Josef Von Sternberg

Josef von Sternberg aka Jonas Sternberg (29 May 1894, Vienna, Austria – 22 December 1969, Los Angeles,California) was an Austrian-American film director. He is one of the earliest examples of auteur filmmakers, and performed many other duties on his films besides directing, including cinematographer, writer, and editor. Von Sternberg's style has had a vast influence on later directors, particularly during the film noir movement. His mastery ofmise-en-scene, lighting and soft lense is unrivaled, and his collaboration with sultry actress Marlene Dietrich is internationally celebrated.