Best International Movies 2025 To Watch Now

It’s almost the end of the year, which makes it a good moment to look back.

I’ll share my favorite reads from last year soon, but today it’s all about film. These are some of the best international movies 2025, the titles that stood out to me over the year, and reminded me how much great cinema directors make around the world.

So if you’re looking for something to watch during the holidays, here’s the list.

1. How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies - 7.9/10 (Thailand)

This tearjerker is definitely one of the best international movies 2025 with an impressive 8/10 on IMDb. I decided to watch it after several Chinese-Dutch friends recommended it, saying they could really relate to it because of the cultural similarities.

This touching (and often funny) drama follows M, a young man who decides to care for his dying grandmother in hopes of inheriting her house. What begins as a selfish plan slowly turns into something far more meaningful.

You can watch it on Netflix.

2. I'm Still Here - 8.1/10 (Brazil)

Brazil had an even greater Carnival celebration this year, because it won its first-ever Oscar for the film I’m Still Here.

The movie tells the true story of Eunice Paiva, whose husband disappeared during Brazil’s dictatorship. Unable to prove his death, she fought against the regime while raising five kids, eventually becoming a lawyer. After 25 years, she finally received his official death certificate.

This movie was made for Oscar glory. Directed by Walter Salles, who was previously nominated for the Brazilian movie Central do Brasil, the film stars Fernanda Montenegro (Brazil’s first-ever acting nominee) alongside her daughter, Fernanda Torres, who made history as the second Brazilian Oscar nominee.

3. Perfect Days - 7.9/10 (Japan)

Perfect Days is the definition of an arthouse film. It offers an intimate look at a Tokyo toilet cleaner who finds both joy and sadness in routine and the small surprises life throws his way.

I loved how the film draws attention to Japan’s beautifully designed public bathrooms, places we typically use without paying them any mind or ever seeing them as art.

It had been on my list for a while, but an interview with Japan-walker Craig Mod finally gave me the push to watch it.

4. The Road to Patagonia - 7.3/10 (Australia)

I had been wanting to watch this for a while, but couldn’t find it anywhere. Luckily, I finally got the chance on a flight in October.

This beautiful documentary follows Matty Hannon as he travels from Alaska to Patagonia, first on a motorbike and eventually on a horse. It is also there that he meets the woman who becomes his travel partner.

What starts as an adventure becomes a search for meaning, shaped by his years with the Mentawai and his reflections on life, nature, and connection. The film is stunning, thoughtful, and carried by a gorgeous Daniel Norgren soundtrack.

5. Kneecap - 7.6/10 (Northern Ireland)

I’ve never laughed as much in the cinema as I did when watching the movie Kneecap. It’s batshit crazy, hilarious, and teaches you about Irish history.

England colonized Ireland for centuries, until it was split in 1921 into the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Ireland became independent and predominantly Catholic, whereas Northern Ireland remained part of the UK with a Protestant and English-speaking majority. Irish wasn’t an official language in Northern Ireland until 2022.

The rap group Kneecap produced their first single around this time. Rapping in Irish about their lives, including sex, drugs, and politics, instantly made them a highly controversial group. The movie tells their story with wild humour, but it’s worth remembering that the history behind it is still deeply sensitive.

6. Aitsa - 7.3/10 (South Africa)

In the South African Karoo Desert, scientists have built the largest telescope in the world. But this desert is also home to the ancient Khomani San people, who have a deep spiritual connection to the sky and stars.

!AITSA beautifully weaves together the stories of the Khomani and the scientists, blending their unique perspectives on life and the universe. The desert, with its vast rocks and ancient drawings—some over 6,000 years old—could hold more than just art; it may be a spiritual map, a way for the Khomani to connect to life beyond our world.

The stunning visuals and exploration of existential questions left me mesmerized and opened my eyes to a topic I knew little about.

You can rent it here for $8.

7. Maldoror - 6.6/10 (Belgium)

I watched Maldoror at the International Film Festival Rotterdam this year.

It’s a gripping fictional take on one of the darkest chapters in Belgian history. The film dives into the chaos and failures within the police force during the era of Marc Dutroux, one of the most notorious serial killers in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Although it uses that history as a backdrop, it’s ultimately a fictional story that turns the period into a tense action film, taking its own narrative turns.

8. Paradise of Thorns - 7.6/10 (Thailand)

In January 2025, gay marriage was legalized in Thailand. Before that, same-sex couples were legally just “friends,” often with harsh consequences.

In The Paradise of Thorns, Thongkam and Sek build a life together running a durian orchard. When Thongkam suddenly dies in an accident, the law gives everything to Thongkam’s mother, leaving Sek to fight to reclaim what’s rightfully his.

It’s a fantastic, beautifully filmed movie starring the super-famous singer Jeff Satur.

9. Mickey 17 - 6.7/10 (South Korea)

For those who loved Parasite, say hi to Mickey 17. This new film by Bong Joon-ho carries the same mix of action and humour, even though the story is entirely different.

It follows a disposable worker on a dangerous space mission, who’s regenerated every time he dies, turning the film into a great sci-fi comedy about identity and survival.

The rating is a bit lower, likely because it’s not aiming for the same social depth as Parasite, but as pure cinema, it’s a blast.

10. Anora - 7.4/10 (United States)

You know that awkward feeling when you have to sit through a sex scene on the couch with your parents?

Now imagine that, but with your parents, your in-laws, and your friends. That was my sister’s birthday vibe, after I enthusiastically suggested Anora for her birthday movie night.

I’m not sure what I expected, but I definitely didn’t think it through. Since it’s about a stripper falling for a young Russian, I should’ve seen the first awkward 15 minutes—lap dances, butt slaps, and naked boobs—coming.

However, the story quickly shifted into a fast-paced, hilarious, and action-packed dramedy. Honestly, I’d highly recommend it. You can watch it on multiple platforms.

The Best International Movies 2025? | Bonus

Hope you enjoyed this list of the best international movies 2025. And if you’re in the mood for a series instead, here are a few I really enjoyed.

Severance (USA) on AppleTV is a dark, brilliant workplace mystery where employees split their memories between work and home. The Devil’s Hour (UK) is a gripping supernatural thriller (not horror) centred on a woman who wakes every night at 3:33 a.m.

Two great Colombian series are 100 Years of Solitude, which presents a lush, dreamlike adaptation of García Márquez’s classic, and Delirium, another Colombian series based on a tense psychological family drama novel.

How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast) from Germany is one of the funniest, most innocent, and fast-paced comedy series about a teenager who turns his heartbreak into a booming online drug business. And Shōgun (Japan) is a sweeping historical epic packed with political intrigue, power struggles, and stunning visuals.