Elephant is a 2003 American psychological drama film written, directed and edited by Gus Van Sant. Heavily inspired by the 1999 Columbine High School massacre, the film chronicles the events surrounding a school shooting in Portland, Oregon. The narrative begins a short time before the shooting occurs, following the lives of several characters both in and out of school, who are unaware of what is about to unfold. The film stars mostly unknown or newcomer actors, including John Robinson, Alex Frost, and Eric Deulen.

Plot

An ordinary day at a high school in Portland, Oregon, is shown through the perspective of several students. Among them are John, who has a strained relationship with his alcoholic father; Elias, a photography student who is building a portfolio of other students; Michelle, an outcast who struggles with her body issues; Nicole, Brittany, and Jordan, three bulimic teens who gripe about their parents; popular athlete and lifeguard Nathan and his girlfriend, Carrie; and Acadia, a close friend of John and a member of the school's gay–straight alliance (GSA).

Awards