The Elephant Man

Director David Lynch follows the story of a heavily disfigured man in Victorian London who after being discovered by a surgeon at a freak side-show has the chance to demonstrate to society that behind the monstrous facade there is a person of kindness, intelligence and sophistication. Lynch provides his own interpretation of a known stage drama based on real events asserting his brand of empathetic storytelling with a heartbreaking tale about human survival and a powerful commentary on human exploitation.
It was nominated for 8 Academy Awards and prompted the Academy to later create an award for makeup.