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This is a list of film directorial debuts in chronological order. The films and dates referred to are a director's first commercial cinematic release. Many film makers have directed works which were not commercially released, for example early works by Orson Welles such as his filming of his stage production of Twelfth Night in 1933 or his experimental short film The Hearts of Age in 1934. Often these early works were not intended for commercial release either by intent, such as film school projects or inability to find distribution.

Consequently, as television gained popularity in the 1940s and 1950s, many directors began to learn their craft in this medium. Notable directors who did their first directorial work in this medium include Robert Altman, Norman Jewison, Sidney Lumet, and Alfonso Cuarón. As commercial television advertising became more cinematic in the 1960s and 1970s, many directors' early work was in this medium, including directors such as Alan Parker and Ridley Scott. With the success of MTV and the popularity of music videos from the early 1980s, this gave another avenue for directors to hone their skills. Notable directors whose early work was in music videos include David Fincher, Jonathan Glazer, Michel Gondry, and Spike Jonze.

The following symbols indicate where a director has worked in another medium prior to directing commercially.

Indicates where a director has created other earlier works for television

# Indicates when a director's earlier work is uncredited

Indicates when a director's earlier work has not been released in cinemas, for example film school productions, short films, or music videos.

Refer to individual entries for further detail. Template:TOC left

1880s[]

1887[]

  • Louis Le Prince – Man Walking Around a Corner[1]

1890s[]

1896[]

1898[]

  • Edwin S. Porter – The Cavalier's Dream

1900s[]

1901[]

  • Segundo de Chomón – Bajada de Montserrat

1907[]

  • Sidney Olcott – The Wooing of Miles Standish

1908[]

  • Louis Feuillade – L'Homme aimanté
  • D. W. Griffith –The Adventures of Dollie

1909[]

  • Mack Sennett – The Curtain Pole

1910s[]

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1920s[]

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1930s[]

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1940s[]

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1950s[]

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1960s[]

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1970s[]

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1980s[]

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1990s[]

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2000s[]

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2010s[]

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2020s[]

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Unknown[]

See also[]

  • List of cinematic firsts

Notes[]

  1. Co-directed with Robert N. Bradbury
  2. Credited as Detlef Sierck
  3. Co-directed with Anthony Hankey
  4. Co-directed with Gunther von Fritsch
  5. Co-directed with Brian Desmond Hurst
  6. Co-directed with Robert Jordan Hill
  7. Co-directed with Yakov Bazelyan
  8. Co-directed with Abe Levitow
  9. Co-directed with Bradley R. Swirnoff
  10. Co-directed with Bill Melendez
  11. Co-directed with Rintaro
  12. Co-directed with Kenneth Tsang
  13. Co-directed with Jesse Wells
  14. Co-directed with Frank Lustig
  15. Co-directed with David Van Taylor
  16. Co-directed with Peter Farrelly
  17. Co-directed with Quentin Lee
  18. Co-directed with Simon Wells
  19. Co-directed with Jim Wynorski
  20. Co-directed with Kevin Lima
  21. Co-directed with Chris Malloy and Emmett Malloy
  22. Co-directed with David Daniel
  23. Co-directed with Corey Yuen
  24. Co-directed with Vicky Jenson and Bibo Bergeron
  25. Co-directed with Andrew Adamson and Kelly Asbury
  26. Co-directed with Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino
  27. Co-directed with Tim Johnson
  28. Co-directed with Chris Buck
  29. Co-directed with Vincent Paronnaud
  30. Co-directed with Ryan Fleck
  31. Co-directed with Byron Howard
  32. Co-directed with Stephen Andreson
  33. Co-directed with Alastair Fothergill
  34. Co-directed with Barry Cook
  35. Co-directed with Brenda Chapman
  36. Co-directed with Sam Fell
  37. Co-directed with Steve Martino
  38. Co-directed with Chris Buck
  39. Co-directed with Guy Jenkin
  40. Co-directed with Jocelyn Towne
  41. Co-directed with Jennifer Yuh Nelson
  42. Credited as Declan Dale
  43. Co-directed with Nicholas Stoller
  44. Co-directed with Conrad Vernon
  45. Co-directed with Peter Ramsey
  46. Co-directed with Byron Howard
  47. Co-directed with Aaron Horvath
  48. Co-directed with Chris Buck

References[]

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  4. 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 Eric's Top 10 Directorial Debuts. scene-stealers.com.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 The 50 greatest debut movies: part five. Time Out.
  6. 15 Facts About Orson Welles' CITIZEN KANE: America's Greatest Film Turns 75. AFI.com.
  7. Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Lloyd, Ann; Robinson, David (1987). The Illustrated History of Cinema. Macmillan. p. 162. ISBN 978-0-02-919241-2.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 The 50 greatest debut movies: part two. Time Out.
  9. The 50 greatest debut movies: part six. Time Out.
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 10.7 The 50 greatest debut movies: part four. Time Out.
  11. 11.00 11.01 11.02 11.03 11.04 11.05 11.06 11.07 11.08 11.09 11.10 11.11 11.12 11.13 11.14 11.15 11.16 11.17 11.18 Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Jarecki, Nicholas (2001). Breaking In — How 20 Film Directors Got Their Start. ISBN 0-7679-0674-8.
  12. 12.00 12.01 12.02 12.03 12.04 12.05 12.06 12.07 12.08 12.09 12.10 12.11 12.12 12.13 12.14 12.15 Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Lowenstein, Stephen (2000). My First Movie. ISBN 0-375-42081-9.
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6 13.7 Time Out's 50 greatest directorial debuts of all time. Time Out.
  14. Cataldo, Jesse (November 16, 2019). Review: Duet for Cannibals Is an Intriguing Mix of Pastiche and Parody.
  15. The "Sugarland Express" Gang. TexasMonthly September 1, 2001.
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6 16.7 The Top Grossing Directorial Debuts of All-time. Indiewire.com (5 August 2011).
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 17.5 17.6 J.D.'s Top 10 Directorial Debuts. scene-stealers.com.
  18. Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Albert, Antonio (May 12, 1993). "Imanol Arias debuta como director de cine con 'Un asunto privado'". El País (in Spanish). Madrid: Prisa. Archived from the original on September 3, 2018. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
  19. Losing Chase. The Austin Chronicle (February 7, 1997).
  20. Ouellette, Kevin (July 15, 2008). Review: Dangan Runner. Nippon Cinema.
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 Top 5 Female Directorial Debuts. Soundonsight.org (October 24, 2011).
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 22.5 22.6 22.7 22.8 10 best-reviewed directorial debuts since 1990. Metacritic.com.
  23. 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 23.4 23.5 10 worst-reviewed directorial debuts since 1990. Metacritic.com.
  24. 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 24.4 24.5 24.6 The Doom Dispatch: The Ten best Directorial Debuts of the Decade. www.geeksofdoom.com (29 May 2009).
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  27. TIFF '10:Day 7. AVClub.com (16 September 2010).
  28. "Nos Résistances", premier long métrage de Romain Cogitore (fr) (8 January 2011).
  29. SXSW Review: Attack The Block Could Be The Best Action Movie of the Year. Cinemablend.com (March 17, 2011).
  30. Ma, Kevin (June 1, 2014). Bona announces Q1 2014 results. Film Business Asia.
  31. Lemercier, Fabien (19 February 2019). Review: The Wolf's Call.
  32. Leffler, Rebecca (30 October 2023). Orange Studio boards Ali Marhyar directing debut 'Like A Prince', unveils star-powered AFM slate (exclusive).
  33. 'The Nightingale' Star Aisling Franciosi To Lead Horror 'Stopmotion', Wild Bunch Launches Sales — Cannes Market. Penske Media Corporation (2021-06-15).
  34. Bolt, Neil (January 26, 2024). Stopmotion Trailer and Poster Debut for Macabre Puppet Horror Movie.
  35. Kroll, Justin (October 28, 2022). 'Venom 3': Kelly Marcel Set to Direct Next Installment Starring Tom Hardy. Deadline. Retrieved on December 20, 2022.
  36. Michael Cera Interview: Scott Pilgrim, Barbie, The Adults (en-US).
  37. 37.0 37.1 Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Keegan, Rebecca (January 6, 2021). "Reanimating 'Pixar': How Pete Docter Steered the Studio Out of Scandal". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 26, 2021. Retrieved January 6, 2024. In addition to Shi, Aphton Corbin and Rosana Sullivan are female story artists who have directed short films at the studio recently and are now moving into development on features.
  38. Cardinale, John (December 13, 2023). First movie begins filming in New Mexico since SAG AFTRA strike.
  39. Kroll, Justin (September 30, 2018). 'Sesame Street' Movie Taps 'Portlandia' Co-Creator Jonathan Krisel as Director (EXCLUSIVE). Variety. Retrieved on September 30, 2018.
  40. Rosario, Alexandra Del (January 28, 2021). 'The Witch Boy': Netflix To Release Animated Musical From Oscar-Nominated Director Minkyu Lee. Deadline. Retrieved on December 20, 2022.
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  42. Lang, Brent (December 9, 2022). Taylor Swift Making Feature Directing Debut for Searchlight Pictures. Variety. Retrieved on December 11, 2022.
  43. Lang, Brent (2023-02-06). Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk's Directorial Debut Hell of a Summer Drops First Look, Altitude Film Sales Boards Horror-Comedy (Exclusive).
  44. Tara Nicole Whitaker Making Feature Directorial Debut with Animated Pic “Pierre the Pigeon-Hawk” (August 17, 2021).
  45. Handley, Zoey (April 21, 2023). Iron Lung is being adapted to film by Markiplier.
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