6. Antiviral (2012) Dir. Brandon Cronenberg
Maybe one of the most obscure directorial offspring on this list, Brandon Cronenberg, like his father David Cronenberg, doesn’t fail to explore obscene, disturbing, yet thought provoking cinema. His film, 2012’s “Antiviral”, depicts a futuristic dystopian society where the lead character (Syd March) is employed by a company that purchases viruses along with other pathogens, from celebrities who fall ill, in order to inject them into clients who desire a connection with celebrities.
In a storyline that is perfect for our current celebrity-obsessed society, Cronenberg manages to shadow a social plague, in a very obscene and bizarre way of storytelling not duplicated any of the directors on this list.
7. Sunday’s Children (1992) Dir. Daniel Bergman
You might have heard Ingmar Bergman’s name referenced in many films directed by Woody Allen, or maybe you’ve seen some of his cinematic masterpieces. Either way, the influence of Ingmar Bergman on many Hollywood directors is endless, and it didn’t stop with his son Daniel Bergman. His film “Sunday’s Children” is one of his first films, aside from many different made-for-TV films that he created for Swedish broadcasting.
Though he hasn’t had the same career as his famous father, Daniel’s films have the same heartfelt narration and theme that can be felt when watching his father’s films. The elder Bergman is one of the most noted filmmakers ever, and his son doesn’t disappoint with this film about a man named Pu and a summer in his childhood spent with family in 1920. Bergman’s debut film is definitely worth the watch.
8. The Apple (1998) Dir. Samira Makhmalbaf
The daughter of Mohsen Makhmalbaf, a Iranian director known for films like “Boycott” and ‘’The Cyclist”, Samira Makhmalbaf makes our list for her film titled “The Apple”. It tells the story of two sisters locked up by their parents for 11 years, until their neighbors take notice and liberate the girls, leading them to a very bittersweet introduction to the world and outlook on life.
The film features the actual women who lived the events. It is a very profound piece of work from a Iran, a region often ignored by too many film goers. It was screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 1998, and it is said that Makhmalbaf shot the film with leftover film stock of one of her father’s previous film projects. Samira and her father, Mohsen, wrote the film together and Makhmalbaf shot it when she was just 17, making her one of the youngest directors on record.
9. This is Spinal Tap (1984) Dir. Rob Reiner
One of the great comic geniuses, Carl Reiner, bore one of the greatest comedic offspring on the list. Rob Reiner got his start in acting, with roles such in shows like “All in the Family”, one of the most controversial shows in American TV history. From there he had a slew of directorial successes, starting with his 1984 mockumentary, “This is Spinal Tap”.
The film follows the parody British heavy metal rock band Spinal Tap. The band first showed on an ABC show titled, “The TV Show” which also starred Reiner. From there they formed this classic mockumentary of the band on tour.
The film also stars Harry Shearer, who voiced the characters Ned Flanders, Mr. Burns, and more on “The Simpsons”. Reiner would go on to have a successful career in filmmaking, making many classic hits, including “The Princess Bride”, “Stand By Me” and “When Harry Met Sally”. This directorial debut shouldn’t be missed.
10. Palo Alto (2013) Dir. Gia Coppola
The third Coppola on this list, Gia Coppola, is the granddaughter of Francis Coppola. Growing up in a famous family with three well-known directors was definitely a huge benefit to Gia’s career behind the camera. After studying photography at community college and then Bard College, Coppola turned to filmmaking as refuge of “turning out photos for classes”. She first worked as a staff assistant on her aunt Sofia’s film “Somewhere”.
After that, she made short films for fashion designers such as Zac Posen. She finally made her directorial debut with “Palo Alto”, a film based off the book written by James Franco. Coppola drew inspiration from such films like “American Graffiti”, “Fast Times at Ridgemont High”, and “The Virgin Suicides”.
The film was picked up by the distributor Tribeca Film, and hit the screen in 2014. Though it is the first major film by Gia Coppola, she is definitely a Coppola on the rise, and one to watch out for, as this is only the start of her career.