For 2026, members of Arts & Faith curated a Top 25 list of spiritually significant films directed by women. After releasing the most recent edition of the Top 100 list in 2025, members of the group were dismayed to find that we'd selected only eight films by women directors. Our next priority became clear: shine the spotlight on the many talented but often unheralded women who have crafted spiritually compelling films since the beginning.
The Top 25 list of spiritually significant films directed by women, ranked in order:
- Women Talking, dir. Sarah Polley (2022)
- Lourdes, dir. Jessica Hausner (2009)
- The Prince of Egypt, dir. Brenda Chapman and Simon Wells (1998)
- Lady Bird, dir. Greta Gerwig (2017)
- Selma, dir. Ava DuVernay (2014)
- The Innocents, dir. Anne Fontaine (2016)
- Aftersun, dir. Charlotte Wells (2022)
- Persepolis, dir. Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud (2007)
- Vagabond, dir. Agnès Varda (1985)
- All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt, dir. Raven Jackson (2023)
- A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, dir. Marielle Heller (2019)
- The House is Black, dir. Forugh Farrokhzad (1962)
- The Matrix, dir. Lana and Lilly Wachowski (1999)
- The Life of Christ, dir. Alice Guy-Blaché (1906)
- Leave No Trace, dir. Debra Granik (2018)
- Hypocrites, dir. Lois Weber (1915)
- Daughters of the Dust, dir. Julie Dash (1991)
- Nomadland, dir. Chloé Zhao (2020)
- Harlan County, USA, dir. Barbara Kopple (1976)
- Moses und Aron, dir. Danièle Huillet and Jean-Marie Straub (1975)
- Past Lives, dir. Celine Song (2023)
- The Ascent, dir. Larisa Shepitko (1977)
- Portrait of a Lady on Fire, dir. Celine Sciamma (2019)
- The Starling Girl, dir. Laurel Parmet (2023)
- Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, dir. Kelly Fremon Craig (2023)
When I took on the role of project leader, I didn't know how much work it would require or how deeply invested I would become in the process. Work began in the fall of 2025 with a panel of 25 jurors gathering a list of 105 nominations. Members were then given several months to watch films and use available discussion platforms to debate about the quality and spiritual significance of each. Then came the hard part – choosing which films would make the cut. The process took two intensive rounds of voting, compelling members to prioritize the films they found most worthy. The final list is a testament to their labor. Films span from 1906 to 2023 and represent 13 countries and six languages. Eleven of the films are making their first Arts & Faith appearance, increasing the probability that they will appear on the next Top 100 list. But beyond that, we hope this will help readers discover lesser known works, find new significance in established classics, and reframe popular work through a spiritual lens.
The final list includes documentaries, shorts, animation, musicals, silent films, and narratives that explore spirituality in meaningful ways. When viewed as a collection, some intriguing themes emerge:
Of course, no list is comprehensive, and some wonderful filmmakers are absent from this one, like Jane Campion, Sofia Coppola, Claire Denis, Maya Deren, Ida Lupino, and Kelly Reichardt. With only 25 spots, jurors had the difficult task of comparing these respected filmmakers against newer voices and against films that may not be as celebrated but carried spiritual significance too rich to ignore.
Regardless of what made it into the list, the process has been its own reward. Yes, we made a list of 25 films, but we also spent dedicated time appreciating a treasure trove of films by women directors throughout history. Doing so unveiled compelling qualities these directors bring to the art form. Call it the female gaze or the woman's touch, but there are differences too noticeable to ignore. With women filling the director's chair since the beginning of cinema, why should their work be hidden in the shadows?
Arts & Faith seeks to elevate films that invite deeper reflection and engage questions of belief, suffering, redemption, justice, and the human search for purpose—universal experiences that span religious traditions around the world. With women making up about half of the world's population, it's essential that their voices are heard for true universality. Otherwise, we're receiving an incomplete picture of God's world. We invite you to discover these films for the first time or savor them in new ways.
Find the original list of nominations. You can also follow the group at their website or on Letterboxd.
The final list includes documentaries, shorts, animation, musicals, silent films, and narratives that explore spirituality in meaningful ways. When viewed as a collection, some intriguing themes emerge:
- The awkwardness of coming of age (Lady Bird, Persepolis, Are You There, God, The Starling Girl, and All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt)
- The interior lives of women and the unique experience of female embodiment, with its challenges and joys (Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Women Talking, The Innocents)
- Intergenerational heritage (Women Talking, Daughters of the Dust, The Prince of Egypt)
- Women on the margins (Lourdes, Vagabond, Nomadland, Daughters of the Dust, Leave No Trace)
- Memory and the passage of time (Daughters of the Dust, Past Lives, Aftersun)
- Moral inquiry and ambiguity (Lourdes, The Innocents, Moses and Aaron, Hypocrites)
- Communities facing oppression with courage and grace: (Selma, The House Is Black, Harlan County, USA, The Ascent)
Regardless of what made it into the list, the process has been its own reward. Yes, we made a list of 25 films, but we also spent dedicated time appreciating a treasure trove of films by women directors throughout history. Doing so unveiled compelling qualities these directors bring to the art form. Call it the female gaze or the woman's touch, but there are differences too noticeable to ignore. With women filling the director's chair since the beginning of cinema, why should their work be hidden in the shadows?
Arts & Faith seeks to elevate films that invite deeper reflection and engage questions of belief, suffering, redemption, justice, and the human search for purpose—universal experiences that span religious traditions around the world. With women making up about half of the world's population, it's essential that their voices are heard for true universality. Otherwise, we're receiving an incomplete picture of God's world. We invite you to discover these films for the first time or savor them in new ways.
Find the original list of nominations. You can also follow the group at their website or on Letterboxd.
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