David Lean

David Lean (b. 1908, Croydon Surrey-1991, London), one of the most respected British directors of the 20th century, worked with filmmakers Anthony Asquith and Michael Powell in the early days of his career. He shot his feature film debut In Which We Serve (1942) in collaboration with Noel Coward; another three films were made via their joint production company, including the legendary Brief Encounter (1945). Lean is also famous for his adaptations of novels by Charles Dickens, Great Expectations (1946) and Oliver Twist (1948); he cast one of his favourite actors, Alec Guinness, in both films. Today David Lean is celebrated particularly for his spectacular epics such as The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), Lawrence of Arabia (1962) and Doctor Zhivago (1965). The films Ryan’s Daughter (1970) and A Passage to India (1984) were made later on in his career.

47. MFF Karlovy Vary