Gus Van Sant's Constant Thematic and Cinematic Elements
The differences in these films could not be more blatant, and yet Gus Van Sant has found a way to portray the same messages and use the same techniques in each.

Issam flees into the desolate valley after a violent confrontation with the mayor, who had shot his cat. He takes refuge in an abandoned cabin, where his old friend Raafat offers to help until tensions pass. Issam’s relentless anger at the mayor’s tyranny clashes with Raafat’s cautious pragmatism. The story reflects the tension between two opposing forces in society—the disruptive but righteous and the silent but complicit—and the cost of choosing either path.
The differences in these films could not be more blatant, and yet Gus Van Sant has found a way to portray the same messages and use the same techniques in each.
Inspiring and diverse animated series for the whole family.
'Uprooted' is a short film on what's happening in Ukraine as of today. This captures the emotions of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Court TV shows offer uncritical eyes on the systemic inequalities of the legal world.
“And I think to myself….what a wonderful world”. Louis Armstrong sang about this notion via his classic 1967 song, an ode to witnessing elements of our life that should be but some reminders of exactly what that concluding line of each verse indicates. Now we see our contemporary realities and, just being honest, it makes a sentiment like this seem SO overtly far away….perhaps even impossible….to accept or believe could be. It sounds harsh, but again, so much of what is occurring speaks not to beauty, but bedlam.
The gentle, emotional nuances of Evan’s coming-of-age story would have been so beneficial to have incorporated into the life of a POC character. Showing a Black, Asian or Latino young man that is afforded the space to be vulnerable, flawed and sensitive while driving a compelling and widely-loved narrative would have been a game changer.