Hannah Fidell’s Top Ten Films of All Time List

Have you ever wondered what are the films that inspire the next generation of visionary filmmakers? As part of our monthly IONCINEPHILE profile (read this months’ pick), we ask the filmmaker the incredibly arduous task of identifying their top ten (eleven in this case) favorite films of all time. Hannah Fidell (who saw her first feature film A Teacher hit Sundance and SXSW, concludes a busy year with a VOD and theatrical release (September 6th) via Oscilloscope Laboratories.  Here are her “favorite films right now (at this very moment)”. Enjoy!

A Face In The Crowd – Elia Kazan (1957)
“In my opinion, this is the greatest film of all time. Everything about this film is spot on: acting, story, camerawork… it is a masterpiece.”

Boogie Nights – Paul Thomas Anderson (1997)
“I will never forget where I was when I first saw this film. It was like a light bulb turned on after the film ended and I remember thinking to myself: “Oh wow! Movies can be like THIS”.”

Clueless – Amy Heckerling (1995)
“Again, another perfect film. The soundtrack! The wardrobe! The dialogue!”

Funny Games – Michael Haneke (1997)
“Haneke WANTS to fuck with his audience by playing with time and breaking the fourth wall. I love this about him and his films.”

Hearts Of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse – Fax Bahr, George Hickenlooper (1991)
“No film shoot of mine will ever be as insane as Apocolypse Now’s. Also who doesn’t want to learn more about Francis Ford Coppola?”

House Of Pleasures – Bertrand Bonello (2011)
“I’m a sucker for a good period drama. And this one is naughty in the best way, with great performances and truly beautiful production design. Also, the soundtrack is worth purchasing.”

Opening Night – John Cassavetes (1977)
“Gena Rowlands. John Cassavetes. Ben Gazzara. Need I say more? Getting older scares me, and this film allows me watch that fear play out on the screen.”

The Piano Teacher – Michael Haneke (2002)
“This was the first time I really found myself relating to a protagonist who I had nothing in common with and yet, because of the honesty of the character I couldn’t help but feel for her.”

Sex Is Comedy – Catherine Breillet (2004)
“For any director who has ever directed a sex scene, this movie is for you.”

There Will Be Blood (Paul Thomas Anderson) / No Country For Old Men (Coen Bros.) (2007)
“I’ve been engaged in an epic internal battle since the 2008 Oscars about which film really deserved best picture…and I still can’t decide. But what I do know is that both films are damn near perfect.”