It’s hard to imagine what the American film landscape would look like without Richard Linklater. Linklater was among the first and most successful talents to emerge during the American independent film renaissance of the 1990s. Often his work explored what he dubbed “the youth rebellion continuum,” definitively capturing the 20-something culture of his era and introducing many young actors to Hollywood who would, in turn, go onto great fame of their own.
Linklater is a 5-time Oscar nominee, two-time Golden Globe winner, and two-time Bafta winner who has directed 20 feature films to date. His storied film credits include SLACKER, DAZED AND CONFUSED, BEFORE SUNRISE, BEFORE SUNSET, BEFORE MIDNIGHT, SCHOOL OF ROCK, EVERYBODY WANTS SOME, WHERE’D YOU GO BERNADETTE? and the 12-year epic BOYHOOD.
Adding to his superhuman output, Linklater is currently at work on two new projects: the coming-of-age period piece APOLLO 10-1/2 and his adaptation of the iconic Broadway musical MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG while also serving as the Artistic Director for the Austin Film Society, which he founded in 1985 to showcase films from around the world that were not typically shown in Austin.
Given his prodigious output, it’s hard to imagine how he could fit in being honored by PIFF—but, then, it seems like Richard Linklater can do anything and everything when he puts his mind to it—and we’re all the better for it. It is with great pride that we honor Richard Linklater as the Provincetown Film Festival’s 2021 Filmmaker on the Edge.