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 Born
in Los Angeles, California, Dan Polier became interested
in filmmaking from childhood as his grandfather, Dan
Michalove, and his father, also Dan Polier, were both
film executives. Polier received degrees in film and
theater from the University of Southern California.
With "Debating Robert Lee" Polier makes his feature
film directing debut.
Q. How did you come to write Debating Robert Lee?
A. I wanted to write a youth-driven movie before I
was too old to write about kids authentically. I was
on my high school debate team and I always thought
it would be a good subject for a movie.
Q. One of the themes of your movie is freedom of speech.
To what extent were you influenced by the current
political situation?
A. The current situation has been a strong motivating
force behind getting this film made. Our personal
freedoms are being eroded and hardly anyone is saying
anything about it. It's deplorable how we went to
war in Iraq without any real debate in Congress about
it. Gay marriage has been debated more. What does
that tell you?
Q. Is it true that you listened to Howard Stern in
the morning to warm up before writing?
A. Yes. Howard Stern is actually a formidable debater.
He makes smart, cogent arguments that are backed up
by facts that he genuinely believes are true, unlike
politicians and lawyers who twist and misrepresent
the facts to make their case. Our so-called leaders
should take a page from his book, instead they want
to silence him.
Q. Why did you decide to make this film as an independent
feature?
A. Unless you're a star director, the studios will
break your heart. Your movie will be subject to an
endless series of conditions and you will feel compromised
at every turn. The executive producer of "Debating
Robert Lee," Kaveh Vahedi, basically said --
here's the money, I trust you, go make the best picture
you can, and invite me to the screening. I swear,
those were his exact words. I was lucky. I found an
angel.
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