The strange year of 2020 has brought many disappointments, including the closing of theatres and the delay of many of the most anticipated films of the year. As a result, cinephiles and casual movie-goers alike have had to curb their expectations for upcoming movies and try to enjoy what they could from the comfort of their own home. However, this doesn’t mean that there weren’t new movies available, and many of the films that did come out were hardly a disappointment.
With the biggest wide releases postponed to 2021, there was a lot more room for directorial debuts to gain exposure and recognition through on-demand releases and streaming services. Not only that, but these emerging voices often felt like the most impressive and unique compared to the 2020 films that had established filmmakers and higher budgets. With that in mind, the following list details ten of these great directorial debuts that came out in 2020. For the purpose of this list, all the debuts will be narrative features, therefore excluding documentaries from consideration.