First feature films by director
This is a list of film directorial debuts in chronological order. The films and dates referred to are a director's first commercial cinematic release. Many filmmakers have directed works which were not commercially released, for example early works by Orson Welles such as his filming of his stage production of Twelfth Night in 1933 or his experimental short film The Hearts of Age in 1934. Often these early works were not intended for commercial release either by intent, such as film school projects or inability to find distribution.
Subsequently, many directors learned their trade in the medium of television as it became popular in the 1940s and 1950s. Notable directors who did their first directorial work in this medium include Robert Altman, Sidney Lumet, and Alfonso Cuarón. As commercial television advertising became more cinematic in the 1960s and 1970s, many directors early work was in this medium, including directors such as Alan Parker and Ridley Scott. With the success of MTV and the popularity of music videos from the early 1980s, this gave another avenue for directors to hone their skills. Notable directors whose early work was in music videos include David Fincher, Jonathan Glazer, Michel Gondry, and Spike Jonze.
The following symbols indicate where a director has worked in another medium prior to directing commercially.
♦ Indicates where a director has created other earlier works for television
# Indicates when a director's earlier work is uncredited
† Indicates when a director's earlier work has not been released in cinemas, for example film school productions, short films or music videos.
Refer to individual entries for further detail.
1880s
1887
1890s
1896
1898
1900s
1901
1907
1908
1909
1910s
- 1910
- 1911
- 1912
- 1913
- 1914
- 1915
- 1916
- 1917
- 1918
- 1919
1920s
- 1920
- 1921
- 1922
- 1923
- 1924
- 1925
- 1926
- 1927
- 1928
- 1929
1930s
- 1930
- 1931
- 1932
- 1933
- 1934
- 1935
- 1936
- 1937
- 1938
- 1939
1940s
- 1940
- 1941
- 1942
- 1943
- 1944
- 1945
- 1946
- 1947
- 1948
- 1949
1950s
- 1950
- 1951
- 1952
- 1953
- 1954
- 1955
- 1956
- 1957
- 1958
- 1959
1960s
- 1960
- 1961
- 1962
- 1963
- 1964
- 1965
- 1966
- 1967
- 1968
- 1969
1970s
- 1970
- 1971
- 1972
- 1973
- 1974
- 1975
- 1976
- 1977
- 1978
- 1979
1980s
- 1980
- 1981
- 1982
- 1983
- 1984
- 1985
- 1986
- 1987
- 1988
- 1989
1990s
- 1990
- 1991
- 1992
- 1993
- 1994
- 1995
- 1996
- 1997
- 1998
- 1999
2000s
- 2000
- 2001
- 2002
- 2003
- 2004
- 2005
- 2006
- 2007
- 2008
- 2009
2010s
- 2010
- 2011
- 2012
- 2013
- 2014
- 2015
- 2016
- 2017
- 2018
- 2019
2020s
- 2020
- 2021
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
- 2025
- 2026
Upcoming
See also
Notes
References
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- ^ Malthête, Jacques (2003). "Un feu d'artifice improvisé ? Les effets pyrotechniques chez Méliès". 1895 (in French) (39). AFRHC: 61–72. doi:10.4000/1895.3082. ISBN 2-913758-31-2. ISSN 1960-6176.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "The 50 greatest debut movies: part three". Time Out. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
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- ^ a b c d e f g "The 50 greatest debut movies: part five". Time Out. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
- ^ "15 Facts About Orson Welles' CITIZEN KANE: America's Greatest Film Turns 75". AFI.com. Retrieved January 14, 2018.
- ^ Lloyd, Ann; Robinson, David (1987). The Illustrated History of Cinema. Macmillan. p. 162. ISBN 978-0-02-919241-2.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "The 50 greatest debut movies: part two". Time Out. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
- ^ "The 50 greatest debut movies: part six". Time Out. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "The 50 greatest debut movies: part four". Time Out. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Jarecki, Nicholas (2001). Breaking In — How 20 Film Directors Got Their Start. Broadway Books. ISBN 0-7679-0674-8.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Lowenstein, Stephen (2000). My First Movie. Pantheon Books. ISBN 0-375-42081-9.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Time Out's 50 greatest directorial debuts of all time". Time Out. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "The Top Grossing Directorial Debuts of All-time". Indiewire.com. 5 August 2011. Retrieved September 3, 2011.
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- ^ Albert, Antonio (May 12, 1993). "Imanol Arias debuta como director de cine con 'Un asunto privado'". El País (in Spanish). Madrid: Prisa. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ Macor, Alison (February 7, 1997). "Losing Chase". The Austin Chronicle. Archived from the original on August 5, 2020.
- ^ Kevin Ouellette (July 15, 2008). "Review: Dangan Runner". Nippon Cinema. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
- ^ a b c d "Top 5 Female Directorial Debuts". Soundonsight.org. October 24, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "10 best-reviewed directorial debuts since 1990". Metacritic.com. Retrieved September 3, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f "10 worst-reviewed directorial debuts since 1990". Metacritic.com. Retrieved September 3, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g "The Doom Dispatch: The Ten best Directorial Debuts of the Decade". www.geeksofdoom.com. 29 May 2009. Retrieved August 21, 2009.
- ^ Stevens, Dana (7 September 2006). "Sob Stories: The quiet beauty of Man Push Cart". Slate. Slate Magazine. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
- ^ Bradshaw, Peter (August 8, 2009). "Katalin Varga". London: Guardian.co.uk. Retrieved October 10, 2009.
- ^ "TIFF '10:Day 7". AVClub.com. 16 September 2010. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
- ^ "SXSW Review: Attack The Block Could Be The Best Action Movie of the Year". Cinemablend.com. March 17, 2011.
- ^ Kevin Ma (June 1, 2014). "Bona announces Q1 2014 results". Film Business Asia. Retrieved June 1, 2014.
- ^ Sneider, Jeff (9 September 2018). "Hotel Mumbai Review: A Harrowing Recreation of 2008 Terror Attacks". Collider. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
- ^ Lang, Brent (2023-02-06). "Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk's Directorial Debut Hell of a Summer Drops First Look, Altitude Film Sales Boards Horror-Comedy (Exclusive)". Variety. Archived from the original on 2023-02-07. Retrieved 2023-02-07.
- ^ "I bambini di Gaza: ecco il trailer del film del regista italo-americano Loris Lai" [The children of Gaza: here is the trailer of the film by Italian-American director Loris Lai]. The Hollywood Reporter Roma (in Italian). 9 March 2024. Archived from the original on 13 March 2024. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
- ^ Kroll, Justin (October 28, 2022). "'Venom 3': Kelly Marcel Set to Direct Next Installment Starring Tom Hardy". Deadline. Archived from the original on October 28, 2022. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
- ^ Taylor, Drew (2024-08-10). "Pixar Chief Pete Docter Talks New Elio Directors, Story and Casting Changes | Exclusive". TheWrap. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (30 May 2024). "Goat: Sony Pictures Animation Sets Release Tied To 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend From Director Tyree Dillihay; Stephen Curry & Erick Peyton's Unanimous Media". Deadline. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
- ^ Gajewski, Ryan (30 May 2024). "Sony Sets Animated Sports Comedy GOAT From Stephen Curry for 2026 Release". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
- ^ "Warner Animation Group Dr. Seuss Enterprises Expand World Dr. Seuss Feature Films" (Press release). Warner Bros. 1 October 2020. Archived from the original on November 25, 2020. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (August 10, 2024). "Pixar Unveils New Film At D23: Hoppers With Jon Hamm & Bobby Moynihan". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
- ^ "Michael Cera Interview: Scott Pilgrim, Barbie, The Adults". Retrieved 2023-08-16.
- ^ Zahed, Ramin (June 20, 2019). "Emily Dean Making Feature Directorial Debut with Sony's 'Tao'". Animation Magazine. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
- ^ "Tara Nicole Whitaker Making Feature Directorial Debut with Animated Pic "Pierre the Pigeon-Hawk"". August 17, 2021. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
- ^ Grobar, Matt (April 21, 2023). "Markiplier To Star In & Direct Horror Film Iron Lung From His Own Script; Self-Financed Feature Adapts David Szymanski Video Game". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 21, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
- ^ Cardinale, John (December 13, 2023). "First movie begins filming in New Mexico since SAG AFTRA strike". KOAT. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
- ^ Rubin, Rebecca (February 23, 2024). "Scarlett Johansson's Directorial Debut 'Eleanor the Great' Sets Cast: June Squibb, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jessica Hecht (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
- ^ Kroll, Justin (September 30, 2018). "'Sesame Street' Movie Taps 'Portlandia' Co-Creator Jonathan Krisel as Director (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on September 29, 2018. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
- ^ Kroll, Justin. "Legendary Taps Jonathan Krisel To Direct 'Pokemon Detective Pikachu' Sequel". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 3, 2023. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
- ^ Rosario, Alexandra Del (January 28, 2021). "'The Witch Boy': Netflix To Release Animated Musical From Oscar-Nominated Director Minkyu Lee". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 4, 2021. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
- ^ Kroll, Justin (November 16, 2022). "Kristen Stewart To Direct Scott Free's Adaptation Of 'The Chronology Of Water' Starring Imogen Poots". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
- ^ Lang, Brent (December 9, 2022). "Taylor Swift Making Feature Directing Debut for Searchlight Pictures". Variety. Archived from the original on December 10, 2022. Retrieved December 11, 2022.