Steven Spielberg Reveals His Best Movie Ever: “It’s the Work I’m Proudest Of”
Ask any great director to pick a favorite and you will usually get a smile and a sidestep. Steven Spielberg has played that game for years while the rest of us argue about sharks, dinosaurs, and aliens. Fans love the debate because there are so many high points to choose from.
In an interview with THR, he has been reflecting on legacy as much as craft. He has saluted peers, celebrated film history, and talked about what lasts long after the opening weekend fades. In the middle of that conversation he was pressed again to choose. This time he did not dodge.
When asked which of his own films stands above the rest, Spielberg pointed to the black and white historical drama that redefined his career, ‘Schindler’s List’. “It’s the best movie I’ve ever made.” A moment later he added, “Currently, it’s the work I’m proudest of.” The answer was clear and calm, like he had carried it for a long time before saying it out loud.
That choice fits the way he talks about responsibility and memory. The film helped spark a global conversation about what people knew and how they remembered it. It also revealed a different side of a filmmaker best known for wonder and adventure. You can feel why that achievement would sit apart for him, not because it won trophies, but because it changed the way people spoke about history and empathy.
Spielberg also showed he is still watching the present with a keen eye. He praised a recent awards season standout for its chilling view of everyday complicity, saying, “The Zone of Interest is the best Holocaust movie I’ve witnessed since my own.” The nod doubled as a reminder that film can keep important stories alive for new audiences.
Context matters here too. Earlier he honored Francis Ford Coppola at a major tribute and called ‘The Godfather’ the greatest American film. That salute to another director is not a contradiction. It shows how he separates his love of cinema from the personal bar he sets for his own work. He can hold two ideas at once. One film can be the country’s pinnacle in his eyes, while another remains the one that defines what he does best.
If you listen to the way he phrased it, there was humility in the answer. He was not crowning himself or closing the book. He was simply telling the truth about the piece that means the most to him right now. He has also said he does not want to claim that this will always be the case, which keeps the door open for whatever comes next. That is the hallmark of a restless artist. He honors the past, studies the present, and still believes the next story might surprise him most of all.