On Journal, we love to ask filmmakers—from directors, to writers, to actors—which films inspired them to make the celluloid craft their living. This list is a running tally of their choices so far. See notes for the filmmaker with a link to their interview.

Films are listed in alphabetical order. One film per filmmaker if they gave us more than one choice, depending on which made a greater impact in the context of their answer.

Interviewees who nominated screen stories other than feature films:

• A, My Name is Alex (1987): Lil Rel Howery, star of Brittany Runs a Marathon.
• Jackass (2000—2007): Daniel Scheinert, director of The Death of Dick Long.
• The Storyteller (1987—1989): Shannon Murphy, director of Babyteeth.