Drugstore Cowboy

In Portland in the early seventies, a gang of wayward drug addicts feed their one-track lifestyle by robbing medical-grade narcotics from local pharmacies and hospitals. Adapted from James Fogle’s autobiographical novel, which remained unpublished until after the film’s release, Gus Van Sant’s counterculture classic features a who’s-who of brat pack luminaries, including Matt Dillon and a young Heather Graham, in her breakout role. Oozing beat generation cool with its washed-out cinematography and surreal, superimposed imagery, this signature vibe is further accentuated by the appearance of iconic writer William S. Burroughs, whose seminal texts Junkie and Naked Lunch defined the era, and were famously fuelled by his lifelong drug consumption.

Berlin International Film Festival: C.I.C.A.E. Award