Olivier Megaton

Olivier Megaton, originally born as Olivier Fontana (6 August 1965), is a renowned French director, writer, and editor. Born in Paris exactly 20 years after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, his gravitation towards the name 'Megaton' was deeply influenced by this significant historical event. Megaton spent his formative years in a Parisian banlieue; during these early years, he acquired a diploma in psychology and demonstrated skills and interest in graphic design and graffiti art. This culminated in a transition to the film industry after meeting music video director Jean-Baptiste Mondino.

Megaton's introduction to the film industry started with short films and video clips, eventually paving the way to directing full-length feature films. His works includes directing films such as 'The Red Siren', 'Transporter 3', 'Colombiana', 'Taken 2', and 'Taken 3'. A milestone in his career was when he was chosen to direct 'Mathilda', the sequel to 'Léon', though he expressed his skepticism about the film's realization. He is known for his disorienting camerawork and editing techniques that have become his signature in film directing. Megaton is also a published author; his novel, 'Le Facteur humain' ('The Human Factor') was released in 1998. Most recently, he has ventured into documentary film production with 'Monsters Inside: The 24 Faces of Billy Milligan' on Netflix.