Behind the Lens: In Conversation with the Filmmakers Behind Frankenstein

What is the SFFILM Sloan Science in Cinema Prize?

On the Wednesday after the wrap of the 2025 edition of Doc Stories, we presented the SFFILM Sloan Science in Cinema Prize to Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein. Guillermo was joined onstage by the film’s sound designer Nathan Robitaille, VFX supervisor Dennis Berardi, head of concept design Guy Davis, editor Evan Schiff, alongside Nobel Laureate Dr. Jennifer Doudna

SFFILM’s partnership with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation—the nation’s leading philanthropic grantor for science and the arts—culminates in the SFFILM Sloan Science in Cinema Initiative. Launched in 2015, the program celebrates and highlights cinema that brings together science and the art of storytelling, showing how these two seemingly disparate areas can combine to enhance the power of one another. The selections are meant to immerse a broad public audience in the challenges and rewards of scientific discovery, as well as to engage members of the scientific community.

Guillermo had this to say about his approach to making movies, “There are directors that are guests and there are directors that are hosts. I’m a host… At the end of the day I say to the entire crew if anyone wants to come into the editing room tomorrow, come in!”

Watch the full conversation to hear more about the making of the film.

SFFILM Sloan Science in Cinema Prize Conversation

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