Often referred to as the father of cinematic surrealism, director Luis Bunuel was born February 22, 1900, in the Aragon region of Spain. While studying at the University of Madrid, he became friends with painter Salvador Dali, poet Federico Garcia Lorca and other Spanish artists.

Bunuel entered the film world with a bang in 1929 with the 17-minute Un Chien Andalou, a collaboration with Dali that shocked audiences with its image of a woman's sliced eyeball. Bunuel, a Jesuit-educated atheist, followed this with his first feature, L'Age D'Or, which many saw as a scathing attack on the Catholic Church.

In 1967, Bunuel began a partnership with producer Serge Silbermand and writer Jean-Claude Carrie that would result in his greatest films, including Belle de Jour (starring Catherine Deneuve), The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie and That Obscure Object of Desire. Bunuel died July 29, 1983.