**Josef von Sternberg (1894-1969)** was an influential Austro-American director, renowned for his distinctive visual style.

His career took off with *The Blue Angel* (1930), a German film which launched Marlene Dietrich's career. Dietrich became his muse and leading lady in six iconic Hollywood films, including *Morocco* (1930), *Shanghai Express* (1932), and *The Scarlet Empress* (1934).

His cinema is characterized by a sumptuous aesthetic, a masterful use of chiaroscuro, and exotic, decadent atmospheres. He often explored themes of power, desire, and degradation, presenting complex, enigmatic, and seductive heroines, usually portrayed by Dietrich. Sternberg is remembered as a pioneer in creating highly stylized and evocative cinematic worlds.