Great Foreign Films

photo: Wong Kar-Wai's Fallen Angels

This is primarily intended to be foreign languages other than English, though some of these are mixed languages, such as Babel, and may include some English. I also listed Mira Nair's The Namesake because, even though in English, it's a film made by an Indian director about Bengali Indians living in the U.S. I also included Whale Rider from New Zealand, which is mostly in English, but since it's about the Maori culture I consider it an important foreign film about an ethnic minority trying to maintain cultural identity in a modern world.

Great Foreign Films
Currently 162 listed, with links to our reviews.

13 Tzameti (2006) France, bw
The 400 Blows (1959) France, bw
8 ½ (1963) Italy, bw
A Prophet (2009) France
A Wednesday (2008) India
After the Wedding (2006) Denmark [photo rt]
Aguirre, The Wrath of God (1972) Germany
All About My Mother (1999) Spain
Amarcord (1974) Italy
Ashes of Time Redux (1994) China
Au Hasard Balthazar (1966) France, bw
Babel (2006) Mexico
Ballad of a Soldier (1959) Russia, bw
Band of Outsiders (1964) France, bw
The Barbarian Invasions (2003) Canada, tv
Battle of Algiers (1965) France, bw
The Battleship Potemkin (1925) bw
The Beautiful Country (2004) Norway
The Best of Youth (2003) Italy
Beyond Silence (1996) Germany
Big Deal on Madonna St (1959) Italy, bw
Blood of My Blood (2007) Mexico
Bride and Prejudice (2004) India
Butterfly (1999) Spain
Carmen (1983) Spain
Casque d’or (1952) France, bw
Central Station (1998) Brazil
Chaos (2001) France
Chocolat (2000) France
The Chorus (2004) France
Chungking Express (1994) Hong Kong
Cinema Paradiso (1988) Italy
City of God (2002) Brazil
Closely Watched Trains (1966) Czechoslovakia, bw
Come and See (1985) Russia
The Conformist (1970) Italy
The Counterfeiters (2007) Austria
The Cranes Are Flying (1957) Russia
Crazed Fruit (1956) Japan, bw
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) China
The Cuckoo (2002) Russia
Das Boot (The Boat) (1981) Germany
Days of Glory (2006) Algeria
Devils On the Doorstep (2000), China, bw
Diva (1981) France
Downfall (2004) Germany
Earth (1998) India-Canada
The Earrings of Madame De.. (1953) France, bw
Eat Drink Man Woman (1994) China
El Alamein (2002) Italy
El Mariachi (1992) Mexico
Elevator to the Gallows (1958) France, bw
The Emperor and the Assassin (1998) China
Era Notte a Roma (1960) Italy, bw
Fallen Angels (1995) China
Farewell My Concubine (1993) China
Fateless (2005) Hungary-France-UK, bw
Fire (1995) India
Fitzcarraldo (1982) Germany [photo rt: Werner Herzog actually moved a steamship over jungle land like his character played by Klaus Kinski] Burden of Dreams is a documentary about the making of this film.
Floating Weeds (1959), Japan
Gadjo Dilo (1998) Romania
The Garden of the Finzi-Continis (1970) Italy
Gloomy Sunday (1999)Germany
Good Bye, Lenin! (2003) Germany
The Gospel According to St. Matthew (1964) Italy, bw
Grand Illusion (1937) France, bw
Grave of the Fireflies (1988) Japan
The Harmonists (1997) Germany
Heavenly Creatures (1994) New Zealand
Hero (2002) China
Himalaya (1999) Nepal
House of Flying Daggers (2004) China
I Am Cuba (1964) Cuba-Russia, bw
I Served the King of England (2006) Czech Rep.
Il Postino (1995), Italy
Il Posto (1961) Italy, bw
In the Mood for Love (2001) Hong Kong
The Italian (2005) Russia
Ivan's Childhood (1962) Russia, bw
Jean de Florette/Manon of the Spring (1986) France
Jodhaa Akbar (2007) India
Kapó (1959) Italy, bw
Kinamind (2005) Denmark
Kolya (1996) Czech Republic
L'america (1994) Italy
L'avventura (1960) Italy, bw
La Dolce Vita (1960) Italy, bw
La Femme Nikita (1990) France
La Haine (2005) France, bw
Landscape in the Mist (1988) Greece
Lebanon (2009) Israel
The Lives of Others (2007) Germany [photo rt]
Lust, Caution (2007) China
Malena (2000) Italy
Man With the Movie Camera (1928) USSR, bw/silent
Mephisto (1981) Hungary
Metropolis (1927) Germany, bw-silent
Micmacs (2009) France
Mongol (2007) Russia
Monsoon Wedding (2000) India
Mr. and Mrs. Iyer (2002) India
The Namesake (2006) India-US (in English)
Nelly and Mr. Arnaud (1995), France
Nine Queens (2000) Argentina
No Man’s Land (2001) Bosnia
Not One Less (1999) China
Nowhere in Africa (2002) Germany
Olympia (1938) Germany, bw
Perfume (2006) Germany
Prisoner of the Mountains (1996) Russia
The Promise (2005) China
Purple Noon (1961) France
Quinceañera (2006) (in Spanish)
Rashomon (1954) Japan, bw
Red Cliff (2008) China
Return of Martin Guerre (1982) France
Ridicule, France [not yet reviewed] - a terrific film about having to endure social ridicule in the upper echelons of French society at court in order to gain political favors, in this case having irrigation put in to benefit farmers in southern France. One of the more curious and interesting films I've seen..
Rififi (1955) France, bw
The Road Home (1999) China
Rocco and his Brothers (1964) Italy, bw
Run Lola Run (1998) Germany
Salaam Bombay! (1988) India
Samurai 1: Musashi Miyamoto (1954) Japan
The Secret in Their Eyes (2009) Argentina
The Seven Samurai (1957) Japan, bw
Shall We Dance? (1995) Japan
The Shop on Main St. (1965) Czechoslavakia, bw
Sleepwalking Through the Mekong (2009) (US, filmed in Cambodia)
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter.. and Spring (2003) Korea
The Story of the Weeping Camel (2003) Germany
Stray Dog (1949) Japan, bw [not yet reviewed] - engrossing police investigation of a rookie detective's gun being stolen on a crowded bus in postwar Tokyo, then being used in crimes after being sold on the black market
The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1933) Germany, bw
Three Monkeys (2008), Turkey [not yet reviewed] - Nuri Bilge Ceylan's interesting and beautifully shot film (like all of his) about a man who takes the rap for another's hit and run for a nice payment. Winner of 3 awards for best director (for this), including Cannes. I also like his film Climates
Throne of Blood (2008) Japan, bw
To Live (1994) China
Together (2002) China
Tokyo Story (1953) Japan, bw
Touch the Sound (2004) Germany
The Triplets of Belleville (2003) France-Belgium-Can.-UK
Triumph of the Will (1935) Germany, bw
The Tunnel (2001) Germany
Turtles Can Fly (2004) Iran-Iraq
The Twilight Samurai (2002) Japan
The Two of Us (1967) France, bw
Ugetsu (1953) Japan, bw [photo rt]
Umberto D (1952) Italy, bw
Under the Sun (1998), Sweden
Vantage Point (2008)
Vatel (2000) France
Veer-Zaara (2004) India
Viridiana (1961) Italy, bw
The Wages of Fear (1953) France, bw
War and Peace (1968) Russia
War Photographer (2001) Switzerland
Warriors (Guerreros, 2007) Spain
Water (2005) India-Canada
Whale Rider (2003) New Zealand
The White Ribbon (2009) Germany
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988) Spain
Women Without Men (2009) Iran
Zelary (2003) Czech Republic
Zhou Yu's Train (2004) China

photo: Vittorio De Sica's Umberto D.

A Note about Kurosawa: I like his early b&w films, especially Stray Dog, Rashomon, and The Seven Samurai, but find his 'Shakespearean' epics to be overwrought and boring. These include Throne of Blood, Ran, and Kagemusha. Of these three, I remember liking the cinematography of Ran, but also wishing the movie would just get over, which is not the earmark of an engrossing or captivating film, nor one you would rewatch.

Salaam Bombay!, a Cinematic Masterpiece

I've just seen (twice) and reviewed Mira Nair's first feature film, Salaam Bombay! - made in 1988 after she had made five documentaries.

There are many amazing things about this movie: only three professional actors, and 24 street kids, who couldn't even read the script. Shot entirely on location in the brothel district of Bombay, with several scenes inside a real brothel, several inside a real "orphanage", really a prison for children, several in street crowds where its obvious that Nair had little if any control of the crowds.

A giant critical success, and Nair took the profits from the film and opened three centers to help street kids, which has now grown to 17. Cinema for social change: she also got better treatment for orphans in India. That alone places this a rank above nearly all other popular cinema.

My reviews are posted at the two review sites:
1000 Dvds to See (the original review site, now close to 400 reviews of movies, tv miniseries/shows, concerts)
1000 Great Films (the new site just for films, new interface, no ads yet!)

Academy Awards for Foreign Language Film

Oscar® winning Foreign Language Films
Followed by country and director

1947: Shoeshine (Italy) Vittorio DeSica
1948: Monsieur Vincent (France) Maurice Cloche
1949: The Bicycle Thief (Italy) Vittorio DeSica
1950: The Walls of Malapaga (France/Italy) Rene Clement
1951: Rashomon (Japan) Akira Kurosawa
1952: Forbidden Games (France) Rene Clement
1953: No Award
1954: Gate of Hell (Japan) Teinosuke Kinugasa
1955: Samurai 1:Musashi Miyamoto (Japan) Hiroshi Inagaki
1956: La Strada (Italy) Federico Fellini
1957: Nights of Cabaria (Italy) Federico Fellini
1958: Mon Uncle (France) Jacques Tati
1959: Black Orpheus (France) Marcel Camus
1960: The Virgin Spring (Sweden) Ingmar Bergman
1961: Through a Glass Darkly (Sweden) Ingmar Bergman
1962: Sundays and Cybele (France) Serge Bourguignon
1963: 8 ½ (Italy) Federico Fellini
1964: Yesterday, Today, & Tomorrow (Italy) Vittorio DeSica
1965: The Shop on Main St (Czechoslovakia) Jan Kadar and Elmar Klos
1966: A Man and a Woman (France) Claude Lelouch
1967: Closely Watched Trains (Czechoslovakia) Jiri Menzel
1968: War and Peace (Russia) Sergei Bondarchuk
1969: Z (Algeria) Constantin Costa-Gavras
1970: Investigation of A Citizen Above Suspicion (Italy) Elio Petri
1971: The Garden of the Finzi-Continis (Italy) Vittorio DeSica
1972: The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (France) Luis Buñuel
1973: Day for Night (France) Francois Truffaut
1974: Amarcord (Italy) Federico Fellini
1975: Dersu Uzala (Soviet Union/Japan) Akira Kurosawa
1976: Black and White in Color (Ivory Coast) Jean-Jacques Annaud
1977: Madame Rosa (France) Moshe Mizrahi
1978: Get Out Your Handkerchiefs (France) Bertrand Blier
1979: Tin Drum (West Germany) Volker Schlondorff
1980: Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears (Soviet Union Vladimir Menshov
1981: Mephisto (Hungary) Istvan Szabo
1982: To Begin Again (Spain) Jose Luis Garci
1983: Fanny and Alexander (Sweden) Ingmar Bergman
1984: Dangerous Moves (Switzerland) Richard Dembo
1985: The Official Story (Argentina) Luis Puenzo
1986: The Assault (The Netherlands) Fons Rademakers
1987: Babette’s Feast (Denmark) Gabriel Axel
1988: Pelle the Conquerer (Denmark) Bille August
1989: Cinema Paradiso (Italy) Giuseppe Tornatore
1990: Journey of Hope (Switzerland) Xavier Koller
1991: Mediterraneo (Italy) Gabriele Salvatores
1992: Indochine (France) Regis Wargnier
1993: Belle Epoque (Spain) Fernando Trueba
1994: Burnt by the Sun (Russia) Nikita Mikhalkov
1995: Antonia’s Line (The Netherlands) Marleen Gorris
1996: Kolya (Czech Republic) Jan Sverak
1997: Character (The Netherlands) Mike Van Diem
1998: Life is Beautiful (Italy) Roberto Benigni
1999: All About My Mother (Spain) Pedro Almodovar
2000: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (China/Hong Kong/Taiwan/USA) Ang Lee
2001: No Man’s Land (Belgium) Danis Tanovic
2002: Nowhere in Africa (Germany) Caroline Link
2003: The Barbarian Invasions (Canada/France) Denys Arcand
2004: The Sea Inside (Spain) Alejandro Amenabar
2005: Tsotsi (South Africa) Gavin Hood
2006: The Lives of Others (Germany) Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
2007: The Counterfeiters (Austria) Stefan Ruzowitzky

Wins by Country (61 presented, 3 by double countries)
France 13
Italy 13
Germany 4
Japan 4
Russia 4
Spain 4
Czechoslovakia 3
The Netherlands 3
Sweden 3
Denmark 2
Switzerland 2

Others: Algeria, Ivory Coast, Canada, China/Hong Kong, Hungary, Belgium, Austria, So. Africa

Top Tens

My top 10 Foreign Language winners
(of those I’ve seen, about 2/3)
1. Cinema Paradiso (1989)
2. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
3. The Lives of Others (2006)
4. Kolya (1996)
5. Nowhere in Africa* (2002)
6. Mephisto (1981)
7. Black Orpheus (1959)
8. War and Peace (1968)
9. Garden of the Finzi-Continis (1971)
10. The Shop on Main Street (1965)

Note: My favorite foreign film is Zhang Yimou’s Hero, which lost the Oscar in 2002 (to Nowhere in Africa), and is the highest-grossing film in Chinese history. Where are Herzog's Fitzcarraldo, Peterson's Das Boot, Trojan's Zelary and Meirelles' City of God (Brazil, FIVE Oscar nominations: Foreign Film, Director, Cinematography, Editing, Adapted Screenplay; Time Top-100 Alltime!)? Each is better than most of these.

Metalluk’s Top-Ten Oscar-Winning Foreign Language Films
10. Burnt By the Sun (1994)
9. No Man’s Land (2001)
8. Forbidden Games (1952)
7. The Official Story (1985)
6. Babette’s Feast (1987)
5. Life Is Beautiful (1998)
4. Amarcord (1974)
3. The Shop on Main Street (1965)
2. 8 1/2 (1963)
1. Cinema Paradiso (1989)

(Note: Metalluk has film blogs and an article on these with his reviews and ratings of each; check this out: Best Foreign Language Films)

Metalluk and I agreed on just 2 films, with Cinema Paradiso being our obvious concensus favorite, then The Shop on Main St. (I haven’t seen #10 choice). He thought Day for Night to be overrated, I always thought that of Babette’s Feast (zzz...), much preferring the visual food feast film from Taiwan, Eat Drink Man Woman – you can almost smell the food in that film.