Shortly after releasing a list of his favourite literary works from 2019, the former US president Barack Obama has turned his critical eye to the silver screen.
Obama’s list of favourite films from this past year, shared on Twitter and Instagram, is heavily in favour of gritty drama, with the likes of The Irishman, Diane, and Just Mercy alongside the Chinese mobster drama Ash is Purest White, the Senegalese ghost story Atlantics, and the Colombian crime film Birds of Passage.
The former president’s documentary picks include moon landing documentary Apollo 11 and Aretha Franklin concert film Amazing Grace.
“Of course, there’s also American Factory, a film from our own production company, Higher Ground, that was recently shortlisted for an Oscar,” Obama said.
There’s also the dark comedy Parasite and coming of age films Booksmart and Little Women.
Half of the films in his list this year are Oscar contenders, with many having been listed for film festival awards and other accolades.
Next up are my favorite movies and TV shows of 2019. Of course, there’s also American Factory, a film from our own production company, Higher Ground, that was recently shortlisted for an Oscar. Here’s the full list: pic.twitter.com/PEcgwotcxm
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) December 29, 2019
Obama first began releasing annual lists of his favourite cultural works in 2015, beginning with books. They were reportedly intended to highlight works from both high profile and lesser known creators.
Suggesting a perception that film is generally a more powerful medium than television, Obama also listed three television shows “that I considered as powerful as movies”: the true-story based MeToo drama Unbelievable, the recent adaptation of Watchmen, and the second season of Fleabag.
Obama also promised in an earlier tweet that a list of his favourite music would be forthcoming.
