Jim Jarmusch

Known for: Stranger Than Paradise (1984), Dead Man (1995)

Jim Jarmusch studied at NYU Film School before making Stranger Than Paradise (1984) independently, a formally austere film of static shots and dead time that became a founding text of American independent cinema. He has since maintained a practice outside the studio system, making slow-paced films about outsiders, musicians, and the gaps between cultures. His collaborations with Tom Waits, Iggy Pop, and John Lurie have extended his work into music as well.