“Coming out of university, one of my obsessions was that in the novels I was reading, they seemed to be portraying a world that had a social fabric. People knew each other in 'War and Peace.' They went to all the same balls. These were societies with tightly wound, woven, social textures.”

American writer-director

Whit Stillman is an American writer-director known for his films from the late 20th and early 21st centuries. He was born John Whitney Stillman and became widely recognized for Metropolitan, released in 1990, which brought him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. He also made Barcelona, The Last Days of Disco, Damsels in Distress, and Love & Friendship. His work is best known for its sharp dialogue and its attention to manners, class, and social life.