Four years ago, South Korean film director Bong Joon-Ho won the Golden Globe for best foreign-language film with his 2019 movie, Parasite. “Once you overcome the one-inch tall barrier of subtitles,” Joon-Ho stated in his speech, primarily delivered in Korean, “you will be introduced to so many more amazing films.”
His words struck a chord. In 2020, I wasn’t deeply into films yet. I had my favorites and began combing through the classics during quarantine. However, I hadn’t explored foreign cinema yet – watching a movie entirely with subtitles seemed daunting. But Joon-Hoo’s words resonated with me. That night, I rented Parasite, and it became one of my favorite movies. I vowed to watch as many foreign language classics as possible.
I’m not a foreign film connoisseur (yet!), but I aim to broaden my knowledge. As I continue on my foreign-language film journey, I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorites for anyone else looking to overcome that one-inch barrier.
- Funny Games – Michael Haneke
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If you recall Funny Games being an English film, you’re technically right. Ten years after Michael Haneke directed this Austrian horror classic, he created a shot-for-shot English remake set in the United States. The two have no discernible difference, but I prefer the Austrian version. A husband and wife bring their son to an idyllic, isolated lake home, where they are terrorized by two men who hold them hostage and torture them all night.
Horror films don’t generally spook me, but Funny Games is the ultimate exception. The two young men who attack the family are terrifying, and the randomness of it had me sleeping with the lights on for a few days after watching.
- Dogtooth – Yorgos Lanthimos
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Yorgos Lanthimos entered mainstream film circles with 2018’s The Favourite and 2023’s Poor Things, but before making English-language Oscar contenders, he primarily wrote and directed in Greek. Dogtooth is my favorite among his early Greek films. It features three adult children kept in an isolated, fenced-in home, controlled by their manipulative parents. These children have no knowledge of the world outside their home, and even their language is distorted by their parents (for example, “sea” refers to an armchair). It’s weird and confusing—Lanthimos trademarks—but ultimately thought-provoking and surreal. Any of Lanthimos’ early works are worth checking out, but Dogtooth is undoubtedly a favorite of mine.
- Titane – Julia Ducorneau
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I’ve written about female-directed films and included French director Julia Ducorneau’s debut feature, Raw, as one of my favorites. However, her sophomore film Titane is just as extraordinary a feat as its predecessor. Titane is almost impossible to describe without giving too much away, so instead, I’ll paraphrase the IMDb summary. After a series of grisly crimes, a father is reunited with his long-missing son. At any point in this film, predicting what will happen next is impossible. Halfway through it, I was scratching my head in confusion, but by the end, I found myself getting emotional from what I’d watched. Ducorneau is a blossoming horror auteur, and both of her films are well worth watching.
- Memories of Murder – Bong Joon-Ho
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Parasite was undoubtedly Bong Joon-Ho’s breakout in mainstream cinema, but he’d been a South Korean film industry staple for years before his Palme D’Or-winning masterpiece. My next favorite of Bong’s is his 2003 crime thriller, Memories of Murder, following two detectives investigating a string of rapes and murders in Hwaseong. The film is based on the actual case of South Korea’s first serial killer, who murdered 15 women in the 1980s and 1990s. Memories is undoubtedly dark, but Bong combines satire and comedy with its themes effectively.
- Three Colours: Red – Krzysztof Kieslowski
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Three Colours is a French-Polish film trilogy comprising Blue, Red, and White. Red is the most popular of the three, having been nominated for three Academy Awards. Unfortunately, it’s the only one I’ve managed to watch so far, but for good reason. Three Colours: Red follows a model who forms an unlikely bond with her neighbor after accidentally running over his dog. The two characters could not be more different, yet they still manage to connect deeply. It’s a beautiful examination of fraternity and companionship. I’m excited to watch White and Blue, though I’m not sure if either of them will be able to top Red.
- Speak No Evil – Christian Tafdrup
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Like Funny Games, the latest foreign-language film to receive an English remake is Christian Tafdrup’s 2022 film Speak No Evil. The trailer for the remake was released earlier in April. But don’t let the English remake stop you from watching the original.
Speak No Evil follows a Danish couple who, after meeting a Dutch family while on vacation, are invited to spend a weekend at the Dutch family’s country estate. However, as their holiday progresses, the Dutch family’s behavior becomes increasingly strange until it devolves into sheer terror. Speak No Evil is a difficult film to recommend because it’s excruciatingly hard to watch, featuring both considerable gore toward the end and sustained anxiety throughout. It’s the kind of film that stays with you long after the credits roll and may even be best watched with friends for shared reactions and support.
- Decision to Leave – Park Chan-wook
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Park Chan-wook is one of the most prominent and revered film directors to come out of South Korea, and for good reason. His 2022 film Decision to Leave was my introduction to his work, and I became an instant fan. Decision to Leave follows a detective investigating a man’s death who gradually begins developing feelings for his widow, who also happens to be the main suspect in the murder. It’s a mystery police procedural that’s profoundly romantic and beautifully crafted, yet it also serves as a stark reminder that the Academy overlooks some of the year’s best films. Seriously! It didn’t even make the Best International Feature category!
Foreign language films aren’t a genre; they encompass horror, comedy, drama and romance. They aren’t a monolith by any stretch of the imagination. Anyone interested in film must break out of the English language constraints, as some of the greatest films ever made are in different tongues. These seven movies aren’t the definitive list of foreign language films, but they offer a solid starting point to expand your cinematic tastes.