Knight of Cups was released in theaters today and stars Christian Bale as a disillusioned Hollywood screenwriter searching for happiness in the dystopian backdrop of Los Angeles. This is director Terrence Malick’s eighth feature film and fourth collaboration with Academy Award winning cinematographer Emmanuel “Chivo” Lubezki, who recently took home his third Oscar for The Revenant this year.

Terrence Malick is regarded as one of the greatest living filmmakers whose artistic vision uses breathtaking imagery and philosophical themes to explore the concept of human nature within the natural world. The cast of Knight of Cups spoke in a recent interview with Hollywood Reporter about their experience working with Director Terrence Malick during filming. Knight of Cups also features Oscar winners Cate Blanchett (Carol) and Natalie Portman (Black Swan).

Oscar-winning Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki said of the film:

The whole movie is memory, fragmented and imperfect — and that’s what Terry wants, so it feels like life.

Actor Wes Bentley (Interstellar), who portrayed Rick’s troubled brother Barry in the film, found working with Malick to be “a freeing process.”

The rules of conventional moviemaking — you let all that go,” Bentley said. “You live in the character and the moment.

Malick recently completed production on his next film Weightless with Lubezki as cinematographer and featuring Bale in the lead role. Malick is an incredibly private individual and frequently declines interview requests, but actors who have worked with him speak very highly of his inspirational and often improvised creative process.

Clifton Collins Jr (Triple 9), who also will star in Malick’s next film Weightless said:

It’s like working with the great Oz. He has this beautiful, childlike outlook on the world. Just magic!

Moviegoers will get to see Terrence Malick’s creative magic in theaters this weekend.