Given readership growth since this blog’s inception, I thought it might be useful to recap the films already discussed. (You can find the complete list of films by country below.) As always, thanks for reading and feel free to share with others who also might enjoy!
Film Coverage
It’s been a (hardly comprehensive) stroll through international cinema from the following countries, driven by curiosity instead of any specific itinerary…
Geographical Breakdown
With European cinema being most frequently discussed and Oceania completely absent…
Films By Date Released
Featuring some real recency bias—except for the 1960s…
(Possibly Overlooked) Standouts
I think all the films discussed reward viewers, but here are seven films that I think are absolutely worth watching and may get overlooked in ways that The Third Man or The Battle of Algiers may not…
Argentina - Azor (Fontana, 2021)
Belgium - Playground (Wandel, 2021)
Brazil - Bus 174 (Padilha, 2002)
Chad - Daratt (Haroun, 2006)
China - Still Life (Zhangke, 2008) - pictured
Mexico - Güeros (Ruizpalacios, 2014)
Senegal - Atlantics (Diop, 2019)
Complete List
And here’s the full list with links to past discussions…
Africa (10 Films, 7 Countries)
Algeria - The Battle of Algiers (Pontecorvo, 1966) - pictured
Algeria - Mariner of the Mountains (Aïnouz, 2022)
Angola - Sambizanga (Maldoror, 1972)
Burkina Faso - Puk Nini (Nacro, 1996)
Chad - Daratt (Haroun, 2006)
Egypt - The Nile Hilton Hotel Incident (Saleh, 2017)
Mali - Bamako (Sissako, 2006)
Mali - Timbuktu (Sissako, 2014)
Senegal - Atlantics (Diop, 2019)
Senegal - Black Girl (Sembène, 1966)
Asia (17 Films, 13 Countries)
Armenia (USSR) - The Color of Pomegranates (Parajanov, 1969)
China - Blind Shaft (Yang, 2003)
China - Still Life (Zhangke, 2008)
Georgia - And Then We Danced (Akin, 2019)
Hong Kong - In The Mood For Love (Kar-wai, 2000)
India - Panther Panchali (Ray, 1955)
Iran - Close-Up (Kiarostami, 1990)
Iran - Jafar Panahi’s Taxi (Panahi, 2015)
Iran - No Bears (Panahi, 2022)
Israel - Waltz With Bashir (Folman, 2008)
Japan - Broker (Kore-eda, 2023)
Japan - Our Little Sister (Kore-eda, 2015)
Lebanon - Capernaum (Labaki, 2018)
Philippines - Manila in the Claws of Light (Brocka, 1975)
Saudi Arabia - Wadjda (al-Mansour, 2012)
Tajikistan - The Silence (Makhmalbaf, 1998) - pictured
Turkey - Once Upon A Time in Anatolia (Ceylan, 2011)
Europe (23 Films, 15 Countries)
Austria - Paradise: Love (Seidl, 2012)
Austria - The Piano Teacher (Haneke, 2001)
Belgium - Playground (Wandel, 2021)
Bosnia - Quo Vadis, Aida? (Žbanić, 2020)
Czechoslovakia - Daisies (Chytilová, 1966) - pictured
Czechoslovakia - Loves of a Blonde (Forman, 1965)
France - Beau Travail (Denis, 1999)
France - Claire’s Knee (Rohmer, 1970)
France - Cléo From 5 to 7 (Varda, 1962)
France - Les Misérables (Ly, 2019)
Germany - Toni Erdmann (Ade, 2016)
Hungary - Preparations To Be Together For An Unknown Period of Time (Horvát, 2021)
Italy - The Organizer (Monicelli, 1963)
Italy - Rome, Open City (Rossellini, 1945)
Poland - Knife In The Water (Polanski, 1962)
Romania - Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn (Jude, 2021)
Romania - Collective (Nanau, 2020)
Romania - Police, Adjective (Porumboiu, 2009)
Russia (USSR) - Man With A Movie Camera (Vertov, 1929)
Spain - The Spirit of the Beehive (Erice, 1973)
Sweden - Songs from the Second Floor (Andersson, 2000)
UK - The Third Man (Reed, 1949)
Ukraine - Donbass (Loznitsa, 2018)
Latin America (10 Films, 4 Countries)
Argentina - Azor (Fontana, 2021)
Argentina - The Official Story (Puenzo, 1985)
Brazil - Bus 174 (Padilha, 2002)
Brazil - The Fever (Da-Rin, 2019)
Brazil - Mariner of the Mountains (Aïnouz, 2022)
Chile - My Imaginary Country (Guzmán, 2022)
Chile - No (Larraín, 2012) - pictured
Mexico - Dos Estaciones (González, 2022)
Mexico - Güeros (Ruizpalacios, 2014)
Mexico - Japón (Reygadas, 2002)