**Richard Lester** (1932), an American director whose career primarily unfolded in British cinema, is renowned for directing *A Hard Day's Night* (1964) and *Help!* (1965), films that redefined musical narrative and launched the "Swinging London" aesthetic with The Beatles.

His distinctive style is characterized by rapid and fragmented editing (influencing the aesthetic of the music video), surreal, slapstick, and anarchic humor, and non-linear storytelling. Among his most significant works include *The Knack...and How to Get It* (1965), which won the Palme d'Or at Cannes, and the successful *The Three Musketeers* (1973) and *Milady* (1974), where he applied his dynamic touch to the historical genre. Lester is remembered as an innovator who captured the spirit of an era, leaving a lasting imprint on modern cinematic language.