Elephant is a 2003
drama film edited, written and directed by
Gus Van Sant. It takes place in the fictional Watt High School, in the suburbs of
Portland, Oregon, and chronicles the events surrounding a school shooting, based in part on the 1999
Columbine High School massacre. The film 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 new or non-professional actors, including
John Robinson,
Alex Frost, and
Eric Deulen.