Samuel Beam is an American singer-songwriter (and former film studies professor!) better known by the stage name Iron and Wine. His last album was 2007’s The Shepherd’s Dog, and a follow-up is in the works. When selecting his top ten Criterion titles, Beam says, “it was really difficult for me not to just write ‘my top 507,’ because that’s where your catalogue was at the moment I wrote this, and I cherish practically everything you guys have released. However, with that said, here’s a handful of favorites.”
Biography via Criterion.

Terry Gilliam
1985
143 min

Akira Kurosawa
1961
110 min

Carol Reed
1949
105 min

Jim Jarmusch
1986
106 min

Stan Brakhage
243 min

Federico Fellini
1954
115 min

Gillo Pontecorvo
1966
122 min

John Cassavetes
1974
155 min

Les Blank
1982
97 min

Mike Leigh
1993
131 min