Alan Jay Pakula (April 7, 1928 – November 19, 1998) was a remarkable American film director, screenwriter, and producer, who played a significant role within the New Hollywood movement. Among his best-known works is his critically-acclaimed triptych often referred to as the 'paranoia trilogy': the neo-noir mystery Klute (1971), the conspiracy thriller The Parallax View (1974), and the Watergate scandal drama All the President's Men (1976). He was also recognized for other notable films including Comes a Horseman (1978), Starting Over (1979), Sophie's Choice (1982), Presumed Innocent (1990), and The Pelican Brief (1993). Pakula consistently pursued psychological and political themes throughout his career, placing emphasis on exploring the psychology and motivations of his characters.

Born in The Bronx, New York, Pakula began his Hollywood journey as an assistant in the cartoon department at Warner Bros. In his first production role for Paramount Pictures in 1957, he produced To Kill a Mockingbird, which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. His directorial debut came with The Sterile Cuckoo in 1969, starring Liza Minnelli. The 1970s saw the release of his paranoid trilogy which became a commercial success. He tasted success again in the 1980s with Sophie's Choice, which resulted in an Academy Award nomination for his screenplay. His last film was the thriller The Devil's Own.