The Best Foreign-Language Films of 2015, According to the Criticwire Network

Throughout the year, members of Indiewire’s Criticwire Network — comprised of nearly 500 critics from around the world — have been adding their grades and reviews to our database of film pages. Below is a collection of documentaries that have been released in theaters (or on widely available streaming sites) during that time that have a) received 10 or more reviews and b) maintained a grade average of “B+” or higher. Averages and totals are subject to change, but we’ll update the list with new additions as notable titles make their way onto theaters or VOD screens across the country.





This is just one of our running list of the best-reviewed films of the year. For more of the top titles of 2015, be sure to peruse our collections of the best documentaries and the best overall films. Every time we update any of these lists, we gather the analysis of the overall changes and additions at the Criticwire blog.



The Best Foreign-Language Films of 2015, According to the Criticwire Network

(last updated: December 31st)

1. Timbuktu

A- / 59 reviews

dir. Abderrahmane Sissako

2. Wild Tales

A- / 55 reviews

dir. Damián Szifrón

3. The Tribe

A- / 46 reviews

dir. Myroslav Slaboshpytsky

4. Phoenix

A- / 45 reviews

dir. Christian Petzold

4. Son of Saul

A- / 45 reviews

dir. László Nemes

6. The Assassin

A- / 42 reviews

dir. Hou Hsiao-hsien

7. A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence

A- / 34 reviews

dir. Roy Andersson

8. Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem

A- / 28 reviews

dir. Ronit & Shlomi Elkabetz

9. About Elly

A- / 27 reviews

dir. Asghar Farhadi

10. Hard to Be a God

A- / 23 reviews

dir. Aleksei German

11. Blind

A- / 20 reviews

dir. Eskil Vogt

11. Taxi

A- / 20 reviews

dir. Jafar Panahi

11. Victoria

A- / 20 reviews

dir. Sebastian Schipper

14. Güeros

A- / 19 reviews

dir. Alonso Ruizpalacios

14. Horse Money

A- / 19 reviews

dir. Pedro Costa

14. The Second Mother

A- / 19 reviews

dir. Anna Muylaert

17. Arabian Nights

A- / 18 reviews

dir. Miguel Gomes

18. Breathe

A- / 16 reviews

dir. Mélanie Laurent

19. Li’l Quinquin

A- / 13 reviews

dir. Bruno Dumont

19. Of Horses and Men

A- / 13 reviews

dir. Benedikt Erlingsson

21. Court

A- / 10 reviews

dir. Chaitanya Tamhane

22. Mommy

B+ / 61 reviews

dir. Xavier Dolan

23. The Duke of Burgundy

B+ / 37 reviews

dir. Peter Strickland

24. Girlhood

B+ / 36 reviews

dir. Céline Sciamma

25. Eden

B+ / 34 reviews

dir. Mia Hansen-Løve

26. Jauja

B+ / 32 reviews

dir. Lisandro Alonso

27. Saint Laurent

B+ / 28 reviews

dir. Bertrand Bonello

28. Tom at the Farm

B+ / 27 reviews

dir. Xavier Dolan

29. The Wonders

B+ / 24 reviews

dir. Alice Rohrwacher

30. Mustang

B+ / 21 reviews

dir. Deniz Gamze Ergüven

31. Amour Fou

B+ / 20 reviews

dir. Jessica Hausner

31. Beloved Sisters

B+ / 20 reviews

dir. Dominik Graf

33. La Sapienza

B+ / 18 reviews

dir. Eugène Green

34. Human Capital

B+ / 15 reviews

dir. Paolo Virzi

34. The Kindergarten Teacher

B+ / 15 reviews

dir. Nadav Lapid

34. Stations of the Cross

B+ / 15 reviews

dir. Dietrich Brüggemann

37. When Marnie Was There

B+ / 14 reviews

dir. Hiromasa Yonebayashi

38. Labyrinth of Lies

B+ / 12 reviews

dir. Giulio Ricciarelli

38. A Wolf at the Door

B+ / 12 reviews

dir. Fernando Coimbra

40. 10,000 KM

B+ / 11 reviews

dir. Carlos Marques-Marcet

40. Love at First Fight

B+ / 11 reviews

dir. Thomas Cailley

40. The New Girlfriend

B+ / 11 reviews

dir. François Ozon

43. 1001 Grams

B+ / 10 reviews

dir. Bent Hamer

43. The Princess of France

B+ / 10 reviews

dir. Matías Piñeiro

43. When Evening Falls on Bucharest, or Metabolism

B+ / 10 reviews

dir. Corneliu Porumboiu

For a similar overview of the best international titles from past years, we also gathered lists for 2013 and 2014.

READ MORE: The Best-Reviewed Indies of 2015, So Far

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