The goal is simple: 1 Year. 52 prompts. 52 feature length films that are NOT in The Criterion Collection. (And no rewatches!)
Original list and criteria by Ponders
I’m very excited for this year’s challenge! A lot of playtesting and design goes into creating the ACC, and I had a lot of fun finding exciting prompts. You can check the notes for recommended films in each category and for the all of the bonus challenges. And this year, all of the prompts can be completed with films by BIPOC and Latinx directors. (More on that in the Certificate of Completion section below.)
As in previous years, share your list in the comments and I’ll add it to the description. Then…
The goal is simple: 1 Year. 52 prompts. 52 feature length films that are NOT in The Criterion Collection. (And no rewatches!)
Original list and criteria by Ponders
I’m very excited for this year’s challenge! A lot of playtesting and design goes into creating the ACC, and I had a lot of fun finding exciting prompts. You can check the notes for recommended films in each category and for the all of the bonus challenges. And this year, all of the prompts can be completed with films by BIPOC and Latinx directors. (More on that in the Certificate of Completion section below.)
As in previous years, share your list in the comments and I’ll add it to the description. Then let me know when you've completed the challenge and you'll get a green check and a certificate.
And feel free to use “anti-criterion challenge 2025” or “acc2025” so others can see what you’re watching.
But you don’t care about any of that. You just want the challenges. Let’s do this.
1. 5 Years of Anti-Criterioning! Pick any challenge from the past 4 years of challenges!
2. 1920's
3. 1930's
4. 1940's
5. 1950's
6. 1960's
7. 1970's
8. 1980's
9. 1990's
10. 2000's
11. 2010's
12. 2020's
13. Starring Hiam Abbass
14. Starring Sandra Oh
15. Starring Isaac de Bankolé
16. Olivier Lemay's I'M ALWAYS A SLUT FOR UNUSUAL ASPECT RATIOS
17. Adam T's Hotels as Liminal Spaces
18. Michelle Grondine's blue eyeshadow cinematic universe
19. Comrade_Yui's neo-expressionism: the forgotten studio style
20. Horror made in Indonesia by an Indonesian director
21. Romance or Drama made in South Korea by a South Korean director
22. A film with practical monsters or creatures
23. Golden Raspberry Winner in any category
24. Film that did have a theatrical release, but did not have a theatrical release in the US
25. Film from any director in any style or genre
26. Another film from the same director in a different style or genre
27. A narrative film or documentary about sex work *
28. A narrative film or documentary about a revolution, demonstration, protest, activist, or human rights movement *
29. Starring one of the Real Housewives
30. Payal Kapadia's List of 50 Favorite Films
31. Condemned by the Catholic Church
32. Directed by an indigenous director whose work you haven't seen before
33. Directed by a trans, nonbinary, two-spirit, or other gender non-conforming director whose work you haven't seen before
34. Broken up into chapters
35. Five or more words in the title *
36. Made with a micro-budget (less than $400,000) *
37. Armando Vanegas' Afro-Latino Representation
38. Mentioned in Shazia Iqbal’s article Muslim Life in India for Film Independent
39. Edited by Maysie Hoy
40. Edited by Marie-Hélène Dozo
41. Edited by Tina Baz
42. A film whose primary spoken language is the primary language for less than 1,000 other films *
43. Musical that is not in English
44. Based on mythology, folklore, or fairy tales *
45. Adapted from a children’s book
46. Silent film made in Japan by a Japanese director
47. Comedy made in Egypt by an Egyptian director
48. Starring a professional athlete
49. From a fandom you've never participated in
50. Hallmark holiday (or equivalent vibes)
51. Someone holds a cat
52. Ends in a freeze frame
