How Benh Zeitlin Made Beasts of the Southern Wild

“After one take, Zeitlin sidled up to [his young star, Quvenzhané Wallis] and said, ‘That was good. I just need a little more subtlety.’ Wallis put him in his place. ‘I said, ‘I’m 6 years old!” she recalls. ”Do you really think I know what subtlety means? Come on! Gimme a kid word!'”