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.
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Biography from TMDB.
- July 24, 1952 (74)
- Louisville, Kentucky, USA
- Director, actor, producer, writer and editor
- 43 on MovieCove · 86 credits in all
Known for
What are Gus Van Sant's films like?
Across their 31 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Survival.
Genres
Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 1 · Wry 3 · Earnest 26
A split, not a type: Light 4 · Serious 11 · Dark 15
A split, not a type: Grounded 15 · Stylized 10 · Heightened 5
Gentle 5 · Charged 16 · Intense 9
Steady 12 · Shifting 14 · Whiplash 4
Straight-faced 18 · Some laughs 10 · Funny 2
Slow burn 19 · Even-paced 11 · Relentless 0
Casual 10 · Engaged 15 · Full focus 5
A split, not a type: Easy watch 5 · Affecting 7 · Heavy 18
A split, not a type: Resolved 12 · Open-ended 7 · Ambiguous 11
Moods and endings
- Happy2
- Bittersweet15
- Tragic7
- Ambiguous7
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch Gus Van Sant's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 28 of their 43 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (12).
- Drugstore Cowboy (1989) · actor, director, writer · free
- Boss (2011) · director, producer · free
- Paris, Je T'aime (2006) · director, writer · free
- Gerry (2002) · director, writer, editor · free
- Age Out (2018) · producer · free
- Accidents Happen (2009) · thanks · free
- Wild Tigers I Have Known (2006) · producer · free
- The Sea of Trees (2015) · director · free
- Speedway Junky (1999) · producer · free
- Shit Year (2010) · thanks · free
- I Am Michael (2015) · producer · free
- Zeroville (2019) · actor · free
- Cineverse, show their 2 titles on Cineverse
- Dekkoo, show their 2 titles on Dekkoo
- Lionsgate+, show their 2 titles on Lionsgate+
- Sony Pictures Core, show their 2 titles on Sony Pictures Core
- Sundance Now, show their 2 titles on Sundance Now
- Dox, show their title on Dox
- Howdy, show their title on Howdy
- Magnolia Selects, show their title on Magnolia Selects
- MovieSphere+, show their title on MovieSphere+
- Shout! TV, show their title on Shout! TV
- Strand Releasing, show their title on Strand Releasing
- ViX, show their title on ViX
Subscription and free streaming for Gus Van Sant's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
86 credits, 43 with a MovieCove page; 26 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.
Dead Man's Wire(2025)
Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films
The Trainer(2024)
Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films
Andy by Gus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)
Joe Gives Up and Moves to Montana (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)
Ouverture of Something That Never Ended (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)
Ouverture Of Something That Never Ended (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)
Zeroville(2019)
Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films
Age Out(2018)
Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films
Thank You for Supporting the Arts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)
Ain't It Funny (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)
Feud(2017)
Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows
When We Rise(2017)
Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows
Certain Women(2016)
Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
The Sea of Trees(2015)
Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films
I Am Michael(2015)
Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films
The Canyons(2013)
Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films
Strutter(2012)
Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
Promised Land(2012)
Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
Laurence Anyways(2012)
Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
My Own Private River(2012)
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
Boss(2011)
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows
Restless(2011)
Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films
Two Films, One Legacy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)
Portlandia(2011)
Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows
I'm Still Here(2010)
Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
Howl(2010)
Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
Virginia(2010)
Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films
Shit Year(2010)
Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
Accidents Happen(2009)
Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films
Milk(2008)
Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films
8 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)
Mansion on the Hill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)
Making Paranoid Park (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)
To Each His Own Cinema(2007)
Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
Paranoid Park(2007)
Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films
Wild Tigers I Have Known(2006)
Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films
Le Marais (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
Paris, Je T'aime(2006)
Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films
Cinema16: American Short Films (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
Best of Chris Isaak (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
Last Days(2005)
Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
Entourage(2004)
Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows
On the Set of 'Elephant': Rolling Through Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
Tarnation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
Elephant(2003)
Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
Gerry(2002)
Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
David Bowie: Best of Bowie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)
Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films
Finding Forrester(2000)
Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all filmsEaster (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
De Witt Clinton Choir (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
The Making of Drugstore Cowboy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)
Psycho Path (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)
Speedway Junky(1999)
Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
Psycho(1998)
Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films
Good Will Hunting(1997)
Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
Ballad of the Skeletons (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
Four Boys in a Volvo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)
To Die For(1995)
Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
Kids(1995)
Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films
Guns on the Clackamas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)
Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films
My Own Private Idaho(1991)
Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all filmsFlea Sings (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)
Thanksgiving Prayer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)
Drugstore Cowboy(1989)
Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
Ken Death Gets Out of Jail (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)
Junior (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)
Mala Noche(1986)
Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
Five Ways to Kill Yourself (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)
My New Friend (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)
Switzerland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)
The Discipline of D.E. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)
Property (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)
Psycho Shampoo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)
1/2 of a Telephone Conversation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)
Little Johnny (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)
The Happy Organ (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)
Antinous (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Explain it Like I’m Five (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Killing Gawker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Last Days (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
My Friend (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Nightmare Typhoon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Untitled Hoyt Richards Film (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Career shape
A full career of 86 titles, 79 of them dated from 1971 to 2026.
Film career
- 1987Screen debut· Mala Noche
Billing
Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.
Awards
11 major awards from 35 major nominations, 1987–2025.
- Venice award, won
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
- Berlinale award, nominated · Best Feature Film
- Berlinale award, nominated · Best Film
- Cannes award, nominated
- Berlinale award, won · International Jury
- Berlinale award, nominated
- Cannes award, nominated
- Oscar, nominated · Best Achievement in Directing
+3 other major bodies · 3 nominations
- Berlinale award, nominated · Best Feature Film
- Directors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures
- Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Director
- Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Director
Show 12 earlier yearsShow fewer
- Cannes award, won
- Cannes award, nominated
- Cannes award, nominated
- Cannes award, nominated
- Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Director
- Cannes award, won ×3
- Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Director
- Berlinale award, won
- Berlinale award, nominated
- Oscar, nominated · Best Director
+2 other major bodies · 2 nominations
- Berlinale award, nominated · Best Film
- Directors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures
- Venice award, nominated
- Independent Spirit Award, won · Best Screenplay
- Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Director
- Venice award, nominated
- Berlinale award, won · Forum of New Cinema
- Independent Spirit Award, won · Best Screenplay
- Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Director
- Berlinale award, won · Best Short Film
Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.
How do Gus Van Sant's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 64th percentile, the median of all 38; across their 30 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 64th percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up16
- 50th to 74th12
- 25th to 49th10
- Below 25th5
Shape of the crowd
18 of their 43 titles are Crowd Pleasers.
- Universally Loved7
- Divisive1
- Cult Classic1
- Crowd Pleaser18
- Mixed16
Reviewers score the atmosphere 68/100 and the pacing 39/100 in their films, across 29 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Is Gus Van Sant's work okay for kids?
Across up to 23 MovieCove titles with content scores, profanity, alcohol & drugs and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.
Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.
Who does Gus Van Sant work with?
People who share at least 2 of Gus Van Sant's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Danny Elfman shares the most, 7.
Directors
- James FrancoShared titles: Zeroville (2019), I Am Michael (2015), My Own Private River (2012), Milk (2008)See all 4 shared titles with James Franco
Writers
- Matt DamonShared titles: Promised Land (2012), Gerry (2002), Good Will Hunting (1997)See all 3 shared titles with Matt Damon
- Dustin Lance BlackShared titles: Virginia (2010), Milk (2008)See all 2 shared titles with Dustin Lance Black
Actors
- Grace ZabriskieShared titles: My Own Private River (2012), My Own Private Idaho (1991), Drugstore Cowboy (1989)See all 3 shared titles with Grace Zabriskie
- Keanu ReevesShared titles: My Own Private River (2012), Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (1993), My Own Private Idaho (1991)See all 3 shared titles with Keanu Reeves
- Casey AffleckShared titles: Gerry (2002), Good Will Hunting (1997), To Die For (1995)See all 3 shared titles with Casey Affleck
- John RobinsonShared titles: Dead Man's Wire (2025), Elephant (2003)See all 2 shared titles with John Robinson
Composers, cinematographers and editors
- Danny ElfmanShared titles: Dead Man's Wire (2025), Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot (2018), Promised Land (2012), Restless (2011), Milk (2008), Good Will Hunting (1997), To Die For (1995)See all 7 shared titles with Danny Elfman
- Harris SavidesShared titles: Restless (2011), Milk (2008), Last Days (2005), Elephant (2003), Gerry (2002), Finding Forrester (2000)See all 6 shared titles with Harris Savides
- Eric Alan EdwardsShared titles: Virginia (2010), To Each His Own Cinema (2007), To Die For (1995), Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (1993), My Own Private Idaho (1991)See all 5 shared titles with Eric Alan Edwards
- Curtiss ClaytonShared titles: To Die For (1995), Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (1993), My Own Private Idaho (1991), Drugstore Cowboy (1989)See all 4 shared titles with Curtiss Clayton
Producers
- Dany WolfShared titles: Last Days (2005), Elephant (2003), Gerry (2002), Finding Forrester (2000), Psycho (1998)See all 5 shared titles with Dany Wolf
- Jay HernandezShared titles: Last Days (2005), Elephant (2003), Gerry (2002)See all 3 shared titles with Jay Hernandez
- Jeff RiceShared titles: Dead Man's Wire (2025), Speedway Junky (1999)See all 2 shared titles with Jeff Rice
- Brian KutsunaiShared titles: Zeroville (2019), I Am Michael (2015)See all 2 shared titles with Brian Kutsunai
Mixed roles
- Scott ReedShared titles: Zeroville (2019), I Am Michael (2015)See all 2 shared titles with Scott Reed
