Wes Anderson

American film director born in Houston, Texas. He studied philosophy at the University of Texas, where he met Owen Wilson. After producing a short version of Bottle Rocket (1994), both caught the attention of producer James L. Brooks and, with his help, managed to get their short film into the Sundance Film Festival. His work is split between New York and Paris. He has acknowledged that French directors François Truffaut and Louis Malle influenced his tragicomic and unconventional films. He is also known for his work adapting literary works by F. Scott Fitzgerald and J.D. Salinger. Salinger's influence can be seen in his first feature film, Bottle Rocket (1996), in which the characters of Anthony and his sister resemble Phoebe and Holden Caulfield from Salinger's book. In Rushmore (1998), the main character is expelled from school, just like Salinger's character Caulfield. In The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), the family structure resembles Salinger's Glass family. His films also draw inspiration from comics such as Charles Schulz's Peanuts. In 2005, he produced The Squid and the Whale, directed by Noah Baumbach, with whom he had written The Life Aquatic (2004). In 2007, he directed The Darjeeling Limited, traveling to India during filming and paying tribute to Indian director Satyajit Ray for his inspiring work in his films. His next features were Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) and Moonrise Kingdom (2012). His films are known for their blend of dry humor and pathos. His often troubled characters are portrayed with compassion. He typically uses slow takes and folk and rock music.