Sight And Sound Releases Its Updated List Of The Greatest Movies Of All Time

Every decade, the British Film Institute's Sight & Sound Magazine has asked film critics and directors to vote for what they believed were the greatest films of all time. The last time that the poll was held back in 2012, Alfred Hitchcock's "Vertigo" was given the prestigious title. However, a new best film ever has been crowned, and it might not be one you'd expect.

According to more than 1,600 film professionals, Chantal Akerman's "Jeanne Dielman 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles" is the greatest film of all time as of 2022. Just to put how unexpected this new placement is into perspective, the slice-of-life epic previously secured merely the 35th ranking, and that was the first time the film itself had even been on the final list. "Jeanne Dielman" becomes the fourth movie to top the Sight & Sound list, and it's in very prestigious company; not only does it share the distinction with "Vertigo," but it also joins longtime favorites "Bicycle Thieves" and "Citizen Kane" as a title considered the greatest of all time.

Of course, there are several more movies that either made their debuts on the list or have a brand new placement. "Vertigo" took the second place spot, with "Citizen Kane" taking the third. The rest of the top 10 includes "Tokyo Story" at #4, "In the Mood for Love" at #5, "Mulholland Dr." at #8, and "Singin' in the Rain" at #10.

As for the rest of the lengthy list, some major new developments have been made in terms of directorial representation. 11 movies, including "Jeanne Dielman," on the list were directed by women. Claire Denis, Agnès Varda, Maya Deren, Julie Dash, and Céline Sciamma are among the female directors honored on the list. Six films from Black directors were also included, ranging from the avant-garde classic "Touki Bouki" by Djibril Diop Mambéty to the modern horror touchstone "Get Out" by Jordan Peele. As for Asian cinema, 15 films from Asian directors made the ranking, with acclaimed directors like Apichatpong Weerasethakul and Bong Joon-ho making their Sight & Sound debuts.

If you have the time today, we genuinely recommend looking through the complete Sight & Sound critics poll, which can be found here. While still dominated by the usual white male directors that have been canonized in film history, this new list has tons of movies that are must-watches if you haven't seen them already. Perhaps you'll even find your new favorite movie among these prestigious titles.