2009 was a good year for director Ramin Bahrani. The 34-year-old was awarded a prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship and watched as critics continued to laud Chop Shop (2007) and Goodbye Solo (2008). Not only has Roger Ebert dubbed Bahrani the “new great American director,” but the critic ranked Chop Shop the sixth best film of the 2000s, saying, “In my opinion, [Bahrani is] the new director of the decade.” Goodbye Solo continues to appear on most year-end lists, and lead actor Souléymane Sy Savané was nominated for both a Gotham and an Independent Spirit Award.

Goodbye Solo screens in Springfield on March 14 and 16 as part of the Springfield Art Association’s annual film series. Below is a transcript of our recent interview with Bahrani. (Warning: specific plot points are discussed in detail.)

IT: Goodbye Solo tells the story of a Senegalese taxi driver and his unlikely friendship with an elderly passenger. How did you get involved with these characters and this story?

RB: It was in Winston-Salem, where I was born and raised. A lot of people think that I am an Iranian director, but I’m American. I was playing soccer and met a charming guy like you see in movie. He piqued my interest, so I returned a couple years later and rode with him for a few months to learn about his world and form a story from those explorations.

IT: You worked as director, co-writer, editor, a producer, etc. That much control isn’t always given to young filmmakers. Is that the main advantage to working outside of the Hollywood system?

RB: I’ve never been in the system, so it’s hard to say. But I have a vision for the film I want to make, and I surround myself with the collaborators that can help me attain that vision and make it even better. Instead of trying to change the film into something it’s not to make it more marketable.