Forrest Gump Forrest Gump Forrest Gump is a 1994 American comedy-drama film based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom. It was directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Eric Roth, and stars Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson, and Sally Field. The story depicts several decades in the life of Forrest Gump (Hanks), a slow-witted but kind-hearted man from Alabama who witnesses several defining historical events in the 20th century in the United States. The film differs substantially from the novel. Principal photography took place in late 1993, mainly in Georgia, North Carolina, and South
Forrest Gump never made, remaining in development hell for at least a dozen years. Various interpretations have been suggested for the feather present at the opening and conclusion of the film. Sarah Lyall of "The New York Times" noted several suggestions made about the feather: "Does the white feather symbolize the unbearable lightness of being? Forrest Gump's impaired intellect? The randomness of experience?" Hanks interpreted the feather as: "Our destiny is only defined by how we deal with the chance elements to our life and that's kind of the embodiment of the feather as it comes in. Here is this thing that