In Archaeology of a Woman, writer/director Sharon Greytak tells the compelling story of Margaret (Sally Kirkland) a woman trying fiercely to hold on to the secrets she's guarded for decades, as she faces the irreversible cruelty of Alzheimer's disease. Margaret's daughter Kate (Victoria Clark) tries to help her mother through her struggle but is met with anger that slowly turns into heartbreak. We talked to Sharon Greytak about her inspiration behind the story, about her role as a writer/director/producer and how it was to work with the legendary Sally Kirkland.

Sharon you wrote and directed the film, which focuses on two strong female characters. These are all things missing in mainstream films, can you discuss your role as a woman filmmaker?

For me, certainly my life has been built on the history and actions of women who have come before me. I don’t live like I’m in a rally everyday, I have a disability, I’m a woman, I’m a director...I have a lot of categories that I can claim, but I don’t think about those things. I wanted to tell this story with passion and energy, I want to make films that comment on society. If I waited around for somebody to give me the opportunity to direct, I’d be waiting a very long time. I don’t think I’m the first person people think of. Now I’ve proven myself, I’m a good collaborator, I’m very intimate with how I develop my characters.

Did you write back-stories for all your characters?

I did a lot of background work for these characters but mostly to find the conflicts. I asked myself was it enough to tell the story of a woman with dementia, but I wanted to do more than that. When I write I ask myself “am I bored?” I spend a lot of time thinking about the consequences of my characters’ actions. It’s very much like chess. At the same time this story has a lot to do with my own experience, my mother started developing dementia and that’s what really spurred me on. I would try to write a script and I would get a phone call from someone saying they found my mom in a parking lot because she didn’t know how to get back home. My mother’s wonderful and spirited and sexy, a lot like Sally. I put certain things in place from my mother. There’s a huge space in between the time someone who is really independent turns towards the most heartbreaking parts of dementia. I was living some of that and thought I hadn’t seen this onscreen. We only see the elderly person spiraling towards tragedy and it’s a tearjerker, and those are not the kinds of movies I make. I wanted to show really strong women who were trying to preserve their independence. The real question was how to hide their frailties, sometimes not being aware of where your weaknesses are. How lucky was I to have Sally read my screenplay? Her whole life has been fierce, independent.

You said that you didn’t want to make a melodrama, but I did feel like there were some genre flourishes in the film.

Where?

The lighting, the pacing, it reminded me of a classic Hollywood thriller.

That’s really great.

I was wondering what were some of the films that inspired you when you were making this one?

I tend to like European movies, I’m a big fan of German New Wave, Fassbinder and that sort of thing. Maybe it’s not the best direct reference to for your audience but I love Clint Eastwood movies too.

Eastwood’s films are very noir-inspired, so I can see that…

Yes, all these aspects of light and dark are in my film.

Can you talk about how it was to work with Sally?

I feel like I was so lucky to have the experience of directing Sally. It was a real honor, because of the way she responds to the director. I was so struck at times about the way in which we would have a conversation about a character and there’s something about the way Sally and her training...the way she listens is what I’m saying, it’s a quality that you don’t get to see with younger actors. I feel so fortunate to have lived that. I think her kind of acting is a lost art. The kind of focus she has, made me feel blessed to live in a space with that.

Read our conversation with Sally Kirkland here. Archaeology of a Woman opens in theaters on September 12.