Biography

Dialogue scenes shot in a single take or a series of long takes

Frequently casts Michael Fassbender, utilizes Sean Bobbitt as his director of photography and Joe Walker as his editor.

Shoots his films mostly with one camera.

Unflinchingly brutal style and approach to difficult subject matter

Often casts non-American actors as American characters

Did not direct a feature length film until he was 38 years old.

During exceptionally difficult scenes to watch, he says he uses a background distraction. For example, in 12 Years a Slave (2013), there are children innocently playing in the field behind Solomon Northup who is clinging for life as he is hung up.

His favorite films are The Battle of Algiers (1966), Beau Travail (1999), Couch (1966), Do the Right Thing (1989), Contempt (1963), Once Upon a Time in America (1984), The Rules of the Game (1939), Tokyo Story (1953), The Wages of Fear (1953) and Zero de Conduite (1933).

One of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World.

Has directed three actors to Oscar-nominated performances: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender and Lupita Nyong'o. The latter won Best Supporting Actress for 12 Years a Slave (2013).

I'm essentially quite happy, but, for some reason, I have done a lot of stuff that is dark. I don't know why that is and I don't question it. I don't really think you have a choice where you go as an artist.

Access to sexual content is everywhere and that access has an influence on us every day, whether we're aware of it or not. Sex is being sold to you with your soda, even with your breakfast cereal.

[on working in Hollywood] I've seen behind the curtain. It's a bit Wizard of Oz-like. I admit I was excited about Cannes when Hunger (2008) launched there and then that was a success and I went to Hollywood for the first time and, my God, I was thrilled, you know, seeing the big letters: HOLLYWOOD. But after a few dinners with people and drinks parties, you realize it's all about rolling up your sleeves. I got on the Paramount lot for the first time and, yes, I saw gladiators walking by and elephants and then you see the scaffolding and the trucks and it is all just work... It's not what I make films for. So I wish I was still a punter, going to the cinema on a weekend. Dreams are nice, but now I'm a bit back down to earth with the whole world of film and dreams fade. I don't want to be down on it but, if I'm honest, it's very disappointing. Like when you realize there's no Father Christmas... It's all just false, isn't it? I recently met some people who I looked up to and admired and I found out they were just normal - there are no gods out there.

[on how similar the world of art is to film] Film is way different. When you're twenty feet tall on a massive screen and you're seeing people's lives played out on it, it's different from a nice painting. Film is important; it can be more than reportage or a novel - it creates images people have never seen before, never imagined they would see, maybe because they needed someone else to imagine them.

I could never make American movies - they like happy endings. I made Shame (2011) in America, but it's not a Hollywood movie. I'm about challenging people. Like, properly challenging them and their assumptions. Audiences make their minds up about people they see on screen, just like they do in real life. That's what fascinates me in film. You see a character and have to think: is this person different to what I assumed he was when I first saw him?

... I'm certainly not who people think I am. I always do whatever I want to do and my films are personal to me. Hunger (2008) was about my youth, the loss of innocence when I realized what my country was doing, what was going on. Brandon in 'Shame' is my response to being lost - I've not been there in the sense of sexual addiction, but I've been lost.