Gus Van Sant
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Gus Van Sant Jr. (born July 24, 1952 in Louisville, Kentucky) is an American film director, photographer, musician, and author. He currently lives in Portland, Oregon.
His early career was devoted to directing television commercials in the Pacific Northwest. Van Sant is openly gay, and many of his movies include gay themes or characters.
His filmography as writer and director includes an adaptation of Tom Robbins' novel Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, which features a diverse cast (Keanu Reeves, Roseanne Barr, Uma Thurman, k.d. lang, with cameos by William S Burroughs and Heather Graham, among others); My Own Private Idaho also starred Reeves as well as the late River Phoenix. (A film based on Andy Warhol's life was planned, with Phoenix in the lead role, though the latter's death thwarted Van Sant's attempts.) He is perhaps best known for directing Good Will Hunting.
As an actor, Van Sant has appeared in a cameo on screen in Kevin Smith's Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.
He has written the screenplays for most of his early movies, and has written one novel, Pink (ISBN 0385493533). A book of his photography has also been published called 108 Portraits (ISBN 0944092225).
As a musician, Van Sant has released two albums: Gus Van Sant and 18 Songs About Golf.
Awards and nominations
- Academy Award nomination for Best Director in 1998 for Good Will Hunting
- Cannes Film Festival in 2003 for Elephant
- *Best Director
- *Palme d'Or
Selected directorial filmography
- The Time Traveler's Wife (2006) - announced
- Paris, je t'aime (2006) - (segment "4e arrondissement")
- Last Days (2005)
- Elephant (2003)
- Gerry (2002)
- Finding Forrester (2000)
- Psycho (1998) - a remake
- Ballad of the Skeletons (1997)
- Good Will Hunting (1997)
- Four Boys in a Volvo (1996)
- To Die For (1995)
- Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (1993)
- "Under The Bridge" (1992) - music video for the Red Hot Chili Peppers
- My Own Private Idaho (1991)
- Thanksgiving Prayer (1991)
- "Fame '90" (1990) - music video for David Bowie
- Drugstore Cowboy (1989)
- Ken Death Gets Out of Jail (1987)
- My New Friend (1987)
- Five Ways to Kill Yourself (1987)
- Mala Noche (1985)
External links
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