Biography John Fante: A Sad Flower in the Sand “A SAD FLOWER IN THE SAND” is the first major film documentary about a largely unsung writer of the twentieth century: John Fante, the renegade author whose highly autobiographical novels illustrate his deep-rooted love of Los Angeles and his struggles working through poverty and prejudice. Fante had a big influence on the writing of Charles Bukowski. Share This Previous ArticleOasis: The Making of 'Definitely Maybe' Next Article'The Jump': Meet the Man Who Invented Bungee May 26, 2014