could break things up if needed—whether for specific beats or camera movements—but I encouraged them to prepare for the entire thirteen- or sixteen-page moment as one long take.

If a scene works in a single take, it’s going to work even better when cut up slightly in the edit. Seeing the actors perform live in those moments, bringing their magic to the forefront, gave us the confidence that it would translate. The editing process helped refine and sustain engagement, but the foundation was laid in those live performances.

It was amazing that everyone in our cast had a theater background. From the very beginning, we knew this was going to be our approach. It required us to listen to each other and respond organically. Every take was a little different, but there was always a way to return to the original idea. It was a really fun and rewarding process.

PC: Emotionally, that trunk sequence navigates so many different places, capturing the ebbs and flows of the dynamic between Dale and Emma in such a raw and authentic way. As the director and co-writer, how did you create the space and environment on set where your ensemble could tap into the emotional depths needed to bring that moment to life, especially within a confined space?
Ruth: I think the confined space itself was a huge factor. No one likes being stuck in such a small, uncomfortable area, so just adding that layer immediately heightened the intensity. How we shot that scene was very practical. For the actors, it was about pushing through the entire thirteen pages of that scene because the physical elements we introduced were already there—the trunk was shaky, it was uncomfortable, and it was hot. All of those factors naturally influenced how the actors approached their performances.

For that particular moment, we did break it up. There’s a jump cut in that scene, which allowed for a hard stop and a big reset. The vulnerable place they reach after getting out of the trunk also served as a natural point for us to pause. At that point, we flipped the camera on its side to capture the characters’ faces from a different angle, giving the audience a fresh perspective. Knowing we had these natural reset points allowed us to pause, reposition the camera, and talk through the meaning of the moment with the actors.

Having those beats planned and broken up along the way made it much more manageable for the actors. It allowed them to focus on just one section of the scene at a time, which can be really helpful. When they know what’s ahead and what the plan is, it creates a more comfortable environment for them to fully invest in each moment.

PC: As you were saying earlier, the film explores a lot of different tones, each told from the perspective of the characters. With Dale and Emma, it begins as a drama. Then, when the kidnappers become involved, it turns into a comedy of errors. By the end, it transitions into a dark thriller. As you navigated these transitions, how did you make sure they felt seamless? How did you identify the moments where those shifts should happen?
Ruth: It all starts with the script. We wrote it specifically to accommodate those shifts. It was very clear within the dialogue where we leaned into drama and where we introduced more comedic elements. We also used the camera to support these transitions—through movement, or the lack of it, and by incorporating tools like Steadicam or handheld shots. Those choices helped define the look and feel of each tone.

Because the scenes were so distinct, we could section them off into their respective genres. Everyone was on the same page about what we were shooting at any given time. For instance, when we were in the house, that was the thriller-escape section. It was all about Emma trying to get out and Dale trying to recover. Keeping everyone aligned and communicative about the intended tone ensured that we never strayed.

I also created a detailed lookbook during prep and shared it with all the key department heads—my editor, DP, production designer, gaffer, and the actors. The lookbook included specific notes on how we were going to shoot each scene, like the trunk sequence, the diner scene, and the Chinese restaurant. It featured references, almost like direct frame cuts, to illustrate how we wanted to elevate each moment.

One of the iconic shots, featured in the press photos, is Emma with the gun in that long, lensy composition—you know something is about to go down. A lot of that prep work happened before we even got to set, ensuring that everyone was aligned on the vision for the entire film. This allowed the actors to know when to hold back, when to let go, and how to deliver each moment. I think it was incredibly effective.

PC: You need to share that lookbook online. This is a masterclass in filmmaking. I also love how you incorporated Emma’s internal dialogue in such a unique and seamless way. As you were saying earlier, it really enhances the moment rather than detracts from it, and it symbolizes her reclaiming her power. It’s one of those moments that will stay with audiences long after they see it. I’d love to know about the conversation you had with Alice, because it’s such a standout.
Ruth: Alice was always our number-one choice because of her deep emotional connection to music. At the time, her show, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, was still running, but she also had her own music career, so that conversation came naturally. We all love music and know how it makes us feel, and that’s exactly what this moment means for Emma. She’s talking directly to Dale about what she’s going to do now.

The rock genre, however, was something Alice wasn’t as familiar with. I told her, “You have to own the rock. You’ve got the voice for it.” We made sure she felt confident in that style. Honestly, it was a smooth process because Alice naturally excels at anything music-related. I still remember being in the studio re-recording the song—I was blown away. She added this rawness to her voice that we hadn’t heard in her pop work, and I loved it.

I encouraged her to sing it live on set to really tap into that energy, even though it was 3 a.m. in the middle of the night. The way she sang it was exactly how we wanted the audience to feel—empowered and connected. That rawness and emotion made the moment unforgettable.

PC: It’s so haunting. Selfishly, I wish you would release that music video, but I feel like when you’re on that journey with the film, it’s such a big payoff. In your director’s statement, you mentioned wanting to make a film about race without making a film about race. You’ve done that so effectively through Alice and Emilio Garcia-Sanchez’s characters, incorporating these timely conversations in such nuanced, slice-of-life moments. I’d love to hear about your collaboration with both of them and how you created the space for them to bring their lived experiences to these roles. How different was the process of working with an actor whose experience may align with yours versus one whose perspective is so different?
Ruth: I recall a really great conversation with Emilio in the very beginning about his character. In the version of the script that he read, his character’s occupation wasn’t a glassblower. His occupation originally was an actor because we wanted to add this element of playing a character for him. He was like, “I want to push back on this.” I was like, “Okay, let’s talk about it.” He said, “I want to push back on this because being an actor is such a privilege. I don’t think it supports what this man is trying to do,” which is doing something that you wouldn’t choose but are almost forced to do. I was like, “Okay, I love this.”

Then we talked about his experience being an actor and being a Latino man, and I realized his character needed to shift into someone who had no other choice but to do this job. Being an actor is a choice—you can go method and feel what it’s like. But when you have no other choice but to do something for your own good and for your family, it creates much higher stakes and a much stronger character, specifically for the man Joe represents. He’s the everyday working man who is critically stereotyped all the time.

Because Emilio brought up this conversation and his hesitation, I said, “Yes, I’m going to go back into the world of this script and figure out something that is much stronger, elevates this idea more, and adds another layer of racial complexity that’s really nuanced.” I still wanted it to be a funny, unexpected occupation, and that’s how the glassblower came to be. It’s not someone you meet every day, but it’s also an art form where you have to be in the zone. For me, it’s believable that Joe would be so committed to something artistically driven, feeling something different than he would outside of his normal self. I love those conversations with my actors. Emilio really wanted to make sure he represented who he thought this character would best be.

For Alice, even before this project, we always had conversations as Asian women about being fantasized as submissive. We’ve all gone through these relationships in our lives. That was a commonality we had and something I wanted to bring up in this film, without saying, “Hey, this is a film about how Asian women can be submissive and not realize they can be powerful, aggressive, and strong-willed.”

That was an easy one. Asian women have experienced that, and hopefully, they’ll see a bit of their experience in this character, but also the hope that can come out of it.

PC: Beautifully said. David took the first half of the film and wrote it, while you took the second half because you’re well-versed in the thriller genre. Then you came together and worked on each other’s parts. What did you learn from what he had originally written, and how did that influence the overall narrative?
Ruth: We had one big outline, so we knew exactly what the movie was going to be. It felt natural for him to take the beginning and for me to take the second half. Honestly, I don’t remember any major issues with this process. It was very seamless, and we wrote it pretty quickly.

We started brainstorming in August 2019 and had a pretty solid script ready to go to casting by January 2020. It all moved really quickly, which was great. Because we each focused on our initial, instinctual strong suits, that made the process much smoother. Planning together was really about nailing the details, ensuring the characters were consistent throughout, showing growth in the middle, and making sure those transitions were in place.

Since I knew I was going to be directing it, I wanted to include purposeful writing about how scenes could be seen or read visually. That was really helpful for the first half. David is so great with dialogue, and he added those little “dialogue twinkles” at the very end, especially in the big showdown space with those comedic beats. It was a great process for us, and I can’t wait to do it again because it was so much fun.

PC: The two of you need to make more projects. Representation begins with writers like you and David, and directors who are actively pushing for this change. What advice would you give aspiring filmmakers, especially within the Asian community, who may feel like breaking into this industry is out of reach?
Ruth: That’s a really great question. I don’t know if I have the answer right now, but the best advice I can offer is to keep going. My philosophy in this industry is to outwit, outlast, and outplay—just like Survivor—because it’s constantly changing. It ebbs and flows. You never know what kind of material someone is looking for or what the industry will want next.

One day, someone else is making the decisions, but if we remain true to our integrity, our work, and our creativity, I do believe it will eventually catch hold and push us forward. It’s a marathon—beyond a marathon. It’s hard to be in this space, but if you believe in your work, it will pay off.

That’s why I’m so proud of Samson. I love this movie. It took forever to make, and now that it’s out in the world, it’s part of the journey. I don’t know where it’s going next, but the fact that I’m really proud of it, that it represents what I stand for as a filmmaker, and that it stands for something meaningful in this industry and for our AAPI community—that’s all I can ask for.

To keep up with Ruth, follow her on X and Instagram. Samson is available wherever you stream movies.