Atom Egoyan’s 10 favourite films of all time
Within the landscape of Canadian cinema, auteur Atom Egoyan has emerged as one of the most original artistic voices. Known for his masterpieces such as The Adjuster and The Sweet Hereafter, Egoyan’s vision of cinema often produces brilliant examinations of the specific kind of spiritual alienation enforced by modernity. Often associated with the Toronto New Wave, the Canadian director has garnered a global following because his films offer cinematic experiences that are unlike anything else out there.
Last year’s edition of the BFI Sight and Sound poll saw the publication of hundreds of lists from the most prominent filmmakers working today – ranging from Martin Scorsese to Gaspar Noé. Egoyan also submitted his selection for the ten greatest cinematic masterpieces of all time, citing timeless gems from visionaries like Ingmar Bergman and Alfred Hitchcock. In fact, this list is so well-rounded that it can serve as a perfect introduction to 20th-century world cinema.
Egoyan cited the influence of Federico Fellini’s 8½: “Many films have tried to understand and visualise the creative process. Fellini has made one of the most passionate and affectionate portraits of an artist. Self-loving, self-mocking, and a glorious affirmation of cinema… I already have a double vote for Choice 5, but I would seriously consider pairing 8½ with Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Birdman. Half a century later, another wonderfully exciting examination of artistic turmoil and self-flagellation.”
The director also included Ingmar Bergman on his list, claiming that Persona is the apotheosis of Bergman’s philosophical investigations. Egoyan explained: “Lately, I have been obsessed with Bergman’s later Passion of Anna, but Persona is still the purest distillation of this monumental director’s tortured and complex vision of human relationships. Full of compositional choices that perfectly harness the turbulent inner life of these two magnificent actresses.”
While talking about other global traditions, Egoyan spoke about Indian cinema and the huge debt it owes to the cinematic achievements of Satyajit Ray. On Pather Panchali, he said: “Quite possibly the most influential ‘independent’ film of all time, Ray shot this film over many weekends with a tiny crew and some of the most moving and devastating performances ever committed to film. Unforgettable scenes introduced a truly alternate cinema.”
Check out the list below.
Atom Egoyan’s favourite films
- Vertigo (Alfred Hitchcock, 1958)
- Citizen Kane (Orson Welles, 1941)
- 2001: A Space Odyssey (Stanley Kubrick, 1968)
- 8½ (Federico Fellini, 1963)
- Tokyo Story (Yasujirō Ozu, 1953)
- Pather Panchali (Satyajit Ray, 1955)
- The Colour of Pomegranates (Sergei Parajanov, 1968)
- Beau travail (Claire Denis, 1998)
- Persona (Ingmar Bergman, 1966)
- Vagabond (Agnès Varda, 1985)
In addition to the aforementioned works, Egoyan’s list contains renowned masterpieces like Stanley Kubrick’s pioneering sci-fi opus 2001: A Space Odyssey and Claire Denis’ Beau travail. The filmmaker also took the opportunity to pay tribute to the great Agnès Varda, expressing his joy at the fact that younger generations are discovering her magic.
While writing about Varda, Egoyan insisted that Vagabond is her magnum opus. He said: “Varda has created a body of work which is finally getting its full due, and this is her acclaimed masterpiece. It uses many documentary techniques to paint a merciless portrait exquisitely performed by Sandrine Bonnaire. A haunting score by Joanna Bruzdowicz.”
