Akira Kurosawa
Rashomon, was first shown in Tokyo in August 1950.  On September 10, 1951 it was the surprise winner of the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival.  It then was shown in Europe and North America. Because the movie was so well liked, it made people in the western world want to see more Japanese movies.  This helped make other Japanese movie makers become successful. In the 1950s and early 1960s, Kurosawa directed about one movie each year.