Being an artist means obsession, sacrifice, and the terrifying question: am I good enough?
These films don’t just depict creativity — they embody it.
Here are 10 essential films for every artist and creative professional.
1. Whiplash (2014) 8.4
Genre: Drama, Music, Thriller · Director: Damien Chazelle · Cast: Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons, Paul Reiser
Under the direction of a ruthless instructor, a talented young drummer begins to pursue perfection at any cost, even his humanity.
2. Soul (2020) 8.1
Genre: Animation, Family, Drama · Director: Pete Docter · Cast: Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Graham Norton
Joe Gardner is a middle school teacher with a love for jazz music. After a successful audition at the Half Note Club, he suddenly gets into an accident that separates his soul from his body and is tra
3. Black Swan (2010) 7.7
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Horror · Director: Darren Aronofsky · Cast: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel
A committed dancer struggles to maintain her sanity after winning the lead role in a production of Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake.”
4. Ed Wood (1994) 7.5
Genre: Comedy, Drama, History · Director: Tim Burton · Cast: Johnny Depp, Martin Landau, Sarah Jessica Parker
The mostly true story of the legendary “worst director of all time”, who, with the help of his strange friends, filmed countless B-movies without ever becoming famous or successful.
5. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014) 7.4
Genre: Drama, Comedy · Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu · Cast: Michael Keaton, Emma Stone, Zach Galifianakis
A fading actor best known for his portrayal of a popular superhero attempts to mount a comeback by appearing in a Broadway play. As opening night approaches, his attempts to become more altruistic, re
6. Frida (2002) 7.4
Genre: Drama, Romance · Director: Julie Taymor · Cast: Salma Hayek Pinault, Alfred Molina, Mía Maestro
A biography of artist Frida Kahlo, who channeled the pain of a crippling injury and her tempestuous marriage into her work.
7. Paterson (2016) 7.1
Genre: Drama, Comedy, Romance · Director: Jim Jarmusch · Cast: Adam Driver, Golshifteh Farahani, Rizwan Manji
A week in the life of Paterson, a poet bus driver, and his wife Laura, a very creative artist, who live in Paterson, New Jersey, hometown of many famous poets and artists.
8. Pollock (2000) 6.7
Genre: Drama, History · Director: Ed Harris · Cast: Ed Harris, Marcia Gay Harden, Tom Bower
In August of 1949, Life Magazine ran a banner headline that begged the question: “Jackson Pollock: Is he the greatest living painter in the United States?” The film is a look back into the life of an
9. Basquiat (1996) 6.6
Genre: Drama, History · Director: Julian Schnabel · Cast: Jeffrey Wright, Michael Wincott, Benicio del Toro
The brief life of Jean Michel Basquiat, a world renowned New York street artist struggling with fame, drugs and his identity.
10. Mr. Turner (2014) 6.5
Genre: History, Drama · Director: Mike Leigh · Cast: Timothy Spall, Dorothy Atkinson, Marion Bailey
Eccentric British painter J.M.W. Turner lives his last 25 years with gusto and secretly becomes involved with a seaside landlady, while his faithful housekeeper bears an unrequited love for him.
These films understand the creative process from the inside. They’ll inspire you, disturb you, and remind you why you create in the first place. Essential viewing for every artist.