Steven Soderbergh Biography
Steven Soderbergh (1963 - ) Despite being anointed a prodigy after winning the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival for his debut film, "Sex, Lies and Videotape" (1989), director Steven Soderbergh spent his most of the next decade struggling to find his creative talent. After his Cannes triumph with the disconcerting "Kafka" (1991), Soderbergh all but disappeared from Hollywood's radar, thanks to commercial failures like "King of the Hill" (1993) and "The Underneath" (1995). The bizarre "Schizopolis" (1997), which helped pave the way for a revitalized career with "Out of Sight" (1998), a stylish adaptation of Elmore Leonard's romantic thriller then finally put Soderbergh on the map. The director soon entered a fertile period that saw him make creatively satisfying films; most notably “Erin Brockovich” (2000) and “Traffic” (2000), the latter of which earned him an Oscar for best director. After directing the highly commercial film "Ocean's Eleven" (2001), Soderbergh then made "Full Frontal" (2002) and "Solaris" (2002), both of which earned him considerable scorn. Always willing to experiment, as he did with the low-budget "Bubble" (2006) and the four-hour epic "Che" (2008), Soderbergh was able to keep his independent spirit alive while his feet remained firmly planted in the commercial world, even at the risk of gaining detractors and disappointed fans, the mark of a truly independent filmmaker.
