The 100 Greatest Foreign Language Films

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Created by LuisCosta.

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Three years ago, BBC Culture ran its first major critics’ poll, to find the 100 greatest American films. Two further polls looked for the best films of the 21st Century and the greatest comedies ever made – and those also ended up with films from the US in the top spot.

This year, we felt it was time to direct the spotlight away from Hollywood and celebrate the best cinema from around the world. We asked critics to vote for their favourite movies made primarily in a language other than English. The result is BBC Culture’s 100 greatest foreign-language films.

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  1. 22 -

    El laberinto del fauno

    2006 — a.k.a. Pan's Labyrinth, in 33 top lists Check
  2. 82 -

    Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain

    2001 — a.k.a. Amélie, in 27 top lists Check
  3. 37 -

    Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi

    2001 — a.k.a. Spirited Away, in 39 top lists Check
  4. 1 -

    Shichinin no samurai

    1954 — a.k.a. Seven Samurai, in 36 top lists Check
  5. 16 -

    Metropolis

    1927, in 36 top lists Check
  6. 29 -

    Oldeuboi

    2003 — a.k.a. Oldboy, in 34 top lists Check
  7. 42 -

    Cidade de Deus

    2002 — a.k.a. City of God, in 22 top lists Check
  8. 13 -

    M - Eine Stadt sucht einen Mörder

    1931 — a.k.a. M, in 35 top lists Check
  9. 7 -

    8½

    1963, in 35 top lists Check
  10. 30 -

    Det sjunde inseglet

    1957 — a.k.a. The Seventh Seal, in 25 top lists Check
  11. 4 -

    Rashômon

    1950 — a.k.a. Rashomon, in 34 top lists Check
  12. 78 -

    Wo hu cang long

    2000 — a.k.a. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, in 27 top lists Check
  13. 31 -

    Das Leben der Anderen

    2006 — a.k.a. The Lives of Others, in 20 top lists Check
  14. 79 -

    Ran

    1985, in 25 top lists Check
  15. 64 -

    Trois couleurs: Bleu

    1993 — a.k.a. Three Colors: Blue, in 19 top lists Check
  16. 2 -

    Ladri di biciclette

    1948 — a.k.a. Bicycle Thieves, in 36 top lists Check
  17. 28 -

    Fanny och Alexander

    1982 — a.k.a. Fanny and Alexander, in 25 top lists Check
  18. 8 -

    Les quatre cents coups

    1959 — a.k.a. The 400 Blows, in 26 top lists Check
  19. 26 -

    Nuovo Cinema Paradiso

    1988 — a.k.a. Cinema Paradiso, in 20 top lists Check
  20. 6 -

    Persona

    1966, in 25 top lists Check
  21. 72 -

    Ikiru

    1952, in 25 top lists Check
  22. 89 -

    Smultronstället

    1957 — a.k.a. Wild Strawberries, in 23 top lists Check
  23. 9 -

    Fa yeung nin wah

    2000 — a.k.a. In the Mood for Love, in 30 top lists Check
  24. 57 -

    Solyaris

    1972 — a.k.a. Solaris, in 27 top lists Check
  25. 11 -

    À bout de souffle

    1960 — a.k.a. Breathless, in 29 top lists Check
  26. 49 -

    Stalker

    1979, in 22 top lists Check
  27. 10 -

    La dolce vita

    1960 — a.k.a. La Dolce Vita, in 22 top lists Check
  28. 17 -

    Aguirre, der Zorn Gottes

    1972 — a.k.a. Aguirre, the Wrath of God, in 18 top lists Check
  29. 3 -

    Tôkyô monogatari

    1953 — a.k.a. Tokyo Story, in 27 top lists Check
  30. 19 -

    La battaglia di Algeri

    1966 — a.k.a. The Battle of Algiers, in 29 top lists Check
  31. 83 -

    La strada

    1954, in 21 top lists Check
  32. 5 -

    La règle du jeu

    1939 — a.k.a. The Rules of the Game, in 24 top lists Check
  33. 24 -

    Bronenosets Potemkin

    1925 — a.k.a. Battleship Potemkin, in 27 top lists Check
  34. 40 -

    Andrey Rublyov

    1966 — a.k.a. Andrei Rublev, in 29 top lists Check
  35. 33 -

    Playtime

    1967, in 19 top lists Check
  36. 91 -

    Du rififi chez les hommes

    1955 — a.k.a. Rififi, in 18 top lists Check
  37. 34 -

    Der Himmel über Berlin

    1987 — a.k.a. Wings of Desire, in 21 top lists Check
  38. 75 -

    Belle de jour

    1967 — a.k.a. Belle de Jour, in 21 top lists Check
  39. 56 -

    Chung Hing sam lam

    1994 — a.k.a. Chungking Express, in 19 top lists Check
  40. 36 -

    La grande illusion

    1937 — a.k.a. The Grand Illusion, in 30 top lists Check
  41. 60 -

    Le mépris

    1963 — a.k.a. Contempt, in 17 top lists Check
  42. 23 -

    La passion de Jeanne d'Arc

    1928 — a.k.a. The Passion of Joan of Arc, in 27 top lists Check
  43. 76 -

    Y tu mamá también

    2001, in 15 top lists Check
  44. 35 -

    Il gattopardo

    1963 — a.k.a. The Leopard, in 18 top lists Check
  45. 45 -

    L'avventura

    1960 — a.k.a. L'Avventura, in 24 top lists Check
  46. 74 -

    Pierrot le fou

    1965 — a.k.a. Pierrot le Fou, in 16 top lists Check
  47. 68 -

    Ugetsu monogatari

    1953 — a.k.a. Ugetsu, in 25 top lists Check
  48. 55 -

    Jules et Jim

    1962 — a.k.a. Jules and Jim, in 21 top lists Check
  49. 32 -

    Todo sobre mi madre

    1999 — a.k.a. All About My Mother, in 18 top lists Check
  50. 46 -

    Les enfants du paradis

    1945 — a.k.a. Children of Paradise, in 21 top lists Check
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Last updated on Nov 1, 2018 by LuisCosta; source