Luc Besson

French filmmaker (born 1959)

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Momentum14.5
Directors rank#137
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Born 1959 · age 67France

France DirectorsMovie Director

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Wikipedia
71 languages
Cross-language footprint
Age
67
Born 1959
Known for
Dracula
2025

Summary

Updated 2026-08-31

He made a hitman and a twelve-year-old girl into one of cinema's strangest, most argued-over relationships, then wrapped sci-fi around opera singers and Milla Jovovich. French, unsubtle, and commercially huge in ways that make critics wince.

Biography

About

Luc Paul Maurice Besson was born 18 March 1959 and founded his first production company, Les Films du Loup, in 1980 near the start of his career. He directed Subway in 1985, The Big Blue in 1988, and La Femme Nikita in 1990, becoming associated with the Cinéma du look movement. Léon: The Professional arrived in 1994, earning him a César nomination for Best Director and Best Picture; The Fifth Element followed in 1997, winning him Best Director and Best French Director. He earned another César nomination for The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc in 1999, then co-founded EuropaCorp with Pierre…

Voice

In their own words

Sourced, dated quotes from Luc Besson

Luc Besson

said2014

Life was given to us a billion years ago. What have we done with it?

— Lucy (2014)

Luc Besson

said2014

Learning's always a painful process.

— Lucy (2014)

Luc Besson

said2014

I would rather stop too soon than too late." - Interview for The Guardian (2011)

— Lucy (2014)

Luc Besson

said2014

The most difficult part of filmmaking, is the need for directors to find a balance between being sensitive and being the leader." - Interview for The Hollywoodreporter (2017)

— Lucy (2014)

Luc Besson

said2014