Gus Van Sant

During the last week of November 2009 arthouse Director Gus Van Sant began filming his latest movie in his hometown of Portland, Oregon. The film, which has yet to be titled, is his latest project since his academy award winning motion picture Milk, and is based on the stage play Of Winter and Water Birds by Jason Lew.

This new project is highly anticipated by his fans, as Van Sant is known for creating smart and thought-provoking work. Van Sant, an openly gay screenwriter and director, often explores controversial themes in his movies, such as school shootings, male prostitution, and homosexuality.

His directorial film debut Elephant, was inspired by the horrific Columbine High school shootings of 1999, and won Van Sant the coveted Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and the best director award, although it also garnered much negative attention for its violent content.

Van Sant, however, is not afraid to push the envelope, and does not handle delicate themes with white gloves- and it’s paid off. In 1992 Van Sant was awarded with the ACLU of Oregon’s Freedom of Expression Award, which commends those who help uphold the rights of free expression, particularly in the arts.

Van Sant is considered a visionary by his peers, but it is perhaps his diversity that has brought him success. Aside from being an award winning screenwriter and director, Van Sant is also an author and a musician. He wrote the novel Pink and has recorded two albums.

He has not only directed films but also television commercials and music videos and has executive produced. Although Van Sant has only begun filming his new movie, he is already in demand for future projects.

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by Gigi Novelo
Gloobbi People

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