When I was filling out my ballot for indieWIRE’s 2010 critics’ poll, Best First Film was perhaps the category I spent the longest time deliberating over — as unremarkable as the year has been in other respects, the amount of scrappy new directorial promise surging up through the cracks has been both unusually high and unusually prominent.
Excitingly, much of this fresh filmmaking energy has been on the non-fiction side of things — something reflected in The Guardian’s newly announced shortlist for their annual Best First Film award. Four of the 10 films selected are documentaries after a fashion, even as they play with the boundaries of the format. (One of them, of course, turns out to be wholly a performance piece.)
Included, of course, is Kris’s #1 film of the year, as is the film I eventually settled on for my indieWIRE vote. The list follows the UK release calendar — hence the inclusion of a 2009 title and the exclusion of, say, “Animal Kingdom” — but it’s a fine selection nonetheless.
The shortlist looks like this:
“The Arbor,” Clio Barnard
“Down Terrace,” Ben Wheatley
“Exit Through the Gift Shop,” Banksy
“Four Lions,” Chris Morris
“Gainsbourg,” Joann Sfar
“I’m Still Here,” Casey Affleck
“Monsters,” Gareth Edwards
“Restrepo,” Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger
“A Single Man” Tom Ford
“Skeletons,” Nick Whitfield
The winner will selected by a panel of Guardian critic Peter Bradshaw, actress Saffron Burrows and previous winner Gideon Koppel.
Comments
25 responses to “Guardian shortlists 10 titles for Best First Film”
Guy when will you be doing your Top 10 column?
He can’t answer you right now. The BBC is airing a 24-hour Moulin Rouge marathon.
I had hoped to get it done before Christmas, but flu, travel complications and holiday prep all got in the way. Next week.
I really didn’t like “Monsters,” but it just keeps racking up notices like these. Left me on the dock, that one did.
“Monsters” is pretty bad. I think Gareth Edwards has something, but that film (besides being a full-year too late on the socially conscious science-fiction front) is hopelessly tepid.
and nobody mentions Four Lions. WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO GET PEOPLE TO SEE THIS? IT IS FUCKING BRILLIANT.
Monsters should have been right up my alley (an angst ridden love story alien invasion mashup in Mexico) but I was bored to tears and severely disappointed.
Angry Shark certainly lives up to his name. Anywho, Exit Through the Gift Shop would be my favorite of those nominated.
And yes, Four Lions is rather amazing.
Four Lions is absolutely in my Top 10 – I was going in expecting a couple of laughs, I got much, much more. I would’ve thought it was too good to be overlooked.
The Guardian is a terrible paper.
and nobody mentions Four Lions
Except for the fact that it is, you know, on the list.
Put me in the “Love Four Lions” column.
Hilarious all the way. Rubber dinghy rapids bro!
Merry christmas, everyone.
Guy Lodge loves John Hawkes.
Gainsbourg is a brilliant movie. Probably my favourite biopic this side of I’m Not There.
Is Gainesbourg about Serge? This film hasn’t been released in the US as far as I know.
A Single Man? Ick, I hope that ranks low on your list.
Having not seen Restrepo yet, I’d go with Exit Through the Gift Shop.
Daveylow: Indeed, it is about Serge.
Robert: A Single Man was in my top 15 last year. Sorry.
Did not find Four Lions funny. For me, this category begins and ends with Animal Kingdom.
All of these Monsters haterz need to GTFO (sike ;^P)
I can’t stand waiting for Four Lions to come out on DVD (since it never came to a theater anywhere near me.) I hope that I find it FUNNY after all the marketing claimed it as such.
Animal Kingdom was the movie that blows my mind this year. More than Inception even :P
I’m in love with that film. If it were in my hands to nominate films on Oscars, I totally would give it a BP, BD, Best Screenplay, and acting nominations.
Still,I don’t see Four Lions
Exactly what Leocdc said, word for word ^
“A Single Man” is practically revelatory. So extraordinary.
“Monsters” is my #1 of the year. Diff’rent strokes…
Love the “Exit” and “Four Lions” inclusions. Didn’t like “A Single Man” much and “I’m Still Here”… well, yeah, whatever. Haven’t seen any of the others, unfortunately.
Monsters is awful. A s/fx demo with two of the most unlikable annoying lead