Introduction: 2014 World Poll

Welcome to the 11^th Senses of Cinema World Poll.

Unlike most other end of year polls, this one does not result in an aggregated “top 10 of the year” list. That is not the point of the poll. Rather, we wish to present a snapshot of the favourite films of Senses readers, contributors and friends (mostly international programmers, critics, filmmakers and cinephiles).

Yes the parameters may be looser – we encourage submissions of older films, for example, firmly believing that such viewing keeps cinephilia alive and is always in dialogue with contemporary film viewing. Perhaps occasionally things may seem almost chaotic. But this reflects the heterogeneity of international film-going.

Lastly, while many lists reflect what was released in cinemas through official distribution channels, it is exciting to see lists from all over the world that resonate strongly with the cinephile’s innate hunger for discovery. Many entries continue to include works seen on TV or the Internet. And a more open embrace of these aesthetic tendencies spills over into some of the films themselves, not the least in the multi-textural and allusive Adieu au langage by Jean-Luc Godard, perhaps the film that appears the most times in the Poll.

Massive thanks to our compiler-proofers Aleena Glentis, Kiri Sullivan, Jessica Balanzategui, James Sabine and Daniel Fairfax, for dedicating their time to this monumental task over the Christmas break. And our ever-amazing webmaster Rachel Brown for getting the whole thing up.

Enjoy the lists!

– Michelle Carey

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