A successful screenwriter working from Fremont, California, Joel Souza turned feature film director last year with Crown Vic, a gritty cop drama covering one night in a squad car. It’s taut, gripping, and thought-provoking. And though it’s been in theaters and on demand for the past few months, it would have made a triumphant evening at the California Theater at Cinequest if not for the pandemic. Still, Souza and his producing partners — including Alec Baldwin — presented a virtual Q&A through the Cinequest Cinejoy platform. The next evening, the writer/director sat down with me to talk about the film, working with Thomas Jane, and what’s next for this genre-hopping creator.
