“An incomplete roundup of films that are essential.”
If you’re anything like me, you probably feel like there’s too much out there that you want to watch, but when it comes down to it, you are never sure what to actually put on. It’s a paradox all too common in our era of streaming and infinite content. We live in an age where film and film history are more accessible than ever— and all at the tips of our fingers. But we all only have so much time, and the question of what is essential is so wide and open to interpretation. What is canon for some, remains overlooked or doesn’t jive for others.
A bit of trick to quell the overwhelm and dive in is by starting with a specific director, genre, or time period, and running from there. As filmmaker Nadia Bedzhanova describes it, “I’ve always enjoyed watching films by genre—in chronological order in history. From the classics of German expressionism to French New Wave, from first Soviet films to Old Hollywood.” To help you pick a starting point that will hopefully guide you down a path of endless curiosity and desire, we spoke to a number of women who work in film to see what they each deemed essential.
Wanda (1970) dir. Barbara Loden
recommended by naima abed, durga chew-bose, christina Crawford, and mimi packer
Barbara Loden’s lone feature-length film is a breathtaking vérité masterpiece by all accounts and a somber harbinger for what the director’s career could have been (she sadly passed away at the age of 48). Loden wrote, directed, and starred in the film about a woman who leaves her husband and loses custody of her children to endure bumping around a tough Pennsylvania landscape, and the film ranks amongst the canon of independent films that came to define the form in the early ‘70s.
available to stream here
The Piano (1993) dir. Jane Campion
recommended by isabel sandoval, nina lorez collins, camille bertrand, and naima abed
At surface, The Piano is a film about a woman and her daughter who are sent to New Zealand (along with a beloved piano) for an arranged marriage. Though simple in story, the film seams together with tremendous acting, stunningly bleak visuals, and waves of intense emotion. Its Palme d’Or win at Cannes announced Campion as the only female filmmaker to ever helm a film that has received the award.
available to stream here
Breathless (1960) dir. Jean-Luc Godard
recommended by Nadia Bedzhanova, elle mckenzie, and verena michelitsch
Has there ever been a film more essential than Godard’s dazzling first feature? Breathless was the film to kick off the French New Wave, with its punchy, sexy attitude and sparkling stars Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg. As Criterion puts it, “There was before Breathless, and there was after Breathless.”
available to stream here
Hyenas (1992) dir. Djibril Diop Mambéty
recommended by cassi namoda and mimi packer
The aptly named Hyenas is a biting satire that riffs off of “the false promises of Western materialism.” To tell this timeless tale of human greed, writer-director Mambéty (who additionally appears in the film), adapts Friedrich Dürrenmatt’s play The Visit, and sets it in the village of Colobane in Senegal. The film revolves around Linguère Ramatou, a newly rich young woman who returns to her hometown—with a disturbing proposition for the people in it.
available to stream here
Cameraperson (2016) dir. Kirsten Johnson
Recommended by mimi packer and Clemence poles
If you saw Johnson’s most recent film Dick Johnson Is Dead last year, you probably couldn’t help but go back and watch all that she’s made. And if not, this is the place to start. In Cameraperson, Johnson attunes her characteristically thoughtful and considering eye towards the subject behind the camera—herself. Part memoir, part carefully voyeuristic adventure into the troves of footage she has captured of others over decades, Cameraperson is sure to awe.
available to stream here
Jeanne Dielman, 23, Quai du Commerce 1080 Bruxelles (1975) dir. Chantal Akerman
recommended by isabel sandoval and clemence poles
Perhaps the film that Akerman has become most widely known for, Jeanne Dielman is certainly a fantastic place to start. The film might seem meditative with its focus on a woman who performs her mundane, domestic routines, over and over and over. But the action that arises is far from unexciting. All of Akerman’s work merits a watch (Naima Abed is currently embarking on a re-watch of all her films), but Jeanne Dielman is truly a film that will change your perception of what filmmaking can be.
available to stream here
HyperNormalisation (2016) dir. Adam Curtis
recommended by nadia bedzhanova and clemence poles
Adam Curtis’ mind-bending documentary starts with the premise that we live in a world characterized by uncertainty and confusion. From there, it turns the world upside down by catapulting into a flurry of factors that got us into this mess. As Nadia Bedzhanova puts it, it is “the must-watch to understand our time.” It is perceptive, provoking, unnerving, and absolutely brilliant—you’ve been warned.
available to stream on amazon prime video
My Neighbor Totoro (1988) dir. Hayao Miyazaki
recommended by mimi packer
Producer Mimi Packer sings Miyazaki’s praise: “I can confidently say that My Neighbor Totoro hands down qualifies as a movie one should see at least once in their lifetime. I know it's a popular movie that many have seen already but I really recommend rewatching it at least once as an adult. It's unequivocally one of the most imaginative animated films and it embodies all these wholesome themes I think the world could benefit from being reminded of every once in a while. Also, I can't stand the English dub, watch the OG Japanese version.”
available to stream here
In The Mood for Love (2000) dir. Wong Kar-Wai
recommended by isabel sandoval
You may have heard Wong Kar-Wai’s name as of late—a Criterion boxset on the world of the director’s films was released earlier this year. Amongst seven other films, it contains In The Mood for Love, which is perhaps his most well-known film (though they’re all memorable). The film is a stunning masterpiece that centers a pair of neighbors and evokes the feeling of longing for someone. It is at once grand—with cinematography that remains unparalleled and influential today—and poignantly quiet. And if you’re looking for more, filmmaker Nadia Bedzhanova recommends Chungking Express.
available to stream here
Shoot the Messenger (2006) dir. Ngozi Onwurah
recommended by mahen bonetti
The New York African Film Festival’s Founder & Director Mahen Bonetti shares an expertly crafted and gripping film with us in Shoot the Messenger. As she describes, "Ngozi Onwurah puts the mirror very close to our faces in her film! All those unspoken residues of our colonial histories come to a boiling point which is truly reminiscent of the times we are living through at the present moment. Do we continue to struggle with representation or do get to be the gatekeepers of our own stories and reconcile them with the change that is to come? Uncomfortable truths have a way to ignite change for the good!”
Available to stream here
Beau Travail (1999) dir. Claire Denis
recommended by Naima Abed
Claire Denis’ Beau Travail is a visually poetic film that strikes on themes of militarism and masculinity. Its eye on the serene cerulean waters and sandy deserts of Djibouti mask a darkness that lures you in to come to a head in the film’s final moments.
available to stream here
Some additional recommendations include The Apartment (1960) dir. Billy Wilder (recommended by Isabel Sandoval), A New Leaf (1971) dir. Elaine May (recommended by Sarah Winshall), Stalker (1979) dir. Andrei Tarkovsky (recommended by Nadia Bedzhanova), E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) dir. Steven Spielberg (recommended by Abby Pucker), An Affair (1982) & Broken Marriage (1983) dir. Ishmael Bernal (recommended by Isabel Sandoval), Do the Right Thing (1989) dir. Spike Lee (recommended by Nadia Bedzhanova), Ceddo (1977) dir. Ousmane Sembène (recommended by Mahen Bonetti), Mulholland Drive (2001) dir. David Lynch (recommended by Nadia Bedzhanova), Volver (2006) dir. Pedro Almodovar (recommended by Isabel Sandoval), Small Axe (2020) dir. Steve McQueen (recommended by Naima Abed), and all of Frederick Wiseman’s work (recommended by Naima Abed). And if you’re still looking, our best of 2020 list and guide to essential films by female filmmakers should be sure to inspire.
Words by Marina Sulmona