World's Best Foreign Language Films

This is a subset of the non-English language films from all the other lists (my preferences, these are not from the Top Ranked on the Net survey we did - that post is listed seperately, as over 400 foreign language films made that list), with a few more worthy films added (* = new additions)

Updated: 5.13.11

• 8 ½ (1963) Italy, bw
• 13 Tzameti (2006) France, bw*
• The 400 Blows (1959) France, bw*
• A Great Wall (US-China, mixed language)
• A Prophet (2009) France
• A Very Long Engagement (2004) France*
• A Wednesday (2008) India
• After the Wedding (2006) Denmark
• Aguirre, The Wrath of God (1972) Germany
• All About My Mother (1999) Spain*
• Amarcord (1974) Italy* [AA]
• Ashes of Time Redux (1994) China
• Au Hasard Balthazar (1966) France, bw
• Babel (2006) Mexico
• Ballad of a Soldier (1959) Russia, bw
• The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez (Mexico)
• Band of Outsiders (1964) France, bw*
• The Barbarian Invasions (2003) Canada [AA]
• Battle of Algiers (1965) France, bw [AA]
• The Battleship Potemkin (1925) USSR, bw
• The Beautiful Country (2004) Norway*
• The Best of Youth (2003) Italy*
• Beyond Silence (1996) Germany*
• The Bicycle Thief (Italy, bw) [AA]
• Black Orpheus (France-Portugal)
• Blood of My Blood (2007) Mexico*
• Brothers (2004) Denmark*
• Butterfly (1999) Spain*
• Carmen (1983) C. Suare, Spain - not the opera, a flamenco dance film
• Central Station (1998) Brazil
• Chaos (2001) France
• Chocolat (2000) France
• The Chorus (2004) France
• Chungking Express/Fallen Angels (1994) Hong Kong
• Cinema Paradiso (1988) Italy [AA]
• City of God (2002) Brazil
• Climates (2006) Turkey*
• Closely Watched Trains (1966) Czechoslovakia, bw [AA]
• Come and See (1985) Russia
• The Conformist (1970) Italy
• The Counterfeiters (2007) Austria* [AA]
• The Cranes Are Flying (1957) Russia*
• Crazed Fruit (1956) Japan, bw*
• Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) China [AA]
• The Cuckoo (2002) Russia
• Das Bööt (The Boat) (1981) Germany [AA]
• Days of Glory (2006) Algeria*
• Day for Night (France) [AA]
• Departures (2008) Japan* [AA]
• Dersu Uzala (Japan)
• Devils On the Doorstep (2000), China, bw*
• The Discreet Charm of the Bourgoisie (France)*
• Diva (1981) France
• Downfall (2004) Germany*
• The Earrings of Madame De.. (1953) France, bw*
• Earth (1998) India-Canada*
• Eat Drink Man Woman (1994) China
• El Alamein (2002) Italy*
• El Mariachi (1992) Mexico*
• El Norté (Mexico)
• Elevator to the Gallows (1958) France, bw
• The Emigrants (Sweden) [AA]
• The Emperor and the Assassin (1998) China*
• Era Notte a Roma (1960) Italy, bw*
• Fallen Angels (1995) China (see Chungking Express)
• Farewell My Concubine (1993) China
• Fateless (2005) Hungary-France-UK, bw *
• Fitzcarraldo (1982) Germany
• Floating Weeds (1959), Japan*
• Gadjo Dilo (1998) Romania*
• The Garden of the Finzi-Continis (1970) Italy [AA]
• Good Bye, Lenin! (2003) Germany*
• The Gospel According to St. Matthew (1964) Italy, bw
• Grand Illusion (1937) France, bw
• Grave of the Fireflies (1988) Japan*
• Hara-Kiri (1962) Japan, bw*
• The Harmonists (1997) Germany*
• Hero (Yimou, 2002) China
• House of Flying Daggers (2004) China
• I Am Cuba (1964) Cuba-Russia, bw*
• I Served the King of England (2006) Czech Rep.*
• Il Postino (1995), Italy [AA]
• Il Posto (1961) Italy, bw*
• In the Mood for Love (2001) Hong Kong
• The Italian (2005) Russia*
• Ivan's Childhood (1962) Russia, bw
• Jean de Florette/Manon of the Spring (1986) France
• Jodhaa Akbar (2007) India
• Kapó (1959) Italy, bw*
• Kinamind (2005) Denmark *
• Kolya (1996) Czech Republic [AA]
• L'america (1994) Italy
• L'avventura (1960) Italy, bw
• La Cage Aux Folles (France)
• La Dolce Vita (1960) Italy, bw
• La Femme Nikita (1990) France
• The Lives of Others (2007) Germany [AA]
• Malena (2000) Italy
• Man With the Movie Camera (1928) USSR, bw/silent*
• Mephisto (1981) Hungary [AA]
• M. (1928) Germany, bw
• Metropolis (1927) Germany, bw-silent*
• Micmacs (2009) France*
• Mongol (2007) Russia
• The Motorcycle Diaries (2004) Brazil
• Mr. and Mrs. Iyer (2002) India
• My Life as a Dog (Sweden)
• Nine Queens (2000) Argentina*
• No Man’s Land (2001) Bosnia*
• Not One Less (1999) China*
• Nowhere in Africa (2002) Germany [AA]
• Olympia (1938) Germany, bw* documentary
• Perfume (2006) Germany*
• Prisoner of the Mountains (1996) Russia*
• Purple Noon (1961) France*
• Quinceañera (2006) [U.S., in Spanish]*
• Rashomon (1954) Japan, bw*
• Red Cliff (2008) China*
• Return of Martin Guerre (1982) France*
• Ridicule (France)*
• Rififi (1955) France, bw*
• The Road Home (1999) China
• Rocco and his Brothers (1964) Italy, bw
• Run Lola Run (1998) Germany*
• Salaam Bombay! (1988) India
• Samurai 1: Musashi Miyamoto (1954) Japan*
• Seven Beauties (Italy)
• The Secret in Their Eyes (2009) Argentina* [AA]
• The Seven Samurai (1957) Japan, bw [AA]
• The Seventh Seal (Sweden)[AA]
• Shall We Dance? (1995) Japan
• Shoot the Piano Player (France, bw)
• The Shop on Main St. (1965) Czechoslavakia, bw [AA]
• Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter.. and Spring (2003) Korea
• The Story of the Weeping Camel (2003) Germany*
• Swept Away (Italy)
• To Live (1994) China
• Together (2002) China*
• Tokyo Story (1953) Japan, bw*
• Touch the Sound (2004) Germany*
• The Triplets of Belleville (2003) France-Belgium-Can.-UK*
• The Tunnel (2001) Germany*
• Turtles Can Fly (2004) Iran-Iraq*
• The Two of Us (1967) France, bw*
• The Twilight Samurai (2002) Japan *
• Ugetsu (1953) Japan, bw *
• Umberto D (1952) Italy, bw
• Under the Sun (1998), Sweden*
• Vatel (2000) France*
• Veer-Zaara (2004) India*
• Volver (Spain)* [AA]
• The Wages of Fear (1953) France, bw*
• War and Peace (1968) Russia
• Warriors (Guerreros, 2007) Spain*
• War Photographer (2001) Switzerland*
• Water (2005) India-Canada*
• The White Ribbon (2009) Germany*
• Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988) Spain* [AA]
• Zelary (2003) Czech Republic
• Zhou Yu's Train (2004) China

The films listed together (ie, Jean de Florette and Manon of the Spring; Chunking Express/Fallen Angels) are parts of the same story, intended by the director to be one long film but were split up due to length. I think The Bicycle Thief is a great film, but it's very tough to recommend, as it's pretty depressing. Meanwhile, Under the Sun (a romance) is a true rarity: a non-depressing film from Sweden; so is My Life As a Dog (a comedy)