For its annual year-end Top Film category, the CHLOTRUDIS SOCIETY FOR INDEPENDENT FILM (CSIF) this year has compiled a list of the top 100 Coming-of-Age films among its 100+ membership. To create this list, members were asked to come up with their personal Top 30 films defined as a film genre which focuses on the psychological and moral growth of the protagonist from youth to adulthood. The age at
which this transition takes place varies in society, as does the nature of the transition. Personal growth and change is an important characteristic of this genre, which relies on dialogue and emotional responses, rather than action. Themes of developing sexual identity, personal philosophy, and political opinions are often featured.. Topping the list is Mike Nicholss classic coming of age film, THE GRADUATE. It should come as no surprise that John Hughes, master of the 80’s teen movie (which is often a coming-of-age story) has the most entires on the list, numbering three. His top film is THE BREAKFAST CLUB coming in at #4, followed by FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF at #19, and SIXTEEN CANDLES at #21. It is interesting to note that PRETTY IN PINK, which he wrote, but did not direct, is also represented at #86. A whopping 18 of the films on the list were directed by women, lead by Debra Granik’s 2010 Chlotrudis smash, WINTER’S BONE, in at #10. But it was Australia’s Gillian Armstrong with the notable distinction of being the only woman director to appear on the list twice: she’s in at #80 with MY BRILLIANT CAREER, and #97 with HIGH TIDE. What is also notable about Armstrong’s films here is that they both star Judy Davis!

We hope you enjoy our list of the 100 Top Coming-of-Age Films.

01 The Graduate` Mike Nichols 1967
02 Let the Right One In Tomas Alfredson 2008
03 Y Tu Mamá También Alfonso Cuarón 2001
04 The Breakfast Club John Hughes 1985
05 The Perks of Being a Wallflower Stephen Chbosky 2012
06 Juno Jason Reitman 2007
07 Cinema Paradiso Giuseppe Tomatore 1998
08 To Kill a Mockingbird Robert Mulligan 1962
09 Harold and Maude Hal Ashby 1971
10 Winter’s Bone Debra Granik 2010
11 The 400 Blows Francois Truffault 1959
12 Stand By Me Rob Reiner 1986
13 Mysterious Skin Gregg Araki 2004
14 Welcome to the Dollhouse Todd Solondz 1995
15 Say Anything Cameron Crowe 1989
16 Dead Poet’s Society Peter Weir 1989
17 Donnie Darko Richard Kelly 2001
18 Breaking Away Peter Yates 1979
19 Ferris Bueller’s Day Off John Hughes 1986
20 Fish Tank Andrea Arnold 2009
21 Sixteen Candles John Hughes 1984
22 An Education Lone Scherfig 2009
23 Ghost World Terry Zwigoff 2001
24 Rushmore Wes Anderson 1998
25 My Life as a Dog Lasse Hallström 1985
26 Persepolis Vincent Paronnaud; Marjane Satrapi 2007
27 Ma Vie en Rose Alain Berliner 1997
28 The Last Picture Show Peter Bogdanovich 1971
29 Almost Famous Cameron Crowe 2000
30 Fat Girl Catherine Breillat 2001
31 Rebel Without a Cause Nicholas Ray 1955
32 Duck Season Fernando Eimbcke 2004
33 Housekeeping Bill Forsyth 1987
34 Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist Peter Sollett 2008
35 Fast Times at Ridgemont High Amy Heckerling 1982
36 Heathers Michael Lehmann 1998
37 10 Things I Hate About You Gil Junger 1999
38 Walkabout Nicolas Roeg 1971
39 To Sir With Love James Clavell 1967
40 Trust Hal Hartley 1990
41 Blue Velvet David Lynch 1986
42 Shadow of a Doubt Alfred Hitchcock 1942
43 The Virgin Suicides Sofia Coppola 1999
44 Dirty Dancing Emile Ardolino 1987
45 Big Penny Marshall 1988
46 Turtles Can Fly Bahman Ghobadi 2004
47 This is England Shane Meadows 2006
48 The Return Andrey Zvyagintsev 2003
49 Empire of the Sun Steven Spielberg 1987
50 Breakfast on Pluto Neil Jordan 2005
51 L.I.E. Michael Cuesta 2001
52 Cherry Jeffrey Fine 2010
53 C.R.A.Z.Y. Jean-Marc Vallée 2005
54 Moonrise Kingdom Wes Anderson 2012
55 I Killed My Mother Xavier Dolan 2009
56 Raising Victor Vargas Peter Sollett 2002
57 All the Real Girls David Gordon Green 2003
58 The Deep End Scott McGehee/David Siegel 2001
59 Lilya 4-Ever Lukas Moodysson 2002
60 Fierce People Griffin Dunne 2005
61 (500) Days of Summer Marc Webb 2009
62 Dazed and Confused Richard Linklater 1993
63 Boyz N the Hood John Singleton 1991
64 The Outsiders Francis Ford Coppola 1983
65 American Graffiti George Lucas 1973
66 Towelhead Alan Ball 2007
67 The Devil’s Backbone Guillermo del Toro 2001
68 Splendor in the Grass Elia Kazan 1961
69 City of God Fernando Meirelles/Kátia Lund 2002
70 The Tracey Fragments Bruce McDonald 2007
71 Beautiful Thing Hettie MacDonald 1996
72 Smoke Signals Chris Eyre 1998
73 Toto le Héros Jaco Van Dormael 1991
74 Smooth Talk Joyce Chopra 1985
75 I Wish Hirokazu Koreeda 2001
76 Lords of Dogtown Catherine Hardwicke 2005
77 Hedwig & the Angry Inch John Cameron Mitchell 2001
78 The Runway Ian Power 2010
79 Rain Christine Jeffs 2001
80 My Brilliant Career Gillian Armstrong 1971
81 Charlie Bartlett Jon Poll 2007
82 Central Station Walter Salles 1998
83 Happiness Todd Solondz 1998
84 Everything is Illuminated Liev Schreiber 2005
85 Kolya Jan Sverák 1996
86 Pretty in Pink Howard Deutch 1986
87 Running on Empty Sidney Lumet 1998
88 Our Song Jim McKay 2000
89 Tomboy Céline Sciamma 2011
90 Muriel’s Wedding P.J. Hogan 1994
91 If… Lindsay Anderson 1968
92 The Wizard of Oz Victor Fleming 1939
93 My Summer of Love Pawel Pawlikowski 2004
94 Pariah Dee Rees 2011
95 Saturday Night Fever John Badham 1977
96 Garden State Zach Braff 2004
97 High Tide Gillian Armstrong 1987
98 But I’m a Cheerleader Jamie Babbitt 1999
99 Europa Europa Agnieszka Holland 1999
100 Pather Panchali JSatyajit Ray 1955