BFI’s The 50 films you should see by the age of 14

In 2005 the British Institute published a list of the 50 films you should see by the age of 14 to inspire parents and educators to take movies as seriously as books and other forms of art. It was created by more than 70 experts including film producers, teachers, authors and critics who all made their own top ten. The film registering the most votes was Spirited Away, which won the 75th Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature and the Golden Bear at the 52nd Berlin International Film Festival. The British Film Institute published the top 10 and then the other 40 films in alphabetical order.

Top 10

Film Director Year Country
Bicycle Thieves Vittorio De Sica 1948 Italy
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Steven Spielberg 1982 USA
Kes Ken Loach 1969 UK
The 400 Blows Francois Truffaut 1959 France
The Night of the Hunter Charles Laughton 1955 USA
Show Me Love Lukas Moodysson 1998 Sweden/Denmark
Spirited Away Hayao Miyazaki 2001 Japan
Toy Story John Lasseter 1995 USA
Where is the friend’s Home? Abbas Kiarostami 1987 Iran
The Wizard of Oz Victor Fleming 1939 USA





Rest of Top 50

The Adventures of Robin Hood Michael Curtiz/William Keighley 1938 USA
Au revoir les enfants Louis Malle 1987 France/West Germany
Back to the Future Robert Zemeckis 1985 USA
Beauty and the Beast Gary Trousdale/Kirk Wise 1991 USA
Billy Elliot Stephen Daldry 2000 UK/France
A Day at the Races Sam Wood 1937 USA
Edward Scissorhands Tim Burton 1990 USA
Etre et Avoir Nicolas Philibert 2002 France
Finding Nemo Andrew Stanton/Lee Unkrich 2003 USA
It’s a Wonderful Life Frank Capra 1946 USA
Jason and the Argonauts Don Chaffey 1963 UK/USA
The Kid Charles Chaplin 1921 USA
King Kong Merian C. Cooper/Ernest B. Schoedsack 1933 USA
Kirikou et la sorcière Michel Ocelot 1998 France/Belgium/Luxembourg
La Belle et la Bête Jean Cocteau 1946 France/Luxembourg
Le Voyage dans la Lune Georges Melies 1902 France
Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday Jacques Tati 1953 France
My Life as a Dog Lasse Halström 1985 Sweden
My Neighbour Totoro Hayao Miyazaki 1988 Japan
Oliver Twist David Lean 1948 UK
The Outsiders Francis Ford Coppola 1983 USA
Pather Panchali Satyajit Ray 1955 India
Playtime Jacques Tati 1967 France/Italy
The Princess Bride Rob Reiner 1987 USA
Rabbit-Proof Fence Phillip Noyce 2002 Australia
Raiders of the Lost Ark Steven Spielberg 1981 USA
The Railway Children Lionel Jeffries 1970 UK
The Red Balloon Albert Lamorisse 1956 France
Romeo + Juliet Baz Luhrmann 1996 USA
The Secret Garden Agnieszka Holland 1993 UK/USA
Singin’ in the Rain Stanley Donen/Gene Kelly 1952 USA
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs David Hand 1937 USA
Some Like It Hot Billy Wilder 1959 USA
The Spirit of the Beehive Victor Erice 1973 Spain
Star Wars George Lucas 1977 USA
To Kill a Mockingbird Robert Mulligan 1962 USA
Walkabout Nicolas Roeg 1971 UK
Whale Rider Niki Caro 2002 New Zealand
Whistle Down the Wind Bryan Forbes 1961 UK
The White Balloon Jafar Panahi 1995 Iran

Sight & Sound ~ May 2018 ~ BFI Film Magazine 120 BPM Lean on Pete Woodfall Films
Sight & Sound (Kindle Tablet Edition)
Back to the Future (BFI Film Classics) Paperback
Bicycle Thieves (BFI Film Classics) Paperback

 

 

 




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