Luc Besson (Paris, 1959) is an influential French director, screenwriter, and producer. Known for his distinctive visual style and the use of dynamic narrative rhythms, Besson has often explored themes of solitude, redemption, and the role of strong, unconventional female protagonists.

His career took off with films such as *Subway* (1985) and the epic *The Big Blue* (1988). He achieved international fame with *Nikita* (1990), an action thriller featuring a female assassin protagonist. This template was then refined in *Léon* (1994), which launched Natalie Portman. He then shifted towards sci-fi blockbusters with *The Fifth Element* (1997), a visionary and colorful work. Among his more recent works is *Lucy* (2014), which revisits the theme of the empowered woman.

His cinema, often high-budget, combines breathtaking action with a sophisticated aesthetic, making him one of the most recognizable "auteurs of spectacle" in French cinema.