Emir Kusturica

Known for: Underground (1995), Time of the Gypsies (1988)

Emir Kusturica directed When Father Was Away on Business (1985) and Underground (1995), each winning the Palme d'Or at Cannes — making him one of only five directors to win twice — with a surrealistic, anarchic style rooted in Balkan folklore, music, and the traumas of Yugoslav history. His films are characterized by large ensemble casts, live musical performance on set, and a formal exuberance at odds with European art cinema conventions. He has also worked as a musician.