American Movie (1999)

The word "director" is the title pursued by many filmmakers, and for Mark Buchat, who lives in an unknown town in Wisconsin, it is the biggest dream of his life. Directed by Chris Smith, this film records Mark's intention to complete a horror short film by using his family, relatives and friends as actors, plus his credit card and 3000 yuan borrowed by Uncle Bill to complete his dream of directing. The film faithfully records Mark's insistence on filming and some of his personal problems-including alcoholism, gambling and family discord-from which viewers can get to know the people around Mark: his dear mother, his 82-year-old uncle and Mark's actor friends. This is a faithful documentary about a person's ambition, addiction, and the American Dream in which he pursues his personal ideals.