John Sayles (b.
September 28, 1950), fiercely independent United States director who frequently takes a small part in his own and other indie films. He funds his films by writing genre films such as
The Howling and
The Challenge (which usually have more nuance and humor than one might expect), and by working as a script doctor. Some of his more well-known films include
Lone Star, The Secret of Roan Inish, and
Matewan. One of his earliest films was
The Brother From Another Planet, about a black four-toed slave who escapes from another planet and finds himself at home among the people of New York City, largely because he is incapable of speaking. Political concerns are a theme running through most of his work.