Top 10 "Best Foreign Language" Oscar-Winning Films

Welcome back for season 3 of Smashing UK Productions' Top 10. For this list we are looking at the best movies to have won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. The first film on our list is the 2012 Oscar-winning drama from French auteur Michael Haneke. Amour's unflinching story represents an honest and heart-wrenching depiction of deep love and responsibility, perfectly supported by towering performances. An emotional tale that features a delicate portrayal of an older couple and how the wife begins to fail in health, and how her husband struggles to support her the entire way. A powerful piece of cinema that forces its audience to confront the prospect of outliving the love of one's life. Number 9 – The Secret In Their Eyes This Argentine crime thriller from Juan Jose Campanella is an unpredictable tale rich with symbolism and an engrossing plot, and as a result lives up to its Oscar. Campanella's assured direction and the cast's mesmerising performances make for a riveting and endearing thriller that strongly focuses on character development and multiple coherent plots with political subtext. A highly intriguing vision, The Secret In Their Eyes is a tightly constructed and visually conscious mystery tale. Number 8 – The Knights of Cabiria Federico Fellini's 1950s overlooked masterpiece is a tragic portrayal of empty hopes and shattered pride, starring Giulietta Messina who had previously worked with Fellini on La Strada. Messina is fantastic in her role as the titular Cabiria, a prostitute who wanders the streets of Rome looking for true love but only finding heartbreak. Regarded as one of Fellini's most effective and audacious films, The Knights of Cabiria is an unforgettable tale of devastating misfortunes and frustration. Number 7 – A Separation Morally complex and consistently involving, this 2011 Iranian drama is simply a masterclass in human storytelling. Asghar Farhadi has presented us with a film that features flawless writing, acting and direction that gives a solid insight into a different culture. Dynamically shot and well paced, A Separation has the density of a good novel that depicts the moral contradictions that a society has to face. Number 6 – Cinema Paradiso Director Giuseppe Tornatore's much-loved classic boasts commitment to a classic narrative that also acts as an unusual parable story. A film that reaches staggering confidence, Cinema Paradiso follows a filmmaker as he recalls his childhood in a small Sicilian village and the theatre where he formed a deep friendship with the projectionist. An enchanting and sweeping look at post-WWII life, Cinema Paradiso is pitched halfway between unrestrained romanticism and wide-eyed charm. Number 5 – Fanny and Alexander Fanny and Alexander is a 1980s drama from Swedish auteur Ingmar Bergman that follows two children as they experience the many comedies and tragedies of the family. Arguably the best film to have come out of Sweden's industry, Fanny and Alexander is an immensely pleasurable flick that is possibly Bergman's most personal and finely detailed film ever made. Ornately constructed and hauntingly unusual, it is a compelling and witty film that will live on as a masterpiece. Number 4 – The Lives of Others An enduring Cold War thriller, The Lives of Others reopens the audience's eyes to the cruelties and the sole assassinations that were carried out daily in the name of state socialism. Von Donischmack's dramatic thriller is a powerful but quiet film that is constructed of hidden thoughts and secret desires, and is especially impressive given that the film is about a society obsessively focused on the tiniest of details. The Lives of Others is a truly unforgettable movie. Number 3 – Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon An impressive martial arts film that catapulted Ang Lee into the ranks of Hollywood filmmakers, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon features a perfect mix of amazing battle sequences, stunning scenery and tasteful drama. The story is an action-packed but also romantic epic concerning several plotlines of love and vengeance, all connected to a sacred sword known as the Green Destiny. Full of stunning visuals and expertly choreographed fight scenes, Ang Lee's crowd-pleasing action is captivating and thrilling from beginning to end. Number 2 – Eight and a Half An inventive and thought-provoking comedy-drama, Federico Fellini's flick represents what is arguably the peak of his towering feat of cinema in this sprawling anything-goes portrait of the artist and the creative process in crisis. This Italian masterpiece follows a troubled movie director who is trying to make a film but is constantly being interrupted by personal problems and doubts. Whilst the film does start off slow, when we near the conclusion and the film begins to portray its plot in further detail, it does so with the type of profound insight that all filmmakers would aspire to. Before we reveal our number one film, here are some honourable mentions that didn't quite cut the list. La Strada The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie No Man's Land The Great Beauty Number 1 – Life is Beautiful One of the greatest films of world cinema, Life is Beautiful is a tragic comedy-drama that offers the possibility of hope in the face of unflinching horror. Set in Italy during World War II, Roberto Benigni's classic follows a Jewish man who must employ his fertile imagination to protect his son from the horrors of internment in a Nazi concentration camp. An inspiring and heartfelt comedy set against a Holocaust plotline, Life is Beautiful is a dramatic rendition of the fortitude required to reclaim the violated spirit needed to save a dying innocence.