Lars Von Trier's unique approach and other filmmakers like him
Rewatching a few Lars Von Trier films these months (Antichrist being my favorite, but I like most of them), I've come to realize what I find really special and unique about his output is, aside from his great ability to evoke emotions, his particular method of blending classic tragedy and modern provocations. On one hand, he's deeply influenced by filmmakers like Dreyer, Bergman and even some classic theater, and his stories usually unfold in a similar way (with a couple exceptions); on the other hand, he's obviously an iconoclast who not only has a rebellious attitude towards standard filmmaking in favor of alternative means like handheld camera and shooting digital, but he also often employs some strong forms of sex and violence that are usually associated with exploitation films rather than classic arthouse.
Now, I know filmmakers who take from classic tragedies and create something in that vein; I also know filmmakers who have a penchant for extreme content and modern stylistic choices. However, I feel like Lars Von Trier's output might be a perfect midpoint between the two approaches, and I can't think of any other director quite like that.
As the cherry on top, the fact that most of his movies (especially the more extreme ones) are a sort of therapy session for him make them feel more authentic and emotionally powerful. Mind you, I'm quite the big exploitation film defender and I can certainly appreciate some sex and violence for the sake of it, but the realness just adds a certain something to the whole sensory experience.
Aside from that though, I'm just interested to see if you can point to any other filmmaker who blends classic tragedy and modern provocations to quite the same degree, not obviously with the same exact style of course (some of Lars Von Trier's stylistic choices are very much rooted in 90s Danish cinema), just the general idea of it.