Sometimes a director can come along and catch you out with a wonderfully surprising film. Despite the recent success of Iranian cinema, that’s what Samira Makhmalbaf managed to do to me with the marvellous Blackboards. I guess that’s why I’m so pleased to see her featured in the Guardian’s 40 best directors feature.
Generally it’s a good list. I’m not sure that after the travesty that is their latest work I’d put the Wachowskis in there, but perhaps if I’d stuck with the first film in isolation I’d be better able to think about the effect they’ve had on the industry. Somewhat surprised to see the name Coppola missing too, but what would one of these lists be if it didn’t leave us wondering why certain names were missing?