**David Wark Griffith (1875-1948)** was a pioneer and a central figure in the history of American cinema. Considered the "father of modern cinema," he revolutionized cinematic language by introducing techniques such as cross-cutting, the close-up, the flashback, and complex camera movements.

His most celebrated films include **_The Birth of a Nation_** (1915), a monumental and technically revolutionary work, though controversial for its racist content. He followed this with **_Intolerance_** (1916), an even more ambitious epic that explored the theme of intolerance through four interconnected stories.

His style was characterized by dramatic and complex storytelling, an emphasis on character development, and the innovative use of light. Griffith transformed cinema from mere entertainment into an art form with vast expressive potential, influencing generations of filmmakers.