The 10 Best Directorial Debuts of 2023, Ranked by Letterboxd

With the return of top-name directors such as Christopher Nolan and Greta Gerwig to the big screen, 2023 was a big year for film-goers. The craze of ‘Barbenheimer’ undeniably revitalized movie theaters, but other major blockbusters like The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse dominated theaters this year. These titles may have garnered the most buzz, but 2023 brought us many other underrated films that also deserve recognition.

Every director starts somewhere, and 2023 saw the emergence of significant names old and new to watch in film. Former YouTubers Michael and Danny Phillippou frightened audiences everywhere with their horror debut, Talk To Me, and Michael B. Jordan took his skills behind the camera for the highly anticipated Creed III. From emotionally devastating dramas to sidesplitting comedies, these are the best directorial debuts of 2023 ranked by Letterboxd.

10 Michael B. Jordan – ‘Creed III’

Letterboxd score: 3.5/5

Retired at the top of his game, Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) has settled into a comfortable life with his wife Bianca (Tessa Thompson) and daughter Amara (Mila-Davis Kent). But after Creed’s childhood friend and former boxing prodigy Damian (Jonathan Majors) is released from prison, the two men face old demons and square off in a future-defining fight.

Actors stepping behind the camera can be risky. But Jordan’s ability to honor old traditions while breathing new life into the Rocky franchise makes Creed III an unforgettable installment in an already historic series of films. Inspired by anime action sequences, Jordan brings an exciting perspective to the movie’s fight scenes through deliberate camera movements that keep viewers on the edge of their seats. But where the film excels in its final fight sequence, its script struggles to pack the same punch and is mainly carried by the stand-out performances of its two main stars. A nuanced exploration of anger, revenge, and male friendship, Creed III proved that Jordan has the chops to do great things, making it all the more exciting that he is slated to direct the upcoming Creed 4.

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9 Frances O’Connor – ‘Emily’

Letterboxd score: 3.6/5

Blending fiction and history in a unique take on the biopic film, Emily captures a nuanced portrait of the life of Emily Brontë (Emma Mackey), the author of Wuthering Heights and lesser-known sister of revered author Charlotte Brontë. Quiet and profoundly moving, the film tracks Brontë’s tumultuous family life alongside her intriguing romance with William Weightman (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) as she recounts the events leading her to write her only novel.

Yet another actor turned director, Frances O’Connor paints a vivid and compelling image of the complicated writer in this impressive feature debut. Her astute direction allows Mackey to shine in the titular role, as her performance breathes life into the often-overlooked literary figure. Yet, the film’s reliance on fiction proved controversial for some viewers, and O’Connor’s direction, while beautiful, occasionally left Emily’s writing as an afterthought in service of the central romance. Regardless, it is easy to get swept up in O’Connor’s gorgeous worldbuilding, which isn’t afraid to tell a unique story about a troubled outcast.

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8 Nida Manzoor – ‘Polite Society’

Letterboxd score: 3.6/5

Polite Society follows Ria (Riya Kansara), a teenager who dreams of becoming a stuntwoman and attempts to save her older sister Lena (Ritu Arya) from her upcoming marriage. Despite disapproval from her conservative parents, Ria and her friends plan an elaborate heist to fight for Lena’s independence. A blend of action, comedy, and coming-of-age, Polite Society is an ambitious first film by We Are Lady Parts creator Nida Manzoor.

Not only does the film allow its female characters to be both funny and strong, it also tells a compelling story of sisterhood anchored by Riya Kansara’s standout performance as Ria. Manzoor maintains a comedic tone that doesn’t take its subject too seriously while delivering an emotionally resonant story about the hierarchical structures many young women are forced into. Although Polite Society loses some of its exhilarating momentum in its conclusion, the film is undoubtedly a must-watch by a talented up-and-coming female director.

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7 Danny and Michael Phillippou – ‘Talk to Me’

Letterboxd score: 3.6/5

When a group of teens discovers a mysterious totem that allows them to connect with the other side, they turn it into a riveting party trick – until things go too far. As they band together to save Riley (Joe Bird) from the spirits’ evil clutches, Mia (Sophie Wilde) is tempted by the totem’s ability to reconnect with her deceased mother. Although only their directing debut, former YouTubers Danny and Michael Phillippou struck gold with Talk to Me, yielding the second-largest box office weekend ever for A24 upon its wide release and a greenlit prequel in the works.

The film is genuinely terrifying, blending gruesome practical effects with no-holds-barred horror sequences that provide an exciting take on supernatural tropes of old. Also, Sophie Wilde delivers arguably one of the best horror performances in recent years. While the gruesome on-screen visuals are certainly a main selling point, those who have grown tired of horror movies about grief and trauma may not enjoy the pivot the movie takes in its second half. Not only is Talk to Me one of the best horror films of the year, but it has undoubtedly cemented itself as one of the top horror films of the decade thus far.

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6 Juel Taylor – ‘They Cloned Tyrone’

Letterboxd score: 3.6/5

After Fontaine (John Boyega), Slick Charles (Jamie Foxx), and Yo-Yo (Teyonah Parris) uncover a sinister government conspiracy, the unexpected trio is thrust into a world where clones are the new norm, and nothing is as it seems. The genre-bending film combines sci-fi, comedy, and gripping action that leaves audiences on the edge of their seat as the crew works to untangle this dire mystery.

Evocative of surrealist Black-led films like Sorry to Bother You, They Cloned Tyrone riffs on the historic Blaxploitation films of the 1970s to deliver a fresh take on the style that expands on the iconic visual identities of these films while adding genre-bending and satirical elements. Although bogged down by an unnecessary ending twist that doesn’t quite land, director Juel Taylor succeeds in communicating his steadfast vision of such a complicated subject with excitement and innovation. Boyega’s stellar performance and intoxicating chemistry with Foxx and Parris make this exciting debut an absolute must-watch.

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5 Laurel Parnet – ‘The Starling Girl’

Letterboxd score: 3.7/5

In The Starling Girl, indie-film darling Eliza Scanlen plays seventeen-year-old Jem, a member of a conservative Christian community who struggles to find herself within the church’s constricting values. But when older youth pastor Owen (Lewis Pullman) returns to their small Kentucky town, the two begin a relationship that quickly transforms into something more profound.

Executing an original coming-of-age film in 2023 is no easy feat, but director Laurel Parnet sticks the landing in this refreshing, honest, and tragic take on the narrative trope. As Jem and Owen’s connection turns predatory, Parnet handles the situation carefully. Rather than eroticizing Jem’s experience, she captures the unfortunate realities of young women who find themselves love-struck by older, manipulative men. That being said, the film does follow predictable story beats underlined by an impactful but slightly average script. Yet, it is Scanlen’s spellbinding performance and Parnet’s nuanced approach to such a morally complex topic that Scanlen describes as “not just about falling in love… not like a simple coming-of-age story,” which makes The Starling Girl one of the year’s most memorable indie gems.

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4 Cord Jefferson – ‘American Fiction’

Letterboxd score: 3.8/5

Starring Jeffery Wright, American Fiction follows Monk, a stagnant novelist who, after growing tired of the literary system profiting off of offensive Black narratives, writes an outrageously stereotypical book under a pseudonym out of spite. To his surprise, however, the book becomes a hit, catapulting him into unwanted stardom.

Adapted from the novel Erasure by Percival Everett, this sharp satire takes an unflinching look at the merits of the modern publishing industry and modern ‘wokeness’ culture. Not only does Wright deliver a top-notch performance, but first-time director Cord Jefferson utilizes his skills as a writer on Watchmen to take this poignant story from page to screen. Although not every story beat is a perfect hit, Jefferson’s direction perfectly combines absurd humor with pin-sharp satire that is only elevated by the screen-stealing cast, including Tracee Ellis Ross, Issa Rae, and Sterling K. Brown.

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3 A.V Rockwell – ‘A Thousand and One’

Letterboxd score: 3.8/5

A Thousand and One follows single mother Inez (Teyana Taylor) who, after being released from prison, decides to kidnap her son Terry out of the New York City foster care system. The film tracks the ups and downs of her journey as she attempts to build a better life for Terry throughout the 90s and early 2000s.

A Thousand and One stands thanks to Taylor’s riveting performance as Inez and, most importantly, director A.V Rockwell’s unflinching examination of the historical issue of system inequality in New York. Surprisingly, Taylor was not Rockwell’s initial choice to play Inez, but her riveting audition tape showed her “…chops to be able to deliver those really difficult highs and lows of the movie.” A later veering into melodrama may disarm some viewers, but the story still remains grounded amidst these unexpected revelations. Overall, Rockwell utilizes his skills as a director to highlight the effects of gentrification on Black life in the city, all while telling a poignant mother-son story that deeply connects with viewers for its honest depiction of resilience in the face of struggle.

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2 Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman – ‘Theater Camp’

Letterboxd score: 3.8/5

When the beloved leader of a small theater camp falls into a coma, instructors and childhood best friends Amos (Ben Platt) and Rebecca-Diane (Molly Gordon) must join forces with Joan’s frat-bro son Troy (Jimmy Tatro) to keep the camp afloat. Alongside eccentric counselors Janet (Ayo Edebiri) and Glenn (Noah Galvin), Amos and Rebecca-Diane fight to accomplish their masterpiece original production, Joan Still.

The 90-minute comedy has unfortunately become a thing of the past, but Gordon and co-director Nick Liberman’s hilarious yet authentic portrait of Broadway-obsessed pre-teens (and adults) make Theater Camp a welcome revival of the genre. The film’s mockumentary style elevates its comedic moments to pure hilarity, giving scene-stealers like Tatro, Galvin, and Edeberi ample room to showcase their comedic chops. A central theme of the film is community, which shines through the screen due to Gordon and Liberman’s commitment to fostering a positive set environment inspired by Gordon’s time on The Bear. Theater Camp is chock-full of the heart that makes an impactful directorial debut and is shaping up to become a true cult classic.

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1 Celine Song – ‘Past Lives’

Letterboxd score: 4.2/5

This A24 film follows former childhood friends Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo), reuniting after 24 years of separation with only one week together. Past Lives is a heartbreakingly realistic romance film that sees the pair grapple with their past and confront their future as grown adults.

Inspired by events in Song’s own life, this semi-autobiographical story weaves a beautiful tapestry of past and present narratives that join to create a deeply affecting depiction of love and sacrifice. Her beautiful direction takes viewers on a journey through the messiness and complexity of the human experience, all the while capturing New York City in a glimmering beauty that adds to the romance of the film. Letterboxd users and film critics alike have been floored by the film’s ability to convey such a poignant story that still manages to be grounded in its realistic portrayal of modern love. With help from A24, who Song claimed gave her “…complete authorship and auteurship on [her] very first movie…” Past Lives has become the top directorial debut of the year and one of the best films of 2023.

Watch On Apple TV+

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