Charlotte Wells’ “Aftersun” is having such an impressive showing this awards season. It went from premiering in Cannes’ small-ish Semaine de la Critique sidebar in May to now becoming a total and utter critical sensation.
It’s also, all of a sudden, climbed up the Gold Derby Best Picture rankings to #16. I doubt it gets nominated, but that is still very impressive. Nobody expected this one to figure even in the top 30.
Wells’ film has also now topped Sight and Sound’s year-end critics poll, beating out competition titles from Cannes, Venice, and Berlin. Finishing at #2 is another film by a female director, Alice Diop’s “Saint Omer” — which I was told came very close to making it into Cannes competition, but, while waiting for a final answer from the festival, ultimately decided to take Venice’s offer.
In total, 93 Sight and Sound contributors (both UK and international) voted in this poll. Individual lists can be found here.
S&S Top 20 Films 2022
1. Aftersun
2. Saint Omer
3. Decision to Leave
4. The Banshees of Inisherin
5. Nope
6. All the Beauty and the Bloodshed
7. One Fine Morning (Un beau matin)
8. EO
9. RRR (Rise Roar Revolt)
10. TÁR
11. Corsage
12. Pacifiction
13. Showing Up
14. Crimes of the Future
15. The Eternal Daughter
16. Triangle of Sadness
17. Elvis
18. Everything Everywhere All at Once
19. Fire of Love
20. The Fabelmans