Gus Van Sant
Directing
Born: July 24, 1952 (age 74) · Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Highest Rated
Biography
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
Good Will Hunting
1997
Milk
2008
Elephant
2003
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
2001
Kids
1995
My Own Private Idaho
1991
Finding Forrester
2000
Psycho
1998
Laurence Anyways
2012
To Die For
1995
Paris Je T'aime
2006
Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot
2018
Photos (2)
Movies (19)
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
Gus Van Sant
My Own Private Idaho
Man Behind Hotel Counter (uncredited)
Psycho
Man Talking to Man in Cowboy Hat (uncredited)
Finding Forrester
Library Assistant (uncredited)
Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot
Willamette Week Editor
The Canyons
Dr. Campbell
Paranoid Park
Guy Reading Newspaper (uncredited)
Zeroville
Film Archive Curator
Last Days
Phone Voice (voice)
The Trainer
Gus Van Sant
Mala Noche
Guy at Hotel (uncredited)
Andy by Gus
2023
Ain't It Funny
Dad
Two Films, One Legacy
2011
The Making of Drugstore Cowboy
1999
Making Paranoid Park
2008
Guns on the Clackamas
1995
Five Ways to Kill Yourself
1987
Thank You for Supporting the Arts
2018
TV Shows (2)
Self / Appearances (30)
Leçon de Cinéma
Self · 1 eps
The Story of Film: An Odyssey
Self · 1 eps
The Greatest Event in Television History
Self · 1 eps
Drugstore Cowboy
Himself (uncredited)
A Special Day
Self
I Don't Belong Anywhere: The Cinema of Chantal Akerman
Self
Hi Octane
Self · 1 eps
Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema
Self
In the Mood for Doyle
Self
Rescued from the Closet
Self
Xavier Dolan: Bound to Impossible
Self
Nicole Kidman: Eyes Wide Open
Self (interview)
Reflecting on a Journey: Good Will Hunting 15 Years Later
Self
William S. Burroughs: A Man Within
Self
Illegal Civilization 3
Self
Critic
Self
Psycho Path
Self - Director
Made in the USA
Self
Here’s Looking at You, Boy
Self
The Advocate for Fagdom
Self
At the Video Store
Self
The Director's Vision: Hollywood's Best Discuss Their Craft
himself
On the Set of 'Elephant': Rolling Through Time
Himself
Strange Parallel
Self
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Funky Monks
Self
Saltlake Van Sant
Self
About Cinema
Self
The Making of Last Days
Himself
About Elephant
Self
Junior
Himself
Directing (42)
Good Will Hunting
Director
FEUD
Director
Dead Man's Wire
Director
Boss
Director
Milk
Director
My Own Private Idaho
Director
To Die For
Director
The Sea of Trees
Director
Psycho
Director
Paris Je T'aime
Director
Elephant
Director
Finding Forrester
Director
When We Rise
Director
Drugstore Cowboy
Director
Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot
Director
Promised Land
Director
To Each His Own Cinema
Director
Paranoid Park
Director
Restless
Director
Last Days
Director
Gerry
Director
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues
Director
Mala Noche
Director
My Own Private River
Director
Le Marais
Director
8
Director
Little Johnny
Director
Psycho Shampoo
Director
Best of Chris Isaak
Director
David Bowie: Best of Bowie
Director
Thanksgiving Prayer
Director
Cinema16: American Short Films
Director
Ouverture of Something That Never Ended
Director
Ballad of the Skeletons
Director
The Discipline of D.E.
Director
Mansion on the Hill
Director
My New Friend
Director
1/2 of a Telephone Conversation
Director
Five Ways to Kill Yourself
Director
Ken Death Gets Out of Jail
Director
Junior
Director
Four Boys in a Volvo
Director
Writing (15)
My Own Private Idaho
Screenplay
Paris Je T'aime
Writer
Elephant
Screenplay
Drugstore Cowboy
Screenplay
Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot
Screenplay
Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot
Story
Paranoid Park
Screenplay
Last Days
Screenplay
Gerry
Writer
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues
Writer
Mala Noche
Screenplay
Le Marais
Writer
Ouverture of Something That Never Ended
Writer
Ballad of the Skeletons
Writer
Five Ways to Kill Yourself
Writer
Producing (21)
FEUD
Executive Producer
Boss
Executive Producer
Kids
Executive Producer
Psycho
Producer
When We Rise
Executive Producer
Promised Land
Executive Producer
Laurence Anyways
Executive Producer
Restless
Producer
Howl
Executive Producer
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues
Executive Producer
I Am Michael
Executive Producer
Age Out
Executive Producer
Speedway Junky
Executive Producer
Virginia
Executive Producer
Mala Noche
Producer
Tarnation
Executive Producer
Wild Tigers I Have Known
Executive Producer
Psycho Path
Executive Producer
On the Set of 'Elephant': Rolling Through Time
Executive Producer
Thanksgiving Prayer
Producer
Joe Gives Up and Moves to Montana
Producer
Other Crew (18)
Good Will Hunting
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Milk
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Elephant
Editor
Certain Women
Thanks
I'm Still Here
Thanks
Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot
Editor
Paranoid Park
Editor
Last Days
Editor
Gerry
Editor
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues
Editor
Mala Noche
Editor
Accidents Happen
Thanks
Shit Year
Thanks
8
Editor
Strutter
Thanks
Andy by Gus
Music
Ouverture Of Something That Never Ended
Creator
Property
Sound