In a recent survey by the BBC, 177 film critics from around the world have selected the best 100 movies of the 21st century including two films by the late Abbas Kiarostami and one by Asghar Farhadi, both from Iran.
The survey seeks to find a set of best movies after the turn of the century other than the usual top classic films including 'The Searchers', 'The Godfather', 'The Rules of the Game', 'Seven Samurai' and 'Citizen Kane'.
The participants include newspaper or magazine reviewers, those who write primarily for websites, academics and cinema curators, abc.net reported.
Farhadi's 'A Separation' (2011) is placed among the top ten. Ranked 9th, the movie is the only Iranian production that has won an Oscar for the foreign language film. The film has collected over 30 national and international awards.
Kiarostami's 'Ten' (2002), a somehow experimental film with amateur actors, is ranked 98th and his 'Certified Copy' (2010), shot in Italy and featuring Juliette Binoche, stands in the 46th place.
'Mulholland Drive' (2001) was named at the top of the list, while 'Boyhood' (2014), 'Spirited Away' (2001), 'There Will Be Blood' (2007) and 'In the Mood for Love' (2000) rounded out the top five.
The most popular directors in the list were Wes Anderson, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Christopher Nolan, Michael Haneke, Paul Thomas Anderson and Joel and Ethan Coen, each with three films.
Many recent blockbusters did not make the cut, with no 'Harry Potter', 'The Avengers', 'Pirates of the Caribbean' or 'Star Wars' movies on the list.
