Countries all around the world have movie industries that touch upon the local talents and cultures, and it’s hard to quantitatively say which are the best foreign movies of all time. Use this beginner's guide to discover must-watch foreign movies from all around the world that will give you a taste of the different styles and a springboard to exploring more of the movies that you love. We also provide you with all the information needed on where to stream the best foreign movies using platforms like Disney+, Max, Netflix, Prime Video and many more!
For the purposes of this list, a foreign movie is classed as any movie that is not produced in English. Movies on the list such as Godzilla (Japanese) and Funny Games (German, Italian, French) have also been remade in English, but be sure to check out the originals as they offer something different to their English-language counterparts. Many of the directors whose movies feature on the list later went on to have careers in Hollywood, like Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain), Milos Forman (One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest) and Cary Fukunaga (True Detective).
During his acceptance speech at the 2020 Golden Globe Awards for Best Foreign Language film, Parasite director Bong Joon-ho stated, "once you overcome the one-inch tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films." This idea is truly highlighted in the following list featuring some of the absolute best foreign movies of all time.
Where to watch the best foreign movies online right now
To get you started on your journey into watching non-English language movies, here are 100 of the best foreign language movies from around the world and a complete guide on where to watch them.