Since ‘Parasite’ won the Oscar last year for ‘Best Picture’, many more people have been discovering what films there are outside of the English language- and there are some amazing films to be discovered.
Of course, the list must start with one of the best films of the last decade: ‘Parasite’, directed by Bong Joon Ho. All of Ki-taek’s family are unemployed and find themselves taking an interest in the wealthy Park family. They get caught up in an unexpected incident, which changes their lives forever. The film explores greed and class discrimination within South Korea and is a must-watch.
Yasujiro Ozu was a Japanese film director who made a series of incredible films portraying family life in mid-20th century Japan. ‘Tokyo Story’ explores an elderly couple, Shukishi and Tomi, taking the long journey to visit their children in Tokyo. However, their two children don’t have the time to look after them and show them the city. The job instead falls to Noriko, who is the widow of their son, killed, or lost, in WW2. The entire film is beautifully put together, and immensely soulful. Ozu has included some of the most beautiful shots in cinema and also presents the audience with some of the most touching experiences in the whole of cinema.
‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’ is Céline Sciamma’s 2019 movie, featuring almost an entire female cast. The story follows a romance between painter Marianne and Mistress Heloise, whom Marianne is secretly instructed to paint. The slow film includes a great score and incredible costumes, and each shot looks as though it could be a painting itself. Although music doesn’t feature heavily, it plays an incredibly important role in the movie.
‘I’m No Longer Here’ (directed by Fernando Frias, available on Netflix) is set in Monterrey, Mexico, with some incredible shots of this stunningly located city. The film follows Ulises, the leader of a local gang, spending his days dancing to ‘slowed down’ cumbia music. After an incident with another gang, Ulises is forced to flee to America, from where he longs to return home. Frias has presented this little-known culture perfectly, and the final shot leaves the audience in awe. It was Juan Daniel García Treviño’s very first acting performance, and it’s safe to say that he did an unbelievable job in portraying Ulises’ character, showing how he was gradually and inevitably separated from his identity and culture.
By turning on subtitles and being more open to exploring new cultures and experiences, you will discover so many more incredible films. There are a handful available through Netflix (I’m No Longer Here) and Prime Video (Parasite) which are great places to start exploring the magic of foreign cinema.
