Best Films of 2015

A note on the poll’s workings: over 100 North American colleagues ranked their favorites in two categories: 1) those that received theatrical runs and 2) those viewed this year but currently with no announced plans for U.S. theatrical distribution. For each ballot, a first-place choice was allotted 20 points, 19 for second, and so on.

Readers’ Poll: Readers are invited to stand up and be counted too! All entries will be automatically entered in our contest for free DVDs from the Criterion Collection. We will publish the poll results, and your comments may be excerpted on the website. Send your ranked list of the year’s 20 best films—plus any rants, raves, and insights—with your name, address, and phone number, to fcpoll [at] filmlinc.com. Deadline: February 5, 2016. First Prize: your choice of Criterion Collection DVDs, up to $200 in value. Second Prize: up to $120. Third & Fourth Prizes: up to $80. The winners, who will be picked by random draw, can select prizes, subject to availability, from the Criterion Collection catalog.

1. Carol
Todd Haynes, U.S.

2. The Assassin
Hou Hsiao-hsien, Taiwan

3. Mad Max: Fury Road
George Miller, U.S.

4. Clouds of Sils Maria
Olivier Assayas, France

5. Arabian Nights
Miguel Gomes, Portugal

6. Timbuktu
Abderrahmane Sissako, Mauritania/France

7. Spotlight
Tom McCarthy, U.S.

8. Phoenix
Christian Petzold, Germany

9. Inside Out
Pete Docter & Ronnie del Carmen, U.S.

10. The Look of Silence
Joshua Oppenheimer, Denmark/Indonesia

Don’t see your favorites? Proceed to the Best Undistributed list.