Lately, I have been watching more films that are not in the English language in order to expand my film viewing. I must say that in doing this I have encountered many amazing films and been introduced to other directors. It got me thanking about what other people’s favourite films are that are in another language. So today’s question is, What are your favourite films not in the English language? Do you like the work of the legendary Ingmar Bergman? Or is Kurosawa’s collection of movies your sort of thing? Or is it something else? Whatever your view, please give it as I’m interested to hear other people’s views.
vinnieh 
I enjoyed Headhunters, that was a pretty decent film. Let the Right one In and I Saw The Devil were also amazing. There are so many fantastic foreign films – I tend to prefer them because they break away from the usual American cliches and cookie cutter mold.
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Thanks, yeah I agree with you about them breaking away from the usual conventions.
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I don’t know about of all time – that’s too hard a question! 😀
Rust and Bone was one of my absolute favourite films from last year though.
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I still need to see that one.
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You definitely should!
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Ooh – good question! I loved “The Bicycle Thief” and “Life is Beautiful”, but also an Iranian film “Bashu, the Little Stranger” and an odd Belgian film from the early 90’s about an old man who has not given up his childhood dream of being a secret agent. I think it’s called Toto l’Agent Secret.
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Thanks for the comment, those films are going on my watchlist now.
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Seven Samurai, 8 1/2, and The Rules of the Game are my favorites.
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I need to see Seven Samurai, thanks for the suggestion.
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Oldboy, Let the Right One In, and Audition come to mind.
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Interesting choices there.
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I have to say I am really behind on classic foreign films but among recent foreign films I really love Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain, Intouchables, De Rouille et d’Os (France), Jodaeiye Nader az Simin (Iran), The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Sweden) and everything by Pedro Almodóvar (Spain).
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Amelie is amazing, thanks for the comment I need to watch more Almodovar.
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Almodovar is simply sublime, and while we are in Spain, Carlos Saura too!
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The 400 Blows, Breathless, Yojimbo, Pan’s Labyrinth, and Amelie are must-sees. Two master directors you don’t hear enough about: Michelangelo Antonioni (try Blow-Up or L’Avventura) and Henri-Georges Clouzot (try Diabolique or The Wages of Fear).
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Some classic choices there.
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I’d say my top 5 are: La Dolce Vita, Cries And Whispers, Le Fabuleux Destin D’Amelie Poulain, 8 1/2, Last Year At Marienbad,
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Great top 5, I will try and watch some of them when I get the chance.
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OMGGGGG,Love 8 1/2,Seventh seal,Yojimbo (and anything Kurosawa),Amelie,Delicatessem,La Grande Illusion,Anything by Robert Bresson….
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Thanks, I recently watched Ran, and now I need to view more Kurosawa.
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I really need to watch some more foreign films, I absolutely love watching them. I love different languages but unfortunately my girlfriend/friends aren’t a fan of subtitles so I don’t tend to watch a huge amount. I do like Pan’s Labyrinth, The Bicycle Thief, Run Lola Run, Amelie, Leon. There’s probably a few more too, but I can’t recall them right now.
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Thanks, those are some good choices you have listed.
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I was thinking back on the foreign films I’ve watched, mainly in the past few years, and was disappointed in myself that it isn’t that many. Something I need to put effort into too.
But, that said, Kurosawa’s Rashomon is one of my favourite films, and his Macbeth adaptation, Throne of Blood, is excellent as well. Also Fritz Lang’s M, and (as a couple of others have said) Let the Right One In.
Don’t think anyone’s mentioned anime either. Hayao Miyazaki is perhaps an obvious name to throw in, but that’s for a reason: I watched The Castle of Cagliostro and My Neighbour Totoro close together a couple of years ago — very different films (one’s a straight-up action adventure, the other a gentle fantasy drama), but both exceptional in their own way.
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Thanks for the comment. After watching Kurosawa’s Ran, I’m interested in seeing more of his films. Thanks for the suggestions you’ve made.
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Ran is a good taster, but Kagemusha, Throne of Blood, and Rashomon are all great too. Not least Yojimbo, Seven Samurai, and many more. In fact, he has hardly made a duff film. Ever.
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Kurosawa is near the top of my list of directors to watch more from.
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Last year I enjoyed The Hunt, Rust and Bone, Untouchable and Headhunters. Saw Bullhead last night and was very impressed with that too. One of my favourite classics though is Bergman’s Through A Glass Darkly. Oh and I loved Troll Hunter from a couple of years ago!!!! So clever and imaginative!
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Thanks, I’m currently trying to watch more Bergaman. Thanks for reminding me of Through a Glass Darkly.
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I’ll have to vote for what I know, in my beloved genre, and say I Saw The Devil, Oldboy & Martyrs would be my top 3 🙂
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Thanks, I have heard so many good things about Oldboy.
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Great film, with a killer twist!
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And Martyrs is one of the best films I have ever seen, though difficult to watch, at times.
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I’ve heard people talk about it a lot, now I think I gotta check it out.
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I would say Summer Interlude by Bergman, Oldboy by Park Wook-chan, Three Colours Red by Krzysztof Kieślowski, Princess Mononoke by Studio Ghibli…so many! Also, Silent Light, Spring Summer Autumn Winter and Spring…Veronika Voss..Les Diaboliques…too many!
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Thanks, some great choices there.
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Vinnieh, I have some foreign recommendations on my blog. I wrote entries about “The Hidden Face” and “Head-On” that are both great. I really think you should check out “The Hidden Face” which is a spanish ghost thriller, but is totally unpredictable. As I say in my entry though, do NOT watch the trailer ahead of time b/c it gives the twist away! Just go into it cold, and trust me it’s good! 🙂
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Thanks I’ll have to check out the Hidden Face.
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As I write about Asian cinema lately I watch mostly movies from Asian countries in their languages. Many good European movies have been listed in comments too. Ill add russian director Tarkovsky, his ‘Stalker’ is really enchanting. Also Israeli movie ‘Waltz with Bashir’, its animated movie about memories of war, really good one.
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Thanks for your excellent comment, I’ll check out the films you have mentioned.
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Battle Royale, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, Let the Right One In (2008), Lilya 4-Ever, Run Lola Run and Vivre sa Vie.
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Thanks for your comment, some interesting choices.
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My faves? Anything by Jan Svankmajer. City of Lost Children. Pan’s Labyrinth. Tale of Two Sisters. Let the Right One In. Lilya 4-Ever. Audition. Suicide Club. Delicatessen. Haxan: Witchcraft through the Ages. I really like foreign film. 😉
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‘Delicatessen’ now that is one cool movie!
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It is amazing! And it’s the same people that did City of Lost Children and Amelie. 🙂
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They are definitely a very creative bunch of people. I was also really impressed with the review you did for Tyson over at his blog. I wrote a comment, but since I have never posted a comment at his blog before it is waiting ‘for moderation’, but I just wanted to let you know.
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That they are. I can only hope to be half as creative as they one day. And thank you! I really appreciate that. 🙂
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Thanks, I’ll have to give it a watch.
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Thanks for the comment, I’ll check out some of your choices.
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Haxan is great, and rarely mentioned. Nice one!
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HAXAN is fabulous! I don’t know why it doesn’t get more love! 🙂
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It is getting added to my list now.
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I like Ingmar Bergman movies Also films by Bertrand Blier and of course Kurowasa Some good Russian films to check out are ‘Solaris’ and “Stalker”. I also like some early Roman Polanski films like ‘Cul-de-Sac’ and “Knife in Water’ as well as ‘The Tenant’. And let’s not forget the animable comedy ‘The Gods Must Be Crazy’
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I want to watch more foreign films this year. Recently i watched the Scent of Green Papaya and loved it. Amelie is wonderful. I hope to discover many more in 2013.
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Thanks, I agree with you about Amelie.
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Barfi …an indian movie is really awesome…you should catch up some time.
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Thanks, will try and see it.
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also watch 3 idiots.. its even in imdb top 250 i think…great movie
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Thanks for the suggestion.
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To be honest, the only foreign films I’ve watched are of the martial-arts variety. And as far as they go, Ip Man gets my vote.
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Thanks, Ip Man is a great choice.
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The Host (on Netflix)
Oldboy (do NOT watch on Netflix – it’s terribly dubbed)
Lady Vengeance
Audition (Netflix)
Seven Samurai
Rashomon
Yojimbo
The Good, the Bad, and the Weird
Mother (Korea)
Run Lola Run
The Princess and the Warrior
I could go on like this for hours.
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Some great choices there, I need to see loads of these so thanks for the recommendations.
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”Inside” is the best horror movie ever made (french) just don’t look at reviews,download it and enjoy show.another favourite of mine is ”The Ordeal” it’s very original and clever.
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Thanks for the comment and those suggestions.
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As of right now I would have to say Holy Motors, which, if you haven’t seen it, you should definitely put on your to-watch list.
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Reading through the comments for this post. I can’t believe no one hasn’t mentioned City of God. Brilliant gang warfare film set in the slums of Brazil’s capital Rio. One of the best foreign language films I have seen.
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Thanks for the comment, yeah that certainly is a good choice.
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I’m a big fan of Dead Snow.
I really enjoyed the tension in Est-Ouest.
Run Lola Run was great.
Battle Royale was an interesting watch, too.
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Thanks, some great choices there. Run Lola Run is great as you said.
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I love Italian films so there’s
Juliet of the Spirits
Amarcord
Respiro
The Consequences of Love
Il Divo
The Son’s Room
Berberian Sound Studio
Cinema Paradiso
Malena
I’m Not Scared
The Postman
Umberto D
The Bicycle Thieves
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Excellent post, I need to see some of those you have listed.
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My Life As A Dog (Fantastic German film about a young boy)
Love Me If You Dare (French love story starring the guy from The Beach)
The Cup (Bhutan… Tibetan monk refugees want to watch World Cup football/soccer. Heartwarming)
Stolen Kisses (Truffaut… especially for the scene where he attempts to follow someone down the street without being seen.)
Hero (with Jet Li … incredible visual storytelling.)
Amelie (just fantastic and lovable)
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Some great choices, there, thanks for your comment.
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Pans Labyrinth will sneak up on you for the rest of your life. It still makes me squeamish, even though I have no qualms with graphic violence, the director made sure every bit of it was shocking and memorable. It’s definitely a must see for foreign films! Like Life of Pi, the fantasy aspects may be standing in for a reality no one can cope with… there’s a lot to interpret.
My other two suggestions are the Spanish film, Love in the Time of Cholera, which has a nice balance of romance, erotica, comedy and heart – and the Polish film Big Love, which is also haunting because it’s about a toxic relationship that leaves you wondering which one was really the poisonous apple.
I’m glad I found this post, it keeps me out of the suggestion box for a minute! 😀
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I love Pan’s Labyrinth. Thanks for the other two suggestions.
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You’re welcome. I just noticed that Love in the Time of Cholera is actually in English, I guess I just happened upon the Spanish adaption first.
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Thanks for letting me know that.
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This is more up my street, V. My list would be too long though.
Regards, Pete.
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Haha, I’m slowly watching more foreign language movies.
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Speed up mate. speed up…If you want a list, I will happily supply one…
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Haga, I’ll speed up very soon.
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La Vie en rose
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What a phenomenal movie.
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