Carl Theodor Dreyer – underappreciated Swedish master was a prime influence on future masters such as Bergman and Bresson. High Point: The Passion of Joan of Arc

Maya Deren – experimental film goddess brought an exotic grace to film. High Point: Meshes of the Afternoon

Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne – multiple Cannes winners create stark, realistic films shot similar to dogme style. High Point: Le Fils (The Son)

Sergei Eisenstein – the preeminent Soviet silent filmmaker and popularizer of the montage effect. High Point: Battleship Potemkin

Other Ds and Es to Watch: Claire Denis, Christopher Doyle, Vittorio DeSica, Germaine Dulac, Marcel Duchamp, Atom Egoyan, Victor Erice, Jean Eustache