The end-of-year cavalcade of awards bestowments and ranked lists continues apace today, with one of the more prestigious critical bodies weighing in. Sight and Sound, the official film magazine of the BFI, runs an annual poll of United Kingdom-based writers and compiles a list of the year’s 20 finest films from the results. (Naturally, their cutoff dates for what qualifies as a “2016 release” are based on British release dates, which is how Olivier Assayas’ Personal Shopper landed on this list, though it will receive a U.S. run in the spring.) It’s a nicely balanced list well-stocked with festival favorites, but the most notable (and heartening) aspect of the ranking must be the strong showing from female filmmakers, who make up three of the top five selections.
The British Film Institute’s official publication brings a global perspective to their rulings, having polled 168 critics worldwide on their favorite releases of the past calendar year.