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Errol Morris, director
Director

Errol Morris: Movies, Awards & Box Office

films
30
as director
21
on screen
1978–2025
box office
$15.4M
award win
1
average score
65
Born
February 5, 1948 (age 78)
Birthplace
Hewlett, New York, U.S.
Full name
Errol Mark Morris
Citizenship
United States
Occupations
Film Director
Years active
1978-present
Spouses
Julia Sheehan
Children
1
Known for

The Best Errol Morris Movies

The highest-rated films Errol Morris is credited on, by the Movie Echo Score that blends critic reviews, audience ratings and lasting impact. The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman's Portrait Photography (2017) scores highest, at 76. The full ranking adds the biggest box office hits and the most awarded films.

Full ranking
Career at a glance

Errol Morris's Career in Numbers

Errol Morris's films in numbers — as a director, not counting appearances as themselves: when they were made, the genres Errol Morris works in most and the milestones along the way. The filmography runs from Gates of Heaven (1978) to CHAOS: The Manson Murders (2025), and the 2010s were the busiest decade.

Errol Morris Movies by Decade

  1. 1970s 1
  2. 1980s 3
  3. 1990s 3
  4. 2000s 2
  5. 2010s 9
  6. 2020s 5

The 2010s were Errol Morris's busiest decade, with 9 films.

Errol Morris Movies by Genre

  • Documentary 12
  • Biography 3
  • Crime 2
  • War 1
  • Thriller 1
  • Mystery 1
  • Comedy 1

Documentary is the genre Errol Morris has worked in most, with 12 films, ahead of biography (3).

Errol Morris Career Milestones

First film
Gates of Heaven 1978
Best-rated film
The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman's Portrait Photography Movie Echo Score 76
30 credits

Errol Morris Filmography: Every Movie

Every film Errol Morris is credited on, newest first, with the role, the box office and the Movie Echo Score. 21 as director and 2 as actor. Rated films average a score of 65. Re-order the list to see the best-rated films or the biggest hits first.

1 win · 4 nominations

Errol Morris: Awards & Nominations

1 win from 4 nominations across 3 award bodies, from 1989 to 2004. That includes an Oscar: Best Documentary Feature for The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara. Every ceremony is listed newest first, with the category and the film.

All movie awards
  • Oscars logo Oscars 1 win from 1 nomination
  • DGA Awards logo DGA Awards 2 nominations
  • Spirit Awards logo Spirit Awards 1 nomination
Biography

Who Is Errol Morris?

Errol Morris was born in Hewlett, New York, U.S. in 1948 and is 78 years old. Credited on films since 1978, as a director. The background, training and the roles that shaped the career.

Errol Mark Morris (born February 5, 1948) is an accomplished American film director known primarily for his noteworthy contributions to the field of documentary filmmaking, using innovative techniques including the pioneering use of the Interrotron, a device that enables eye-contact between the interviewer and subject. Morris's filmography covers a wide range of unusual subjects and his work has earned him high critical acclaim. The 2003 documentary, 'The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara', won him an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. Another noteworthy work, 'The Thin Blue Line' (1988), is hailed as one of the most influential documentaries and was instrumental in proving the innocence of a man wrongly sentenced for murder. His early life was marked by experiences that shaped his worldview and his approach to filmmaking, characterized by the examination of the perception and interpretation of reality.

Morris's unique filmmaking style has been attributed to a refusal to conform to the traditional cinema verité style, instead opting for stylized lighting, musical scoring, and heavy use of re-enactments. He combines his talents as a private investigator and his fascination with truth, perception and narration to create films that challenge the conventional understanding of documentary films' relationships with 'reality'. Despite initial resistance from the filmmaking community, Morris's style has set a new standard in documentary filmmaking, influencing generations of filmmakers. His passion for unearthing truth, reflected in his avant-garde techniques, was likewise reflected in his roles as a writer and journalist. Morris is equally known as an accomplished director of television commercials, responsible for creating some of the most popular ads on television.

Works with

Who Errol Morris Makes Movies With

The actors and directors Errol Morris shares the most films with. Werner Herzog comes first, with 3 films together, followed by Fidel Castro (2).

FAQ

Errol Morris: Questions & Answers

How many movies Errol Morris has made, the biggest hit, the best-rated film, the award record and more, answered from the filmography above.

How many movies has Errol Morris been in?

Errol Morris is credited on 30 films, from 1978 to 2025. 2 of them as an actor and 21 as a director. The filmography on this page lists every one of them, newest first, with the role and the Movie Echo Score.

What is Errol Morris's highest-grossing movie?

The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara (2003) is Errol Morris's biggest box office hit, with $5.04M worldwide, ahead of The Fog of War (2003) ($5.04M). Across every film with box office figures, Errol Morris's movies have made $15.4M.

Errol Morris's biggest hits

What is the best Errol Morris movie?

By the Movie Echo Score, which blends critic reviews, audience ratings and lasting impact, Errol Morris's best-rated film is The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman's Portrait Photography (2017) with a score of 76, followed by My Psychedelic Love Story (2020) (74).

Best Errol Morris movies, ranked

Has Errol Morris won an Oscar?

Errol Morris has won an Oscar: Best Documentary Feature for The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara at the 2004 ceremony. Across every ceremony in the awards database, Errol Morris has 1 win from 4 nominations.

How old is Errol Morris?

Errol Morris is 78 years old, born on February 5, 1948 in Hewlett, New York, U.S..

What is Errol Morris's newest movie?

The most recent film on Errol Morris's filmography is CHAOS: The Manson Murders (2025), which Errol Morris directed.

Who does Errol Morris work with most often?

Errol Morris shares the most films with Werner Herzog (3 films), Fidel Castro (2 films) and John F. Kennedy (2 films).

The Best Errol Morris Movies, Ranked

Top rated, most awarded and biggest box office hits from 30 directing credits.

See the ranking

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