Gary Winick, who rose to fame directing the mainstream films Letters to Juliet and 13 Going On 30, has passed away at age 49.

“He was suffering from brain cancer for quite some time, and it ultimately metastasized throughout his body,” his manager at Anonymous Content, Rosalie Swedlin, said.

“What’s remarkable is that after his first surgery, he was able to direct Letters to Juliet. It was a battle that we thought he had won, and ultimately they just didn’t get it all,” Swedlin added.

While Winick directed mainstream films, he was more well-known for his independent films. In 1999, Winick founded InDigEnt, which went on to produce 19 independent films over ten years, including Tadpole, which Winick sold to Miramax for $6 million at 2002’s Sundance Film Festival.

Filmmaker Matt Dentler commented on Winick’s death yesterday on Twitter, writing, “Gary Winick died today. Too late to make the Oscars tribute, but way too early. He leaves behind a legacy of supporting indie film and NYC.”

Swedlin says a memorial service is still being planned, and that people will be asked to donate to charity in lieu of sending flowers. The funeral will be private.

She continues, “He was very special to me. He was a dear friend as well as a longtime client. Gary was an incredibly important figure in the indie movement. He will be missed.”