Every era has their key group of directors that make a lasting impression on the world of cinema. The 60's brought the french new wave directors like Godard, Truffaut and Rohmer. In the 70's we had the "new hollywood" era filmmakers like Scorcese, Coppola and George Lucas. The mid 80's- early 90's brought about people like Soderbergh, The Coens, Spike Lee, Van Sant, Jarmusch, etc. At the moment Christopher Nolan, David Fincher and Darren Aronofsky seem to be running things on the studio/commercial level, while Claire Denis and Michael Haneke are the top directors in the independent/arthouse world.
But who do you guys think are the next class? The directors who 5-10 years from know could be considered the BEST. I've put together my own TOP 10 list and tried my best to not only be unbiased, but to also represent the WORLD of cinema (we've got directors from Greece, Mexico, Thailand, Argentina and more). Half the directors on this list are still in their 30's (which is young for a director in my opinion). But at the same time, the requirements for being on here aren't just based on age. Some people listed below are in their 40's but have only started making feature films in the last 10 years.
So here's my list in no particular order...
ANDREA ARNOLD (UK)
Key Movies: Red Road & Fish Tank
An important female voice who's managed to go from neo-noir (red road) to family drama/coming of age (fish tank) to the adaptation of a period drama (wuthering heights) without breaking stride. I'm still kicking myself for not seeing her new movie at TIFF when I had the chance...
YORGOS LANTHIMOS (Greece)
Key Movies: ALPS & Dogtooth
He has a unique (and dark) sense of humor that no other director can touch at the moment. 'Dogtooth' managed to get nominated for an academy award which, for a movie like that, is an incredible feat if you ask me. His new movie, which i had the pleasure of seeing in Toronto, is just around the corner and I'm sure it will please people just like 'Dogtooth' did.
CARLOS REYGADAS (Mexico)
Key Movies: Japon, Battle In Heaven & Silent Light
One of the few (maybe only) directors left who can work with all non-professional actors and still make an amazing film. He keeps the film making style of Tarkovsky alive (something we've explored before in this blog), but gives it a realistic touch. He's also co-signed by Martin Scorsese.
PARK CHAN-WOOK (Korea)
Key Movies: Oldboy, Sympathy For Vengeance, Sympathy For Lady Vengeance
We cant have a list full of sad, serious artsy directors, right? We need a little bit of violence and action. In a few short years he's managed to become the most influential director in modern Korea cinema. Oldboy is one of the greatest movies to come in the last 10 years and everything from 'Mother' to 'The Host' has borrowed something from it. Even the use of the actor Choi Min-Sik in 'I Saw The Devil' is right out of his performance in 'Oldoby'.
APICHATPONG WEERASETHAKUL (Thailand)
Key Movies: Uncle Boonme & Tropical Malady
In my eyes he's an important figure in southeast Asian film because he's managed to gain popularity without making a martial arts or action movie. In fact his films couldn't be any more different from an action movie. He's also the first southeast Asian filmmaker to win best picture at Cannes (at least I think so).
FATIH AKIN (Turkey/Germany)
Key movie: Head On, The Edge Of Heaven, Soul Kitchen
Kind of like how Claire Denis is a voice for immigrants and people of color living in France, Fatih Akin is the same for Turkish people and just "outsiders" in general living in Germany. His films are harsh (Head-On) and at times heartbreaking (The Edge Of Heaven) but he also has a sense of humor (Soul Kitchen) which shows versatility.
STEVE MCQUEEN (UK)
Key movies: Shame & Hunger
Simply for the fact that he's a black director and hasn't been compared to Spike Lee yet is a great accomplishment in itself. And lets not forget that his films are great and have won numerous awards from all over the world (if awards matter to you).
LUCRECIA MARTEL (Argentina)
Key Movies: La Cienaga, The Headless Woman & The Holy Girl
She has a talent for addressing class and race in a clever/subtle way. She has yet to make a bad movie in my opinion.
NICOLAS WINDING REFN (Denmark)
Key Movies: Drive, Valhalla Rising & Bronson
Now that 'Bronson' has become a cult hit and 'Drive' is the best movie playing in theaters right now, Nicolas Winding Refn is kind of sitting on top of the world. All eyes are on him for his next feature (which will star Ryan Gosling again) and I don't think he'll disappoint.
SUSANNE BIER (Denmark)
Key Movies: 'After The Wedding', 'Brothers', 'Open Hearts'
She's already had one of her movies remade (Brothers), and there's plans to remake 2 more of her films as well (after the wedding and open hearts). And lets also not forget she's already won an academy award, took part in the danish film movement; dogma95 and her name was kind of immortalized in Lars Von Trier's controversial Cannes speech from a few months ago.
THERE'S A SPOT WAITING FOR YOU IN THE FUTURE (maybe...):
Below is a list of even younger directors who clearly have a lot of promise, but still have some growing to do as filmmakers or don't have an extensive body of work yet. Look out for these names in the future...
DUNCAN JONES (U.S.)
DUNCAN JONES (U.S.)
ISLID LE BESCO (France)
XAVIER DOLAN (Canada)
ILYA KHRJANOVSKY (Russia)
HONORABLE MENTION:
SOFIA COPPOLA
LYNNE RAMSAY
BONG JOON-HO
KARIM AINOUZ
KARIM AINOUZ
ABDERRAHMANE SISSAKO
MIGUEL GOMES
MIGUEL GOMES
