Richard Linklater

Richard Stuart Linklater, born on July 30, 1960, is undoubtedly one of the leading figures in American cinema. Best known as a film director, producer, and screenwriter, Linklater's films frequently explore suburban culture and the passage of time. His repertoire includes acclaimed films like the comedies 'Slacker' and 'Dazed and Confused,' the 'Before' trilogy of romance films, 'School of Rock,' and the innovative adult animated films 'Waking Life,' 'A Scanner Darkly,' and 'Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood.' Linklater's 'Boyhood,' a coming-of-age drama filmed over several years using the same actors, not only brought a fresh perspective on film-making but also garnered him numerous awards and nominations. Despite being renowned worldwide, Linklater's career is firmly rooted in Austin, Texas, where he founded the Austin Film Society and created Detour Filmproduction, his production company. Starting with short films and experiments, he made his mark with his first Super-8 feature, 'It's Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books.' He then created 'Slacker' with a modest budget of $23,000, which had a fantastic return, earning over $1.25 million and catapulting his career. Apart from his contributions to the film industry, Linklater is well-known for his distinct directorial style, focusing more on human interactions and narratives over plot devices, often setting his films within a day's span. Having worked in the industry since 1985, Linklater has left an impactful and lasting legacy.