Hello Reader,

I've just published my list of the Best Films of 2023. In the first half of the year, so many great small movies get released in the lead-up to and aftermath of the Oscars. These films don't have the marketing budgets to become Oscar contenders, but they are fantastic films — many of which we at Seventh Row have been raving about for months (or years). You won't hear much about most of these films anywhere else.

As usual, my list of the year's best films is off the beaten path. You won't find a single blockbuster here. Most of the films are not American. More than half of them are directed by women. By the end of the year, these already under-the-radar films will likely be completely buried under Oscar Hopefuls. I hope this encourages you to check out these amazing films this summer.

The first ten films on the list are films I unequivocally love. The next seven films are ones that stuck with me, sometimes more than I'd expected. These are all worth seeing for their sheer audacity and thoughtfulness. They may not have worked for me 100% of the time. Most of these films premiered in 2021 or 2022. I'm going by the 2023 release dates in the US unless the films were only available in Canada or the UK.

The list features 10 films directed by women and 5 first features (noted with a *). Most of the films come from France (6), the US (5), and Canada (3). The remaining films are from Japan, Chile, Portugal, and Norway. I had expected to include Stellar and Coyote but their Canadian releases have been repeatedly postponed.

​Read the full list of The 17 Best Films of 2023 so far​

How can you watch these films?

Most of the films on this list are already available to stream in Canada, the US, and the UK; that information is listed in the post.

However, some only recently had theatrical runs and will head to VOD and stream in the coming months.

​Becoming a Member is the best way to keep up with great films new to streaming. As a member, you'll receive our monthly Premium Newsletter, where I'll curate the best under-the-radar films new to streaming that you won't want to miss.

As of July, I will no longer be sending free streaming recommendations as part of our free newsletter. We'll keep you posted on new content on the website and the occasional special event.

But keeping up with streaming is a full-time job. As a result, streaming recommendations will now be a service provided exclusively to our members.

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Happy watching!

Best,

Alex Heeney

Editor-in-Chief