November 2026 Update
Written by Andreas Babiolakis
Good day to you, dear readers!
I haven't done a personal update in quite some time, mainly because I didn't think that I needed to post any. I try not to get into my personal life too much since I want Films Fatale to read as professionally as possible, and not like a personal blog. However, I felt like a post today was quite necessary. You may have noticed that Films Fatale has been a little quiet for the past few weeks. This post will at least add something to the front page.
Firstly, you needn't worry. All is good on my end. I have just been a little burned out after ten months of excessive film watching, a myriad of Filmography Worship lists (which, I learned, you can exhaust yourself from doing too many of these for a long stretch of time), and the other stuff that I am working on behind the scenes. However, instead of operating like I typically do (working in secrecy so all new content pops up as a surprise), I think it would be wiser to maybe lay out the gameplan for the remainder of 2026 and also the year ahead. That way, with context, the quiet lulls may make more sense (as opposed to looking like a warning sigh of something worse).
Before I continue, I wanted to thank all of you wonderful readers who continue to flock to Films Fatale even when the site is in a still, rested state. If anything, we are still on track to breaking our previous annual records based on daily readership, new and unique visitors, and other key metrics. Part of the reason why I felt like I could leave Films Fatale alone for a short while is because of your interest and dedication: two very humbling things. I still cannot believe how many people read, share, and discuss the articles written by the Films Fatale team on a regular basis. This has been a touching, beautiful experience from one cinephile to another. Part of the reason why this article exists is to let you know that the journey is far from over, even if we needed to pull off to the side for a pitstop.
Firstly, Filmography Worship will continue. For now. The original Wall of Directors was capped at one hundred different filmmakers. However, the game plan is to expand this list to two hundred names. I won't be expanding it in the future, since two hundred auteurs is enough. However, the original plan was to finish the remainder of the wall this calendar year; this self-imposed objective tired me to the point of being red-eyed, heavy-headed, and profusely pooped. For transparency, I have finished watching the films of quite a few other filmmakers who will be making the final cut; I just have to write their articles still. I was well on track to finishing this task once the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival hit, and those twelve days of breaking out of this routine alerted me to just how worn down I truly was. I needed a break from this experiment. It may appear finished since the original one-hundred names are accounted for, but I knew deep down that it isn't quite there yet. Now, you do as well.
Who will be included in the additional one-hundred filmmakers?
• Most of the past directors who have been included in my Filmography Worship series (but not everyone); I won't be spoiling who will be making the cut until the wall is ready to be revealed.
• Some of the directors who have popped up in the other sections of my wall (like the newer auteurs and the experimental artists) will be "graduating" and making the two-hundred cut. I will be filling in the newly-vacant spots with new names so that each section can still exist.
Additionally, I am considering making a section for ten underrated and overlooked auteurs who I think are worth your time.
I plan on making Filmography Worship articles for all of the remaining directors who will be making the Wall of Directors list, the new class of greats, and the underrated auteurs. Since many included people have filmographies that are too extensive, complicated, or missing, I don't presently plan on doing Filmography Worship entries for the sections containing early silent era moguls or the experimental artists (maybe this will change down the road).
Yes, even though Filmography Worship won't conclude this year like I wanted it to, there will be more coming, so stay tuned for that (and I hope you like the upcoming entries as much as I have enjoyed exploring them, even if this amount of watching and writing has likely taken years off of my life). Additionally, once the wall is finished, I can foresee the occasional Filmography Worship in the future just in case I feel like it is necessary. However, I won't be considering just about any filmmaker, especially if I neither see a plausible reason to write about them nor if I do not care enough about their work. If you have sent recommendations and I have said that I likely won't be writing about them, that remains true. However, if you have written to me and I have either considered the recommendation or have said that I am already working on their entry, then keep your eyes peeled.
With that out of the way, there is certainly more down the pipeline.
The main goal for next year is to work on lists.
I wanted to leave this a secret, but I will allow this cat to escape its proverbial bag now. Why not share the near future with you all?
What this looks like is a series of exercises, roughly one a month (unless I burn myself out yet again).
I plan on releasing a variety of lists, including genre-based efforts (I'm thinking of compiling lists of my favourite westerns, for instance), and potentially lists that honour media (a white whale of mine has been to honour all of the greatest animated films of all time, so maybe that will finally come to fruition next year).
Additionally, I will be updating all of the past decades-based lists on this site.
One of my most popular outputs, these lists will be getting a bit of a makeover. What will I be doing to them? Moving some titles around (if I see fit to), and adding ten new entries to each list (ten new documentaries on that list, ten short films for that list, and ten films for each decade). After having seen so many films the past few years, these kinds of updates felt necessary, and I hope you enjoy these updates as much as you like what has been written and selected in the past.
Finally, and most importantly, I have been making a few massive lists that have been kicking my ass a little bit. This is a major reason for my silence lately. My attention has been elsewhere working on a couple of passion projects that may have very little to do with what you have seen thus far. I dare not spoil what they are, but I do want to hint to you that they are near and dear to me (these are very personal lists). I have been working on their research for years. Next year is the year I intend on them finally coming to light.
Amidst all of this will be programming as usual. I will be compiling my end-of-year lists when the time arrives next month. When the award season comes around, I will be covering that extensively like I always do. I will try to keep up with contemporary films as well (I have seen quite a few that I still need to review and plan on covering in the upcoming weeks). I will also be working on all of the above as well. I hope that you will like what you see and will take this journey with me and the rest of the Films Fatale team.
What about in 2028 — when the lists have settled and the projects have wound down?
Well, I would like to run Films Fatale as straight forward as possible. Reviews for new films; articles to discuss contemporary issues (I haven't had a chance to do that often in the past year or two); monthly and annual entries where applicable (like Criterion Crazy, or my Festivus celebration). As for the massive undertakings, I'd like to take it easy with those after the upcoming workload. I feel mainly accomplished thus far. I may change my mind in the future, but — for now — part of the concern is that I have made my number one passion feel a bit like a job. In ways, it is. I also want to keep it fresh and fulfilling again. I hope that you understand.
Thank you for everything thus far. Here's to more square-eyed cinephilia to come.
Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Toronto Metropolitan University, as well as a Bachelors degree in Cinema Studies from York University. His favourite times of year are the Criterion Collection flash sales and the annual Toronto International Film Festival.