Michel Hazanavicius

Internationally renowned French filmmaker Michel Hazanavicius began learning the ropes of being a director in the late '80s, working for the French TV channel Canal+. He directed a multitude of projects for television before making his first movie for the big screen: the 2006 espionage spoof OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies. He developed a tremendous working relationship with his stars, Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo, whom he would team with again for his 2011 international hit, the critical smash The Artist. A throwback to the early days of film, the movie transcended language barriers easily, as it was silent. The Artist racked up numerous awards, as did Hazanavicius for his role as a director -- including Academy Award wins for Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Picture.