Year-End Lists

Michael Sicinski: Top Films of 2016, including separate world-premiere and poll-eligible release lists

[see also Ten Experimental Films That Defined 2025 • Twenty-One Experimental Films That Defined 2024 • 25 Great Experimental Films of 2023 • The Best Experimental Films (That I Saw) in 2022 • The 30 Best Avant-Garde Feature Films of the 2010s • Top 50 Films of 2018 • Top 30 Experimental Films of 2018 • Top 25 Films of 2017 • Best Films of 2015 • Top 12 Films of 2014 • Top 10 Films of 2013 • Top 12 Films of 2012]

Top Thirty (World Premieres Only)

1. Aquarius
   Kleber Mendonça Filho
2. Austerlitz
   Sergei Loznitsa
3. Sieranevada
   Cristi Puiu
4. Lemonade
   Beyoncé Knowles Carter and Kahlil Joseph with Jonas Åkerlund, Melina Matsoukas, Dikayl Rimmasch, Mark Romanek and Tod Tourso
5. 025 Sunset Red
   Laida Lertxundi
6. Old Hat
   Zach Iannazzi
7. Toni Erdmann
   Maren Ade
8. Nocturama
   Bertrand Bonello
9. If You Can't See My Mirrors, I Can't See You
   Alee Peoples
10. 20th Century Women
    Mike Mills
11. Homo Sapiens
    Nikolaus Geyrhalter
12. Halimuhfack
    Christopher Harris
13. Cameraperson
    Kirsten Johnson
14. Ears, Nose and Throat
    Kevin Jerome Everson
15. Staying Vertical
    Alain Guiraudie
16. Élysée
    Laurent Grasso
17. Mimosas
    Oliver Laxe
18. A Lullaby to the Sorrowful Mystery
    Lav Diaz
19. Luna e Santur
    Joshua Gen Solondz
20. The Stairs
    Hugh Gibson
21. The Love Witch
    Anna Biller
22. No Shooting Stars
    Basim Magdy
23. The Fits
    Anna Rose Holmer
24. Hello Destroyer
    Kevan Funk
25. Bad Mama, Who Cares
    Brigid McCaffrey
26. Life After Life
    Zhang Hanyi
27. Kékszakállú
    Gastón Solnicki
28. The Death of Louis XIV
    Albert Serra
29. Moonlight
    Barry Jenkins
30. Answer Print
    Mónica Savirón

Top Ten Releases (Poll-Eligible Only)

1. Cemetery of Splendor
   Apichatpong Weerasethakul
2. Aquarius
   Kleber Mendonça Filho
3. Toni Erdmann
   Maren Ade
4. Homo Sapiens
   Nikolaus Geyrhalter
5. Right Now, Wrong Then
   Hong Sang-soo
6. Cameraperson
   Kirsten Johnson
7. The Love Witch
   Anna Biller
8. The Fits
   Anna Rose Holmer
9. Moonlight
   Barry Jenkins
10. Love & Friendship
    Whit Stillman

This list contributes to:

• Top 50 Films of 2016 Village Voice · Village Voice Film Poll