9 Greatest Directorial Debuts of All Time
Discover the most influential and groundbreaking directorial debuts that have left a lasting mark on the world of cinema. From horror to drama, these first-time directors have set the bar high with their exceptional storytelling and visionary filmmaking.
1. Orson Welles - Citizen Kane, 1941
Orson Welles's directorial debut with Citizen Kane is a timeless masterpiece that redefined the art of filmmaking. With its technical breakthroughs and a compelling tale of an unscrupulous tycoon reckoning with a lifetime of misdeeds, Citizen Kane remains one of the greatest movies ever made.
Orson Welles standing among stacks of newspapers in Citizen Kane
2. Jean-Luc Godard - Breathless, 1960
Jean-Luc Godard's debut feature, Breathless, kickstarted the influential French New Wave movement and introduced a whole new film language. The film revolves around a small-time crook dealing with the fallout of impulsively killing a police officer, with its jumpy editing and sly subversion of American noir tropes.
Patricia kisses Michel in Breathless
3. Jordan Peele - Get Out, 2017
Jordan Peele's directorial debut with Get Out revitalized the social thriller genre. The chilling tale of an unsuspecting Black man being lured into his white girlfriend’s parents’ sinister gated community delivers a timely message about race relations in modern America.
Daniel Kaluuya staring ahead and in tears in Get out
4. Sam Raimi - The Evil Dead, 1981
Sam Raimi's debut feature, The Evil Dead, inspired a generation of filmmakers with its homemade masterpiece. The story of a group of friends unwittingly awakening long-dormant demonic forces in a cabin in the woods created its own horror subgenre, showcasing Raimi's DIY charm.
A deadite in the cellar in The Evil Dead
5. Celine Song - Past Lives, 2023
Celine Song's debut movie, Past Lives, is a touching, semi-autobiographical love story that defies clichés and conventions. The film follows childhood sweethearts reuniting in New York, showcasing Song's deeply personal storytelling and emotional depth.
Greta Lee and Teo Yoo sitting in front of carousel looking at each other in Past Lives
6. David Lynch - Eraserhead, 1977
David Lynch's debut movie, Eraserhead, introduced his surreal and disturbing style to audiences. The film, depicting a man’s fear of fatherhood in a black-and-white monster movie, instantly established Lynch as a living legend among cinephiles.
Jack Nance in Eraserhead
7. Quentin Tarantino - Reservoir Dogs, 1992
Quentin Tarantino's debut feature, Reservoir Dogs, is a masterclass in crime cinema. The aftermath of a heist gone wrong and the hunt for an undercover cop are portrayed with verbose dialogue, twisty plotting, and subversive use of whimsical needle-drops over scenes of graphic violence.
The cast of Reservoir Dogs in suits and sunglasses
8. George A. Romero - Night of the Living Dead, 1968
George A. Romero's debut feature created the concept of the modern zombie and used the horror genre for poignant social commentary. The story of the dead rising from their graves to feast on the brains of the living became a powerful reflection of racial tensions in America.
Screencap of zombies walking in a field from Night of the Living Dead.
9. Emma Seligman - Shiva Baby, 2020
Emma Seligman burst onto the festival circuit with her astonishing debut movie, Shiva Baby. The film, set almost entirely in one location, follows a college senior's cringe-worthy shiva observance, threading palpable tension and sharply scripted moments throughout.
Rachel Sennott at a shiva in Shiva Baby
