Fiction
John Sayles is uncompromising in showing the struggles of Native Americans. Photo: Getty
John Sayles has long been one of America’s great independent filmmakers (Matewan in 1987 and 1996’s Lone Star are modern classics). But in the beginning were the words. Sayles started out in the mid-1970s writing well-received novels (Union Dues, Los Gusanos and Yellow Earth are particular favourites).
He has never stopped combining his craft for both books and screen. Undoubtedly it’s easier to create art as an army of one with a word processor, than chasing finance for the kind of film projects that interest Sayles (his last role as a director was more than a decade ago).
