Barry Jenkins’ Favorite Movies: 20 Films the Director Want You to See, from ‘Blood Simple’ to ‘Dekalog’

Alison Foreman and Wilson Chapman
·3-min read

It’s difficult to think of a director as young as Barry Jenkins who seems so clearly destined to be remembered as one of the greats. After dropping his moving, romantic debut feature “Medicine for the Melancholy” in 2008, Jenkins further honed his craft and became a household name (at least among any cinephiles worth their salt) with the release of his sophomore feature “Moonlight.” The tender, beautiful film was the subject of rapturous acclaim, and its groundbreaking and dramatic Best Picture win at the Oscars cemented it as an all-time great work of art.

Since then, Jenkins has only gone from strength to strength. His 2018 follow-up “If Beale Street Could Talk” was a similar critical darling. And his epic limited series adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s “The Underground Railroad,” which sadly went under the radar for much of the general public in 2021, was nothing short of stunning. Critics, including IndieWire’s Ben Travers, quickly hailed it as one of the finest limited series ever made.

More from IndieWire

Jenkins has also been active as a producer, helping to bring A24 projects like Charlotte Wells’ “Aftersun” and Raven Jackson’s “All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt” to fruition. He also wrote the screenplay for the upcoming sports biopic “Flint Strong” about Olympian Claressa Shields: the first American woman to win gold in boxing. It will be directed by Rachel Morrison in her feature debut.

When Jenkins finally does return to the director’s chair, he won’t be helming one of his intimate, artistic dramas. Instead, in a big get for Disney, Jenkins is behind the upcoming “Mufasa: The Lion King”: a prequel to the 2019 “Lion King” CGI remake. While the wooden original film doesn’t inspire a ton of confidence in a follow-up, Jenkins has earned more than enough goodwill with audiences to make his House of Mouse exploration worth flagging for all kinds of film fans.

As a director, Jenkins is known for his gorgeous compositions, soft romantic style, and his empathetic, richly written stories centering the experiences of Black leads. His work is so finely textured and deeply emotional that it’s no surprise he’s already had at least one project considered a canonical classic; in 2022, when he contributed a top 10 ballot to the Sight and Sound magazine’s annual filmmakers poll of the Greatest Films of All Time, “Moonlight” made it to No. 60.

Looking at Jenkins ballot, and the films he’s named as influences, reveals a director with a diverse range of influences, and a hunger and appreciation for serious cinema. American classics like Spike Lee’s “Do the Right Thing” and Martin Scorsese’s “Taxi Driver” made his top 10, while his international choices include Bela Tar’s seven-hour film “Sátántangó” and War Kar-Wai’s “In the Mood For Love.” In terms of directors who influenced him, he’s a devotee of France’s Claire Denis and Scotland’s Lynne Ramsey, both of whom’s bodies of work Jenkins has named as foundational.

In honor of Black History month, IndieWire has decided to refresh our look at Jenkins’ cinematic influences. Read on for a list of 20 of Barry Jenkins’ favorite films, including his picks from his 2022 Sight and Sound ballot as well as other movies he’s named as greats over the years. In his ballot, he summed up his thoughts on the exercise of choosing the all-time great films succinctly: “This was impossible. But damn if it wasn’t fun.”

[This story was first published in April 2023 and has since been updated with new selections.]

Best of IndieWire

Sign up for Indiewire's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest stories