Sir David Lean CBE (25 March 1908 – 16 April 1991) was an English film director, producer, screenwriter and editor. Widely considered one of the most important figures in British cinema, he is best remembered for adapting the works of Charles Dickens and Noël Coward, and for his large scale period epics such as The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Doctor Zhivago (1965), Ryan's Daughter (1970), and A Passage to India (1984).

Acclaimed and praised by directors such as Steven Spielberg and Stanley Kubrick, Lean was voted 9th greatest film director of all time in the British Film Institute Sight & Sound "Directors Top Directors" poll 2002. Nominated seven times for the Academy Award for Best Director, winning twice for The Bridge on the River Kwai and Lawrence of Arabia, he has seven films in the British Film Institute's Top 100 British Films (with three of them being in the top five).

Sir David Lean, KBE (* 25. März 1908 in Croydon; † 16. April 1991 in London) war ein britischer Filmregisseur. Berühmt wurde Lean vor allem durch seine Filme Begegnung (1945), Die Brücke am Kwai (1957), Lawrence von Arabien (1962) und Doktor Schiwago (1965).

Viele jüngere Regisseure wie zum Beispiel Steven Spielberg erklärten Lean als großen Meister des epischen Kinos zu ihrem Vorbild.

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David Lean (Croydon, Surrey, 25 de março de 1908 — Londres, 16 de abril de 1991) foi um premiado cineasta britânico. Considerado um dos maiores e mais influentes diretores da história do cinema, é mais lembrado por épicos como A Ponte do Rio Kwai (1957), Lawrence da Arábia (1962), Doutor Jivago (1965) e Passagem para a Índia (1984). Seus filmes venceram um total de 28 Oscars, com Lean sendo indicado a 7 Oscars de melhor diretor, vencendo por 2 vezes. Grande influência para diretores como Steven Spielberg, Ridley Scott e Stanley Kubrick, David Lean foi eleito o nono maior diretor de cinema de todos os tempos.