Take a Look Behind the Scenes at Gucci, Thanks to ‘The Director’

Stylewatch Style News Now

04/20/2013 at 02:58 PM ET

You’ve watched the models hit the Gucci catwalk during Milan Fashion Week, and seen all the stars who love the line, from Blake Lively to Beyoncé. But how much do you know about Frida Giannini, the powerhouse creative director behind the line?

James Franco, one of the faces of Gucci, signed on to produce ‘The Director’ to answer just that question. And the director of the documentary, which premieres April 21 at the Tribeca Film Festival, answered some questions of our own about the film

For instance: Why take on a huge fashion house like Gucci? “The interplay of fashion and cinema has always fascinated me,” Christina Voros tells PEOPLE. “And I am drawn to stories of strong women. So in a lot of ways this film allowed me to explore many of the creative themes that I most enjoy.”

But Giannini’s strength and vision for her own line did present their own challenges. “It’s always a little scary to be filmed, even more so when perfection is your business,” Voros says. However, once trust was built, “we were allowed to observe and capture moments in places where a camera had never before been allowed.”

Voros also walked away from the project with an equal admiration for Franco, with whom she’d been working for a few years as they developed the project. “James is an exceptional person to collaborate with,” she shares. “Equal parts curiosity, generosity of sprit and an unflinching capacity to push you beyond what you might think yourself capable of, he is the perfect partner in crime.”

So after all her hard work, what does Voros expect people to take away from her film? “I hope the audience will emerge from the film with a greater understanding not only of a remarkable woman,” she says, “but also of the infinite complexity of a process that most of us take for granted when we pick a dress up off of a rack or ogle a luxury bag in a window on 5th Avenue. There is a tremendous amount of work that goes into that bag sitting in that window to be ogled!”

Tell us: Are you excited to see The Director?

–Alex Apatoff