Mary Sweeney shares wisdom with LASC

With heavy breathing and sweat dripping from their foreheads, a classroom full of students settled down for the experience of a lifetime. It was finally time for them to meet and listen to one of the most influential and talented people in the world of film.

On Sept. 29, the Los Angeles Screening Club hosted a private Q&A with filmmaker and professor of cinematic writing for screen and television Mary Sweeney. Her frequent collaborations with David Lynch, mostly as an editor, helped shape his iconic brand of surrealism and bring a real American audience to avant-garde film and television.

There are few editors in the world with a resumé like Sweeney’s, with credits on the hugely popular “Twin Peaks,” “Lost Highway” (which, despite being poorly received in its time, has achieved cult status and inspired countless psychological thrillers) and “Mulholland Drive” (often cited as the best film of the 21st century). Her influence is undeniable, both in Lynch’s body of work and contemporary surrealist cinema. 

Jack Yonover and Elijah Davis, juniors studying philosophy and cinema and media studies respectively, spent over a month to make the event happen, when suddenly it was all in jeopardy. Forty minutes before their discussion was supposed to take place, Yonover and Davis realized USC flipped their location from Taper Hall to Grace Ford Salvatori Hall, forcing students to sprint to the other end of campus. 

But, despite the logistical nightmare, room 101 couldn’t have been more full. The passion in the room was palpable, with everyone eager to learn from Sweeney. 

Just a few months ago, Yonover and Davis couldn’t have imagined hosting an event like this. The two met at a summer film class in 2019 before they were admitted as undergrads, bonding over their shared love of cinema. Now, just three years later, they’ve built an enthusiastic community of over 200 similarly minded students with the Los Angeles Screening Club. 

Yonover and Davis spent the first semester of their sophomore year frequenting the repertory theaters of L.A. to catch American and foreign language classics on the big screen. While encouraged by the packed cinema houses, the pair could not help but notice the lack of people their age in attendance. Hoping to fight this existential threat to cinema within their peer group, the duo founded LASC. 

The day before the event, Yonover and Davis brought LASC members to a 35mm screening of “Lost Highway.” Now, they offered them a chance to critically engage with the work in a meaningful way. 

He and Davis facilitated a fascinating conversation with Sweeney before opening it up to audience questions. She spoke directly to the students in the room, providing invaluable insight into her creative process. After an hour and a half of back and forth, the event was brought to a close. According to Yonover, Sweeney’s final words were “I hope this club becomes enormous.” 

Yonover later asked Sweeney about the qualities you need to be a great editor and filmmaker.  

“You need to be both a car mechanic and a dreamer poet,” Sweeney said. 

This statement provoked the crowd. The duality of the two opposing occupations best described her approach to her own work and is something for others in her field to live by. Davis elaborated on her response and his new understanding of it.

“[I would like to balance] the craftsmanship of trying to create art that is super surreal and dreamlike,” Davis said.

Many club members also reflected deeply about what Sweeney talked about, including Eli Scott, a junior majoring in philosophy, politics and economics. 

“[The Q&A] was really enlightening,” Scott said. “It’s still soaking in … I feel like we developed a real connection with somebody who changed the landscape of editing into surrealism, more than perhaps anybody else in filmmaking.”

Yonover summed up the event best. 

“I was really happy with the way the event went … We ended up having a packed crowd. The room was filled to the brim,” he said. “I got to learn so much about her creative process … She enjoyed getting an opportunity to talk with so many students who are passionate about film … but also took the time in their day on a school night to go see ‘Lost Highway’ on 35 mm.”

If you are interested in joining LASC and attending its events, follow them on Instagram @lascreeningclub.