Seeking universal cinema and directors' filmographies beyond blockbusters

[Sophia_A]

I'm trying to expand my cinematic horizons beyond contemporary blockbusters and have started working through various "best of all time" lists, but they often feel dominated by a specific era or style, like 70s American cinema or classic Hollywood. I recently watched and was profoundly moved by "Seven Samurai," which made me realize how much I've missed. For true film buffs, what are the essential movies that transcend their genre or national cinema to achieve universal artistic greatness, and which directors' complete filmographies are most rewarding to explore in depth?