Permanent Vacation is a 1980 film directed, written and produced by Jim Jarmusch. It was the director's first release, and was shot on 16 mm film shortly after he dropped out of film school. This film is often credited as the birth of the director's original style and character schemes. The film won the Josef von Sternberg Award at the 1980 Mannheim-Heidelberg International Filmfestival. The main character, played by Chris Parker, wanders around a dingy New York atmosphere and is confronted by a number of intriguing characters as he ponders the questions of life, and searches for a better... place. This film was also the first that musician, and friend of Jarmusch, John Lurie acted in and composed music for. Jarmusch is also credited as helping with the music. The film was released by the Criterion Collection as a special feature on the DVD for Jarmusch's Stranger than Paradise on September 4, 2007.
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