Foreign films- or more precisely- foreign language films, have long suffered from the undeserved reputation of being more arduous to watch simply because they have subtitles. Who wants to spend two hours staring at the bottom of a screen to read the subtitles? If you look away from even a split second, you suddenly lose the thread of what’s happening. More often than not, jokes fly over your head as another culture’s sense of humour doesn’t match up with our own. You would be easily forgiven for skipping over the “foreign language” section on a streaming service.
Although it is my duty as a modern languages student to argue that anyone who refuses to watch foreign language films is missing out on a whole universe of wonderful cinema- among the best in the world- it is understandable why so many people just can’t be bothered. Although I am (when I’m feeling confident) fluent in two other languages besides English, I often find that I’m reluctant to watch any foreign language films not in French or German, for the reasons above!
Given all the free time which I suddenly have on my hands in lockdown, I decided I would use my evenings to watch the long (long!) list of films which I have always said I would eventually watch as continue my education in cinema, even if I can’t go to the cinema now. On my list are many foreign language films which I’d previously convinced myself I didn’t have the energy to watch! As so many people have also taken up learning new languages in lockdown (a pass-time which I HIGHLY recommend), I decided to write up a (non-exhaustive!) list of the twelve best foreign language films which I have watched so far, which prove that by just tolerating the subtitles, you will be rewarded with the magical experiences which cinema is all about creating.
Whilst the bulk of my list is French or German (because I’ve also been trying to continue my language exposure), I’ve also been venturing into various other languages! My glaring oversight is to not have included any South Korean films (I have watched a few brilliant ones!) or Russian films (Leviathan is great!) but that’s mainly because I couldn’t find any on the streaming services I subscribe to!
Happy watching!
1. Cold War (Pawel Pawlikowski, 2018)- Amazon Prime Video
Language: Polish
A visually stunning, sweepingly romantic love story between a musician and a music director whose relationship is as intoxicating as it is toxic, Pawlikowski manages to effortlessly establish the same energy as the great Hollywood romance films of the 1940s and 50s, with character who are similarly compelling and a storyline which- despite its brevity- its raw and intense. With excellent charismatic performances from the leads Tomasz Kot and Joana Kulig and beautiful cinematography which perfectly recreates the claustrophobic atmosphere of the eponymous Cold War, this film stuck with me for a long time after I finished watching.
2. Rust and Bone (Jacques Audiard, 2012)- Apple TV
Language: French
Arguably (and when I say arguably, I mean in my opinion) underappreciated French filmmaker Jacques Audiard’s best film and also one of my favourite films ever, this is a touching love story (yes, another one) between two most unlikely people- a nightclub bouncer and an orca trainer working at Antibes SeaWorld who suddenly becomes disabled after losing her legs in an orca attack. Grounded by predictably charming performances from Matthias Schoenaerts and Marion Cotillard, whose chemistry elevates the film even more, Audiard provides a thought provoking tableau of working class life in the south of France.
3. And Your Mom Too (Alfonso Cuaron, 2001)- Apple TV
Language: Spanish
Although this is a popular feature on many “best foreign language films” lists, I still think this gem has never truly got the recognition it deserves, especially in the UK! One of Cuaron’s earliest works, it is definitely one of his best, and showcases just how diverse he is as a filmmaker, having transitioned from this dramedy to sci-fi and fantasy later in his career. This coming-of-age story about two teenage boys who take a road trip with a woman against the backdrop of Mexico in the late 90s, gripped by uncertainty at the end of seven uninterrupted decades of presidents from the Institutional Revolutionary Party, Cuaron somehow gets the perfect balance between drama and comedy in a story which, in other hands, may well have just been clichéd. It’s often funny and sad in the same scenes, just as a dramedy should be, and features amazing performances from the three leads Diego Luna, Gael Garcia Bernal (best friends in real life too!) and Mirabel Verdu. For someone who had watched no Mexican cinema before (!!!) I will definitely be watching more.
4. We Are Young, We Are Strong (Burhan Qurbani, 2014)- Netflix
Language: German
A seriously underrated fictionalised account of the horrific 1992 Rostock-Lichtenhagen riots, fuelled by xenophobia, which provides a sensitive exploration of growing up in East Germany as well as a worryingly pertinent portrait of racism in the GDR – a trend which still remains today in swathes of East Germany. With particularly brilliant performances from Jonas Nay and Joel Basman as impressionable youths drawn into the riots, his film perfectly encapsulates how the unrest of young adulthood can translate into aggression- in this instance, towards anyone who does not belong.
5. Dheepan (Jacques Audiard, 2015)- Apple TV
Language: French
Yes, another feature for Audiard, but this film- drastically different from its predecessor Rust and Bone- demonstrates how Audiard’s versatility and unpredictability as a filmmaker is his greatest asset. This beautifully shot, often heart-wrenching depiction of three Sri-Lankan refugees fleeing the Sri-Lankan civil war who form a family to claim asylum in France is equal parts uplifting and tragic as the three protagonists adjust from life in war torn Sri Lanka to a similarly fraught suburban social housing estate. Its message is extremely important in modern times, given the ongoing refugee crises across the globe (which have not stopped just because there’s a pandemic!) and the authenticity of the performances- no doubt due to the fact that two of the three protagonists are non-professional actors- makes this such a gripping watch!
6. Capernaum (Nadine Labaki, 2018)- Amazon Prime Video
Language: Lebanese Arabic, Amharic
A two hour and six minute long gut punch, Capernaum made me cry much (MUCH) more than I was expectin (it’s definitely not light fare!)! Perhaps this is to be expected given its premise: a twelve year old boy from the slums of Beirut- facing prison for stabbing a man- declares that he wishes to sue his parents for giving him life. Although it’s so harrowing it’s sometimes unwatchable, thanks to an absolutely astounding (and I don’t use that word that often) performance from Zain Al Rafeea as the protagonist Zain, and an incredibly moving soundtrack, this film provides one of the best explorations of childhood poverty which I’ve ever seen on screen, as well as in insight into a life which privileged viewers like myself cannot even begin to contemplate.
7. Toni Erdmann (Maren Ade, 2016)- Amazon Prime Video
Language: German
I had no expectations of Toni Erdmann when I decided to watch it to while away the hours on a long train journey whilst interrailing last summer, but I was so glad I watched it. At times, utterly bizarre, Ade’s dry(and very, very German) sense of humour is hilarious once you eventually get the joke (although it takes a while). Behind the jokes, however, is a rather sad story of a dysfunctional relationship between a father and his workaholic daughter when he decides to pay an unexpected visit to her workplace in Romania. In a strange mixture of a satire of neo-imperialism and a dysfunctional family drama, Toni Erdmann may not be particularly feel-good- though it is a film which makes you laugh- but it makes you seriously reflect on your relationships with your own loved ones.
8. Happy as Lazzaro (Alice Rohrwacher, 2019)- Amazon Prime Video
Language: Italian
An incredible tribute to the Brothers Grimm fantastical fairy tales, this film was pure escapism with its scenic setting in the Italian countryside and whimsical story of a young Italian peasant named Lazzaro who is exploited by a wealthy Italian marques upon whose tobacco farm Lazzaro works tirelessly. It might not sound particularly fantastical, but believe me, it gets weird. Despite its vivid fairy-tale appearance however, the film is in fact a desert-dry satire of modern capitalism and the exploitation of workers- even Marx would have been proud of Rohrwacher’s work. Her unique voice and style is exciting and unorthodox and more accessible than your standard European arthouse film fare, and definitely worth a watch for that alone, if not for the escapist element!
9. A Royal Affair (Nikolaj Arcel)
Language: Danish
One of the few films I’ve seen which is genuinely a feast for the eyes (not just because of Alicia Vikander and Mads Mikkelsen), this visually stunning period drama about the love affair between Queen Caroline of Denmark and her husband’s physician is proof of the fact that period dramas- when done well- have the power to be so much more than just beautiful dresses. Arcel’s meditation on the nature of power is subversive for a period piece and feels thoroughly modern at times, with powerhouse performances from the predictably excellent Vikander (who learnt Danish JUST for this film) and Mikkelsen. Not only is this insight into the 18th century Danish court great escapism , it’s also a genuinely well-made love story.
10. Divines (Houda Benyamina, 2017)- Netflix
Language: French
Although it will inevitably draw parallels with Celine Sciamma’s equally brilliant Girlhood, as both films are depictions of life for a group of young women of colour who are growing up on social housing estates in the Parisian suburbs, I would argue that where Divines differentiates itself is the often uproarious comedy which it provides through its money-hungry protagonist, Dounia (in an extremely charismatic performance from Oulaya Amamra). As Dounia and her best friend Maimouna attempt to earn money by working with their estate’s drug dealer, the comedy inevitably turns to tragedy and the film’s ending- although shocking- is ultimately somehow plausible. Benyamina’s eye for detail means that her portrayal of life of a Parisian social housing estate reminded me how Mathieu Kassovitz La Haine- and both films share a similarly tragic message about the dire state of class inequality in France.
11. City of God (Fernando Meirelles, Katia Lund, 2002)- Netflix
Language: Brazilian Portuguese
A deceptive title seems almost cruelly ironic once you’ve watched this particularly blistering film, City Of God follows Rocket- an aspiring photojournalist- as he grows up in one of Rio de Janeiro’s most deprived favelas. As Rocket grows up, so does the favela- degenerating from a new social housing estate for Rio’s poorest, into the favela which it is famous as today. With an ingenious hip-hop and rap influenced soundtrack, distinctive cinematography and incredible performances from its actors, cast straight from the streets of the eponymous favela, this is definitely a coming of age film with a difference- and a predictably chilling ending. This was another one which stuck with me for a while after I’d watched it.
A Northern Girl in a Southern World 