From the time he emerged onto the film scene with “Stranger Than Paradise” (1984), writer-director Jim Jarmusch defined the true meaning of independent director. Though he decried being labeled as such, there was no doubt that his steadfast refusal to take Hollywood money in order to maintain creative and financial control over his films made him synonymous with the low-budget indie world. In hip, comic, minimalist films like “Down By Law” (1986) and “Mystery Train” (1989), Jarmusch explored the recurring theme of cultures colliding, typically by using outsiders from foreign countries to
Worked as a production assistant on the epochal Nicholas Ray/Wim Wenders collaboration, "Lightning Over Water"
1980
Provided sound recording for Eric Mitchell's "Underground USA"
1980
Directed, wrote, edited, and composed the music for "Permanent Vacation", his first feature; Tom DiCillo served as director of photography; on its completion, Wenders gave him some leftover film stock which he used for part of "Stranger Than Paradise"
1980
Wrote and directed the short "New World"
1982
Worked as an actor in Lothar Lambert's West German feature "Fraulein Berlin"
