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Outside the Mainstream: Rise of the US Indie director

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This week marks the release of the elegant and graceful Ain’t Them Bodies Saints from director David Lowery. Lowery is one of a number of new American directors who are making a significant name for themselves by making fresh and riveting pieces of cinema, that go firmly against the principles of the modern blockbuster. Whether it be psychological dramas, realistic romances or creative Sci-Fi, this pack of directors are following in the footsteps of David Lynch, Terrence Malick and Martin Scorsese by making provocative and unique films that warrant a mass of attention. Not afraid of working with big name actors or tackling tough genres, these directors show the potential of being future directing greats.

David Lowery (32)

St Nick (2009), Ain’t Them Bodies Saints (2013)

 

A veritable multi-talent (he served as editor on Upstream Colour), Lowery’s second feature Ain’t Them Bodies Saints stars Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara as criminal lovers and was partly inspired by Terrence Malick’s Badlands (1973).  This is as an elegant and graceful film that showcases Lowery’s keen eye for beauty and detail. Out this week.

 

Shane Carruth (40)

Primer (2004), Upstream Color (2013)

 

Once described by Steven Soderbergh as ‘the illegitimate offspring of David Lynch and James Cameron” Shane Carruth is one of the most visionary and uncompromising young talents in cinema right now. His 2004 time travel movie Primer, mixed intense scientific dialogue with intelligent story telling and became a cult hit as a result. His latest film, Upstream Color is currently warping audience minds in this unique piece of sci-fi cinema.

 

Drake Doremus (30)

Like Crazy (2011), Breathe In (2013)

 

Doremus won the Sundance Grand Jury prize with Like Crazy and has reunited with the film’s star Felicity Jones for Breathe In, about a music teacher falling for an exchange student. Doremus has so far made a new for himself by making smart and believable romantic films.

 

Adam Leon (30)

Gimme The Loot (2012)

Dubbed a “rambunctious debut” by The New York Time’s A.O. Scott, Leon’s drama about two graffiti artists claimed the competition prize at last year’s South By Southwest. As far as a debut goes Gimme The Loot avoids all of the clichés that can usually bog down a genre film like this and is thoroughly impressive in doing so.

 

Sean Durkin (31)

Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011)

 

Rolling Stone called Durking “gifted” on the strength of his debut feature Martha Marcy May Marlene, which starred Elizabeth Olsen as a runaway from a possessive and murderous cult led by John Hawkes. The Canadian born writer/director is currently working on a Janis Joplin biopic.

 

Jeff Nichols (34)

Shotgun Stories (2007), Take Shelter (2011), Mud (2012)

 

The most established member of our indie pack, Nichols latest film Mud, starring Matthew McConaughey, is a modern twist on Mark Twain’s The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn, has a 98% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes. This came off the back of the psychological thriller Take Shelter, which starred Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain, won rave reviews upon release.

 

John Krokidas (40)

Kill Your Darlings (2013)

 Not many debut directors tackle the biopics of the 20th century’s greatest author for their first films but John Krokidas has done just that with Kill Your Darlings. Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Dane DeHaan, Ben Foster, Michael C. Hall and Elizabeth Olsen the film studies the rise of the beat generation through the works of Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs.

 


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