Cannes Director Spotlight: Jeff Nichols

Jeff Nichols
New Film: Mud
Country: USA
Age: 33
Best Known for: Last year's Take Shelter, which featured one of the most talked-about endings of any film in recent memory

Cannes History
Nichols is a baby compared to most of his competitors (he's young enough to be Alain Resnais grandson, for crying out loud). As such, he doesn't have as deep a resume or Cannes history as most of the other filmmakers featured here over the past few weeks. That said, he did screen Take Shelter at last year's International Critics' Week, where it won the top prize—the Grand Prix Nespresso.

His Resume
It begins with 2007's Shotgun Stories. It tells the story of two sets of half-brothers, living in Arkansas, who feud bitterly after their father passes. Shotgun Stories has, years later, become a widely seen and admired film, but upon its release, it wasn't talked up much. It premiered at Berlin, played some second-tier festivals (Chicago, Austin), and grossed about $50,000. But it found new life in the five years since it was made, and a lot of that was due to the popularity of Take Shelter.

Nichols' second film, which, like Take Shelter, also starred Michael Shannon, premiered at Sundance. It then moved on to Cannes and hit theaters last September. Shannon received a great deal of praise for his startlingly intense lead performance, and Jessica Chastain's supporting work was singled out by many as her best work in her very busy year.

Nichols On-Demand
Hulu Plus: N/A
iTunes: Take Shelter
Netflix Instant: N/A
Vudu: Take Shelter

Mud
"The film, which has been described as a 'fairy tale,' follows the story of an unlikely friendship between a fugitive ... and a 14-year-old boy ... who helps him escape off an island in Mississippi, evade the law and bounty hunters, so he can reunite with his sweetheart." —The Playlist

Nichols returns just a year after his major breakthrough, and once again, he's penned a small-town-set story (see the still embedded below). Shannon has been replaced by Matthew McConaughey in the leading role, though Nichols #1 guy does provide on-screen support. Reese Witherspoon and Take Shelter's Ray McKinnon also star. Behind the scenes, Nichols' cinematographer, Adam Stone, returns, as does Take Shelter composer David Wingo.

Though the cast is more high-profile than any of Nichols' other films, the premise and (presumedly) the execution will be decidedly indie. Remember, Take Shelter only came out last year, and though it was critically acclaimed and a favorite 2011 title in the movie blogosphere, it was shut out at the Oscars and likely lost money for Fox Searchlight. So it might be a few years before Nichols inevitably crosses over into the mainstream. Cherish indie Nichols while we still can.

Anyway, unless Mud is an absolute knockout (like crazy good ... reinventing the craft sort of stuff), it won't be your Palme winner, but Nicolas Winding Refn, another filmmaking wunderkind, won Best Director last year for Drive. Perhaps a prize of that nature isn't out the question.