What Are the Best Foreign Language Movies of 2023?

When one looks beyond English-speaking cinema, they are rewarded with quite a selection of incredible films. Even the pickiest viewers will find something to enjoy. 2023 has been a great year for international cinema, and many of the top predicted contenders for the awards season are in foreign languages. It’s time to look back at some of the best foreign language movies that the world had to offer in 2023.

From deadpan comedies to tearjerkers, international cinema has seen all kinds of stories this year. For those interested in broadening their film horizons, turning their subtitles on, and watching quality content that’s being made around the world, this list is a great place to start. These stories have won over both the audience and the critics, making them some of the best foreign language films of 2023.

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Close Your Eyes

Spanish-Argentine drama Close Your Eyes is, on the surface, a movie about a movie. It follows Miguel, a film director (Manolo Soto) who stopped making films after a tragedy occurred. While shooting his second-ever film, one of his actors and close friends (José Coronado), while on set, mysteriously disappeared and was never seen again. Twenty years later, a sensationalist TV show decides to revive the case, and, to craft a new story, Miguel is forced to confront his past and relive his relationship with his friend.

Víctor Erice is considered one of the best Spanish directors of all time, quite an impressive feat by itself, but even more so considering he only had three feature films under his belt prior to this one. Close Your Eyes, his fourth film, marks his long-awaited return after a 30-year absence. It is a personal story about cinema, memory, and the power of art to preserve that which has been long gone. Many have described it as Erice’s own commentary about his legacy and his long absence. Close Your Eyes was one of Spain’s top contenders for the Academy Awards Best International Feature Film shortlist.

Fallen Leaves

The Finnish language comedy Fallen Leaves is a story about love later in life. It follows a man and a woman, both equally lonely, who meet at karaoke by random chance and feel a glimpse of hope in their lives. Against all odds, they decide to try to find love and build a relationship. Their road to love is not without its hurdles, as they both have problems of their own and the unpredictability of life tends to get in the way.

The film has been described as a tragicomedy, and it showcases the courage it takes to fall in love later in life. It premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, where it was selected to compete for the Palme d’Or and it won the Jury Prize. It was also voted the Best Film of the Year by Fipresci, the International Federation of Film Critics.

Perfect Days

This Japanese-language drama tells the story of a lonely middle-aged man, played by Kōji Yakusho, who cleans public toilets in Tokyo. It follows him through several days in his life, each which has some sort of deviation from his usual routine. The audience gets to experience the world the way the protagonist sees it, and comes to understand why he makes the choices he makes.

The Japanese-German co-production is directed by German filmmaker Wim Wenders, best known for films such as Wings of Desire and Paris, Texas, and documentaries such as The Salt of the Earth. Kōji Yakusho gives a career-best performance as the lead character, which earned him the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival. Perfect Days has won over both critics and the audience, and it has been described as Wenders’ lifetime masterpiece.

The Zone of Interest

British director Jonathan Glazer’s German and Polish language film The Zone of Interest is a historical drama that follows Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel), the commandant of the Auschwitz concentration camp, and his wife (Sandra Hüller). Together, they attempt to build a dream life for their family in a house right next to the camp. It is distributed by the independent studio A24, considered a staple of quality by a majority of film enthusiasts.

Based on the novel of the same name by Martin Amis, the film offers a devastating look at the Holocaust by showing the mundanity behind the inhumane brutality. Glazer’s next project after the critically acclaimed sci-fi Under the Skin, The Zone of Interest has been one of the most anticipated releases of the year, especially since earning the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival.

Past Lives

One of the biggest surprises of the year was the English and Korean language drama Past Lives, writer and director Celine Song’s feature debut. The film follows the relationship between two childhood friends over the course of two decades, as they grow apart, develop different lives, and reunite. Past Lives proves yet again that A24 is making some of the best movies out there. It is an intimate movie that touches many universal topics such as love, identity, and immigration, in a grounded way that allows viewers to relate the film to their own lives.

The film has earned universal critical acclaim from both critics and the audience. It was extremely well received on social media, with many users considering it the best film of the year. While it is an American and South Korean production, and it features both languages, the majority of it is in Korean. Past Lives is an incredible debut, and it has turned Celine Song into one of the most promising up-and-coming filmmakers in the world. Her film is a must-watch for anyone looking for a relatable experience, and one of the best foreign language films of the year.

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