Gus Van Sant
Born: 1952-07-24 in Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Known For: Directing
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.
Filmography
2026
- Dead Man's Wire ... (Director)
2024
- The Trainer as Gus Van Sant
2023
- Nicole Kidman: Eyes Wide Open as Self (interview)
- Andy by Gus
2021
- Joe Gives Up and Moves to Montana ... (Producer)
2020
- Ouverture of Something That Never Ended ... (Director)
- Ouverture Of Something That Never Ended ... (Creator)
2019
- Zeroville as Film Archive Curator
- At the Video Store as Self
2018
- Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot as Willamette Week Editor
- Age Out ... (Executive Producer)
- Illegal Civilization 3 as Self
- Thank You for Supporting the Arts
2017
- FEUD ... (Executive Producer)
- When We Rise ... (Executive Producer)
- Ain't It Funny as Dad
2016
- The Sea of Trees ... (Director)
- Certain Women ... (Thanks)
- Xavier Dolan: Bound to Impossible as Self
2015
- I Am Michael ... (Executive Producer)
- About Cinema as Self
- I Don't Belong Anywhere: The Cinema of Chantal Akerman as Self
2013
- The Canyons as Dr. Campbell
- Strutter ... (Thanks)
2012
- The Greatest Event in Television History as Self
- Promised Land ... (Director)
- Laurence Anyways ... (Executive Producer)
- A Special Day as Self
- Reflecting On A Journey: Good Will Hunting 15 Years Later as Self
- My Own Private River ... (Director)
2011
- Portlandia as Gus Van Sant
- Boss ... (Executive Producer)
- The Story of Film: An Odyssey as Self
- Restless ... (Director)
- The Advocate for Fagdom as Self
- Two Films, One Legacy
2010
- I'm Still Here ... (Thanks)
- Howl ... (Executive Producer)
- Virginia ... (Executive Producer)
- Shit Year ... (Thanks)
- William S. Burroughs: A Man Within as Self
2009
- Accidents Happen ... (Thanks)
2008
- Milk ... (Director)
- 8 ... (Director)
- Critic as Self
- Making Paranoid Park
- Mansion on the Hill ... (Director)
2007
- Paranoid Park as Guy Reading Newspaper (uncredited)
- To Each His Own Cinema ... (Director)
- Here’s Looking at You, Boy as Self
- In the Mood for Doyle as Self
2006
- Paris Je T'aime ... (Director)
- Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema as Self
- Cinema16: American Short Films ... (Director)
- Wild Tigers I Have Known ... (Executive Producer)
- Best of Chris Isaak ... (Director)
- Le Marais ... (Writer)
2005
- Last Days as Phone Voice (voice)
- The Making of ‘My Own Private Idaho’ as Self
2004
- Entourage as Gus Van Sant
- Leçon de Cinéma as Self
- The Making of Last Days as Himself
- On the Set of 'Elephant': Rolling Through Time as Himself
2003
- Elephant ... (Screenplay)
- Tarnation ... (Executive Producer)
- Saltlake Van Sant as Self
- About Elephant as Self
2002
- Gerry ... (Editor)
- David Bowie: Best of Bowie ... (Director)
2001
- Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back as Gus Van Sant
- Rescued from the Closet as Self
2000
- Finding Forrester as Library Assistant (uncredited)
- Psycho Path as Self - Director
- Easter ... (Director)
- De Witt Clinton Choir ... (Director)
1999
- Speedway Junky ... (Executive Producer)
- The Making of Drugstore Cowboy
1998
- Psycho as Man Talking to Man in Cowboy Hat (uncredited)
- Strange Parallel as Self
- The Director's Vision: Hollywood's Best Discuss Their Craft as himself
1997
- Good Will Hunting ... (Director)
- Ballad of the Skeletons ... (Writer)
1996
- Four Boys in a Volvo ... (Director)
1995
- Kids ... (Executive Producer)
- To Die For ... (Director)
- Guns on the Clackamas
1994
- Even Cowgirls Get the Blues ... (Director)
- Hi Octane as Self
1993
- Made in the USA as Self
1991
- My Own Private Idaho as Man Behind Hotel Counter (uncredited)
- Red Hot Chili Peppers - Funky Monks as Self
- Thanksgiving Prayer ... (Director)
- Flea Sings ... (Director)
1989
- Drugstore Cowboy as Himself (uncredited)
1988
- Junior as Himself
- Ken Death Gets Out of Jail ... (Director)
1987
- Mala Noche as Guy at Hotel (uncredited)
- Five Ways to Kill Yourself
- My New Friend ... (Director)
1985
- Switzerland ... (Director)
1982
- The Discipline of D.E. ... (Director)
1979
- Psycho Shampoo ... (Director)
- Property ... (Sound)
1973
- 1/2 of a Telephone Conversation ... (Director)
1972
- Little Johnny ... (Director)
1971
- The Happy Organ ... (Director)