TopTenREVIEWS best Documentary movie director of all time is Errol Morris.

Top Documentary Directors

Click on an director for details and movie rankings

Directors are ranked according to overall movie critic score

1	Errol Morris	2.8348	4	1980s - 1 1990s - 1 2000s - 2	1. Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara, The (2003) 2. Mr. Death: The Rise and Fall of Fred A. Leuchter, Jr. (1999) 3. Thin Blue Line, The (1988) 4. Standard Operating Procedure (2008) See all Errol Morris movie rankings
2	Thomas Riedelsheimer	2.7450	4	2000s - 4	1. Rivers and Tides (2001) 2. Rivers and Tides: Andy Goldsworthy Working with Time (2002) 3. Touch the Sound (2004) 4. Touch the Sound (2005) See all Thomas Riedelsheimer movie rankings
3	Martin Scorsese	2.6939	31	1950s - 1 1960s - 1 1970s - 8 1980s - 5 1990s - 8 2000s - 8	1. My Voyage to Italy (2001) 2. Last Waltz, The (1978) 3. Shine a Light (2008) 4. No Direction Home: Bob Dylan (2005) See all Martin Scorsese movie rankings
4	Kirby Dick	2.6845	8	1980s - 2 1990s - 1 2000s - 5	1. This Film Is Not Yet Rated (2006) 2. Sick: The Life & Death of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist (1997) 3. Twist of Faith (2004) 4. Chain Camera (2001) See all Kirby Dick movie rankings
5	Steve James	2.6628	8	1980s - 1 1990s - 4 2000s - 3	1. Stevie (2002) 2. Hoop Dreams (1994) 3. Stevie (2003) 4. Reel Paradise (2005) See all Steve James movie rankings
6	Jonathan Demme	2.5211	25	1970s - 5 1980s - 7 1990s - 8 2000s - 5	1. Neil Young: Heart of Gold (2006) 2. Stop Making Sense (1984) 3. Agronomist, The (2003) 4. Jimmy Carter Man from Plains (2007) See all Jonathan Demme movie rankings
7	Werner Herzog	2.5022	38	1960s - 5 1970s - 11 1980s - 5 1990s - 7 2000s - 10	1. Grizzly Man (2005) 2. Encounters at the End of the World (2008) 3. My Best Fiend -- Klaus Kinski (1999) 4. Wild Blue Yonder, The (2005) See all Werner Herzog movie rankings
8	D.A. Pennebaker	2.4554	26	1950s - 2 1960s - 4 1970s - 5 1980s - 6 1990s - 4 2000s - 5	1. Dont Look Back (1967) 2. War Room, The (1993) 3. Monterey Pop (1968) 4. Down from the Mountain (2000) See all D.A. Pennebaker movie rankings
9	Chris Hegedus	2.4451	18	1970s - 2 1980s - 5 1990s - 5 2000s - 6	1. Startup.com (2001) 2. War Room, The (1993) 3. Down from the Mountain (2000) 4. Only the Strong Survive (2002) See all Chris Hegedus movie rankings
10	Barbara Kopple	2.3755	10	1970s - 1 1990s - 3 2000s - 6	1. Harlan County, U.S.A. (1976) 2. Shut Up & Sing (2006) 3. American Dream (1991) 4. My Generation (2000) See all Barbara Kopple movie rankings
11	Doug Pray	2.3087	10	1990s - 1 2000s - 9	1. Scratch (2001) 2. Scratch (2002) 3. Hype! (1996) 4. Big Rig (2006) See all Doug Pray movie rankings
12	James Marsh	2.3075	2	2000s - 2	1. Man on Wire (2008) See all James Marsh movie rankings
13	Julien Temple	2.2823	5	2000s - 5	1. Filth and the Fury, The (2000) 2. Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten (2007) 3. Glastonbury (2007) 4. Glastonbury (2006) See all Julien Temple movie rankings
14	Mark Achbar	2.2674	10	1990s - 8 2000s - 2	1. Corporation, The (2003) 2. Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media (1992) 3. Corporation, The (2004) 4. Case Study: Cambodia and East Timor, A (1994) See all Mark Achbar movie rankings
15	David Maysles	2.2542	9	1960s - 5 1970s - 3 1980s - 1	1. Grey Gardens (1975) 2. Gimme Shelter (1970) 3. Salesman (1969) 4. Journey to Jerusalem, A (1968) See all David Maysles movie rankings
16	Rob Epstein	2.2437	7	1970s - 1 1980s - 3 1990s - 2 2000s - 1	1. Times of Harvey Milk, The (1984) 2. Celluloid Closet, The (1995) 3. Paragraph 175 (2000) 4. Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt (1989) See all Rob Epstein movie rankings
17	Nanette Burstein	2.2130	3	1990s - 1 2000s - 2	1. On the Ropes (1999) 2. Kid Stays In the Picture, The (2002) 3. American Teen (2008) See all Nanette Burstein movie rankings
18	Michael Moore	2.1783	2	2000s - 2	1. Bowling for Columbine (2002) 2. Sicko (2007) See all Michael Moore movie rankings
19	Amy Berg	2.1606	1	2000s - 1	1. Deliver Us From Evil (2006) See all Amy Berg movie rankings
20	Orson Welles	2.1554	20	1930s - 2 1940s - 5 1950s - 3 1960s - 4 1970s - 4 1980s - 1 1990s - 1	1. F for Fake (1974) See all Orson Welles movie rankings
21	Jeffrey Blitz	2.1539	3	2000s - 3	1. Spellbound (2002) 2. Spellbound (2003) See all Jeffrey Blitz movie rankings
22	Jonathan Caouette	2.1365	2	2000s - 2	1. Tarnation (2004) 2. Tarnation (2003) See all Jonathan Caouette movie rankings
23	Brett Morgen	2.1338	5	1990s - 1 2000s - 4	1. On the Ropes (1999) 2. Kid Stays In the Picture, The (2002) 3. Chicago 10 (2008) 4. Addiction, Inc. (2006) See all Brett Morgen movie rankings
24	Michel Debats	2.1326	1	2000s - 1	1. Winged Migration (2003) See all Michel Debats movie rankings
25	Jacques Cluzaud	2.1326	1	2000s - 1	1. Winged Migration (2003) See all Jacques Cluzaud movie rankings
26	Jacques Perrin	2.1326	3	2000s - 3	1. Winged Migration (2003) 2. Ocean, The (2008) See all Jacques Perrin movie rankings
27	George Butler	2.1272	5	1970s - 1 1980s - 2 2000s - 2	1. Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry (2004) 2. Pumping Iron (1977) 3. Roving Mars (2006) 4. Pumping Iron II: The Women (1985) See all George Butler movie rankings
28	Nick Broomfield	2.1136	20	1970s - 4 1980s - 8 1990s - 5 2000s - 3	1. Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer (2003) 2. Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer (1992) 3. Biggie and Tupac (2002) 4. Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer (2004) See all Nick Broomfield movie rankings
29	Judy Irving	2.0919	3	1990s - 1 2000s - 2	1. Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill, The (2003) 2. Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill, The (2005) See all Judy Irving movie rankings
30	Margaret Brown	2.0788	4	1990s - 1 2000s - 3	1. Be Here to Love Me: A Film About Townes Van Zandt (2005) 2. Be Here to Love Me: A Film About Townes Van Zandt (2004) 3. Order of Myths, The (2008) See all Margaret Brown movie rankings
31	Chris Smitih	2.0597	1	1990s - 1	1. American Movie (1999) See all Chris Smitih movie rankings
32	Andrew Jarecki	2.0470	2	2000s - 2	1. Capturing the Friedmans (2003) See all Andrew Jarecki movie rankings
33	Sam Green	2.0469	5	1990s - 1 2000s - 4	1. Weather Underground, The (2002) 2. Weather Underground, The (2003) 3. Rainbow Man/John 3:16, The (1997) See all Sam Green movie rankings
34	Bill Siegel	2.0469	2	2000s - 2	1. Weather Underground, The (2002) 2. Weather Underground, The (2003) See all Bill Siegel movie rankings
35	Alex Gibney	2.0409	3	2000s - 3	1. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005) 2. Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (2008) 3. Taxi to the Dark Side (2008) See all Alex Gibney movie rankings
36	Alastair Fothergill	2.0279	3	2000s - 3	1. Deep Blue (2003) 2. Deep Blue (2005) 3. Earth (2006) See all Alastair Fothergill movie rankings
37	Dana Adam Shapiro	2.0182	2	2000s - 2	1. Murderball (2005) See all Dana Adam Shapiro movie rankings
38	Henry Alex Rubin	2.0182	2	1990s - 1 2000s - 1	1. Murderball (2005) 2. Who Is Henry Jaglom? (1997) See all Henry Alex Rubin movie rankings
39	Felipe Lacerda	2.0102	1	2000s - 1	1. Bus 174 (2003) See all Felipe Lacerda movie rankings
40	José Padilha	2.0102	1	2000s - 1	1. Bus 174 (2003) See all José Padilha movie rankings
41	Luc Jacquet	2.0048	3	2000s - 3	1. March of the Penguins (2005) 2. Des manchots et des hommes (2004) 3. Fox & the Child, The (2007) See all Luc Jacquet movie rankings
42	Ross Kauffman	1.9974	1	2000s - 1	1. Born Into Brothels (2004) See all Ross Kauffman movie rankings
43	Zana Briski	1.9974	1	2000s - 1	1. Born Into Brothels (2004) See all Zana Briski movie rankings
44	Chris Smith	1.9875	5	1990s - 2 2000s - 3	1. American Movie (1999) 2. Home Movie (2002) See all Chris Smith movie rankings
45	Freida Lee Mock	1.9813	5	1990s - 3 2000s - 2	1. Return with Honor (1998) 2. Wrestling with Angels: Playwright Tony Kushner (2006) 3. Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision (1994) 4. Bird by Bird with Annie (1999) See all Freida Lee Mock movie rankings
46	Byambasuren Davaa	1.9735	4	2000s - 4	1. Story of the Weeping Camel, The (2004) 2. Cave of the Yellow Dog (2006) See all Byambasuren Davaa movie rankings
47	Luigi Falorni	1.9731	3	1990s - 1 2000s - 2	1. Story of the Weeping Camel, The (2004) 2. Fools and Heroes (1997) See all Luigi Falorni movie rankings
48	James Cameron	1.9700	13	1970s - 1 1980s - 4 1990s - 4 2000s - 4	1. Ghosts of the Abyss (2003) 2. Aliens of the Deep (2005) See all James Cameron movie rankings
49	Amir Bar-Lev	1.9644	4	2000s - 4	1. My Kid Could Paint That (2007) 2. Fighter (2001) 3. Kid Protocol (2002) See all Amir Bar-Lev movie rankings
50	Jim Fields	1.9522	2	2000s - 2	1. End of the Century (2003) 2. End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones (2004) See all Jim Fields movie rankings

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