Quick Links
The movie goers in the US are looking for the diversity when it comes to entertainment and a lot of foreign films offer the audience something different. The US market for the foreign-language films can be divided into two markets: one for the broad-appeal films which are aimed for the diaspora audiences of which are the Indian-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, and other Asian-Americans and one for the specialized films which are aimed at the up market English-speaking arthouse crowd. The market for the foreign films are growing and through the years, it is apparent that there is indeed market for them, shown below are the highest grossing foreign films of all time.
Like Water For Chocolate
Mexican movie Like Water for Chocolate comes in at the tenth spot with a total of $21.6 million box office results in the US. The movie released last April 16, 1992 in the US has a local title Como Agua Para Chocolate and was distributed by Miramax. The movie directed by Alfonso Arau is about the Tita, the youngest daughter in the family, who was forbidden to marry the love of her life, Pedro. Pedro then married her older sister, Rosauro, and Tita was left to care for her mother but Pedro still has feelings for Tita. Their situation created tension and soon created conflict amongst them.
The Postman
Italian movie The Postman comes in at the ninth spot with a total of $21,812,813 box office results in the US. The movie released last June 16, 1995 in the US has a local title Il Postino and was distributed by Miramax. The movie directed by Michael Radford is about the exiled Cuban poet Pablo who arrived on an Italian island where there is so much mail that it was decided to hire the unemployed, uneducated lay about Mario as postman. His only job was to deliver mails to Pablo however Mario soon became the student of the poet where learns the art of poetry.
Fearless
Jet Li starring Chinese movie Fearless comes in at the eighth spot with a total of $24,633,730 box office results in the US. The movie released last March 1, 2006 in the US has a local title Huo Yuanjia and was distributed by Rouge Pictures. The movie directed by Ronny Yu is about a tragedy which made a martial artist retreat to a small village so he can gain a new appreciation for other important things in life.
Amélie
French movie Amélie comes in at the seventh spot with a total of $33,225,499 box office results in the US. The movie released last June 26, 2002 in the US has the same local title and was distributed by Miramax. The movie directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet is about a young woman named Amélie who has discreetly orchestrated the lives of everyone around her which created a world that is exclusively of her own creation.
Pan's Labyrinth
Spanish movie Pan's Labyrinth comes in at the sixth spot with a total of $37,634,615 box office results in the US. The movie released last October 11, 2006 in the US has a local title El Laberinto del Fauno chocolate and was distributed by Picture House. The movie directed by Guillermo del Toro is about the time of the Nazis in 19 where a troop of soldiers in Spain were sent to a remote forest to take out the rebels. The team was led by Captain Vidal who is a known murdering sadist.
Instructions Not Included
Mexican movie Instructions Not Included comes in at the fifth spot with a total of $44,467,206 box office results in the US. The movie released last September 20, 2013 in the US has a local title No se Aceptan Devoluciones and was distributed by Lionsgate. The movie directed by Eugenio Derbez is about an irresponsible playboy who was also played by Eugenio Derbez. He needs to mature real quick because his former lover has left their child for him to raise.
Parasite
South Korean movie Parasite comes in at the fourth spot with a total of $53,369,745 box office results in the US. The movie released last May 30, 2019 in the US has a local title Gisaengchung and was distributed by Neon. The movie directed by Bong Joon-ho is about class discrimination as well as greed in the society. The movie depicts the relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan.
Hero
Chinese movie Hero comes in at the second spot with a total of $53,710,019 box office results in the US. The movie released last April 16, 1992 in the US has a local same local title and was distributed by Miramax. The movie directed by Yi-Mou Zhang is about the Tang Dynasty who keeps fighting to control over China. It is a battle which they have been losing to a lot of several groups rebelling against them.
Life Is Beautiful
Italian movie Life is Beautiful comes in at the second spot with a total of $57,598,247 box office results in the US. The movie released last December 20, 1997 in the US has a local title La Vita è Bella and was distributed by Miramax. The movie directed by Roberto Benigni is about a gentle Jewish-Italian waiter named Guido Orefice who was also played by Roberto Benigni who met Dora who is a pretty school teacher and wins her over with his sense of humor and charm. They eventually formed a family until Guido needs to a training camp which separated the couple.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Chinese movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon comes in at the top spot with a total of $128,078,872 box office results in the US. The movie released last November 1, 2000 in the US has the same local title and was distributed by Sony Pictures Classics. The movie directed by Ang Lee is about the 19th Dynasty, Green Dynasty, where a warrior named Master Li has asked the woman he loves Yu Shu Lien to pass on the sword which was later on stolen. Yu Shu Lien then embarked on a mission to find stolen sword.
Sources: The Numbers, Box Office Mojo, IMDB