William S. Wellington

William S. Wellington (Rapid City, South Dakota, United States, March 13, 1934 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, June 24, 2003) was an American film director, known for developing his famous objective surrealism style, which is best shown at A Sunflower’s Dream, of 1969.

First years and childhood
He was born in Rapid City, and grown up following methodist paths. His mother, Priscila, strong believer of John Wesley’s thoughts, cheered up his son to be a minister. Notwithstanding, the young William was not that interested in his clergy insertion and he refused his mother proposal. Since he was a child, he began travelling, as his father, Timothy, a businessman, had to travel every week. Priscila’s death when William was only 12 shocked for his entired life the young man and became a recurrent image in his films. The son’s father, who was not at the city in that moment, knew about it the next day. Since that day, Timothy was never the same and abandoned Methodism, being sure it wasn’t able to save his wife. Without his mother and his father’s apathy, William quitted methodist faith at 15.

Getting to know cinema
He began going to the movies in 1944, when a small projection room was built in his city. He watched highlighted films such as To be or not to be, Casablanca, Double Indemnity, Scarlet Street, Notorious, The Big Sleep and It’s a Wonderful Life. His father used to go with him to the movies and, as a matter of fact, he discovered masterpecies. William received a Kodak 35 camera as a gift for having graduated. He shot his first takes, which consisted of static recordings of his favorite places. In the local library he read many didactic books, which he learned his basics about cinema language with. At the age of 17 he finished his first sooting. It was entitled Sleeping Librarian, and consisted of a short 15 minutes, soundless, in which he narrated the story about a librarian who lived in the last book he had given away. He could play it at the local thater, since the worker was a friend of his uncle. In spite of the first projection, which didn’t received many audience, those journalists who went to watch it written positive reviews about it. It was William’s first success and a film that enabled him keep working on his hobby.

Living in Philadelphia
In 1957 William moves into Philadelphia, having received a job in a woodwork store from his relative Robert Charter. He worked for him during four years, since he wanted to go deeper in cinema’s world. However, he thanked his employer and his next movie, Squirrel was starred by Charter himself. Wellington kept on directing movies, which had mediocre reviews. Nevertheless, people realised they were watching the development of an avant-garde artist. This meant that Sweet Potato Eaters, a minor group, became his main economic support. As a matter of fact, they were producers of Steam Bridges, which had premier in 1967. It was starred by James González and Katherine Linclon. This was, perhaps, one of his most successful films, and made of William Wellington an elitist star. He won an Arthur J. White award in that same year. In 1969, he presents his most famous film: A Sunflower’s Dream, which told about a sunflower that frees from his roots and runs away. It was considered a metaphore about the lack of freedom and Sweet Potato Eaters took it as a symbol. After such a acknowledgement, Wellington found it easy to receive funds. Who am I?, of 1974, was his first blockbuster.

Timothy’s death in 1976 interrumped Sparetime Matches shooting, which finally wasn’t released. Consequently, Wellington shot that same year a short, Owl Lullaby, in which an owl is shown and ululating Mozart's Requiem. The Lost Garden, his next film, had a difficult shooting, disrupted constantly by investors who asked for money and arguements. Finally, it had premier in 1982, six years after it was conceived. During this film postproduction, William wrote the screenplay of a film about El Salvador Civil War. Since American government supported El Salvador’s army, he made some changes in the script. It was finished in 1984 and entitled A Night at the Trenches.

Final works
At the beginning of the 90’s, Wellington was no longer famous as none of his films hade ver won a prize. For that reason Spoon (1990) made no profit at the box-office and meant his retirement from film business. However, he kept on making films, in which he spent his own money. Golden Fiddle, of 1994; and Spelunkers, of 1999 were his last movies.

Death
June 24th, 2003, Wellington died from a heart attack at the age of 69. His body was cremated and his ashes were scattered all over the Sheridan Lake.

Filmography

 * "Sleeping Librarian" (1951)
 * "Squirrel" (1954)
 * "Blank Minds" (1959)
 * "Cloudless Morning" (1961)
 * "Dawn at the River's Bed" (1963)
 * "Steam Bridges" (1967)
 * "A Sunflower's Dream" (1969)
 * "Who am I?" (1974)
 * "Owl Lullaby" (1976)
 * "The Lost Garden" (1982)
 * "Night at the Trenches" (1984)
 * "Spoon" (1990)
 * "Golden Fiddle" (1994)
 * "Spelunkers" (1999)