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Gus Van Sant – Directors Showcase Sundays 8.30PM

Posted on Thursday 9/05/2013 May, 2013 by Francesca Rudkin
This month American filmmaker, artist, author and musician Gus Van Sant is the featured director in Rialto Channel’s Directors Series, screening on Sunday evenings at 8.30pm. 

Oscar nominated writer and director Gus Van Sant is an American filmmaker who made a name for himself in the late 80s and 90s by making independent films that weren’t shy in dealing with marginalised characters.

This month American filmmaker, artist, author and musician Gus Van Sant is the featured director in Rialto Channel’s Directors Series, screening on Sunday evenings at 8.30pm.

Oscar nominated writer and director Gus Van Sant is an American filmmaker who made a name for himself in the late 80s and 90s by making independent films that weren’t shy in dealing with marginalised characters. Openly gay, Van Sant films explored homosexuality and addiction, and his films were often filled with outcasts, sociopaths, suicide prone teenagers and misunderstood geniuses. “I guess I’m interested in sociopathic people in life and in my movies” Van Sant once said.

Van Sant likes to make his movies close to home (Portland, Oregon), and to tell stories about people looking for a place to belong. He tends to cast from the same ensemble of actors (or their siblings), most notably the Phoenix Family, Matt Damon and Keanu Reeves. For a maverick, a filmmaker who isn’t afraid to try and present his stories in new ways, it’s surprising he likes the security of using actors he’s worked with before.

While many of these films feature decidedly un-Hollywood stories Van Sant is one of those rare directors who can flick between the world of gritty, realistic indie films, and the Hollywood Studio system, without destroying his indie-cred.

There were, of course, die-hard Van Sant fans who didn’t appreciate him taking on broader stories like Oscar winner Good Will Hunting, written by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. But it’s these more popular films, both critically and commercially well received, which give Van Sant the clout to do what he wants cinematically. Nine Academy Award nominations and two wins will do that for you.

These days Van Sant still surprises with his film choices. His latest film Promised Land is currently being released around the world - it’s another collaboration with actor and producer Matt Damon, this time about hydraulic fracturing or fracking in the oil industry.

It also appears Van Sant is keen to direct the film adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey – there are rumours he’s even shot a scene from the book with Alex Pettyfer (Magic Mike) as Christian Grey. The actress who played Anastasia Steele in the scene hasn’t been revealed.

Throughout May you’ll be able to catch a collection of films that showcase the indie side of Gus Van Sant’s career as a filmmaker - My Own Private Idaho, starring Keanu Reaves and River Phoenix, To Die For, with Nicole Kidman, Matt Dillon and Joaquin Phoenix, Gerry with Matt Damon and Casey Affleck, and Palm d’Or winner Elephant, starring Alex Frost and Eric Deulen. It’s a great collection of films, so enjoy.

Gus Van Sant - Feature Film Filmography.

2012 Promised Land
2012 My Own Private River
2011 Restless
2008 Milk
2008 8 (segment Mansion on the Hill)
2007 Paranoid Park
2007 To Each His Own Cinema (segment The First Kiss)
2006 Paris, je t'aime (segment Le Marais)
2005 Last Days
2003 Elephant
2002 Gerry
2000 Finding Forrester
1998 Psycho
1997 Good Will Hunting
1995 To Die For
1993 Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (as Gus Van Sant Jr.)
1991 My Own Private Idaho
1989 Drugstore Cowboy (as Gus Van Sant Jr.)
1986 Mala Noche

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