International movies have always been a niche interest in English-speaking countries, but there are some must-watch gems from the past decade that any film lover should check out. For many people in the United States and other English-speaking countries, only the most popular international film ever gets considered but there’s a whole world of cinema for people willing to explore.
The Oscars’ history with international movies sums up how American audiences have gradually started to come around to a broader palette of films. There have been eight international Best Picture nominees in the last decade, and Best International Feature Film draws more interest annually. Hopefully, this trend will continue, even though some of the best movies don’t even get nominated.
2015 – Embrace Of The Serpent (Colombia)
The Hungarian historical drama Son of Saul won the Oscar for Best International Foreign Film in 2015, and it still enjoys a stellar critical reputation. The Brazilian comedy/drama The Second Mother and the German crime thriller Victoria are both just as popular, while Embrace of the Serpent remains a hidden gem.
Although it was an Oscar nominee, the Colombian adventure drama Embrace of the Serpent hasn’t sustained its popularity. This is a shame, because the strange, dark fable is a fascinating watch. It’s a visually striking exploration of man’s relationship with nature and the violent history of colonialism.
2016 – The Handmaiden (South Korea)
Sandra Hüller’s offbeat comedy Toni Erdmann was one of the funniest movies of 2016, Train to Busan was one of the most intense, and Your Name remains one of the best anime in recent years. There was a wide variety of brilliant international movies in 2016, but few come close to The Handmaiden.
The Handmaiden is arguably Park Chan-wook’s best movie. It has less action than Oldboy, but the period romance is just as thrilling and unpredictable in its own way. The subversive, dark story of captivity and manipulation is split into three parts, with jaw-dropping twists to make each new movement. Park’s masterpiece is sumptuous and shocking all at once.
2017 – On Body & Soul (Hungary)
Not to be confused with Martin Scorsese’s 1976 crime classic, the Korean historical movie A Taxi Driver was one of the standout films of 2017. The Russian family drama Loveless and the Chilean queer film A Fantastic Woman were also met with positive reviews. The latter won the Oscar for Best International Feature Film.
Ildikó Enyedi’s Hungarian drama On Body and Soul was one of 2017’s most unique films. It follows two people with a strange connection who meet one another in their dreams, where they imagine themselves as deer in a snow-covered forest. On Body and Soul somehow makes this bizarre premise feel compelling and deeply meaningful.
2018 – Roma (Mexico)
The Japanese crime drama Shoplifters, the Korean psychological thriller Burning and the Hungarian animated heist movie Ruben Brandt, Collector all contributed to 2018 being a strong year for international movies from all over the world. The Mexican drama Roma won the Oscar for Best International Feature Film, a decision which has held up well.
Roma is one of Alfonso Cuarón’s best movies, although it’s a completely different prospect to the likes of Gravity, Children of Men, and even his earlier work in the Spanish language. The story draws from his own childhood memories, which creates a vibrant and fully-realized portrait of life in Mexico City. The black-and-white photography is just as breathtaking.
2019 – Parasite (South Korea)
In any other year, Céline Sciamma’s period romance Portrait of a Lady on Fire would probably be the best international film, but it’s impossible to ignore the influence of Parasite. 2019 also produced Pain and Glory, The Invisible Life of Eurídice Gusmão, and a few other gems.
Parasite made history by becoming the first non-English-language movie to win Best Picture. Bong Joon-ho’s beguiling thriller starts off with the verve of a crime caper, but things soon take a dark turn. Parasite’s true meaning doesn’t firmly take hold until the third act, as Bong masterfully toys with his audience.
2020 – Another Round (Denmark)
The pandemic wrought havoc on movie release schedules in 2020, as productions were shut down prematurely, film festivals were canceled, and some movies were delayed until 2021. One exception is Another Round, the hilarious black comedy from Denmark.
Another Round stars Mads Mikkelsen as a teacher who embarks on a unique experiment with his friends to keep their blood alcohol levels above a certain threshold throughout the working week. An American remake has already been announced, with Chris Rock set to direct and Leonardo DiCaprio attached to star, but it will take a lot to top the original.
2021 – The Worst Person In The World (Norway)
Drive My Car won the Oscar for Best International Feature Film in 2021, but it wasn’t the only movie that Ryusuke Hamaguchi released that year, since Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy came out a few months earlier. Pedro Almodóvar’s Parallel Mothers, the provocative French horror movie Titane, and the animated drama Flee also gained international attention.
Joachim Trier’s The Worst Person in the World brings the Norwegian director’s Oslo trilogy to an end, and it’s easily the most impressive of the three movies. Devastating, funny and ultimately relatable, The Worst Person in the World is an exceptional character study of a woman struggling to forge her own destiny.
2022 – All Quiet On The Western Front (Germany)
The most popular international movie of 2022 was probably the Indian genre-smashing RRR, which can best be described as a historical action musical epic. Park Chan-wook’s Decision to Leave saw him reinventing the thriller genre once again with a modern take on the femme fatale trope of old film noir movies, and Argentina, 1985 was also highly garlanded.
Edward Berger’s All Quiet on the Western Front is the third adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque’s anti-war novel, and the first with the technology to show the destruction of World War I in shocking detail. The true story behind All Quiet on the Western Front inspires some harrowing scenes, on the battlefields, in the trenches, and on the home front.
2023 – Anatomy Of A Fall (France)
Sandra Hüller appeared in two of the best international movies of 2023, Anatomy of a Fall and the holocaust drama Zone of Interest. Godzilla Minus One revitalized one of cinema’s oldest franchises, while Hayao Miyazaki returned with The Boy and the Heron. Wim Wenders released the thought-provoking Perfect Days, and Society of the Snow became a global streaming hit.
Anatomy of a Fall tops them all and is an outstanding courtroom drama and family drama rolled into one. It feels like a throwback to older legal dramas, placing faith in its outstanding script and some excellent performances to carry the movie. Anatomy of a Fall’s stunning ending solidifies its status as a modern masterpiece.
2024 – Flow (Latvia)
2024 was another strong year for world cinema. I’m Still Here, The Seed of the Sacred Fig, and All We Imagine as Light made waves, while the divisive French musical Emilia Pérez looked like a potential Best Picture winner for a while. Zoe Saldaña’s performance still received massive acclaim, even though audiences weren’t as generous to the movie as critics.
The Latvian animated adventure Flow shows what independent animation is capable of. Flow has no dialogue and a brisk runtime, so anyone can enjoy its gorgeous artistic style and its quirky story, as a cat teams up with other animals to survive in the ruins of a seemingly post-apocalyptic world. It’s unique in all the best ways.
