A flight into director's seat: Greta Gerwig talks behind-camera debut and casting Saoirse Ronan in 'Lady Bird'

TELLURIDE, Colo. - Greta Gerwig didn't get much sleep leading to the premiere of her directorial debut, the coming-of-age dramedy "Lady Bird," at the Telluride Film Festival.

For the actress turned writer-director, previously best known for her work in such movies as "Frances Ha" and "20th Century Women," the thought of screening "Lady Bird" in front of an audience of die-hard cinephiles and awards-season tastemakers - in the same opening-night slot that launched "Moonlight" last year, no less - was both thrilling and utterly frightening. On the flight to the festival, she'd read through the program and had felt a shudder of fear at the caliber of filmmakers she would find herself among.

As it turned out, Gerwig had nothing to worry about. In its first outing, warmly introduced by "Moonlight" director Barry Jenkins, "Lady