I always hate having to pick out a "greatest director of all time", simply because...well, there are so many..

I'd agree with Kiastorami or Ho Hsiau-Hsen...Von Trier as a person can get on my nerves, but his films (with the exception of "Zentropa") usually blow me away...I'd also like to throw Emir Kusturica on this list, along with David Cronenberg, Takeshi Kitano, Seijun Suzuki (is he still alive?), Tian Zhuangzhuang, Dario Argento, Lindsay Anderson, Ronny Yu, and Wong Kar-Wei.

I'd also throw Wes Anderson on any best living directors list...I know, he's an American, but hey...he did "Bottle Rocket" and "Rushmore"....what more can I say....