Film of the Month: Matt Ross
Matt Ross is an American actor, writer and director who has managed to straddle the two worlds with remarkable success. As well as juggling leading roles in film and television, he’s directed several shorts and two features in the last few years – the most recent of which, the Viggo Mortensen starring Captain Fantastic has proved both a critical and audience favourite, winning multiple awards on it’s festival circuit and drawing an impassioned response from viewers.
As an actor, he’s appeared in films such as American Psycho, The Aviator, Face/Off and Good Night and Good Luck, and more recently has become well known for leading roles in major American series like American Horror Story, Big Love and Silicon Valley.
Ross has both been acting and writing/directing films since he was a child. After making 6 short films, he made his festival debut back in 1997 with The Language of Love, which premiered at Sundance. His next short came in 2009, Human Resources, which Matt followed in 2012 with his feature debut 28 Hotel Rooms, a minimalist romantic drama that takes place entirely within the rooms of various hotels.
His latest film, Captain Fantastic, premiered at Sundance earlier in the year before being selected for Cannes’ Un Certain Regard competition strand, where Ross took the prize for Best Director. In the loosely autobiographical film, Viggo Mortensen plays a father who raises his family of six off the grid in a Pacific Northwest forest, before a dramatic event draws them back to society. The film, which has received an enthusiastic response and no small amount of acclaim, looks likely to direct more attention towards it’s director who hopes to continue making features along his acting responsibilities.
Captain Fantastic is out now in the US, and comes to UK cinemas from September 9th.