The Most Successful Foreign Films in America

Before “King Richard,” there came this Hindi-language biopic about former amateur wrestler and devoted father Mahavir Singh Phogat (played by Aamir Khan). Against all odds, Phogat helps turn his two daughters into wrestling phenoms. “Let it never be said that if you’ve seen one inspirational sports movie, you’ve seen them all,” wrote critic Ben Kenigsberg in the New York Times.

After her criminal boyfriend loses stolen loot, Lola (Franka Pote) has just 20 minutes to come up with the cash in this German thriller. It depicts three sliding-doors versions of the same premise, each one unfolding in real time. Director Tykwer would go on to helm American films such as “A Hologram for the King” and “Cloud Atlas.”

Set during the feudal era, Kurosawa’s Japanese-language epic tasks a petty thief (Tsutomu Yamazaki) with impersonating a powerful warlord (Tatsuya Nakadai). After taking on the role full time, the thief finds himself in the midst of a violent conflict. It was Japan’s highest-grossing domestic release of 1980.

This acclaimed French biopic chronicles the tragic life of singer Edith Piaf (played by Marion Cotillard). Raised in a brothel, Piaf found unlikely success before succumbing to addiction. It won two Academy Awards, including Best Actress for Cotillard.

A poor fishing village can only qualify for the construction of a local factory if they have a practicing doctor as a resident. So goes their seduction of plastic surgeon Dr. Lewis (David Boutin), which gives way to a series of harebrained schemes in this French-language comedy from Quebec. It won the World Cinema Audience Award at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival.

From prolific Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar comes this twisted drama, which won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Told primarily through flashbacks, it depicts the overlapping sagas of four separate characters. In 2005, Time Magazine named it as one of the 100 best films ever made.

Widely considered Almodóvar‘s best effort at the time, this topical Spanish-language drama explores themes of AIDS and gender identity. After her son is killed in an accident, an Argentine nurse (Cecilia Roth) searches for the boy’s transgender second mother. It won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

The feature debut from German director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck takes place in communist East Berlin circa 1984. Assigned to spy on a writer and his wife, a government agent (Ulrich Mühe) begins intervening with their lives. It won numerous major awards, including the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.

This Chinese romantic comedy, which takes place in Manhattan, makes up part of director Ang Lee’s informal “Father Knows Best” trilogy. Afraid to come out to his parents, a gay landlord (Winston Chao) arranges a marriage of convenience with one of his Taiwanese tenants (May Chin). All is going according to plan until the parents arrive with the intention of throwing a massive wedding ceremony.

Miyazaki’s animated classic broke box office records in Japan before arriving in the United States to modest fanfare, though it’s since gained a respectable domestic following. The story sends a young suburban girl into a fantastic netherworld, where humans turn into beasts and gods roam the skies. It won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

This Spanish adaptation of a French play brought worldwide recognition to director Almodóvar and actor Antonio Banderas. It centers on a TV actress named Pepa (Carmen Maura), who embarks on a life-changing journey after a sudden break-up. As with much of the director’s work, the story puts a darkly comic spin on otherwise dramatic themes.

In this heartfelt drama (in Spanish and English), a young Mexican boy (Eugenio Derbez) illegally crosses the border to find his mother (Kate del Castillo). The feature debut from director Patricia Riggen, it alternates between two separate storylines to depict the modern struggles of undocumented immigrants.

Chinese director Yimou Zhang followed the smash hit “Hero” with this historical action drama, set during the waning days of the Tang Dynasty. It tells the story of an imprisoned rebel fighter (Ziyi Zhang), who lures two men into a dangerous escape plan.

Ang Lee’s acclaimed dramedy explores multi-generational themes through the tale of a semi-retired chef (Sihung Lung) and his three unmarried daughters. The family convenes every Sunday for a dinner feast, where they discuss their romantic struggles and other topics. It makes up part of the director’s “Father Knows Best” trilogy.

A young man (Tony Jaa) journeys to Australia to retrieve his stolen elephant in this Thai martial arts action flick. Threadbare plotting and elaborate fight sequences ensue. It reunited Jaa with “Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior” director Prachya Pinkaew and was internationally distributed under various names.

Director Christophe Gans blends multiple genre tropes to deliver this French-language historical thriller, which draws loose inspiration from real-life events. The story takes place in 18th-century rural France and follows two men as they hunt for a murderous beast. “Its heart is in the horror-monster-sex-fantasy-special effects tradition,” wrote Roger Ebert in his 3-star review.

Pedro Almodóvar re-teamed with frequent collaborator Penélope Cruz for this award-winning Spanish dramedy. It follows a woman (Cruz) back to the small town of her upbringing, where she confronts her tragic past. The story draws loose inspiration from a fictional character’s rejected novel in the previous Almodovar film “The Flowers of My Secret.”

A married accountant Shohei Sugiyama (Kôji Yakusho) exits his comfort zone and enters the world of ballroom dancing in this Japanese dramedy. With his newfound passion comes a renewed sense of purpose. It was the second-highest grossing film of the year in Japan and also a respectable box office performer in the USA.

This Swedish coming-of-age dramedy, which takes place in the 1950s, is an adaptation of a semi-autobiographical book series. It sends a young boy (Anton Glanzelius) to a small town, where he’s exposed to a different side of life. Director Hallström would go on to helm a number of North American films, including 1993’s “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape” and 2009’s “Hachi: A Dog’s Tale.”

Abridged from a much-longer mini-series, Bergman’s Swedish autobiographical drama tells the story of two privileged siblings and their eccentric family. A hit in the director’s native country, it was also one of the era’s highest-grossing foreign-language films in the U.S. It went on to win four Academy Awards, including Best Cinematography and Best Foreign Language Film.

This Tollywood epic makes up the second part of the Baahubali series and functions as both a prequel and a sequel to its predecessor. The story centers on Mahendra Baahubali (Prabhas), who seeks revenge against his uncle over his father’s death. Its opening in North America broke box office records for an Indian film.

Hollywood director Alfonso Cuarón returned to his Mexican roots with this coming-of-age Spanish-language drama. It sends two close friends and an older woman on a consequential road trip, where they cross all kinds of sexual boundaries. The story takes place in 1999 against a somewhat distant backdrop of socio-political turmoil.

Mira Nair’s Indian dramedy examines themes of family tradition as it builds toward an elaborate arranged marriage. “A late radical shift in tone, from jittery exuberance to ruinous alienation, strikes an impressive contemporary note amid all the obeisance to custom,” wrote critic Joshua Rothkopf for the Chicago Reader.

Continuing the misadventures of a French gay couple, this middling sequel puts a slapstick twist on the spy thriller sub-genre. Upon taking possession of a stolen microfilm, the couple goes on the run. Its popularity in France and abroad was arguably powered by the success of its predecessor.

From the stunt coordinator of “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” comes this Hong Kong actioner, which interprets the story of Robin Hood through a martial arts lens. It debuted in 1993 but didn’t reach North American theaters until 2001, where it was shown with a number of controversial edits.

Stephen Chow directs and stars in this action comedy masterpiece (in Cantonese and Mandarin), in which a small village protects itself from an invading gang. Set in the 1940s, the film’s unique characters and cartoonish effects exist in a class of their own.

This Spanish biopic loosely adapts Che Guevara’s memoir and chronicles a life-changing road trip from his youth. Traversing South America in 1952, Guevara is forever changed by his exposure to economic inequality. It marked the second time that actor Gael García Bernal played the revolutionary leader, having done so before in the 2002 miniseries “Fidel.”

Giuseppe Tornatore’s sweeping Italian drama is both a semi-autobiographical story and a passionate ode to cinema itself. Upon visiting the Sicilian village of his youth, an accomplished director recounts his early love affair with moviegoing. It won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

This seminal WWII drama brings viewers aboard the German submarine U-96, where the crew alternates between boredom and terror. It was released in various versions, including a 1984 BBC mini-series that clocked in at 300 minutes. On IMDb’s list of The Top 250 Movies, it currently sits at #77.

Jet Li was still an international star when he appeared in this martial arts epic in Mandarin, Japanese, and English, from director Ronny Yu. He plays a fictionalized version of real-life figure Huo Yuanjia, one of the most famous fighters in Chinese history. The film opened second at the North American box office, which made it, well, number two.

Not to be confused with Kevin Costner’s 1997 sci-fi effort of the same name (its Italian title is “Il postino”), this is the story of a simple postman (Massimo Troisi) who’s helped by exiled poet Pablo Neruda in wooing the woman of his dreams. The film’s captivating performances and touching themes earned rave reviews. Troisi tragically died just after principal photography wrapped.

Forbidden love and epicurean delight collide in this Mexican romantic drama with elements of magical realism. Director Alfonso Arau adapted it from a novel and screenplay by his then-wife Laura Esquivel. It was the highest-grossing foreign-language film in the USA at the time of its release.

When a daughter is left at his doorstep, a freewheeling bachelor becomes an overnight parent in this Mexican dramedy. The story takes a heart-wrenching turn when the mother returns after six years, wanting her child back. Eugenio Derbez directed, co-wrote, co-produced, co-edited, and stars.

Director Guillermo del Toro briefly strayed from Hollywood to direct this Spanish-Mexican fantasy. Set five years into the Francoist era, it follows a young girl (Ivana Baquero) into a vivid netherworld. It appeared on a number of critics’ Top 10 lists and won three Academy Awards.

Movie-lovers are still talking about the twisty plot points and socio-economic themes of this darkly comic thriller. Under various guises, an impoverished family slinks their way into an upper class household. It was the first South Korean film to win the Palme d’Or at Cannes and also the first non-English-language film to win the Oscar for Best Picture.

This vibrant French classic centers on the charming title character (Audrey Tautou), whose innocent worldview inspires all those around her. It was France’s highest-grossing film of 2001 and also a popular title on the home rental market in places such as the U.K.

Adapted from a play of the same name, this French comedy finds a gay couple playing straight for their soon-to-be in-laws. It yielded an inferior 1991 sequel (see No. 17) and was later remade in Hollywood as the 1996 hit “The Birdcage,” starring Gene Hackman, Robin Williams, Dianne Wiest, and Nathan Lane.

Director Yimou Zhang’s action-packed Mandarin-language blockbuster takes place in ancient China and stars Jet Li as a nameless warrior. Borrowing from iconic films such as “Rashomon,” it examines an event from multiple angles and plays on the concept of unreliable narration. Writing for The New Republic, critic Christopher Orr called it one of the year’s “best films to be released in the United States.”

This Italian tragi-comedy takes place in a concentration camp during the Holocaust and finds light in the darkest of places. Hoping to shield his son from the omnipresent horror, a prisoner (Benigni) pretends that it’s all just an elaborate game. It won three Academy Awards, including Best Actor and Best Foreign Language Film.

Director Ang Lee followed a trio of Hollywood films with this Mandarin-language wuxia masterpiece. Against the backdrop of the Qing dynasty, two veteran warriors (Chow Yun-Fat and Michelle Yeoh) must retrieve a stolen ancient sword. It was a domestic blockbuster and the winner of four Academy Awards, including Best Foreign Language Film.