The paper gives an overview of the work, career and poetics of Luis Bunuel, the most important surrealist in the world (active in the cinema of several countries – France, Mexico and Spain). The paper explains the roots of Bunuel’s poetics that derive from the filmmaker’s life experience and different art forms (Goya, Cervantes), his cinema role models (Lang, Eisenstein), his status among other filmmakers, social environment, provocation methods, stylistic techniques, his favorite themes and worldviews (for example, sexuality and constant criticism of Christianity in his films), the context of surrealist art and relationship with film industry. Although very often demonstrating a lack of interest for the rules of the dominant cinema, the traditional film making, even opposing in a planned and explicit manner, Bunuel proved, states the author of the paper, that he could participate (both as director and producer) even in the classical feature film cinematic framework. Considering the wide variety of surrealist (and avant-garde) cinema in general and the complexity of the work by Luis Bunuel, the paper tackles Dada elements and different types of surrealism. Finally, the paper examines the traces of surrealism in cinema and animated film in the post-Bunuel period (and undoubtedly under his influence).