
Gus Van Sant
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Gus Green Van Sant, Jr. (born July 24, 1952) is an American director, screenwriter, painter, photographer, musician, and author. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Achievement in Directing for his 1997 film Good Will Hunting and his 2008 film Milk, and won the Palme d'Or at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival for his film Elephant. He lives in Portland, Oregon. His early career was devoted to directing television commercials in the Pacific Northwest. In his films, he has dealt with themes concerning homosexuality and other marginalized subcultures. 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, and k.d. lang, with cameos by William S. Burroughs and Heather Graham, among others); and My Own Private Idaho, also starring Reeves as well as River Phoenix. He wrote the screenplays for most of his early movies, and wrote one novel, Pink. A book of his photography has also been published, called 108 Portraits.
Known for
Credits

Good Will Hunting (1997)
Director

Dead Man's Wire (2026)
Director

My Own Private Idaho (1991)
Director

Milk (2008)
Director

The Sea of Trees (2016)
Director

To Die For (1995)
Director

Elephant (2003)
Director

Paris Je T'aime (2006)
Director

Finding Forrester (2000)
Director

Psycho (1998)
Director

Drugstore Cowboy (1989)
Director

Promised Land (2012)
Director

To Each His Own Cinema (2007)
Director

Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot (2018)
Director

Paranoid Park (2007)
Director

Gerry (2002)
Director

Restless (2011)
Director

Last Days (2005)
Director

Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (1994)
Director

Mala Noche (1987)
Director

Le Marais (2006)
Director

My Own Private River (2012)
Director
Nightmare Typhoon (—)
Director
Killing Gawker (—)
Director

Thanksgiving Prayer (1991)
Director
Flea Sings (1991)
Director

8 (2008)
Director

Best of Chris Isaak (2006)
Director

David Bowie: Best of Bowie (2002)
Director

Cinema16: American Short Films (2006)
Director

Ouverture of Something That Never Ended (2020)
Director

Little Johnny (1972)
Director
My Friend (—)
Director

Psycho Shampoo (1979)
Director

The Discipline of D.E. (1982)
Director
Untitled Hoyt Richards Film (—)
Director

Ballad of the Skeletons (1997)
Director
Easter (2000)
Director
Switzerland (1985)
Director

Mansion on the Hill (2008)
Director

1/2 of a Telephone Conversation (1973)
Director
De Witt Clinton Choir (2000)
Director
The Happy Organ (1971)
Director

My New Friend (1987)
Director
Explain it Like I’m Five (—)
Director

Ken Death Gets Out of Jail (1988)
Director

Five Ways to Kill Yourself (1987)
Director

Junior (1988)
Director

Four Boys in a Volvo (1996)
Director





