In addition to all the independent films, franchise blockbusters, and superhero movies, there are quite a few foreign-language films that release every year and astound audiences. Last year, foreign-language movies such as Paweł Pawlikowski’s Cold War, Nadine Labaki’s Capernaum, and of course, Alfonso Cuarón’s Roma, which won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, released in theaters and captured audiences’ attention.
Sometimes that can be quite difficult considering not every foreign-language movie is made readily available around the world. In the United States, it can be difficult to even find one foreign-language movie in a local theater. But if a particular movie becomes big enough and gains enough attention, its release can be expanded. This year, Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite became the talk of the town, with some even hailing it as one of the best movies overall.
Beyond Parasite, though, there were plenty of truly terrific foreign-language movies to release in 2019. Some may be more recognizable than others, but they all deserve recognition and to be watched. Here are the best foreign-language movies of 2019.
10. Birds of Passage
Plenty of gangster movies have explored the innate emptiness of committing yourself to a lifetime of gangster activity, including Martin Scorsese’s 2019 feature The Irishman. However, Birds of Passage’s exploration of this thematic territory manages to stand out for a number of reasons. For one thing, the use of Wayuu culture (which the lead characters of Bird of Passage belong to) throughout the story lends a distinct identity to the project, especially in terms of how certain Wayuu customs end up running up against crime syndicate ambitions. Maria Camilla Arias and Jacques Toulemonde Vidal’s script is also well-crafted enough to establish its own place in the crime movie canon. This is especially true in regards to its ability to show things spiraling out of control over time is especially fascinating, by the time the story ends, it’s staggering to remember that the whole plot started out as a way to make money by selling marijuana to American missionary workers.
9. Ash is Purest White
The history of China in the 21st century plays parallel to this tale of two lovers, Zhao Qiao (Zhao Tao) and her criminal boyfriend, Guo Bin (Liao Fan). Viewers don’t need to be an expert in the history of this country to enjoy Ash is Purest White, though. The thoughtfully-realized camerawork alone proves to be universally absorbing, particularly the contrast between cramped interior shots and more roomy exterior wide shots. The same can be said for Zhao Tao’s fantastic lead performance which does remarkable work in capturing how Zhao Qiao grows over the expansive course of the story. The storytelling canvas of Ash is Purest White is wide, but writer/director Jia Zhangke succeeds with Ash is Purest White because of how well his feature maintains an intimate look at one woman navigating life in constant upheaval.
8. Pain & Glory
Past and present constantly mingle in Pedro Almodovar’s semi-autobiographical Pain & Glory, which sees a middle-aged filmmaker, played by Antonio Banderas, struggling to open himself up emotionally to others. During his internal turmoil, he has recurring flashbacks to his childhood that feature Penelope Cruz playing his Mother. An intimate character study that hops across time, Almodovar’s script for Pain & Glory has an unflinching nature to it that proves to be fascinating. This isn’t a polished look at a person’s woe, Almodovar’s screenplay digs deep into the nitty-gritty of a person suffering from numerous issues (addiction, unresolved emotional issues, actual physical problems) and finds rich humanity as a result. His writing also has a mournful wistfulness echoed in the lead performance by Antonio Banderas. This performer lends equal parts believable humanity and engaging gravitas that prove to be the emotional anchors for Pain & Glory.
7. Slut in a Good Way
Like many great comedies, Slut in a Good Way gets audiences’ brains thinking and their funny bone tickled in equal measure. On the one hand, Sophie Lorrain’s black-and-white comedy is a thoughtful examination of the societal double standards towards men and women having sexual agency. On the other hand, it also has a bevy of super hilarious moments that are enhanced by Lorrain’s sense of timing when it comes to visual comedy. That timing is aided by her recurring use of precisely executed extended single-take wide shots, one of the numerous ways Slut in a Good Way uses well-executed camerawork to its comedic advantage. The engaging comedic rapport between the three lead characters also provides steady laughs, in the process ensuring that Slut in a Good Way is just as humorous as it is insightful.
6. One Cut of the Dead
Part of the fun in One Cut of the Dead are the surprises, so spoilers will be kept to the minimum here. Needless to say, though, if people see the title or poster for this film and presume it’s just yet another disposable zombie comedy, nothing could be farther from the future. Hailing from director Shinichiro Ueda, One Cut of the Dead constantly upends your expectations to delightful effect. There aren’t half-measures to be found in this movie, it totally embraces every new twist and turn with gusto. Similar levels of entertaining bravura are found throughout the uniformly exceptional cast, particularly Harumi Shuhama’s performance as the character Harumi.
5. The Burial of Kojo
If there’s anything that viewers should take away from The Burial of Kojo, the feature film directorial debut for Blitz Bazawule, is how well the film handles dreamlike imagery. There’s an ethereal and haunting quality to the images in The Burial of Kojo that are meant to occupy a more fantastical space. This trait is especially apparent in an early dream sequence from the protagonist, youngster Esi (Cynthia Dankwa), who imagines herself being chased by a human/crow hybrid. Every detail on-screen, from the way the camera starts upside-down to the pink smoke dominating the frame, instills an otherworldly quality into each frame of this dream sequence. The recurring memorable dream scenes throughout The Burial of Kojo don’t just work as impressive visual exercises, they also help us to get closer to the engaging characters, particularly Esi’s haunted father. His plight is vividly realized thanks to the visual imagination of The Burial of Kojo.
4. Atlantics
Speaking of visually engaging movies, Mati Diop’s Atlantics is rife with its own unique pieces of imagery, particularly in its visual depiction of ghosts. Yes, ghosts do end up playing a role in this motion picture but they’re not here to provide cheap jump scares. Instead, writer/director Mati Diop presents ghosts in a matter-of-fact and thoughtful manner that helps these supernatural beings serve Atlantics’ larger exploration about life, death, and the parts of humanity that manage to live on even after death. Screenwriters Diop and Olivier Demangel don’t just excel with handling ghosts, their writing also thrives with thoughtfully fleshing out the conflicted lead character Ada (Mama Bineta Sane) as a human being as she attempts to get to the bottom of the recent disappearance of her missing lover. Atlantics functions as a lot of different things, chiefly a mystery movie, a ghost story, a romantic tale and a character piece. All of these disparate concepts come together under the direction of Mati Dop to create some truly sublime filmmaking.
3. Rafiki
Rafiki, a film about two teenage girls secretly falling in love behind the backs of their disapproving neighbors, accomplished a number of noteworthy achievements upon its initial theatrical release. For one thing, it got banned in Kenya, its country of origin, due to its positive portrayal of queer characters. On a more positive note, it was also the first Kenyan feature film to be screened at the Cannes Film Festival. Such events are very much worth mentioning when talking about this Wanuri Kahiu directorial effort, but Rafiki still offers plenty to talk about even when divorced from real-world events that transpired around it. For instance, the cinematography that makes use of beautiful bright neon colors to physically reflect the passionate interior emotions of the lead characters should stir up plenty conversation alone. Ditto for the lead performance of Samantha Mugatsia in her outstanding feature film acting debut. Best of all, though, in Rafiki is the heartfelt way it approaches the romance between its lead characters. Viewers can’t help but become wrapped up in the love story at the heart of Rafiki, its as emotionally rich as any movie romance should be.
2. For Sama
It’s not at all hyperbole to find it remarkable that the documentary For Sama even exists at all. This motion picture consists of first-hand footage of citizens of Aleppo, Syria enduring the horrors of war as captured by director Waad Al-Khateab. With her trusty camera by her side, Al-Khateab manages to capture the anguish and endurance of human beings who are trying to be wiped off the face of the Earth by enemy forces. As bombs fall around her, one remains shocked she’s able to keep the camera rolling but thank God she does. The very act of filming, just like Waad Al-Khateab giving birth to the titular character, becomes an act of defiance in the face of omnipresent death. Comprised of footage that’s been edited together quite seamlessly, For Sama is a documentary whose filmmaking craft is as impressive as its very existence.
1. Parasite
Could anything else have occupied the number one spot on this list? Parasite has managed to generate universal acclaim for a good reason, it’s that rare motion picture that can actually live up to immense levels of hype. Director Bong Joon-Ho has spent his whole career making movies that manage to fuse together insightful social commentary with engrossing twists and turns. However, his craft has been perfected in this tale that starts out as lark about a poor family using their wits to secure jobs working for a wealthy family before transforming into a far more complex and fascinating exploration of class struggles. Those themes connected to class are marvelously reflected in Bong Joon-Ho’s sharply realized direction while a bevy of performances, especially Song Kang-ho as father Kim Ki-taek, help to ensure there’s always extra layers of depth to be found in Parasite’s collection of characters. Both the actors and Joon-Ho’s screenplay keep viewers constantly on their toes as to where the characters of Parasite are going next, a critical element for any good thriller. If you haven’t seen Parasite yet, do so immediately, few pieces of cinema made on planet Earth in 2019 can measure up to this one’s level of quality and entertainment.
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