19. Krzysztof Kieslowski
Had Kieslowski not retired at a relatively young age and died just a few years later, there's a very good possibility that he would still be making very good movies today and be considered one of the all-time great filmmakers. As it stands, he was still one of the most respected film directors in the world during his life and one of the few art-house directors to make a name for himself after Hollywood's blockbuster era began infiltrating world cinema. Kieslowski only has a few films to his name but it is a deceptively small and enormously influential list nevertheless. One is The Decalogue which is one of the most ambitious projects of modern times. A series of ten, one hour long segments focusing on the ten commandments, it is often considered one of the great recent works of European cinema. The other notable films of his are the 1991 Double Life of Veronique and his most famous work would be the Three Colors trilogy which were the last films he directed before retiring. Kieslowski was known for making very philosophical films with completely fleshed out characters and tightly bound narratives. His films were bold and intensely humanistic, tackling a variety of political, social, ethical, and philosophical problems. His work ethic as well as the humor, attitude, and artistic quality of his films, made him one of the most respected directors of his time. Although he retired in the 90's, Kieslowski had begun writing a new trilogy of films which he might have directed but his untimely death prevented him from completely committing to it. Regarded as one of the finest modern directors, Kieslowski's filmography might be short but his influence and reputation is almost unmatched.