Gus Van Sant

Director · Cast · Writer

Born

July 24, 1952 · Louisville, Kentucky, USA

Birth name

Gus Greene Van Sant Junior

American film director, producer, screenwriter and writer. As a child, he showed an interest in both painting and film, shooting short films in Super 8 while still in school. He decided to study painting, but after taking classes with Jonas Mekas and Andy Warhol, he turned to film. After spending some time learning in Europe, Van Sant moved to Los Angeles in 1976. He started as a production assistant and later worked in a publicity agency. With the money he managed to save, he filmed Mala Noche, the debut feature of who would become a representative of the New Queer Cinema, standing out for his independent character, his political commitment and his underground style. He achieved international acclaim with Drugstore Cowboy, and built a career that includes 68 nominations, including two Oscar nominations for Best Director for Good Will Hunting and Milk, as well as 44 awards, including the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival for Elephant.