Although many native English-speaking audiences may not find foreign language cinema to be the most accessible form of entertainment, others rightfully believe that refusing to engage in films that are not in English means missing out on some of the greatest movies of all time and, especially, the last decade.
Many would argue that the previous decade has seen a welcome growth in UK and US release, consumption, and critical appreciation of foreign language cinema, with the likes ofParasiteandThe Zone of Interestcoming out on top at the Academy Awards in more than justthe Best International Feature Film category. It is safe to say thatsome of the most celebrated films of the past ten years are almost entirely not in English.
10’Petite Maman' (2021)
From France
Writer and directorCéline Sciammais known for her explorations of identity and the female coming-of-age experience, both of which are beautifully touched upon in her 2021 fantasy dramaPetite Maman.The movie explores grief, motherhood, and family through the eyes of a young girl named Nelly (Joséphine Sanz). After the death of her maternal grandmother, Nelly encounters a younger version of her mother, Marion (Gabrielle Sanz), in her late grandmother’s house, and the two form a friendship bond, allowing Nelly to find comfort from her Mother’s grief-induced absence.
Following its premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival,Petite Mamanwas swept up for international distribution by Neon and Mubi, where it received widespread audience and critical acclaim.Petite Mamanreceived the Audience Award at the San Sebastián International Film Festival andhas been praised for its themes of both heartbreak and hopefulness.
Watch on Hulu
9’All Quiet on the Western Front' (2022)
From Germany
2022’sAll Quiet on the Western Frontmay not be the first adaptation ofErich Maria Remarque’s 1929 novel, but it is certainly a memorable one. Depicting the life of a young German soldier, Paul Bäumer (Felix Kammerer), in the First World War,All Quiet on the Western Frontexpands on the original text and dives into the realities of war and the negotiations that attempted to end it.
Despite allegations of being simply “Oscar bait,“All Quiet on the Western Front’s impressive, performances, direction, cinematography, and outstanding score easily provedto audiences that it was worth the attention it was getting. While the movie’s BAFTA and Oscars takeaway was record-breaking, the film should instead be remembered as one of the most impressive feats of filmmaking to come out of Germany in the last decade.
All Quiet on the Western Front
8’The Worst Person in the World' (2021)
From Norway
Rounding outJoachim Trier’sOslotrilogy, the 2021 comedy-dramaThe Worst Person in the Worldreached far beyond its home country of Norway, making a huge impression on international audiences. In a star-making performance,The Worst Person in the WorldfeaturesRenate Reinsveas Julie, and Trier’s frequent collaboratorAnders Danielsen Lieas Aksel, in a story of a woman’s struggles to find her place in life.
Depicting heavy lessons in Julie’s love life, career path, and experiences with grief,The Worst Person in the Worldreceived widespread acclaimwhen it premiered at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival and garnered multiple nominations at the Academy Awards. Maintaining Trier’s brilliance in exploring the harsh parts of early adult life,The Worst Person in the Worldperfectly balances the humor and the difficulties of being a human being, making it a moving experience for any viewer.
The Worst Person in the World
7’Burning' (2018)
From South Korea
Before he was earning accolades for his performance in the mini-seriesBeefor facing off against the unknown inNope,Steven Yeunstarred as Ben, a mysterious man with a penchant for fire, in Lee Chang-dong’s dramaBurning.Burningtells the story of Jong-su (Yoo Ah-in), a young man whose run-in with a former classmate takes him down a potentially dangerous path.
Burningis an uneasy and absorbing exploration of youth, wealth, identity, and revenge, and it draws the viewer in from the very first moments. While the role of women in the movie has been a topic of debate amongst viewers, the performance by the entire cast, the direction, and the screenplay all received praise, withBurningtaking home multiple accolades, including the FIPRESCI Prize at Cannes.
6’Drive My Car' (2021)
From Japan
Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s 2021 dramaDrive My Caris a beautiful tale of love, loss, death, grief, secrets, and the power of creativity, and rightfully took audiences by storm after it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the award for Best Screenplay.
Drive My Carfollows Yūsuke Kafuku (Hidetoshi Nishijima), an actor and director who finds himself internally dealing with his wife’s infidelity and death when he begins directing a production of Chekhov’sUncle Vanya,a show he was starring in when she passed away two years prior. When Yūsuke is issued a driver, Misaki Watari (Tōko Miura), the two eventually bond over the traumas in their pasts and help one another begin to move on.Drive My Caris deeply emotionaland heartfelt and, despite the themes of death and grief, ends on a note of hope.
Drive My Car
5’Another Round' (2020)
From Denmark
Mads Mikkelsenis known internationally for his talent and range as an actor, with stellar performances in the likes ofHannibalandCasino Royale.However, if audiences haven’t ventured into his Danish language filmography, they will have missed one of his best movies,Thomas Vinterberg’sAnother Round.
Another Roundis a hilarious black comedythat follows a group of high school teachers who decide to maintain a constant level of alcohol consumption in order to see how it affects their daily lives.Another Roundwas praised for its lead performance, script, and direction, and won Best International Feature at the 93rd Academy Awards.
Another Round
4’The Zone of Interest' (2023)
From the United Kingdom
If there was only one word needed to describeJonathan Glazer’sThe Zone of Interest,it would easily be “haunting.“The Zone of Interestdepicts the everyday life of Rudolf Höss, an Auschwitz commandant, and his family, in the area surrounding the concentration camp.
The Zone of Interestworks to give a face to the perpetrators of the holocaust and depict how, for all intents and purposes, they were just normal people. Utilizing a minimalist score that incorporates the voices of human pain and anguish, stunningly understatedperformances fromSandra HüllerandChristian Friedel, and innovative cinematography fromŁukasz Żal,The Zone of Interestshows how the holocaust became background noise in the daily lives of this family, which is what makes the movie so harrowing and memorable.
The Zone of Interest
3’Roma' (2018)
From Mexico
Celebrated directorAlfonso Cuarónis known for his range as a director, with some of his most beloved films includingGravity,Children of Men,and franchise favorite,Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.However, the Mexican-born creative’s best works are arguably in Spanish, from 2001’sY tu mamá tambiénto the multi-award-winningRoma.
Romais a semi-autobiographical tale of a housekeeper in an upper-middle-class family in the Colonia Roma district in Mexico City in the 1970s. After dropping internationally on Netflix,Romareceived widespread acclaim, with critics and audiences highlighting the lead performance ofYalitza Aparicioas Cleo. Cuarón’s love for and investment in the project is evident through the care he takes as a director, writer, and cinematographer.Romabroke multiple records and became the first Mexican film to win Best Foreign Language Filmand the first foreign language film to win Best Director at the Academy Awards.
Watch on Netflix
2’Portrait of a Lady on Fire' (2019)
Arguably Céline Sciamma’s most celebrated film,Portrait of a Lady on Firetellsa beautiful story of love, loss, and duty. The movie depicts a relationship between two women, Héloïse, (Adèle Haenel) a young aristocrat, and Marianne (Noémie Merlant), a woman who is commissioned to paint her portrait to help her secure marriage to a Milanese nobleman.
The film has continued to receive widespread acclaim and praise since its release, withspecific nods to Sciamma’s depiction of the sexual relationship between the women through the female gaze.Portrait of a Lady on Firewon both the Queer Palm and Best Screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival and boasts scores of97% on Rotten Tomatoesand8.1/10 on IMDb.
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
1’Parasite' (2019)
For many English-speaking audiences,Bong Joon-ho’sParasiteis the defining foreign language film of the past decade, becoming an international phenomenon with viewers and critics, and becoming the first ever non-English language movie to take home the Oscar for Best Picture.
Inspired by a variety of source materials, events, and Bong’s own 2013 play,Parasitedepicts a poor family who infiltrate the lives of the wealthy, and the way the fallout changes all of their lives.Parasiteis considered by many as one of the greatest films of all time, breaking numerous recordsand taking home countless accolades from festivals and awards ceremonies across the world. With many dipping into Bong Joon-ho’s other work sinceParasite’s release, it is safe to say that the movie finally got English-speaking audiences to take notice of brilliant Korean movies.
