5 Great Contemporary Foreign Films You Should Watch

In recent years, I have found myself deeply captivated by the fascinating and alluring world of foreign cinema.

A few years ago, partly because of boredom emanating from COVID-induced lockdowns and partly because of my disillusionment from major Hollywood blockbusters and repetitive Marvel films, I slowly found myself becoming increasingly discontented with the kinds of movies that I had grown up watching.

Around this time, in April 2020, I watched Bong Joon-ho’s modern masterpiece, Parasite — a phenomenal film that emphatically captures the essence of inequality and privilege.

Like most people that watched Parasite, I was enthralled by its thematic depth. Still, Parasite did not initially make me look towards other foreign or Korean films. I merely — and perhaps ignorantly — assumed it to be an isolated example of masterful storytelling.

Sometime later, however, I came across Bong Joon-ho’s speech after Parasite won the best foreign film award at the 2019 Academy Awards, where he said: “Once you overcome the one-inch tall barrier of subtitles you will be introduced to so many more amazing films.” This statement stuck with me and made me want to look deeper into foreign and independent cinema, to find more of what I love — powerful storytelling and artistic expression — which I believe to be diluting under the hype and cameo culture plaguing Marvel films.

I have since discovered an abundance of fantastic films that tell unique and powerful stories, and have left indelible impacts on me, including some that I had never even heard of, despite watching movies for as long as I can remember.

I knew of, and had watched some of the most popular and mainstream foreign films, including the aforementioned Parasite, as well as modern classics like Amélie and City of God, before discovering my enthusiasm for foreign and independent cinema — but so have many others.

Therefore, I have created a list of five extraordinary, recently released foreign films I have discovered in these last few years. Contemporary foreign films that you have probably not seen, but you absolutely should, and will surely make you want to dive deeper into the world of foreign cinema to discover more of these stories that will captivate you and connect with you intensively.

The Handmaiden

As I have just written about how significant Parasite has been in my discovery of so many incredible foreign films, it is only apt to start this list with another extraordinarily ambitious and riveting Korean film, by one of the great modern directors, Park Chan-wook. A film very different to Parasite in its vision, but one that is as gripping and indelible.

The Handmaiden is an erotic thriller that takes place in Japanese-occupied Korea in the early 1900s and centres around a plot to defraud a naive and clueless heiress for money; however, this is only where the story and plot begin. As the movie progresses, some astonishing twists and turns occur, making this film an emphatic and captivating viewing experience.

There is a persistent mastery in the storytelling, characterisation, and thematic depth of The Handmaiden, through Park Chan-wook’s phenomenal vision and style, as he presents within this film complex and arduous themes ranging from power and desire to deceit and exploitation. These themes are layered and presented in non-linear and omnipresent ways, connecting the story and its characters, making this film an experience that stays with you long after the credits roll.

The Handmaiden immersed me completely in its complexities, characters, themes, and story. I was utterly captivated and unable to think of anything else for the 145 minutes I spent watching this film — which flew by.

The Handmaiden, and Park’s other work, including his most recent film, Decision to Leave, tell incredibly unique and thematically rich stories, representing excellent examples of the uniquely eccentric nature and style of foreign and independent films and filmmakers, of whom Park Chan-wook is one of the very best.

Holy Spider

Let me introduce you to one of the great contemporary psychological stories which released in theatres only this year — Iranian filmmaker Ali Abbasi’s modern masterpiece, Holy Spider.

Holy Spider is a psychological thriller loosely based on actual events that transpired in Mashhad, Iran, in the early 2000s. The film follows Arezoo Rahimi, a journalist, as she searches for the “spider killer”, an unknown individual targeting local prostitutes, all the while suffering through harrowing personal circumstances.

While this film initially feels like a mystery-centred whodunnit, Abbasi decides not to centre its plot around the mystery aspect of the killings, instead choosing to reveal the killers identity very early on in the film — and this is where the beauty of Holy Spider lies.

This storytelling decision allows the best parts of the film to shine. It allows us to take a comprehensive look into various powerful themes centring around the psychology of humanity, including theocratic exploitation and oppression, as well as the impact our upbringing and surroundings have on us, as this film centres on the general theme of human degradation.

Further, these themes are unmistakably connected to contemporary Iran, yet still manage to present a relatable, powerful and uncomfortable story that makes us think more broadly about the complexity and nuances of broken societies and corruption, even making us sympathise at times with the very personification of evil.

What is especially impressive is how Holy Spider manages to grip us from start to finish with its accomplished filmmaking, exceptional score, fantastic acting performances from the lead actors, and haunting story, while concurrently presenting disquieting and uncomfortable realities; also exploring these themes with subtlety, something which seemingly comes naturally to Ali Abbasi, an excellent filmmaker, who also directed the brilliant final episode of The Last of Us.

If all that I’ve already mentioned doesn’t make you want to watch Abbasi’s masterpiece, also know that it carries one of the most haunting endings I have seen in any movie — ever. The kind of ending that changes perspectives and makes you think for weeks and months after the credits roll.

The Worst Person in the World

Continuing with this list with an alluring film from Norway, a part of the world not known for its filmmaking.

Joachim Trier’s The Worst Person in the World is a tender romantic-drama about self-discovery and the highs and lows of the experience of growing up in the 21st century, presented through the character of Julie, portrayed exceptionally well by Renate Reinsve, who won the best actress award for her performance at the Cannes Film Festival.

The writing of this story is complex, rich and thoroughly impactful, as is the filmmaking, which complements the nuances and themes presented within the movie.

Further, The Worst Person in the World is disparate to most films, including The Handmaiden and Holy Spider, as it doesn’t come with a complex plot with twists and turns but is instead assiduously linear in the presentation of its story.

This narrow scope of the film allows its characters, performances, and story to connect with and stay with viewers for a long time, allowing us to meaningfully relate to Julie, as well as the other recurring characters in the film, as they go through the very experiences of contemporary life that we go through. Joachim Trier is able to make the viewer care deeply for his characters, despite their failings, in a way very few filmmakers can.

The Worst Person in the World uses its masterful writing, acting, and narrow scope to deliver a memorable story, while simultaneously presenting thought-provoking and humorous dialogue and themes, and this is why it is certain to impact you differently to most other films that you’ve seen — including great ones.

The beauty of The Worst Person in the World lies in its simplicity.

Quo Vadis, Aida?

A Bosnian film directed by Jasmila Žbanić, who herself lived through the Serbian occupation of Bosnia and the Srebrenica massacre, that tells a haunting story about perhaps the most atrocious, abhorrent, avoidable, and sadly forgotten genocide in recent history.

Quo Vadis, Aida? tells the story of the genocide in Srebrenica and the negligent and criminal failure of the United Nations (UN), which led to the deaths of thousands of people, through the lens of a mother, teacher, and translator for the UN, Aida, as she tries to do everything she can — and can’t — to try and find a way to get her family out of Bosnia, before the Serbian occupying forces get to them.

This film is relentless in its forceful portrayal of a raw and brutal picture of the panic, desperation, and hopelessness that the people of Srebrenica faced, not shying away from exploring the UN’s criminal negligence; also exploring the themes of despair, hatred, love and privilege.

A word that is often common and cliché when describing films, yet is very apt to describe the power and beauty of Quo Vadis, Aida? is nuance. This historical drama is packed with nuance. Nuance about the Srebrenica genocide itself and the conditions that enabled it to happen. Nuance about the lengths we go to keep those that we love safe. Nuance about the similarities in our differences and the differences in our similarities.

It is difficult to do the thematic depth of Quo Vadis, Aida? justice without delving into spoilers, but know that this film is able to present the best and worst of humanity so emphatically, which makes it stand out as one of the very best war films I have ever watched.

It is a film that Barack Obama also spoke highly of and ranked among his favourite movies of 2020 — which is ironic, considering his own criminal negligence, which led to the deaths of thousands of predominantly Muslim civilians as he revelled in praise as a peacemaker — precisely like the UN during the Srebrenica genocide, as presented in this film.

In short, you should watch Quo Vadis, Aida? because it will present you with a powerful, haunting and memorable story that will keep you on the edge of your seats; and make you more aware of the most harrowing, brutal, and unfortunately forgotten genocides in modern history — all through immense filmmaking and storytelling.

The Square

Last but certainly not least, allow me to introduce you to The Square, the 2017 Palme d’Or winning Swedish satire-drama directed by Ruben Östlund, who also directed the recently released and acclaimed Triangle of Sadness.

The Square is an ingenious and humorous satire which explores a spectrum of interesting themes, all centring on human psychology. Themes such as selfishness, hypocrisy and privilege are conspicuously explored in this film in creative and conflicting ways, allowing The Square to develop a unique and recognisable style, which has since come to become a defining characteristic of Ruben Östlund’s films.

In presenting these themes, the acting performances are key. Claes Bang is superb in his role as an ambitious yet flawed director of a successful art gallery and is complemented brilliantly by the other cast members, which include a phenomenal performance — as always — from Elisabeth Moss, as well as an unforgettable cameo performance from Terry Notary in one of the most unnerving and thematically powerful scenes in the entire film.

What sets The Square apart from the others movies on this list is just how clever and effective its satire is, and how strenuously it explores some heavy themes. While the film embodies excellent dialogue, it is sometimes in reading between the lines of the dialogue and interactions between the characters that the satirical exploration of human psychology is so brilliantly executed and presented within this film, much like Östlunds recent Triangle of Sadness.

This film is also divisive. A lot of people do not enjoy the discernible style that Östlund presents his stories through; however, The Square embodies within it phenomenal social commentary and profoundly clever humour — which make it worth your watch and an excellent introduction to the exciting world of foreign cinema, in this case, also being a film that is predominantly spoken in English, with recognisable English-speaking actors such as Elisabeth Moss and Dominic West as members of the cast.

The five films I have briefly explored in this piece all present outstanding and distinctive stories and explore complex, often culturally unique themes and ideas, which have left significant and lasting impacts on me.

It was difficult for me to narrow this list down to just five as there have been so many fantastic foreign films that I have discovered recently, including some independent films, as well as older movies from the 20th century, which I am sure I will be writing about in the future.

So, if you’re like me and becoming increasingly disillusioned with the style and nature of blockbuster films and the hype culture that surrounds them; or are merely interested in experiencing new and more varied stories on-screen, let yourself explore independent and foreign cinema, including the movies listed in this piece. You will be surprised by just how many incredible stories are being told, by gifted individuals, all around the world, every single year.