It is time to contemplate the cinematic gems that defined the past year as we send farewell to 2024 and embrace the exciting possibilities of the new year. The passing year provided us with an extraordinary selection of films that have captivated our hearts and ignited our imaginations, demonstrating the extraordinary talent and creativity of filmmakers from around the globe. The top 10 films of 2024 not only entertained us but also offered new perspectives and shared unforgettable experiences, thanks to their stunning visuals and compelling storytelling. Celebrate these exceptional films that have significantly influenced the cinematic landscape and influenced the year in cinema. Join us in this celebration.
- Outrun
German director and screenwriter Nora Fingscheidt brings out the narrative of Rona’s life in which she suffers from alcohol addiction. Saoirse Ronan’s brilliant performance and the excellent cinematography take us on a journey into the heart of trouble, nestled in the wild beauty of Scotland’s Orkney Islands. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on 19 January 2024.
Claire Keegan’s 2021 novel served as the inspiration for Tim Mielants’ 2024 historical drama. The film gradually develops, showcasing breathtaking scenes of life in Ireland during the late 1970s. Meanwhile, the Magdalene Laundries controversy, where women suffered abuse in the name of redemption, confronts the audience. Cillian Murphy, with his masterclass performance, turns a slow-paced narration into an impressive cinematic experience.
- My Favourite Cake
Seventy-year-old Mahin, who has been living alone until now, has decided to revive her romantic life. A fortuitous encounter transforms into an unforgettable evening. Maryam Moghadam and Behtash Sanaeiha, the film’s writers and directors, reveal the repressed love and regret that underpin Iranian society. The international co-production between Iran, France, Sweden, and Germany had its world premiere on 16 February 2024 at the main competition for the Golden Bear at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival.
Yorgos Lanthimos, the Greek director, offers a feminist reinterpretation of the creation narrative, with Willem Dafoe as the creator of Bella Baxter (Emma Stone). Released on 12 January 2024, the film captivates audiences with its lavish cinematography and exceptional performances that seamlessly blend visual forms with their associated meanings. The National Board of Review and the American Film Institute named Poor Things among the top ten films of 2023, and it garnered various accolades, such as four wins at the 96th Academy Award, two at the 81st Golden Globe Awards, and five at the 77th British Academy Film Awards, with Stone winning best actress at each ceremony.
- Green Border
Green Border is a 2023 drama that portrays a family of Syrian refugees, an English instructor from Afghanistan, and a border guard who converge at the Polish-Belarusian border amid the latest humanitarian crisis in Belarus. Directed by Agnieszka Holland, the film portrays the harrowing existence of refugees stuck between the borderlines without any future. The film competed for the Golden Lion at the 80th Venice International Film Festival, where it won the special jury prize.
- Black Dog
Upon his release from incarceration, Lang returns to his village in Northwest China. While participating in a canine patrol assigned to eliminate stray dogs before the 2008 Olympics, he forms a connection with a black stray. The two solitary individuals begin a fresh expedition together. Guan Hu, the director of the Chinese film, presents an unconventional plot rarely seen in film storytelling. Starring Eddie Peng and Tong Liya, the film had its world premiere at the 77th Cannes Film Festival on 18 May 2024, where it won the Un Certain Regard prize.
- Crossing
Levan Akin, a Swedish director, depicts Lia, a retired teacher who has cast her vote to locate her long-lost niece, Telka. He escorts her to Istanbul, where she encounters the lawyer Evrim. Akin’s most recent play is a magnificent tribute to human goodness, with a nuanced message of acceptance. The film leaves an exquisite impression thanks to its outstanding cinematography, brilliant performances, and solid narrative. The 74th Berlin International Film Festival selected Crossing for the Panorama section, where it made its world premiere on 15 February 2024.
- Bird
Andrea Arnold portrays Bailey, a 12-year-old girl grappling with her single father Bug, performed by Barry Keoghan, in a poignant drama that captivates the audience by revealing the harsh realities of life within a fascinating cinematic framework. Franz Rogowski’s exceptional performance reminds us to look to the sky when life becomes entrenched in desolation. Andrea Arnold, the English filmmaker and former actress, crafts a radiant moment amidst gloom. Bird debuted internationally at the 77th Cannes Film Festival on May 16, 2024, and premiered in cinemas in the United States and the United Kingdom by Mubi on November 8, 2024.
Jonathan Glazer authored and directed The Zone of Interest, a 2023 historical drama film that the United Kingdom, the United States, and Poland co-produced. The film, a loose adaptation of Martin Amis’s 2014 novel, revolves around the lives of German Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss and his wife Hedwig, who live with their family in a house near the “Zone of Interest” concentration camp. Jonathan Glazer, drawing on his theatrical experience, illustrates the intricacies of human nature, showcasing both cruelty and charity within the same context. On 19 May 2023, The Zone of Interest made its premiere at the 76th Cannes, followed by its theatrical release in the United States on 15 December 2023.
German filmmaker, writer, author, and photographer Wim Wenders takes viewers on an existential odyssey in Perfect Days by tracing the feelings of freedom, loneliness, death, and emptiness that accompany our highs and lows in life. Hirayama, a lavatory sanitation worker residing in Tokyo, expresses satisfaction with his life. Satisfaction is a sentiment that humanity has lost in the hectic pace of life’s competitive struggles. The film encourages you to halt your actions and reflect on life’s tranquillity, appreciate existence as it is, and navigate the passage of time, as illustrated in Zen philosophy. Perfect Days debuted on 23 May 2023 at the 76th Cannes Film Festival, competing for the Palme d’Or and securing the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury as well as the Best Actor Award for Koji Yakusho. The 96th Academy Awards nominated Perfect Days for Best International Feature Film, making it the first time Japan’s submission by a non-Japanese director received such a nomination.
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