Akira Kurosawa was a Japanese film director, screenwriter, and producer who is widely regarded as one of the most influential filmmakers in the history of cinema. He directed 30 films in a career spanning 57 years, and his works have inspired many directors, including Martin Scorsese, George Lucas, and Quentin Tarantino. His best-known films include Rashomon, Seven Samurai, and Ran, which is the film for which he is most famous.