Even at the dawn of the history of cinema, European filmmakers have played an important role in its development. In fact, is often considered to be the birthplace of cinema because the Lumiere brothers invented their Cinematographe and were the first ones to show films publicly.
Naturally, as cinema developed, many notable figures in the industry were born and worked in Europe eventually making their respective countries famous for their movies. And even though there are many notable European directors working today, it's worth looking back on those who came before them.
Ingmar Bergman
Considered one of the greatest and most influential directors of all time, the Swedish director Ingmar Bergman is considered an important figure both in cinema and in literature as he wrote and directed both feature films (and documentaries) and theatrical plays.
His three most famous films - The Seventh Seal, Wild Strawberries, and Persona - are all frequently cited as the greatest films ever made. His other successful and acclaimed works include Cries and Whispers, Scenes from a Marriage, and Fanny and Alexander.
Krzysztof Kieslowski
The somewhat controversial director Roman Polanski was probably the most well-known Pole, but there is another notable director who came from Poland - Krzysztof Kieslowski. Known for his sometimes metaphysical and sometimes thoughtful elements, Kieslowski is often considered to be one of the most influential European directors who is famous both for his documentaries and for his features.
Among his most acclaimed work is the ten-part film series Dekalog inspired by the decalogue of the Ten Commandments, the drama The Double Life of Veronique which won several awards at the Cannes Film Festival, and the Three Colours trilogy of which the final film Three Colours: Red received three Academy Award nominations.
Wolfgang Petersen
Perhaps not the most well-known but still a very important German director, Wolfgang Petersen's career as a feature film director began way back in the 1970s - and he is still directing today on occasion.
By far his most acclaimed work, 1981's Das Boot received six Oscar nominations (including two for Petersen as director and screenwriter) and is still considered one of the greatest war films of all time. His other well-known movies include the fantasy film The NeverEnding Story, the sci-fi drama Enemy Mine, the political action thriller In the Line of Fire with Clint Eastwood, and the epic historical war movie Troy with Brad Pitt.
Andrzej Wajda
Another notable Polish director was Andrzej Wajda whose career spanned over six decades. His works mostly focused on Polish society and examined the political and social changes happening in the country.
Four of Wajda's movies (The Promised Land, The Maids of Wilko, Man of Iron, and Katyn) were nominated for the Best Foreign Film Academy Award. His other well-known works include the trilogy consisting of A Generation, Kanal, and Ashes and Diamonds all of which focused on war.
Robert Wiene
Arguably one of the most well-known filmmakers of the silent era, the German director Robert Wiene is famous for his expressionist works - though he did make movies in other genres and styles.
His most famous movie, 1920's The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is considered the masterpiece of German Expressionist cinema and is often considered to be the first true horror film. His other notable work, 1924's The Hands of Orlac was a combination of expressionistic and naturalistic elements which made it so memorable and led to multiple remakes.
Carl Theodor Dreyer
The Danish director Carl Theodor Dreyer also started out as a silent film director and then transitioned to talkies. His work is characterized by its slow pacing and richness of emotions that allows viewers to feel what the struggling characters are experiencing.
Undoubtedly his most well-known movie is 1928's The ion of Joan of Arc which is often considered to be one of the greatest films ever made. Dreyer's other notable works include Michael, Vampyr, Ordet, and Gertrud.
Fritz Lang
Known as the "Master of Darkness", the Austrian-German director Fritz Lang emigrated to the United States in the middle of his career like many others at the time fleeing from the Nazist regime.
But before Lang moved to America, he made his two most notable and influential films - Metropolis which is considered one of the first sci-fi features ever made, and M which is often cited as the precursor of the film noir genre.
Werner Herzog
Like his countryman Wolfgang Petersen, Werner Herzog is considered one of the most notable figures of the New German Cinema movement. His works often feature ambitious protagonists who are chasing nearly-impossible dreams.
Arguably his two most famous movies, Fitzcarraldo and Aguirre, the Wrath of God are now considered cult classics. Herzog's other well-known works include Heart of Glass and Nosferatu the Vampyre.
Milos Forman
Another filmmaker who migrated to America in the middle of his career, the Czech director Milos Forman was a well-known figure in the Czechoslovak New Wave movement. Throughout his career, Forman won multiple awards and achieved both critical and commercial success.
Perhaps his most famous work, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest with Jack Nicholson won the Academy Awards in all five major categories becoming the second movie to ever do so and is considered one of the greatest films ever made. Forman's other notable movie, Amadeus about none other than Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart won eight of eleven Oscars it was nominated for and is also frequently cited as one of the greatest films of all time.
Michael Curtiz
Recognized as one of the greatest directors in history, Michael Curtiz was a Hungarian who began his career in Europe before migrating to the United States. Both his silent films and the movies he directed during the Golden Age of Hollywood were very successful. In addition to that, Curtiz helped popularize the classic swashbuckler genre with such works as his iconic The Adventures of Robin Hood.
His most famous movie, 1942's Casablanca was a massive hit, won three Oscars (including Best Picture and Best Director) out of the eight it was nominated for, and is now considered one of the best movies ever made. Other works Curtiz is noted for include Angels with Dirty Faces, Mildred Pierce, and White Christmas.
