Year-End Lists

Sight & Sound Poll: The 50 Best Films of 2021, a poll of more than 100 critics and contributors, published by Sight & Sound Magazine

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. The Souvenir Part II
   Joanna Hogg
2. Petite Maman
   Céline Sciamma
3. Drive My Car
   Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
4. Memoria
   Apichatpong Weerasethakul
5. Titane
   Julia Ducournau
6. The Power of the Dog
   Jane Campion
7. What Do We See When We Look at the Sky?
   Aleksandre Koberidze
8. Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
   Questlove
9. Annette
   Leos Carax
10. Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy
    Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
11. Bergman Island
    Mia Hansen-Løve
12. The Green Knight
    David Lowery
13. The Velvet Underground
    Todd Haynes
14. Dune
    Denis Villeneuve
15. Spencer
    Pablo Larraín
16. The Worst Person in the World
    Joachim Trier
17. First Cow
    Kelly Reichardt
18. Censor
    Prano Bailey-Bond
19. Flee
    Jonas Poher Rasmussen
20. Il Buco
    Michelangelo Frammartino
21. The Lost Daughter
    Maggie Gyllenhaal
22. Nomadland
    Chloé Zhao
23. The French Dispatch
    Wes Anderson
24. Azor
    Andreas Fontana
25. Zola
    Janicza Bravo
26. Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn
    Radu Jude
27. Benedetta
    Paul Verhoeven
28. The Father
    Florian Zeller
29. Pig
    Michael Sarnoski
30. Hit the Road
    Panah Panahi
31. Ear for Eye
    debbie tucker green
32. Benediction
    Terence Davies
33. The Card Counter
    Paul Schrader
34. Minari
    Lee Isaac Chung
35. Sound of Metal
    Darius Marder
36. Judas and the Black Messiah
    Shaka King
37. Red Rocket
    Sean Baker
38. Compartment Number 6
    Juho Kuosmanen
39. Beginning
    Déa Kulumbegashvili
40. Playground
    Laura Wandel
41. The Tsugua Diaries
    Maureen Fazendeiro and Miguel Gomes
42. Shiva Baby
    Emma Seligman
43. Undine
    Christian Petzold
44. Belle
    Mamoru Hosoda
45. Limbo
    Ben Sharrock
46. Friends and Strangers
    James Vaughan
47. The Hand of God
    Paolo Sorrentino
48. After Love
    Aleem Khan
49. Cry Macho
    Clint Eastwood
50. Quo Vadis, Aida?
    Jasmila Žbanić

This list summarizes other lists, including these:

• Caitlin Quinlan: Best Films of 2021
• Jonathan Rosenbaum: Ten Best Films of 2021
• Jordan Cronk: Top Ten Films of 2021
• Sight & Sound Poll: Christina Newland: Best Films of 2021
• Sight & Sound Poll: Elena Lazic: Best Films of 2021
• Sight & Sound Poll: Jourdain Searles: Best Films of 2021
• Sight & Sound Poll: Vadim Rizov: Best Films of 2021