Foreign Language Films That Are A Must Watch

There are numerous foreign-language films that keep getting released on varied OTT platforms throughout the year in India. On International Mother Language Day, here are a few of the best ones.

Prateek Sur

Updated on: 22 February 2022 4:33 am

‘The Portrait Of A Lady On Fire’

International Mother Language Day was established to promote language study and raise awareness about endangered languages. According to the United Nations, 43 per cent of the 6000 spoken languages all across the world, are threatened to be extinct in the coming few centuries.

Whether you're attempting to learn a language or searching for one to blow your ears away, there's nothing better than a movie to try it out. You can simply check how it sounds, or put your newly acquired vocabulary to the test with your friends.

If you don’t know where to watch, there are many such foreign-language films that get released across the country on different OTT platforms. So, on this special occasion of International Mother Language Day, here are a few recommendations that are a must-watch.

‘The Portrait Of A Lady On Fire’

The Portrait of a Lady on Fire depicts Marianne's budding passion with the painter commissioned by her mother to portray her. When the portrait is completed, they must part ways. With that menace hovering over their heads, the two ladies use incredible ingenuity to put a stop to it. This is a great and feminist film. Because Celine Sciamma is the writer-director and Claire Mathon is the cinematographer, the female experience and perspective are central to the picture. It deviates significantly from the cliches and clichés of romantic flicks as we know them. The Portrait of a Lady on Fire is the ideal opportunity to brush up on your French while watching what happens when women film women and break away from the masculine gaze.

‘303’

Jule, a young lady, chooses to go from Berlin to Portugal in order to inform her partner that she is pregnant. She agrees to transport Jan, a hitchhiker on his way to Spain. As the car journey progresses, their chats deepen, and they gradually fall for each other. '303' defies genre classification by deftly blending road-movie and romance elements to provide a poignant look at modern relationships far apart from Hollywood norms. It is more than just a possible love tale between the main protagonists; it is also a salute to Europe and its breathtaking surroundings. '303' is an excellent film for learning German while feeling as though you are travelling over Europe without leaving the comfort of your living room.

‘Atlantics’

Set in Dakar, Souleiman flees the nation in search of a better life in Spain when his boss refuses to pay him for months. He abandons his lover, Ada, who has been promised to another richer guy. As the wedding day approaches, unusual occurrences begin to occur in order to save Ada from an unfavourable fate. Atlantics uses Souleiman and Ada's captivating romance as a backdrop to emphasise the obstacles encountered by Senegalese youth - economic struggles, a lack of chances, and a lack of freedom for women. I truly liked how the sci-fi, romance, and drama were intertwined. The usage of science fiction allows the spiritual to appear in the world as we know it, which means you may feel the emotions of the characters and be taken away by the tale. It was also the opportunity for me to learn Wolof, one of Senegal's 39 languages. If you loved The Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Claire Mathon returns as a cinematographer in Mati Diop's debut feature. ‘Atlantics’ is a visual and emotional feast!

‘Leto’

Leto transports you to Russia in the 1980s! The film follows the relationship of established Mike Naumenko and his wife Nina as Viktor's arrival turns everything upside down. This personal drama serves as the catalyst for the founding of the Leningrad Rock Club and Viktor Tsoi's meteoric rise with his band Kino. Leto creates a new experience of Soviet Russia by combining romance, biography, and magical realism. The enchantment enhances the experience that music provides to individuals and how it transforms their bleak reality to allow them to live. When I think of Soviet Russia, rock'n'roll is hardly the first thing that springs to mind, which makes this film all the more shocking and entertaining. ‘Leto’ brings history to life via human anecdotes and incredible rock music.

‘Close Up’

Close-Up blends fact and fantasy so extensively that it appears hard to separate them. The film is based on a true story of a man who impersonated a famous filmmaker, with everyone portraying himself. The effects are fairly mind-bending, and the picture has earned a place in the cinematic canon.