While Netflix has become one of the premier destinations for streaming, it’s mostly known for its selection of American movies. But it has so much more to offer than that. You’d be surprised by the amazing stories and cinematic prowess in the options that don’t pop up in your trending section.
Once one is willing to get past the subtitle barrier, they discover that some of the best films are made outside of Hollywood. These one-of-a-kind tales have the power to transport you to different parts of the world, immerse you in different cultures, and expand your horizons. You may have already watched a number of foreign films the streaming giant has to offer. Pictures like Roma (2018), The Platform (2019), and Society of Snow (2023) took the world by storm after their release, but there are others that have flown under the radar for most viewers.
This list includes 10 of those international hidden gems available to stream on Netflix.
10
‘Forgotten’ (2017)
Release Date
November 29, 2017
Runtime
108 Minutes
Director
Jang Hang-jun
Writers
Jang Hang-jun
Producers
Jang Won-seok
Written and directed by Jang Hang-jun, Forgotten is an innovative thriller from South Korea that opens with a family of four moving into their new home. On a rainy night, just as they’re getting settled, Jin-seok (Kang Ha-neul) witnesses his older brother, Yoo-seok (Kim Mu-yeol), get kidnapped by a group of men who dump him in a van. After 19 days missing, Yoo-seok returns home without a single memory of his disappearance. The younger sibling notices many changes in his brother, including a limp that has mysteriously vanished. He sets out to uncover what happened during those 19 days.
A Dark, Gripping, Poignant Film That Will Stay With You
The film weaves together several genre threads to tell an intricate story filled with no shortage of mind-blowing plot twists. If you want to enjoy it properly, go into it without reading much about it beforehand. This is an unforgettable tale that leverages its first impressions and takes you completely by surprise.
9
‘Mirage’ (2018)
Netflix
In 1989, during a 72-hour electrical storm, a young boy named Nico (Julio Bohigas-Cuoto), with a passion for videotaping and the guitar, witnesses his neighbor murder his wife. Tragically, he’s fatally struck on the road as he runs away. Fast-forward to 2014, Vera (Adrianna Ugarte), her husband David (Alvaro Morte), and their daughter Gloria (Luna Fulgencio) move into his house. Strangely, Vera is able to connect with Nico through his old TV set and the VHS tape he recorded on the night he died, and she saves the boy’s life. The next morning, she wakes up to a different reality where she never married David and her daughter was never born.
A Beautiful, Engrossing Sci-Fi Film
Mirage is a mind-bending and genre-blending mystery from Spain co-written and directed by Oriol Paulo (Guillermo del Toro-produced Julia’s Eyes). The movie explores the idea of the butterfly effect through two storms separated by 25 years. There are plenty of films that explore time travel and alternate realities, but Mirage weaves these concepts together with human emotion in a unique, layered narrative that delves into profound themes of loss, love, and regret.
8
‘Coven of Sisters’ (2020)
Netflix
Coven of Sisters is a Spanish-French-Argentine co-production directed by Argentinian filmmaker Pablo Agüero set in 1609. Judge Rostegui (Àlex Brendemühl), the lead inquisitor behind scores of witch trials, has been dispatched by the crown to “purify” the Basque Country, traveling from town to town with his soldiers and aides to persecute, convict, and burn women they believe to be witches. In a small fishing village, while the men are away at sea, he arrests a group of teens and 20-year-olds who gathered and danced in the woods. The girls use his obsession with witnessing the Witches’ Sabbath against him to postpone their execution.
A Bewitching Film About the Horrors of Patriarchy and the Church
This hidden gem is an unrelenting, tension-filled, atmospheric experience. It’s one of the most underrated period pieces made in recent years, fully immersing the viewer into the horrifying world of witch-hunting, Inquisition-era Spain. Although billed as a historical drama, it also comes across as a horror. Coven of Sisters will make you weep for women of centuries past and reflect on the dangers ultraconservative groups of our age pose today.
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7
‘The Call’ (2020)
Netflix
The Call is a sci-fi-horror-thriller from South Korea written and directed by Lee Chung-hyun. Opening in 2019, it follows 28-year-old Seo-yeon (Park Shin-hye), who returns to her rural childhood hometown to visit her sick and estranged mother. Upon arriving, she loses her cell phone and has to rely on the landline for communication. After finding an old cordless phone in the house, she starts receiving phone calls from a young woman distressed about her stepmother torturing her, Young-sook (Jeon Jong-seo). They realize they’re living in the same house, 20 years apart. The two women develop a bond that changes both their fates.
Grim, Gripping, and Shocking
While this genre-bending film is based on the British-Puerto Rican 2011 movie The Caller, it incorporates monumental changes that turn the story into something else entirely (and it’s a far superior work). With an initial premise that completely fools the audience, viewers are later surprised with twists, wickedness, and gore. Make sure you stay seated long enough to catch an epic mid-credit scene.
6
‘7 Women and a Murder’ (2021)
Netflix
7 Women and a Murder is a comedic murder mystery from Italy set during the holidays in the 1930s. Just before Christmas, the relatives of patriarch Marcello (Luca Pastorelli) come together at the remote family mansion. Under the roof are his wife, Margherita (Margherita Buy), mother-in-law Rachele (Ornella Vanoni), daughters Caterina (Benedetta Porcaroli) and Susanna (Diana del Bufalo), sister-in-law Agostina (White Lotus star Sabrina Impacciatore), and housekeeper Maria (Luisa Ranieri). Shortly after they gather, he’s found dead. They all had reason to murder him, so who did it?
A Charming, Cozy Watch
The film is perfect for lovers of Agatha Christie and for those who are craving something in the same vein as Knives Out. While it’s not a perfect film by any means, it’s an entertaining, compelling one that uses colorful characters to keep viewers’ attention. The impressive all-female cast delivers wonderful performances.
5
‘Disappear Completely’ (2022)
Mantícora Distribución
This hidden Mexican horror gem is directed and co-written by Luis Javier Henaine. Harold Torres stars as Santiago Mendoza, a crime photojournalist in Mexico City who walks a fine line between ambition and moral ambiguity. One night, he visits a grisly crime scene where a politician has been partly devoured by rats, capturing a sinister entity. Soon after, he experiences a gradual loss of all his five senses, setting him on a race against time to lift the curse that has befallen him.
A Disorienting Descent Into Darkness
As Santiago undergoes his slow, horrifying descent into sensory deprivation, he’s forced to confront his past actions. The film is a sensory experience that immerses the audience into the protagonist’s deteriorating perception. Disappear Completely is a cerebral blend of folk horror and body horror that explores cultural obsession with true crime, politics, superstition, witchcraft, moral decay, and redemption.
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4
‘Upon Open Sky’ (2023)
K&S Kramer & Sigman Films
This Mexican crime drama opens in 1993 with a father (Manolo Cordona) and son, Salvador (Theo Golding), embarking on a hunting trip to a border town in Coahuila when a shipping truck smashes into their car. Two years later, in Mexico City, a traumatized Salvador and his older brother Fernando (Máximo Hollander) are still dealing with the grief of losing their father. When their mom and stepdad leave on vacation, the brothers take off to the border along with their stepsister, Paula (Federica García), to track down the man responsible.
A Coming-of-Age Tale of Revenge
Upon Open Sky is a filmmaking family affair written by Guillermo Arriaga and directed by his daughter and son, Mariana and Santiago Arriaga. The film is a slow-burn throughout the first half, but a compelling one. Riddled with strong themes of revenge, lust, grief, and passion, what results is a beautiful, heartbreaking coming-of-age story that will stick with you.
3
‘Where the Tracks End’ (2023)
Netflix, Pimienta Films
Where the Tracks End is about the inspirational power of a caring teacher, Miss Georgina (Adriana Barraza), who is devoted to making a difference in her railcar classroom. Ten-year-old Ikal (Kaarlo Isaac), whose dad is a railroad worker, arrives in the village. Since his dad’s job requires his family to move from place to place, he’s never been to school. After befriending some of her students, they take him to Miss Georgina, who’s determined he learn to read. A subplot of the film involves an inspector from the Ministry of Education, who has been tasked with closing rural schools and cutting off their funding.
Keep Your Tissues Handy
Based on Ángeles Doñantes’ novel of the same name, this Mexican production is for those with a soft spot for sentimental films. The emotional and heartwarming coming-of-age story is full of love. While its main themes are hope, resilience, and the power of education, it also delves into the exploitation of laborers, economic disparity, and marginalization.
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2
‘Drawing Closer’ (2024)
Release Date
June 27, 2024
Runtime
118 Minutes
Director
Takahiro Miki
Writers
Takahiro Miki, Aoi Morita
Drawing Closer is a teen romance from Japan based on the best-selling 2023 manga by Ao Morita titled Yomei Ichinen to Senkoku Sareta Boku ga, Yomei Hantoshi no Kimi to Deatta Hanashi, which translates to The story of how I, who was told I only had one year to live, met you, who only had half a year. Suffice to say, you expect to sob uncontrollably when watching this one. The film is a beautiful drama about life, death, love, and the beauty in the world.
A Sappy Tearjerker
It follows Akito Hayasaka (Ren Nagase), a 17-year-old artist whose big dreams are shattered when he’s diagnosed with a rare and fatal heart tumor and only one year left to live. When he meets Haruna Sakurai (Natsuki Deguchi), who only has six months left to live, on the hospital’s rooftop, the two bond. The movie depicts their blossoming romance and all the ways in which Haruna inspires the life Akito has left to live.
1
‘The Children’s Train’ (2024)
Netflix
Based on the novel of the same name by Viola Ardone, this Italian film is set in 1946 and spotlights the treni della felicità (trains of happiness) initiative by the Italian Communist Party to transport impoverished southern Italian children to northern families who could temporarily support them in the years following World War II. By the time operations concluded in 1952, over 70,000 Italian children took part in the program, with the majority returning home once the economy recovered.
A Poignant Coming-of-Age Film
The movie tells the fictional story of 8-year-old Amerigo Speranza (Christian Cervone) who lives with his mother Antonietta Speranza (Serena Rossi), in poverty in Naples. He gets on the train against his will and is sent to live with his host family in the Emilian countryside, where he’s taken in by a single woman, Derna (Barabra Ronchi), whose family becomes his own.
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