How come Emir Kusturica is so poorly known?!?

I'm from Eastern Europe (not from former Yugoslavia tho), and in my country people know Emir Kusturica VERY well. Not so many have ever watched his movies, but the name rings a bell almost always.

I have a bunch of friends in Europe (Western Europe and Mediterranean), and few of them know Emir - fewer know any of his movies.

I live in the US, and literally no American person that I've ever met heard about him.
A related factor is that his movies at best have English subtitles - which are very hard to find. But, say, Britain is not so far away from Eastern Europe as is the US, so his work could reach the UK, so more English-speaking people would have access to his work... Anyway, it seems paradoxical to me.