Biography
Oscar-nominated writer and director Gus Van Sant was a key figure on the American independent film scene of the 1980s and 1990s, offering p tic yet clear-eyed excursions through America's seamy underbelly in films like "Drugstore Cowboy" (1989) and "My Own Private Idaho" (1991). Openly gay, Van Sant dealt unflinchingly with marginalized subcultures. Even as he segued into the mainstream with "Good Will Hunting" (1997) and "Milk" (2008), he …
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Career Milestones
2012 | Directed "Promised Land"; film co-written by Matt Damon and John Krasinski based on a story by Dave Eggers | |
2011 | Executive produced Starz crime drama series "Boss," starring Kelsey Grammer | |
2011 | Directed Mia Wasikowska, playing a terminally ill teenage girl in "Restless" | |
2009 | Nominated for the 2008 Academy Award for Best Achievement in Directing ("Milk") | |
2008 | Nominated for the 2008 Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film ("Milk") | |
2008 | Directed "Milk," a biography of openly gay San Francisco City Supervisor Harvey Milk (Sean Penn) | |
2007 | Helmed "Paranoid Park," a film about a teenage skateboarder who accidentally kills a security guard; earned an Independent Spirit Award Nomination for Best Director | |
2006 | Wrote and directed "Le Marais" segment of film anthology "Paris, je t'aime" | |
2005 | Helmed "Last Days," loosely based on the final hours of Nirvana front man Kurt Cobain | |
2003 | Wrote and directed "Elephant," which was inspired by the mass shootings at Columbine High School in April 1999; nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Director | |
2002 | Directed "Gerry," which starred and was written by Matt Damon and Casey Affleck; nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Director | |
2000 | Directed Sean Connery in "Finding Forrester," about an African-American teen writing prodigy who finds a mentor in a reclusive author | |
1998 | Signed to make a color version of "Psycho" using Joseph Stefano's original script | |
1997 | Helmed mainstream drama "Good Will Hunting," co-written by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck; received first Best Director Academy Award nomination | |
1995 | Directed first film he did not write,"To Die For" starring Nicole Kidman | |
1995 | Executive produced first film, Larry Clark's "Kids" | |
1993 | Helmed an adaptation of Tom Robbins' novel "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues" | |
1993 | Signed a contract with The Gap to film commercials | |
1992 | Directed TV short "Thanksgiving Prayer," a segment of PBS compilation special "American Flash Cards" | |
1991 | Wrote first original feature film screenplay "My Own Private Idaho"; also directed | |
| Made rare TV appearance, interviewed by film critic Charles Champlin on "Champlin on Film" on Bravo | ||
1989 | Directed first film with a sizable budget "Drugstore Cowboy," made between $4 and $7 million; also first feature in color | |
1986 | Wrote, edited, and produced first widely acclaimed feature "Mala Noche" | |
1983 | Returned to Portland, OR to write and direct films, commercials and music videos; also briefly taught film production at the Oregon Art Institute | |
1982 | Short film "The Discipline of D.E." debuted at New York Film Festival | |
1981 | Moved to New York; created commercials for a Madison Ave. advertising firm | |
| Moved back in with parents back in Darien, CT and worked for his father in a New Jersey warehouse | ||
| Made feature film directing debut in "Alice in Hollywood," an attempted screwball comedy that was never released | ||
1978 | Received credit for the sound on the comedy film "Property" | |
1976 | Worked as an assistant to Ken Shapiro ("Groove Tube"), working on comedy scripts | |
| Collaborated with future cinematographer Eric Edwards in high school film project "The Happy Organ" | ||
| Moved to Portland, OR at age 17 with family | ||
| Shot his first painterly, animated films with an 8 millimeter Kodak | ||
1968 | As an art student, discovered the work of Andy Warhol; inspired to start making films | |
1967 | Landed a summer advertising job on NYC's Madison Ave. at age 16 | |
| Moved extensively around the country with his parents as a child before settling in Darien, CT | ||
Awards
2009 | Palm Springs International Film Festival for Sonny Bono Visionary Award |
2008 | Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Director in Milk |
2008 | Critics' Choice Award for Best Director in Milk |
2008 | San Francisco Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director in Milk |
2008 | Academy Award for Directing in Milk |
2008 | Directors Guild of America Award for Feature Film in Milk |
2008 | Independent Spirit Award for Best Director in Paranoid Park |
2008 | Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Director in Paranoid Park |
2007 | Cannes Film Festival for 60th Anniversary Prize in Paranoid Park |
2004 | Independent Spirit Award for Best Director in Elephant |
2003 | Cannes Film Festival for Best Director in Elephant |
2003 | Cannes Film Festival for Palme d'Or in Elephant |
2003 | Independent Spirit Award for Best Director in Gerry |
1997 | Academy Award for Directing in Good Will Hunting |
1997 | Directors Guild of America Award for Feature Film in Good Will Hunting |
1992 | Independent Spirit Award for Best Director in My Own Private Idaho |
1992 | Independent Spirit Award for Best Feature in My Own Private Idaho |
1992 | Independent Spirit Award for Best Film Music in My Own Private Idaho |
1992 | Independent Spirit Award for Best Screenplay in My Own Private Idaho |
1990 | Independent Spirit Award for Best Director in Drugstore Cowboy |
1990 | Independent Spirit Award for Best Screenplay in Drugstore Cowboy |
1989 | National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Director in Drugstore Cowboy |
1989 | National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Screenplay in Drugstore Cowboy |
1989 | New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Screenplay in Drugstore Cowboy |
1989 | Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Screenplay in Drugstore Cowboy |
1987 | Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Independent Film/Video Award in Mala Noche |