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Gus Van Sant Biography

Birth Name:Gus Green Van Sant

Birth Place:Louisville, Kentucky, United States

Profession Director, Producer, Actor, Writer, Editor, Sound department, Soundtrack

Fast Facts

Won the Filmmaker on the Edge Award at the 2002 Provincetown International Film Festival
After being exposed to avant-garde directors for the first time at the Rhode Island School of Design, he switched his major from painting to cinema
Many of his end credits have film footage playing in the background
Uses strikingly low depth of field in the cinematography for his films, and often includes shots of cloud formations
His remake of Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho," is recreated shot-for-shot in color with a new cast
Has published a novel, released solo albums and published a book of photography, which has become a collector's item since its release in 1992

Awards

1987Independent/Experimental Film and Video Award-: winner
1988Festival's Plate-: winner
1989LAFCA Award-Best Screenplay: winner
1989NYFCC Award-Best Screenplay: winner
1990C.I.C.A.E. Award-Forum of New Cinema: winner
1990Independent Spirit Award-Best Director: nominated
1990Independent Spirit Award-Best Screenplay: winner
1990NSFC Award-Best Screenplay: winner
1990NSFC Award-Best Director: winner
1990Literary Award-Screenplay Adaptation: winner
1991ACCA-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
1991Critics Award-: winner
1991Coup de Coeur LTC-: winner
1991NYFCC Award-Best Director: nominated
1991International Critics' Award-: winner
1991Golden Lion-: nominated
1992Independent Spirit Award-Best Screenplay: winner
1992Independent Spirit Award-Best Director: nominated
1993Golden Lion-: nominated
1997ACCA-Best Director: nominated
1998Oscar-Best Director: nominated
1998Golden Berlin Bear-Best Film: nominated
1998DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures: nominated
1998Golden Satellite Award-Best Director: nominated
1999Razzie Award-Worst Director: winner
2000Special Award-Special Award: winner
2001Golden Berlin Bear-: nominated
2001Prize of the Guild of German Art House Cinemas-: winner
2001Christopher Award-Feature Films: winner
2002Top 10 Film Award-Best Film: nominated
2002Golden Leopard-: nominated
2002Visions Award - Special Citation-: winner
2003Cinema Prize of the French National Education System-: winner
2003Best Director-: winner
2003Palme d'Or-: winner
2003Independent Spirit Award-Best Director: nominated
2003VVFP Award-Best Director: winner
2004Top 10 Film Award-Best Film: nominated
2004COFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
2004César-Best Foreign Film (Meilleur film étranger): nominated
2004Independent Spirit Award-Best Director: nominated
2004Critics Award-Best Foreign Film: winner
2005Bodil-Best American Film (Bedste amerikanske film): nominated
2005Top 10 Film Award-Best Film: winner
2005Palme d'Or-: nominated
2006Un Certain Regard Award-: nominated
2006Audience Award-Best International Film: winner
2007Top 10 Film Award-Best Film: winner
2007Palme d'Or-: nominated
200760th Anniversary Prize-: winner
2008EDA Award-Best Director: nominated
2008ACCA-Best Film Editing: nominated
2008ACCA-Best Director: nominated
2008Bodil-Best American Film (Bedste amerikanske film): nominated
2008BSFC Award-Best Director: winner
2008BSFC Award-Best Film Editing: nominated
2008CFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
2008DFWFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
2008Independent Spirit Award-Best Director: nominated
2008Girona Film Critics Award-Best Picture: nominated
2008HFCS Award-Best Director: nominated
2008IOMA-Best Editing (Miglior montaggio): nominated
2008SFFCC Award-Best Director: winner
2008Satellite Award-Best Director: nominated
2008SEFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
2008SLFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
2009Movies for Grownups Award-Best Director: winner
2009Oscar-Best Achievement in Directing: nominated
2009Award of the Argentinean Academy-Best Foreign Film (Mejor Película Extranjera): nominated
2009Teddy-Best Feature Film: nominated
2009Cinema for Peace Award-Cinema for Peace Award for Justice: nominated
2009Critics Choice Award-Best Director: nominated
2009David-Best Foreign Film (Miglior Film Straniero): nominated
2009DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures: nominated
2009Gold Derby Film Award-Director: nominated
2009ICS Award-Best Editing: nominated
2009ICS Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2009ICS Award-Best Director: winner
2009INOCA-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2009INOCA-Best Director: winner
2009Silver Ribbon-Best Non-European Director (Regista del Miglior Film Non-Europeo): nominated
2009IOMA-Best Director (Miglior regia): nominated
2009ALFS Award-Director of the Year: nominated
2009NSFC Award-Best Director: nominated
2009OFTA Film Award-Best Director: nominated
2009VFCC Award-Best Director: nominated
2010Felix-Best Director: nominated
2010Felix-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2010Bodil-Best American Film (Bedste amerikanske film): nominated
2010Best Film of the 2000s-Best Film: nominated
2010Cinema Brazil Grand Prize-Best Foreign-Language Film (Melhor Filme Estrangeiro): nominated
2010César-Best Foreign Film (Meilleur film étranger): nominated
2010Robert-Best American Film (Årets amerikanske film): nominated
2010FCCA Award-Best Foreign Film - English Language: nominated
2010Girona Film Critics Award-Best Picture: winner
2011Un Certain Regard Award-: nominated
2013Movies for Grownups Award-Best Director: nominated
2013Special Mention-International Jury: winner
2013Golden Berlin Bear-: nominated
2013Cinema for Peace Award-International Green Film Award: nominated
2015Palme d'Or-: nominated
2017Audience Award-Best Narrative Feature: winner
2018Felix-Best Director: nominated
2018Teddy-Best Feature Film: nominated
2018Golden Berlin Bear-Best Film: nominated
2018Gold Bison-Best Feature Narrative: winner
2024Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: nominated
2025Excellence in Directing Award-: winner