Dario Argento, born in Rome in 1940, is an Italian film director, screenwriter, and producer, internationally recognized as one of the masters of the thriller and horror genres. After an early career as a critic and screenwriter, which included a collaboration on Sergio Leone's *Once Upon a Time in the West*, he made his directorial debut in 1970 with *The Bird with the Crystal Plumage*, a film that codified the Italian "giallo" style and initiated his "Animal Trilogy." His career is marked by seminal works such as *Deep Red* (1975) and *Suspiria* (1977), the latter being the first chapter of the "Three Mothers Trilogy," which blend suspense, baroque aesthetics, and stylized violence. His other cult films include *Tenebrae* (1982), *Phenomena* (1985), and *Opera* (1987). Over the years, he has received numerous lifetime achievement awards, including the Pardo d'onore (Honorary Leopard) at the Locarno Film Festival and a Special David di Donatello in 2022, confirming his lasting influence on genre cinema.