Mike Leigh
Mike Leigh (born 1943) is a British director and screenwriter regarded as one of the most distinctive figures of postwar British cinema and theatre. Trained at RADA, he developed a now-famous method of building features from long, scripted improvisation with his actors, producing dramas characterized by sharp social observation, mordant humour, and a deep sympathy for ordinary lives. His acclaimed films include Bleak Moments, Life Is Sweet, Naked, Secrets & Lies (which won the Palme d'Or at Cannes), Topsy-Turvy, All or Nothing, Vera Drake, Happy-Go-Lucky, and Mr. Turner.