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Lunch » People » coldsteel7 » Lists » Foreign Film Locations

Foreign Film Locations

Feb 5, 2010

by coldsteel7
posted in Reel Overseas

Where are the foreign films originating and what traits seem to be popular? There are plenty of countries putting out great films, but much of it never hits the mainstream in the United States. Weak Hollywood razzle dazzle rakes in the big bucks, while great foreign films quietly make an impact. Here is a list of some of the sources of foreign films...feel free to add more with commentary in the comment section. The list is not in any order...I appreciate all foreign films. While individual films could be ranked, ranking by source Country seems impossible. This list is a work in progress. As I discover new films from countries I am unfamiliar with, this list may grow. Add suggestions if there is something I should see!

Japan

Japanese film runs the gamut. They produce a lot of the freaky horror stuff, which I generally like. They also produce pink films (a term I learned here at lunch from Woopak), for example Man, Woman and the Wall.
Departures - 2008 Best Foreign Language Film

England

All the strong English Actors seem to end up in Hollywood. Great talent like Clive Owens leave the quirkier British industry for the big bucks, big bang US films. Lots of treasures come from across the water.
The Young Victoria is an excellent example that is sure to win some awards this year!
Birthday Girl - Mediocre British film

France

Not all French film is sensual...but they generally tend to have a more emotional and sensual influence than other films. French films are among my favorite. Amelie, which was nominated for an Academy Award is worth mentioning, but not my favorite from France.
Russian Dolls -- The dangers of ordering a "mail order" bride
Water Lilies - Sexual exploration
A Secret (Un Secret) - During and after WWII
The Last Mistress - A mediocre period piece.
Paris je T'aime
I've Loved You So Long

Italy

From "Malena" to Spaghetti Westerns, Italy has always been a great source for excellent films. Benini's "Life is Beautiful" won the Academy Award and is definitely five star material. The film has a bit of everything. It was criticized for making light of life in concentration camps, but there was a tenderness in the story that did not feel awkward.
Malena! Another excellent Italian film.

Germany

German WWII films are always interesting to watch. A different perspective that I have enjoyed in several films.
A Woman In Berlin shows the end of WWII (The Russian half of Berlin) from a German perspective.
As Far As My Feet Will Carry Me More WWII from German perspective.

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina has been ravaged by war, experiencing the longest siege of a city in modern warfare. The war has left deep scars on the country, which produced a Best Foreign Film called No Man's Land. A post-war film set in Bosnia called The Hunting Party examines the hunt for War Criminals hiding out in the open.

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cpw1952 February 05, 2010

Tons of your US films might well be classed as foreign films based on their filming location. Canada has often been called "Hollywood North" because it has a thriving film industry and our cities frequently serve as stand-ins for what are ostensibly US locations when the film is released.

coldsteel7 February 05, 2010

Good point.

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QUEENBFLIX March 11, 2010

Are we going to consider Canadian films made completely by Canadians are foreign films, or just those from Quebec?

coldsteel7 March 12, 2010

I consider all films from outside the United States to be Foreign, even if they are in English. I know the English ones don't count as foreign language films, but the idea of Foreign to me could almost include indie as well. In a nutshell...anything not Hollywood. But to keep things simple, films made outside the US.

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devora February 05, 2010

Where's Hong Kong??? Well, I guess that's technically part of China now :P This is a really, really neat idea for a list. Great execution, John! :)

coldsteel7 February 05, 2010

Thanks...it is a work in progress. As I add foreign films to Lunch, I intend to add a link here under the corresponding country of origin!

RowanK February 07, 2010

Yeah, I was gonna say that. As a Wong Kar-Wai fan (and to a lesser extent, John Woo), it really deserves its own category.

You may also want to look into Romanian cinema, which is recently starting to be considered one of the go-to spots for naturalistic black comedies. I highly recommend 4 months 3 weeks 2 days, and The Death of Mr. Lazerescu and 12:08 East of Bucharest are good too.

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