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The Directors
2018 - 2023 0.0 (1 votes) 8 Seasons
Official Website
Genres
Documentary
Networks
Sky Arts

The Directors

Overview

This series looks at the 20th century’s iconic film directors; the real innovators whose breakthrough direction made film into the movies. Their early lives, often escaping war or poverty found expression in theatre, then film, forming the fundamental art that is cinema. Each episode brought to life by Derek Malcolm, Neil Norman, Stephen Armstrong, Dr. Bonnie Greer OBE and Ian Nathan along with classic moments from each film career.

Seasons

Season 1 (2018)

No overview available.

10 episodes

Episodes
Episode 1: Alfred Hitchcock
2018-07-05

A profile of Alfred Hitchcock, the Leytonstone-born director who became known as 'the Master of Suspense' with films such as Rear Window, Vertigo and Psycho.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 2: Billy Wilder
2018-07-12

A look at the life and career of director Billy Wilder, who dominated Hollywood's Golden Age with films such as Double Indemnity, Some Like It Hot and Sunset Boulevard.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 3: William Wyler
2018-07-19

A look at the life and work of William Wyler, the Oscar-winning film director known for such films as Ben Hur and The Best Years of Our Lives.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 4: Sam Peckinpah
2018-07-26

A portrait of Sam Peckinpah, the controversial, Academy Award-nominated screenwriter and director known for films like The Wild Bunch, Straw Dogs and The Getaway.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 5: Howard Hawks
2018-08-02

A look at the life and career of Howard Hawks, the Academy Award-winning director of Only Angels Have Wings, Scarface, Bringing Up Baby and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 6: Fritz Lang
2018-08-09

An intimate portrait of Austrian-born filmmaker Fritz Lang, one of the most accomplished and enduring directors of the 20th century.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 7: Cecil B DeMille
2018-08-16

A look at the films of Cecil B DeMille, the director who became a giant of the 20th-century film industry, known for epics such as The Ten Commandments.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 8: George Cukor
2018-08-23

A fascinating look at the work of George Cukor, who was a dialogue director in the early days of films with sound, and received an Academy Award in 1964 for My Fair Lady.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 9: Akira Kurosawa
2018-08-30

A look at the life and career of Akira Kurosawa, the Japanese filmmaker who won international acclaim with films such as Rashomon, Ikiru and Ran.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 10: Frank Capra
2018-09-06

An intimate portrait of Frank Capra, the celebrated Italian-American director known for films such as It's a Wonderful Life and Mr Smith Goes to Washington.

Runtime: 45 min
Season 2 (2019)

No overview available.

10 episodes

Episodes
Episode 1: Stanley Kubrick
2019-01-17

A look at the life and work of Stanley Kubrick, the legendary director whose films include A Clockwork Orange, 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Shining and Full Metal Jacket.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 2: David Lean
2019-01-24

Movie experts explore the life and word of British director David Lean

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 3: Michael Curtiz
2019-01-31

A look at the life and work of Michael Curtiz, one of Hollywood's most prolific directors whose films include Angels With Dirty Faces, Casablanca and Mildred Pierce.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 4: John Ford
2019-02-07

A biographical portrait of John Ford, the Oscar-winning director known for the John Wayne westerns Stagecoach, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon and The Searchers.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 5: John Huston
2019-02-14

The spotlight falls on golden age great John Huston, whose films include The Maltese Falcon and Oscar-winning classics The Treasure of Sierra Madre and The African Queen.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 6: Sergei Eisenstein
2019-02-21

A closer look at legendary Soviet film pioneer a montage master and true world cinema great whose hugely influential works include Battleship Potemkin.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 7: Federico Fellini
2019-02-28

A look at the Italian film maestro and four-time Academy Award-winner whose pioneering movies films include La Strada, La Dolce Vita and 8 1/2.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 8: Elia Kazan
2019-03-07

A look at A Streetcar Named Desire and On the Waterfront filmmaker the Hollywood genius credited for discovering Marlon Brando, James Dean and Warren Beatty.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 9: Fred Zinnemann
2019-03-14

Documentary exploring four-time Academy Award-winning director Fred Zinnemann, whose movie masterpieces include Oklahoma!, High Noon, Julia and The Day of the Jackal.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 10: Vincente Minnelli
2019-03-21

A look at the life of Vincente Minnelli, the Academy Award-winning director of movie musicals Gigi and An American in Paris, and the father of Liza Minnelli.

Runtime: 45 min
Season 3 (2019)

No overview available.

10 episodes

Episodes
Episode 1: John Sturges
2019-07-11

A fascinating look at the life and career of Oscar-nominated director John Sturges, the mind behind classic films such as The Great Escape and The Magnificent Seven.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 2: Sidney Lumet
2019-07-18

An intriguing look into the life and career of Academy Award-winning film director Sidney Lumet.

Runtime: 41 min
Episode 3: Don Siegel
2019-07-25

An in-depth look at the life and career of American film director Don Siegel, known for the sci-fi film Invasion of the Body Snatchers and his work with Clint Eastwood.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 4: Stanley Donen
2019-08-01

A look at the life and career of master of the musical Stanley Donen, who directed Hollywood greats like Singin' in the Rain, Royal Wedding and On the Town.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 5: George Stevens
2019-08-08

A look at the life and career of three-time Academy Award-winning film director George Stevens. His best known films include A Place in the Sun and The Diary of Anne Frank.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 6: John Frankenheimer
2019-08-15

A look at the life and career of the award-winning director behind movies such as The Manchurian Candidate, Birdman of Alcatraz, The Train and Ronin.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 7: Robert Wise
2019-08-22

A look at the life and career of the Academy Award-winning director behind The Sound of Music, West Side Story and Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 8: Alan J Pakula
2019-08-29

A look into the life and career of the American film director behind All the President's Men and Sophie's Choice, and the producer of To Kill a Mockingbird.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 9: Carol Reed
2019-09-05

A closer look at the life and career of the Academy Award-winning British director behind acclaimed films Odd Man Out, Oliver! and The Fallen Idol.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 10: Sergio Leone
2019-09-12

Explore the life of the highly influential director credited as the inventor of the Italian Western genre. His films include Once Upon a Time In America.

Runtime: 45 min
Season 4 (2020)

No overview available.

10 episodes

Episodes
Episode 1: Sydney Pollack
2020-01-30

An in-depth look at the life and career of the Academy Award-winning director, whose hit films include Out of Africa and They Shoot Horses, Don't They?

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 2: Otto Preminger
2020-02-06

A look at the life and career of the director, known for his boundary-pushing films such as The Man with the Golden Arm and the Academy Award-nominated Anatomy of a Murder.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 3: Joseph Mankiewicz
2020-02-13

An exploration of the multiple Academy Award-winning director whose films include All About Eve, A Letter to Three Wives and The Philadelphia Story.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 4: Robert Altman
2020-02-20

A look at the life and career of the Academy Award-nominated filmmaker whose films include Gosford Park, Nashville, MASH and McCabe & Mrs Miller.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 5: Ernst Lubitsch
2020-02-27

Explore the life and career of the Academy Award-winning director whose works include Trouble in Paradise, Heaven Can Wait and To Be or Not to Be.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 6: Peter Weir
2020-03-05

An in-depth look at the life and career of the Oscar-nominated director behind films such as The Truman Show, Witness, Dead Poets Society and Green Card.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 7: John Schlesinger
2020-03-12

A look at the life and career of the Academy Award-winning Midnight Cowboy director.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 8: Brian De Palma
2020-03-19

A look at the life and 50-year-long career of the Oscar-nominated director, whose notable films include Scarface, Mission: Impossible and Dressed to Kill.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 9: Victor Fleming
2020-03-26

Explore the life of the Academy Award-winning filmmaker whose most popular films include Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 10: Anthony Mann
2020-04-02

A glimpse into the life of the director known for his work on many films such as Winchester '73, The Glenn Miller Story and El Cid.

Runtime: 45 min
Season 5 (2020)

No overview available.

10 episodes

Episodes
Episode 1: Francis Ford Coppola
2020-07-02

A look at the life and career of the Academy Award-winning director, whose films include The Godfather franchise and Apocalypse Now.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 2: Ridley Scott
2020-07-09

A look at the life and career of the Academy Award-winning director, whose films include Alien, Blade Runner, Thelma & Louise, Gladiator and Hannibal.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 3: Martin Scorsese
2020-07-16

A look at the life of the legendary filmmaker, whose films include the Academy Award-winning The Departed, The Wolf of Wall Street and Gangs of New York.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 4: Oliver Stone
2020-07-23

A look at the Academy Award-winning filmmaker's life, career and portfolio of films which includes Scarface, Midnight Express, Platoon and Natural Born Killers.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 5: Nicolas Roeg
2020-07-30

A look at the life of the celebrated filmmaker of hits Walkabout, Don't Look Now and Bad Timing. His unique style made him a highly influential filmmaker.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 6: David Lynch
2020-08-06

A look at the life of the Academy Award-winning director of films including Mulholland Drive, Blue Velvet and The Elephant Man.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 7: Preston Sturges
2020-08-13

A look at the life of the inspirational filmmaker, who won the first-ever Academy Award for Writing Original Screenplay for his comedy film The Great McGinty.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 8: Mervyn LeRoy
2020-08-20

A look at the life and career of the Hollywood filmmaker, famous for directing films such as the Academy Award-nominated Blossoms in the Dust and Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 9: James L Brooks
2020-08-27

A look at the life of the Academy Award-winning director whose work includes Terms of Endearment and multi Emmy Award-winning sitcom The Simpsons.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 10: Robert Aldrich
2020-09-03

A glimpse into the life and career of the filmmaker whose portfolio of work includes Vera Cruz, The Big Knife, The Dirty Dozen and The Longest Yard.

Runtime: 45 min
Season 6 (2021)

No overview available.

10 episodes

Episodes
Episode 1: Spike Lee
2021-01-07

The story of Academy Award-winning director Spike Lee, who wowed audiences with gripping films like Malcolm X, Inside Man and BlacKkKlansman.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 2: Mike Nichols
2021-01-14

A look at the life and career of the Academy Award-winning director, whose work includes Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf and The Graduate.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 3: Ron Howard
2021-01-21

A deep dive into the life and career of the Academy Award-winning director, whose work includes A Beautiful Mind, Frost/Nixon and Apollo 13.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 4: William Friedkin
2021-01-28

The life and career of the Academy Award-winning director, known for his 1973 horror film The Exorcist and his action-thriller The French Connection.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 5: Kathryn Bigelow
2021-02-04

A look at the life and career of the director of Zero Dark Thirty and The Hurt Locker, the latter of which she won the Oscar for Best Director.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 6: Quentin Tarantino
2021-02-11

A look at the life of one of Hollywood's most successful directors, whose long list of hit films include Pulp Fiction and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 7: J Lee Thompson
2021-02-18

The life story of the British film director, known both in the UK and across the pond for films such as Ice Cold in Alex and Cape Fear.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 8: Rob Reiner
2021-02-25

A look at the life and career of the acclaimed Hollywood director, whose films include Stand by Me, When Harry Met Sally... and the Oscar-nominated A Few Good Men.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 9: Stephen Frears
2021-03-04

A look at the career of the Academy Award-nominated director, known for his gripping depictions of life stories and characters - such as his acclaimed film The Queen.

Runtime: 45 min
Episode 10: John Carpenter
2021-03-11

The last episode of the series takes a deep dive into the life and career of John Carpenter, known for his cult classics such as Dark Star, The Thing and Halloween.

Runtime: 45 min
Season 7 (2022)

No overview available.

10 episodes

Episodes
Episode 1: Steven Spielberg
2022-02-17

A look into the life and career of the Hollywood director, whose portfolio is filled to the brim with classics like Jaws and Indiana Jones.

Runtime: N/A min
Episode 2: Coen Brothers
2022-02-24

A look at the life and careers of the superstar directing duo, known for films such as True Grit and the Oscar-winning Fargo.

Runtime: N/A min
Episode 3: Wes Anderson
2022-03-03

An insight into the life and career of an Oscar nominated director, responsible for works such as The Grand Budapest Hotel and Fantastic Mr Fox.

Runtime: N/A min
Episode 4: John Singleton
2022-03-10

A look at the life and career of the late John Singleton, whose name came to prominence with the crime drama Boyz n the Hood.

Runtime: N/A min
Episode 5: Jonathan Demme
2022-03-17

The man responsible for the crime thriller The Silence of the Lambs, take a look at the life and career of Jonathan Demme.

Runtime: N/A min
Episode 6: Christopher Nolan
2022-03-24

An iconic director with an iconic portfolio of blockbuster films, explore the life and career of a silver screen genius Christopher Nolan.

Runtime: N/A min
Episode 7: Nora Ephron
2022-03-31

A look at the life and career of the late Nora Ephron, a celebrated director who made a bang on debut with This Is My Life in 1992.

Runtime: 60 min
Episode 8: Antoine Fuqua
2022-04-07

Take a look at the life and career of Antoine Fuqua, a highly successful director with films like Training Day and The Equalizer in his portfolio

Runtime: 60 min
Episode 9: Barry Levinson
2022-04-14

The life and career of Barry Levinson, an Academy Award-winning director, is one of success. Take a look back at his contributions towards the film industry.

Runtime: 60 min
Episode 10: Alexander Payne
2022-04-21

Explore the life and career of the Academy Award-winning American film director Alexander Payne, a man who possesses his own unique filmmaking style.

Runtime: 60 min
Season 8 (2023)

No overview available.

10 episodes

Episodes
Episode 1: James Cameron
2023-01-05

A look at the life and career of a highly-innovative filmmaker known for Titanic, Avatar and The Terminator.

Runtime: 60 min
Episode 2: Stephen Soderbergh
2023-01-12

A look at the life and career of an Oscar-winning director renowned for his experimental approach and hits such as Erin Brockovich and Ocean's Eleven.

Runtime: 60 min
Episode 3: Milos Forman
2023-01-19

A look at the life and career of Czechoslovakia's most famous and acclaimed filmmaker, known for 1975's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

Runtime: 60 min
Episode 4: Richard Linklater
2023-01-26

A look at the life and career of a pioneer in the independent filmmaking scene of the 1990s, known for Before Sunrise and School of Rock.

Runtime: 60 min
Episode 5: Orson Welles
2023-02-02

A look at the life and career of an Academy Award-winning actor and director known for Citizen Kane and more.

Runtime: 60 min
Episode 6: Philip Noyce
2023-02-09

A look at the life and career of a celebrated Australian filmmaker, known for The Quiet American, Rabbit-Proof Fence and Dead Calm.

Runtime: 60 min
Episode 7: David Fincher
2023-02-16

A look at the life and career of American director David Fincher, renowned for his psychological thrillers such as Fight Club, Seven and Panic Room.

Runtime: 60 min
Episode 8: Nancy Meyers
2023-02-23

A look at the life and career of American filmmaker Nancy Meyers, known for The Parent Trap, The Holiday and Something's Gotta Give.

Runtime: 60 min
Episode 9: Clint Eastwood
2023-03-02

A look at the life and career of the legendary actor-turned-director Clint Eastwood, known for Unforgiven, Million Dollar Baby and American Sniper.

Runtime: 60 min
Episode 10: Ang Lee
2023-03-09

A look at the life and career of the celebrated Taiwanese filmmaker Ang Lee, known for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Brokeback Mountain and Life of Pi.

Runtime: 60 min

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