You don't see very many female directors behind male-centric movies, but Patricia Riggen is at the helm of The 33, the big screen adaptation of the true story of the 33 miners who were trapped 200 stories beneath the surface for 69 days in the 2010 Copiapó mining accident. While in New York City promoting the upcoming release, I got the chance to talk to The 33 stars Antonio Banderas, Lou Diamond Phillips and Rodrigo Santoro about their experience working with Riggen, what made her perfect for the job and why it was important to have a female filmmaker in the director's chair.

The 33 makes its way into theaters on November 13th and also stars Juliette Binoche, James Brolin, Bob Gunton, Gabriel Byrne, Mario Casas, Jacob Vargas, Juan Pablo Raba, Oscar Nuñez, Kate Del Castillo and Naomi Scott. We’ve got more from the cast and a full interview with Riggen coming your way soon.

Here’s the official synopsis of The 33:

In 2010, the eyes of the world turned to Chile, where 33 miners had been buried alive by the catastrophic explosion and collapse of a 100-year-old gold and copper mine. Over the next 69 days, an international team worked night and day in a desperate attempt to rescue the trapped men as their families and friends, as well as millions of people globally, waited and watched anxiously for any sign of hope. But 200 stories beneath the surface, in the suffocating heat and with tensions rising, provisions—and time—were quickly running out. A story of resilience, personal transformation and triumph of the human spirit, the film takes us to the Earth’s darkest depths, revealing the psyches of the men trapped in the mine, and depicting the courage of both the miners and their families who refused to give up.

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