The Bridge on the River Kwai is a 1957 British-American epic war film directed by David Lean. It is based on the novel of the same name by Pierre Boulle and tells the story of British prisoners of war who are forced to build a bridge over the River Kwai in Thailand during World War II. The film stars Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins, William Holden, and Sessue Hayakawa. It won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor for Guinness.