William Friedkin

William Friedkin

Directing

William David Friedkin (August 29, 1935 – August 7, 2023) was an American film, television and opera director, producer, and screenwriter who was closely identified with the "New Hollywood" movement of the 1970s. Beginning his career in documentaries in the early 1960s, he is best known for his crime thriller film The French Connection (1971), which won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, and the horror film The Exorcist (1973), which earned him another Academy Award nomination for Best Director.

Friedkin's other films in the 1970s and 1980s include the drama The…

Filmography

67
Mineshaft: The Cruising Murders Mineshaft: The Cruising Murders 2026 Fear and Love: The Story of The Exorcist Fear and Love: The Story of The Exorcist 2024 100 Years of Warner Bros. ★ 7.8 100 Years of Warner Bros. 2023 The Lost Print: The Making of Orson Welles’ The Magnificent Ambersons The Lost Print: The Making of Orson Welles’ The Magnificent Ambersons 2022 Algren ★ 6.0 Algren 2021 I Am Alfred Hitchcock ★ 7.3 I Am Alfred Hitchcock 2021 Fellini of the Spirits ★ 6.6 Fellini of the Spirits 2020 Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on The Exorcist ★ 7.4 Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on The Exorcist 2019 Friedkin Uncut ★ 7.1 Friedkin Uncut 2018 The Devil and Father Amorth ★ 5.1 The Devil and Father Amorth 2018 Return to the Genre Return to the Genre 2016 Sorcerers: A Conversation with William Friedkin and Nicolas Winding Refn ★ 4.5 Sorcerers: A Conversation with William Friedkin and Nicolas Winding Refn 2015 Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles ★ 6.5 Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles 2014 Henri Langlois vu par... ★ 4.0 Henri Langlois vu par... 2014 The Making of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz ★ 10.0 The Making of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz 2013 A Fuller Life ★ 6.6 A Fuller Life 2013 Don't Say No Until I Finish Talking: The Story of Richard D. Zanuck ★ 6.3 Don't Say No Until I Finish Talking: The Story of Richard D. Zanuck 2013 Tales from the Warner Bros. Lot ★ 6.8 Tales from the Warner Bros. Lot 2013 Stanley Kubrick in Focus ★ 6.0 Stanley Kubrick in Focus 2012 Casablanca: An Unlikely Classic ★ 6.5 Casablanca: An Unlikely Classic 2012 Michael Curtiz: The Greatest Director You Never Heard Of ★ 6.7 Michael Curtiz: The Greatest Director You Never Heard Of 2012 Making the Boys ★ 4.7 Making the Boys 2011 Miller's Tale ★ 7.1 Miller's Tale 2011 Godard Made in USA Godard Made in USA 2010 The Exorcist Locations: Georgetown Then and Now The Exorcist Locations: Georgetown Then and Now 2010 Raising Hell: Filming the Exorcist ★ 6.0 Raising Hell: Filming the Exorcist 2010 Fasten Your Seatbelt: The Thrilling Art of Alfred Hitchcock Fasten Your Seatbelt: The Thrilling Art of Alfred Hitchcock 2009 The Master's Touch: Hitchcock's Signature Style ★ 6.8 The Master's Touch: Hitchcock's Signature Style 2009 North by Northwest: One for the Ages ★ 6.8 North by Northwest: One for the Ages 2009 Victor Fleming: Master Craftsman ★ 7.5 Victor Fleming: Master Craftsman 2009 Anatomy of a Chase ★ 4.0 Anatomy of a Chase 2009 Breaking Barriers: The Sound of Hitchcock Breaking Barriers: The Sound of Hitchcock 2008 Pure Cinema: Through the Eyes of Hitchcock Pure Cinema: Through the Eyes of Hitchcock 2008 In the Master's Shadow: Hitchcock's Legacy ★ 6.8 In the Master's Shadow: Hitchcock's Legacy 2008 The Masterpiece That Almost Wasn't ★ 7.2 The Masterpiece That Almost Wasn't 2008 Great Bolshy Yarblockos!: Making 'A Clockwork Orange' ★ 6.1 Great Bolshy Yarblockos!: Making 'A Clockwork Orange' 2007 View from the Overlook: Crafting 'The Shining' ★ 7.4 View from the Overlook: Crafting 'The Shining' 2007 The Visions of Stanley Kubrick ★ 6.9 The Visions of Stanley Kubrick 2007 Vision of a Future Passed: The Prophecy of 2001 ★ 6.0 Vision of a Future Passed: The Prophecy of 2001 2007 Standing on the Shoulders of Kubrick: The Legacy of 2001 ★ 6.2 Standing on the Shoulders of Kubrick: The Legacy of 2001 2007 The History of 'Cruising' ★ 7.7 The History of 'Cruising' 2007 Exorcising 'Cruising' ★ 6.5 Exorcising 'Cruising' 2007 Tatort Oper - Wie Filmemacher Oper machen Tatort Oper - Wie Filmemacher Oper machen 2007 The Man Who Shot Chinatown: The Life and Work of John A. Alonzo ★ 6.0 The Man Who Shot Chinatown: The Life and Work of John A. Alonzo 2007 Shadows of Suspense Shadows of Suspense 2006 Shadows in the Dark: The Val Lewton Legacy ★ 9.4 Shadows in the Dark: The Val Lewton Legacy 2005 A Little Solitaire A Little Solitaire 2004 Leçon de Cinéma ★ 7.0 Leçon de Cinéma 2004 Counterfeit World: Making 'To Live and Die in L.A.' ★ 7.7 Counterfeit World: Making 'To Live and Die in L.A.' 2003 Filming “The Hunted” Filming “The Hunted” 2003 Pursuing “The Hunted” Pursuing “The Hunted” 2003 The Cutting Edge The Cutting Edge 2003 Narc: The Friedkin Connection ★ 9.0 Narc: The Friedkin Connection 2003 A Decade Under the Influence ★ 7.9 A Decade Under the Influence 2003 Through the Night with... ★ 8.5 Through the Night with... 2002 Making the Connection: Untold Stories of The French Connection ★ 7.0 Making the Connection: Untold Stories of The French Connection 2001 The Poughkeepsie Shuffle: Tracing 'The French Connection' ★ 8.1 The Poughkeepsie Shuffle: Tracing 'The French Connection' 2000 Without Limits ★ 6.6 Without Limits 1998 The Fear of God: 25 Years of The Exorcist ★ 7.4 The Fear of God: 25 Years of The Exorcist 1998 Billy Wilder: The Human Comedy ★ 6.0 Billy Wilder: The Human Comedy 1998 Howard Hawks: American Artist ★ 6.2 Howard Hawks: American Artist 1997 Hollywood Halloween ★ 8.0 Hollywood Halloween 1997 Fear in the Dark ★ 9.0 Fear in the Dark 1991 The Simpsons ★ 8.0 The Simpsons 1989 Putting It Together: The Making of the Broadway Album ★ 9.0 Putting It Together: The Making of the Broadway Album 1986 Conversation with Fritz Lang ★ 7.1 Conversation with Fritz Lang 1975 Oscars, Actors and The Exorcist Oscars, Actors and The Exorcist 1974