Around the World: Great International Films
(All these films are shelved in the International film section in the DVD area.)
These lists feature a variety of films – classic oldies, compelling dramas, award-winning international films, anime, and more. You may include one film on each Summer Reading log. (You can talk to your parents if you have questions about whether a film is appropriate you. (*** before the title of a film signifies that the film is rated R).
Belleville Rendezvous: The Triplets of Belleville (French/2003)
This animated French film uses song and pantomime to tell the story of a bicyclist who is kidnapped from the Tour de France by mysterious gangsters. His grandmother travels to the city of Belleville, where she tracks him down with the help of an aging musical trio, the Belleville Triplets.
DVD / BEL
Chocolat (French/2000)
When a single mother and her young daughter move to rural France and open a chocolate shop - with Sunday hours - across the street from the local church, they are met with some resistance from the rigidly moral community. But as soon as the townspeople discover their delicious products, their attitudes begin to change.
DVD / CHO
Chongqing sen Lin: Chungking express (Chinese/1994)
Two intertwined romantic tales take place inside the Chungking high-rise shopping center in downtown Hong Kong: a policeman falls in love with a snack bar waitress while a detective gets involved with a female drug dealer. Many film critics say this is one of the best Asian films of the last 25 years.
DVD / CHO
***Kung Fu Hustle (Chinese/2004)
This martial arts comedy film features Sing, a hapless gangster who must overcome his inability to wield a knife and demonstrate his courage in order to become a member of the notorious Axe Gang. He realizes he is the greatest kung fu master of them all, destined to protect the sacred streets.
DVD / KUN
Les Miserables (2001)
The story of Jean Valjean, the ex-convict who rises against all odds from galley slave to mayor, and the fanatical police inspector, Javert, who dedicates his life to recapturing Valjean.
DVD / MIS
Mitt Liv Som Hund: My Life as a Dog (Swedish/1988)
Ingemar is a working-class 12-year old boy who is sent to live with his uncle in a country village after his mother falls ill. There, he takes refuge from his troubles with the help of the town's warmhearted eccentrics.
DVD / MIT
Ohayo: Good Morning (Japanese/1962)
Satiric comedy in which two young brothers refuse to talk until their parents agree to buy them a television set. Set in a 1950s residential suburb of Tokyo.
DVD / OHA
Okuribito: Departures (Japanese / 2008)
A newly unemployed cellist takes a job preparing the dead for funerals. While his wife and others despise the job, he takes a certain pride in his work and begins to perfect the art, acting as a gentle gatekeeper between life and death, between the departed and the family of the departed. One of the Ebertfest’s most popular films this year.
DVD / OKU
Les Quatre Cents Coups: The 400 Blows (French/1962)
Semi-autobiographical story of fourteen-year-old Antoine Daniel, portraying his aloof parents, oppressive teachers, petty crime, and the friendship of a lifetime.
DVD / QUA
Le Retour de Martin Guerre: The Return of Martin Guerre (French/1982)
In medieval France, some villagers challenge a man's claim of identity when he mysteriously returns home from some time in the army. Based on a true story.
DVD / RET
Le Samourai (French/1967)
Jef Costello is a fedora and trench-coat wearing contract killer with samurai instincts. When Jef assassinates a nightclub owner, he finds himself confronted by a series of witnesses who drop his perfect world into the hands of a persistent police investigator and Jef's shadowy employer, both of whom are determined to put an end to the career criminal.
DVD / SAM
Shaolin Soccer (Chinese/2004)
A Shaolin Kung Fu expert unites with a washed up soccer star to build the ultimate team, combining sportsmanship with martial arts.
DVD / SHA
Shi Qi Sui de Dan Che: Beijing Bicycle (Chinese/2000)
Just as Guai, a bicycle messenger, makes his final payment for the silver mountain bike loaned by his company, he finds it stolen. After endless searching, Guai discovers his bicycle is now in the hands of Jian who bought the bicycle with stolen money. Though Guai and Jian finally work out a deal, they find themselves involved in a series of unforgettable events.
DVD / SHI
La Vita e Bella: Life is Beautiful (Italian/1997)
A charming but bumbling waiter who's gifted with a colorful imagination and an irresistible sense of humor has won the heart of the woman he loves and has created a beautiful life for his young family. But then, that life is threatened by World War II...and a beloved wife and son are saved from an unthinkable fate!
DVD / VIT
Wandafuru Raifu: After Life (Japanese/1998)
In Kore-eda's thought-provoking vision, the newly deceased find themselves in a way station somewhere between Heaven and Earth. With the help of dedicated caseworkers, each soul is given three days to choose one cherished memory for their life that they will relive for eternity. As the film reveals, recognizing happiness and finding a life's worth of meaning in a single event is no simple task.
DVD / WAN
Wo Hu Cang Long: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Chinese/2000)
Set in 19th-century China, two master warriors are faced with their greatest challenge when the treasured Green Destiny sword is stolen. A young aristocratic woman prepares for an arranged marriage, but soon reveals her superior fighting talents and her romantic past. As each warrior battles for justice, they come face-to-face with their worst enemy, and the enduring power of love.
DVD / CRO
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