Search found 1 match: Yimou Zhang

It's happened a few times, but I'd say it's the combination of luck & the somewhat likely chance that the filmmaker's acclaimed work (which usually works as an introduction) is his best that create this possibility for me.

Naked / Mike Leigh
12 Angry Men / Sidney Lumet
Dogville / Lars von Trier (Breaking the Waves is very, very close)
Viridiana / Luis Buñuel
Last Year at Marinebad / Alain Resnais (needs a re-watch. Several other candidates within bounds.)
The Testament of Dr. Mabuse / Fritz Lang
The Story of Qiu Ju / Yimou Zhang
Pather Panchali / Satyajit Ray
Scarface / Brian de Palma

so out of 72 directors with 10 films or higher, there's 9 that apply to the first film favorite film path. Not much.