He often lied, argued with producers and journalists, provoked those with whom he worked, and loved to argue. He played several dozen roles and made twelve films. He was interested in feelings - not power, not art, not money or even people, but what unites and separates people, what makes them human. He created American independent cinema. He was the American independent cinema. The first issue of the new series of the Session publishing house, dedicated to the classics of world cinema, talks about one of the most prominent authors of American cinema of the 20th century. The book presents articles by Russian film critics about the cross-cutting motifs and poetics of the films of John Cassavetes (1929–1989), a brief description of his life; and also traces the influence he had on world cinema and theater. The publication is supplemented by a selection of quotes from the director’s interview.