While there are undeniably many great films in the English language that get made every year, on a worldwide scale, these only represent a fraction of what gets released. In English-speaking countries, films produced in places like the U.S.A and the U.K. generally get the most attention and exposure, but those in the West who are truly passionate about cinema ought to test the waters outside English-speaking countries every now and then.
Without doing this, movie fans run the risk of missing out on truly great and unique cinema. What follows are some of the best and most popular non-English language films of the 2010s, with all being worthwhile titles to check out for those who want to begin exploring more international movies. Each movie below is the highest-rated movie in a language other than English of its year, beginning with 2010 and ending with 2019.
10 ‘Incendies’ (2010)
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Denis Villeneuve is closely associated with the science-fiction genre, thanks to releasing some of the best sci-fi movies in recent memory, including Arrival, Blade Runner 2049, and 2021’s Dune. His earlier films tended to be more grounded in reality, however, and that goes for Incendies (2010), which was a mystery/drama (featuring dialogue mostly in French) that helped put Villeneuve on the map as a director to watch.
It’s a very dark and intensely psychological film, following twins who travel to the Middle East to uncover their family’s history, and make some startling discoveries while there. It gets very tense and uncomfortable, making it a powerful movie for those who are prepared for something heavy. It can be a difficult watch, but it’s undeniably compelling and very well-made, making it easy to see why it boosted Villeneuve’s profile considerably.
9 ‘The Intouchables’ (2011)
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
The Intouchables is a very accessible and easy-to-recommend dramedy. Its plot revolves around the unlikely friendship between a wealthy older man who was recently made paraplegic in a paragliding accident and a younger man from a different background who’s hired to be the older man’s carer.
It’s a French film, but its humor and emotion translate surprisingly well across different cultures, making it one of the breeziest and easiest to watch foreign films in recent memory. It got an American remake in 2017 for some reason called The Upside, but it’s pretty easy to avoid that one and stick with the superior original movie instead.
8 ‘The Hunt’ (2012)
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
A dark but engrossing drama, The Hunt stars Mads Mikkelsen as a teacher put in a very unfortunate situation that causes his life to come crashing down around him. He lives in a small town, and so when a very young student of his tells a false story about him behaving inappropriately with her, he becomes ostracized and looked down upon by all the other townspeople.
It’s a Danish film where much of the plot becomes about Mikkelsen’s character trying to prove his innocence. It has a good deal to say about justice, and thematically deals with the idea of public shaming and the way accusations can affect a person’s life long before they ever see the inside of a courtroom. The Hunt handles its delicate subject matter very effectively, and makes for an engrossing, well-acted, and thought-provoking watch.
7 ‘The Great Beauty’ (2013)
IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
The Great Beauty is an Italian language movie that revolves around a man named Jep Gambardella, who’s just turned 65. He seems to be someone who’s spent a great deal of time living a midlife crisis, but has gotten surprisingly comfortable with it, spending much of his life in Rome’s nightlife.
The film explores him looking for a sort of lifestyle beyond the one he’s living, perhaps because he’s approaching the final stages of his life and finally coming to terms with age. It’s territory that director Paolo Sorrentino would explore even more compellingly in 2015’s Youth, but The Great Beauty is still a very good watch, with many of the comparisons it got to the films of Federico Fellini feeling justified.
6 ‘Wild Tales’ (2014)
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
An anthology film where all six stories are darkly funny, tense, and often shocking, Wild Tales is a Spanish-language movie that certainly lives up to its title. Each segment follows a new story and set of characters, but all revolve around the various extreme things that human beings are capable of doing when placed in incredibly stressful situations.
Some of the stories here are hard to watch, but they prove entertaining for people who like their comedy a little out there and more than a little bleak. Beyond being funny, it also carries a strong message regarding the messiness of conflict and revenge, and serves as a vital reminder to stay calm in public when possible, and not let little issues spiral out of control into big ones.
5 ‘Victoria’ (2015)
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IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
The story of Victoria might not sound particularly interesting on paper, but it’s the technical aspects that make this a remarkable crime film. Made in Germany, it follows the title character over a particularly eventful night that sees her meeting a group of small-time criminals, and getting roped into robbing a bank with them, which leads to disastrous results.
Not only does Victoria take place in real-time, but it was also filmed in a single take, which is impressive considering it’s almost 140 minutes long, and features numerous locations and dramatic moments that all had to be shown in succession. The execution isn’t flawless, but a few noticeable errors here and there are forgivable considering the ambition of this film, and the way it largely succeeds in pulling off its daring premise.
4 ‘Your Name’ (2016)
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Your Name is one of the most popular Japanese animation films of the past few years. It mixes grounded characters in with some fantastical elements to great effect, telling a story about two strangers who are mysteriously pulled together through bizarre circumstances, finding themselves wrapped up in something neither could’ve seen coming.
Romance blossoms from this premise, but it does a whole lot more than serve as just another movie about young love. It’s ambitious and creative, and remains consistently entertaining to watch throughout because of the ideas explored and the endlessly beautiful animation, the latter of which truly helps to elevate the otherwise still compelling story.
3 ‘Faces Places’ (2017)
IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
Agnès Varda was a master at blending drama elements with the documentary format, and so it’s fitting that Faces Places – one of her last films – doesn’t feel entirely definable as one or the other. Varda directed the film with fellow French director J.R., and it explores their friendship as they journey around France in an interesting and entertaining manner.
It’s one of those movie experiences that viewers need to watch to learn about, because on paper, it doesn’t sound like it would be all that special. It’s thanks to the creative, playful tone, as well as the insights provided by Varda and J.R. that Faces Places works as well as it does as a unique and often heartwarming documentary (of sorts).
2 ‘Capernaum’ (2018)
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
An Arabic-language movie focusing on a young boy living on the streets, Capernaum isn’t an easy watch, and is consistently downbeat. The film involves the protagonist feeling so neglected that he sues his parents, since he feels as though he’s been brought into an unjust world without proper care or attention.
It’s a very gritty and realistic film, with its emphasis on being bleak and down-to-earth making it a difficult movie to “enjoy” in the traditional sense. But it is rewarding to watch, given it’s well-made and sheds light on the kinds of social issues and bleak realities that the vast majority of movies decide not to touch on.
1 ‘Parasite’ (2019)
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Parasite made Oscar history by being the first film non-English language film to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards. It was one of the biggest films of 2019, and was well-praised for its blending of genres, its insightful social commentary, the way it looked and was paced, and the performances of its entire cast.
It tells the story of two families: one who’s poor, and one who’s very well-off. The poorer family ends up working their way into the lives of the richer family, but things take an unexpected turn when the former family finds a secret buried deep in the mansion of the latter. Parasite’s the kind of movie that even those who don’t usually watch international movies will have heard of, and it isn’t just one of the best non-English films of the 2010s; it’s one of the best films of that decade full-stop.