12 Santaless International Movies to Play During the Holidays

For those who are tired of the usual sleigh bells, snowflakes and sugar plum fairies seen in holiday movies, hollywood reporter’s international team has unveiled a new slate of foreign films now available for release in the U.S., offering something for more refined cinematic tastes.

Whether your tastes lie in Irish hip-hop or Mexican musicals, Austrian horror or Danish romance, family-friends Thai comedies or adults-only Australian animation, we’ve got you covered on those long winter nights.

parnell and adama (Streaming/Rental: Apple, Amazon, Fandango)

Set in the Senegalese countryside, French-Senegalese director Lamatha-Toulayé Sy’s bold debut film illuminates the complexities of love and identity in a Romeo and Juliet-esque tale. Khady Mane and Mamadou Diallo give charming performances as the titular couple, parnell and adama Combining a rich human story with stunning visuals to create an imaginative world. While the director’s meandering style may not be to everyone’s taste, the film still has a lot to say about community, gender roles, and the climate crisis. And it’s done beautifully.

time travel (Streaming/Rental: Mubi, Apple, Amazon, Fandango)

Levan Akin’s Georgian/Turkish drama, set in the vibrant streets of Istanbul, tells an intimate story of queer identity and trans acceptance time travel Premiering at the Berlin Film Festival, the film won over audiences with its tender story about a Georgian woman (played by the wonderful Georgian actor Mzia Arabuli) who travels to Turkey to find her cheating trans niece. story, she collaborates with the brother of her former student. Akin’s understated storytelling is eloquent and powerful, conveying emotional depth with an open-ended ending that resonates with universal themes of family and transformation.

Devil’s Bath (Streaming/Rental: Shudder, AMC+, Apple TV+, Amazon, Fandango)

Devil’s Bath is an intense historical psychodrama directed by Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala, the directing team behind Horror Stories good night mom and hostel. Inspired by the true story of 18th-century Austrian women driven to extremes, the film is more psychological horror than gore (although it gets pretty gory in the final reel).

Don’t expect too much about the end of the world (Streaming/Rental: Mubi, Apple)

Radu Jude’s provocative Romanian film is a cinematic firecracker – explosive, funny and outrageous in equal parts. Blending biting satire with social commentary, it explores work, capitalism and misogyny through the lens of an overworked production assistant (a hilariously laconic Ilinka Manolache). Jude’s life and struggles are connected to those of another exploited working woman, who is the main character in a film. Angela moves on. Winner of the Locarno Jury Prize, this bold prose film is radical and often dark, but never boring even though it runs nearly three hours.

fallen leaves (Streaming/Rental: Mubi, Apple)

Aki Kaurismäki’s melancholic yet hopeful Finnish gem tells a tender story of finding love in loneliness. Paying homage to cinematic masters like Ozu and Cartier-Bresson (and quoting liberally from his own impressive cinematic canon), fallen leaves is a charmingly minimalist, deeply human story about two lonely souls: a middle-aged alcoholic – “I drink because I’m depressed, I drink because I’m depressed” – by Jussi Vatanen ( Jussi Vatanen) and a deceived supermarket worker (Alma Pöysti) overcome many obstacles and come together. Pure deadpan joy for true movie fans.

emilia perez (Streaming/Rental: Netflix)

Jacques Audiard emilia perezThe Oscar frontrunner is an indefinable genre mashup — a French-directed Mexican trans crime musical — that boldly explores themes of gender identity and trans liberation. Spanish trans actress Karla Sofia Gascón’s transformative performance and the inspiring transformations of Zoë Saldaña and Selena Gomez, This song-and-dance extravagance is best experienced on the big screen, but Odia’s bold storytelling shines on any platform.

How to make millions before grandma dies (Streaming/Rental: Netflix)

The only truly family-friendly film on this list, this comedy blockbuster from Thailand is a true holiday treat: a funny, ultimately heart-warming, tear-jerking story about family, ambition, and redemption. A scheming young man played by pop star-turned-actor Putthipong Assaratanakul (aka Billkin) quits his job (as a failed video game streamer) to care for his dying grandmother, hoping to be named in her will and inherit her property. Against this predictable backdrop, Pat Boonnitipat tells a sophisticated and funny story about death, personal growth, and learning to accept your loved ones with all their flaws.

patella (Streaming/Rental: Apple TV+, Fandango, Microsoft, Spectrum)

This Irish-language comedy is far from family-friendly (the f and c bombs alone rule out viewing by minors), but Rich Peppiatt’s fictional account of the true origin story of Irish hip-hop group Kneecap is a must-have for adults. Look. The heartwarming story of two working-class drug dealers and a local teacher joining forces to form an Irish hip-hop band. patella It’s a classic feel-good, rags-to-riches story, just with more ketamine.

Chimera (Streaming/Rental: Apple, Hulu, Fandango, Microsoft, Spectrum, Amazon)

Alice Rohrwacher’s visuals are stunning Chimera Delve into the world of the Italian Tomb Raiders, a blend of folklore, realism and mysticism. Starring challenger With heartthrob Josh O’Connor starring as a melancholic graverobber with a divination skill for finding hidden treasures, the film explores themes of love, loss and the ethics of history. It is a lyrical and thought-provoking complement to Rohrwacher’s extraordinary work.

Memoirs of a Snail (Streaming/Rental: Apple TV+, Fandango, Amazon)

Australia’s clay animation miracle, Memoirs of a Snail This is a strange and fascinating story about memory, loss, and the peculiarities of human (and snail) behavior. Directed by Adam Elliott (mary and max) and starring the voices of Sarah Snook and Jacki Weaver, this coming-of-age story of grief, loneliness, and longing follows a gastropod-obsessed misfit and her lost twin pyromaniac brother. story. By turns tragic, hilarious, and surreal, the film isn’t for kids either, but fans of hand-crafted animation—there isn’t a single frame of CG in the movie—are in for a treat.

perfect day (Streaming/Rental: Hulu, AppleTV+)

Anyone wondering how to feel grateful this holiday season should check out this tender Japanese drama from German master Wim Wenders. Koji Yakusho plays a middle-aged Tokyo man who finds solace in daily life and small pleasures. Unfolding as a poetic meditation on the quiet beauty of everyday life, the film gradually accumulates gently observed vignettes of life that piece together to form a deeply moving story about one man’s struggle to find peace and contentment.

promised land (Streaming/Rental: Apple, Hulu, Hoopla, Amazon, Fandango, Microsoft)

Nikolaj Arcel’s Nordic Western follows Mads Mikkelsen as a lowly soldier in 18th-century Denmark determined to overcome daunting odds and fight the Battling harsh weather, class prejudice and ruthless landowners, the wild heathlands of Jutland are farmed. As grand and thrilling as the legend of John Ford is, this is a historical epic perfect for gathering on a cold winter night.

the taste of things (Streaming/Rental: Apple, Hulu)

This 19th-century gastronomic romance was officially submitted by France for the Oscars last year, but was overshadowed by Justine Triet’s film. Anatomy of a FallBut Tran Anh Hùng, which tells the story of Eugenie (Juliette Binoche), the right-hand woman and long-time lover of top chef Dodin (Benoit Magimel), is still a visual and gastronomic delight . Provide sumptuous enjoyment for the festival. Just don’t watch it on an empty stomach.