20 Best Foreign Movies Of 2016

In a world where Hollywood is still the most dominant film industry, loads of quality non-Western movies often get overlooked and restricted to film festival praise and limited theatrical runs. That’s a shame, because while foreign cinema doesn’t boast the instant accessibility that English-language films have for English-speaking audiences, it makes for a refreshing change to the often all too predictable confines of the mainstream output.

There’ve been some brilliant and diverse offerings from world cinema this year, from a critically acclaimed South Korean horror and a Gallic steampunk animation for adults to an Oscar shortlisted German comedy-drama and a record-breaking South American crime saga. So, cast your subtitle phobia aside and dip your toes into the best foreign movies of the year.

This might come as a surprise to some, but there is life in Japanese cinema beyond its terrifying recent additions to the horror genre. Need proof? Look no further than the Land of the Rising Sun’s leading auteur Hirokazu Koreeda’s latest movie Our Little Sister. Set in a sleepy seaside town, the family drama focuses on three 20-something sisters who have lived in the same house since their estranged parents left them. The trio are forced to confront their own feelings of abandonment after their father dies, taking over guardianship of their younger half-sister he left behind.

Adapted from Akimi Yoshida’s manga series Umimachi Diary and selected to compete for the Palme d’Or at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, it’s a charming and poignant exploration of unusual family dynamics.