Luc Besson is a French film director, writer, and producer known for making highly visual thriller and action films. Besson has been nominated for, and won, numerous awards and honors from the foreign press, and is often credited as inventing the so-called "Cinema du look" movement in French film.
Born in Paris, Besson spent his childhood traveling Europe with his parents and developing an enthusiasm for ocean diving, before an accident would push him toward the world of cinema. After taking odd jobs in the Parisian film scene of the time, Besson began writing stories that would eventually evolve into some of his greatest film successes: The Fifth Element and Le Grand Bleu.
In 1980 he founded his own production company, Les Films du Loup later Les Films du Dauphin, and later still EuropaCorp film company with his longtime collaborator, Pierre-Ange Le Poga. Besson's work stretches over twenty-six years and encompasses at least fifty-films.
Known For
Anna
(2019)
Director
The Fifth Element
(1997)
Director
Dogman
(2023)
Director
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
(2017)
Director
Lucy
(2014)
Director
Léon: The Professional
(1994)
Director
La Femme Nikita
(1990)
Director
The Family
(2013)
Director
Arthur and the Invisibles
(2006)
Director
The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc
(1999)
Director
The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec
(2010)
Director
The Big Blue
(1988)
Director
Arthur and the Revenge of Maltazard
(2009)
Director
Arthur 3: The War of the Two Worlds
(2010)
Director
Angel-A
(2005)
Director
The Lady
(2011)
Director
Full Filmography
Directing
L'Avant Dernier
(1981)
Director
The Last Battle
(1983)
Director
Subway
(1985)
Director
The Big Blue
(1988)
Director
La Femme Nikita
(1990)
Director
Atlantis
(1991)
Director
Léon: The Professional
(1994)
Director
The Fifth Element
(1997)
Director
The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc
(1999)
Director
Mylene Farmer: Music Videos II & III
(2001)
Director
Angel-A
(2005)
Director
Le court des grands
(2005)
Director
Arthur and the Invisibles
(2006)
Director
Arthur and the Revenge of Maltazard
(2009)
Director
Arthur, the 4D Adventure
(2009)
Director
The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec
(2010)
Director
Arthur 3: The War of the Two Worlds
(2010)
Director
The Lady
(2011)
Director
The Family
(2013)
Director
Lucy
(2014)
Director
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
(2017)
Director
Anna
(2019)
Director
Dogman
(2023)
Director
June and John
(2024)
Director
Acting
Subway
(1985)
The Subway Driver (uncredited)
The Big Blue
(1988)
Blond Diver (uncredited)
Taxi 2
(2000)
Boat Owner (uncredited)
Belmondo, itinéraire...
(2011)
Self
Valérian, histoire d'une création
(2017)
Self
The Family
(2023)
Self
Production
L'Avant Dernier
(1981)
Producer
Les Bidasses aux grandes manœuvres
(1981)
Casting
The Last Battle
(1983)
Producer
Subway
(1985)
Producer
Kamikaze
(1986)
Producer
The Big Blue
(1988)
Co-Producer
Jeu de vilains
(1988)
Producer
La Femme Nikita
(1990)
Co-Producer
Cold Moon
(1991)
Producer
Arrête ton cinéma
(1992)
Producer
The Lion Child
(1993)
Executive Producer
Nil by Mouth
(1997)
Producer
Taxi
(1998)
Producer
The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc
(1999)
Producer
Taxi 2
(2000)
Producer
The Dancer
(2000)
Producer
Wasabi
(2001)
Producer
Kiss of the Dragon
(2001)
Producer
The Transporter
(2002)
Producer
Blanche
(2002)
Producer
Taxi 3
(2003)
Producer
Ong-Bak
(2003)
Executive Producer
Fan-Fan the Tulip
(2003)
Producer
The Chops
(2003)
Producer
District B13
(2004)
Producer
The Story Of My Life
(2004)
Producer
Taxi
(2004)
Producer
Crimson Rivers II: Angels of the Apocalypse
(2004)
Producer
Unleashed
(2005)
Producer
Angel-A
(2005)
Producer
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
(2005)
Producer
Transporter 2
(2005)
Producer
Au suivant !
(2005)
Co-Producer
Black Box
(2005)
Executive Producer
Bandidas
(2006)
Producer
Love and Other Disasters
(2006)
Executive Producer
Arthur and the Invisibles
(2006)
Producer
Bunker Paradise
(2006)
Producer
Taxi 4
(2007)
Producer
The Secret
(2007)
Producer
Michou d'Auber
(2007)
Executive Producer
Taken
(2008)
Producer
Transporter 3
(2008)
Producer
Arthur and the Revenge of Maltazard
(2009)
Producer
District 13: Ultimatum
(2009)
Producer
Home
(2009)
Producer
Hallelujah!
(2009)
Producer
Staten Island
(2009)
Producer
Arthur, the 4D Adventure
(2009)
Producer
The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec
(2010)
Producer
Arthur 3: The War of the Two Worlds
(2010)
Producer
I Love You Phillip Morris
(2010)
Executive Producer
22 Bullets
(2010)
Co-Producer
Colombiana
(2011)
Producer
The Source
(2011)
Producer
The Lady
(2011)
Producer
A Monster in Paris
(2011)
Co-Producer
Halal State Security
(2011)
Producer
Lockout
(2012)
Executive Producer
Taken 2
(2012)
Producer
Blind Man
(2012)
Producer
The Family
(2013)
Producer
Collision
(2013)
Producer
Brick Mansions
(2014)
Producer
3 Days to Kill
(2014)
Producer
Taken 3
(2014)
Producer
The Homesman
(2014)
Producer
The Transporter Refueled
(2015)
Producer
Nine Lives
(2016)
Producer
Renegades
(2017)
Producer
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
(2017)
Producer
Taxi 5
(2018)
Production Director and Producer
Kursk
(2018)
Executive Producer
Eva
(2018)
Co-Producer
Anna
(2019)
Producer
Engagement
(2019)
Executive Producer
Arthur: Malediction
(2022)
Producer
The Weekend Escape
(2024)
Producer
June and John
(2024)
Producer
Writing
L'Avant Dernier
(1981)
Writer
The Last Battle
(1983)
Writer
Subway
(1985)
Dialogue, Scenario Writer, and Screenplay
Kamikaze
(1986)
Writer
The Big Blue
(1988)
Story and Screenplay
La Femme Nikita
(1990)
Writer
Point of No Return
(1993)
Original Story
Léon: The Professional
(1994)
Screenplay
The Fifth Element
(1997)
Screenplay and Story
Taxi
(1998)
Screenplay
The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc
(1999)
Screenplay
Taxi 2
(2000)
Screenplay
The Dancer
(2000)
Screenplay
Wasabi
(2001)
Screenplay
Kiss of the Dragon
(2001)
Screenplay
Yamakasi
(2001)
Screenplay and Idea
The Transporter
(2002)
Screenplay
Taxi 3
(2003)
Screenplay
Michel Vaillant
(2003)
Author
Fan-Fan the Tulip
(2003)
Writer
District B13
(2004)
Screenplay
Crimson Rivers II: Angels of the Apocalypse
(2004)
Writer
Taxi
(2004)
Original Film Writer
Unleashed
(2005)
Author
Revolver
(2005)
Adaptation
Angel-A
(2005)
Screenplay
Transporter 2
(2005)
Characters and Writer
Bandidas
(2006)
Writer
Arthur and the Invisibles
(2006)
Writer and Novel
Taxi 4
(2007)
Screenplay
Taken
(2008)
Screenplay
Transporter 3
(2008)
Characters and Screenplay
Arthur and the Revenge of Maltazard
(2009)
Writer and Characters
District 13: Ultimatum
(2009)
Screenplay
Arthur, the 4D Adventure
(2009)
Original Film Writer and Writer
The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec
(2010)
Screenplay
Arthur 3: The War of the Two Worlds
(2010)
Writer
From Paris with Love
(2010)
Story
Colombiana
(2011)
Screenplay
Lockout
(2012)
Writer
Blind Man
(2012)
Original Story
Taken 2
(2012)
Screenplay and Writer
The Family
(2013)
Screenplay
A Prince (almost) Charming
(2013)
Writer
Lucy
(2014)
Writer
Brick Mansions
(2014)
Screenplay
3 Days to Kill
(2014)
Screenplay and Story
Taken 3
(2014)
Characters and Screenplay
The Transporter Refueled
(2015)
Characters and Screenplay
The Warriors Gate
(2016)
Writer
Renegades
(2017)
Writer
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
(2017)
Writer
Taxi 5
(2018)
Scenario Writer
Anna
(2019)
Writer
Arthur: Malediction
(2022)
Writer
Dogman
(2023)
Writer
June and John
(2024)
Writer
Editing
Crew