10 Directors Who Made Great Movies In Multiple Languages

Some great directors can work in two languages.

Click Here to read in detail

Hollywood attracts great directors from all over the world, meaning that there are many directors who have directed brilliant films in both English and their native languages. In some cases, English-speaking audiences only know their English-language movies, but directors like Alfonso Cuarón, Denis Villeneuve and Yorgos Lanthimos deserve to have their non-English movies appreciated by large audiences too.

Directing movies in multiple languages is an impressive skill, not simply because it requires complete fluency, but also because it's often necessary for a director to shift their whole frame of reference. Directors who can pull off this feat often have to understand American culture as if it's their own. Ultimately, great storytelling is universal, and the best directors can connect with audiences in their native tongue and any other language they pick up.

Guillermo del Toro has enjoyed a long and successful career in Hollywood, but he has dipped back into Spanish-language films every now and then. Some of his early successes were comic book movies, with Blade II and his Hellboy movies helping to establish his pedigree as a director. His greatest blockbuster is probably Pacific Rim, an action-packed kaiju movie that mixes sheer entertainment with some interesting sci-fi concepts.

Animation and live-action movies require two different sets of skills from filmmakers, so there aren’t many directors who can master both.

Guillermo del Toro has an impressive range, and he has created some award-winning dramas in between his crowdpleasing blockbusters. His first Oscar-winner was the Spanish-language Pan's Labyrinth. He won Best Picture and Best Director 11 years later for The Shape of Water, a gorgeous sci-fi romance in which a woman falls in love with a strange amphibian creature being held in a top-secret facility. He's proven that he can do anything he chooses, so the hype is already building for del Toro's Frankenstein adaptation, which is coming to Netflix later in 2025.

Taiwanese director Ang Lee first rose to international prominence with his Father Knows Best trilogy, a trio of thematically-linked films made in the early 1990s. His early movies explored the tension between the old and the new, and the blending of Eastern and Western cultures, so it makes sense that he soon transitioned to Hollywood. His first English-language movie was the Jane Austen adaptation Sense and Sensibility in 1995.

Lee's wuxia masterpiece Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon elevated his status to another level.

Lee's wuxia masterpiece Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon elevated his status to another level, but he refused to stick to one genre. Having mastered comedy, period drama and martial arts, he directed the superhero blockbuster Hulk, the Western romance Brokeback Mountain and the spy thriller Lust, Caution, moving between languages as he pleased. Brokeback Mountain won him his first Best Director award, and Life of Pi delivered his second. His directing career has hit a slump since this win, however, as Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk and Gemini Man both received negative reviews.

Bong Joon-ho made history when Parasite became the first non-English language movie to win the Oscar for Best Picture. It's the crowning achievement of an impressive career in both Korean and English, showcasing the director's flair for dark comedy, biting social commentary and an ability to toy with his audience's emotions. It's been a long wait for his next movie, but Mickey 17 is finally on the way.

Long before Parasite, Bong established himself as one of Korea's best directors with the dark crime thriller Memories of Murder, the monster movie The Host and more. His first English-language movie was Snowpiercer, an immense sci-fi hit that introduced him to a much larger international audience. His only other English-language movie so far is the underrated Okja, a dark fantasy about the intersection between environmentalism and corporate greed.

John Woo is best known as a director of thrilling action movies, both in Hong Kong and the United States. In particular, his collaborations with Chow Yun-fat yielded the classics The Killer and Hard Boiled. These movies incorporated some elements of his early martial arts movies, but they also honed his signature style of gun fu. He directed his first feature-length movie in 1974, but didn't start working in English-language movies until 1993.

A select number of non-English language productions have managed to overcome bias and receive nominations for Best Picture.

Most of John Woo's best movies were made in Hong Kong, since Hollywood typically hasn't given him as much control. Mission: Impossible II is a good example of this, as it's one of the franchise's weaker efforts, with Woo only acting as director, while he also writes and produces many of his other movies. He at least has the bona fide classic Face/Off to his credit, showing that he can still flex his skills in the Hollywood system.

Yorgos Lanthimos' movies show that he's a singular voice in Hollywood, creating strange and unsettling worlds populated with characters who don't quite seem human. This can be both hilarious and horrifying, with his Oscar-nominated sci-fi drama Poor Things showcasing both sides. He's keeping up his prolific streak in 2025 with Bugonia, a remake of the Korean sci-fi comedy Save the Green Planet! Unsurprisingly, Emma Stone has a starring role.

His early Greek-language movies shouldn't be forgotten. In particular, the horror-comedy Dogtooth earned positive reviews.

Since making his English-language debut with the dark romantic satire The Lobster, Lanthimos has exclusively directed movies in English. The Killing of a Sacred Deer is a darker offering, while The Favourite balances his sense of humor with some bleak drama. Still, his early Greek-language movies shouldn't be forgotten. In particular, the horror-comedy Dogtooth earned positive reviews.

Alfonso Cuarón's best movies include a healthy mix of English-language and Spanish-language films. While some international directors make an impact in Hollywood and never look back, Cuarón has returned to Mexico several times. Most recently, he directed Roma, a deeply personal story that reflects on his childhood in Mexico City. It's arguably his finest work, but his career has spanned many different genres.

Alfonso Cuarón's best movies include a healthy mix of English-language and Spanish-language films.

Cuarón started his directing career in the 1990s with a Spanish-language comedy, Sólo con tu pareja, and two English-language book adaptations, A Little Princess and Great Expectations. His most surprising career move yet came in 2004, when he directed Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, revitalizing the franchise and showing a path forward. This preceded his sci-fi masterpiece Children of Men, and his spectacular blockbuster Gravity. Cuarón has mastered two languages and plenty more genres.

Alejandro González Iñárritu is most famous for the two movies which have scored him Oscars for Best Director, Birdman and The Revenant. He earned his first nomination many years earlier for the psychological drama Babel. After The Revenant, it took a long time for Iñárritu to return with a new movie, and he decided to return to Mexico to direct Bardo, an ambitious genre-busting epic.

The Oscars have historically overlooked non-English language movies, but there’s an incredible list of masterpieces that should have been recognized.

Bardo isn't Iñárritu's only Spanish-language movie worth watching. The psychological drama Biutiful and the comedy-drama Amores Perros were both nominated for the Oscar for Best International Feature Film. His next project remains shrouded in mystery, but it's seemingly set for a 2026 release with a star-studded cast including Tom Cruise and Sandra Hüller. Judging by Iñárritu's previous work, fans can expect a drama that mixes entertainment and deep philosophy.

Edward Berger has been directing German-language films since the early 1990s, but it's only recently that he's started growing an international audience. The first step towards this success was 2014's Jack, followed by 2019's All My Loving. These movies both received positive reviews, but neither garnered as much attention as Berger's exceptional war drama All Quiet On the Western Front.

After the global success of All Quiet On the Western Front, Berger decided to change gears and make his first English-language movie. Conclave stars Ralph Fiennes as a cardinal who investigates the leading contenders when the Vatican is set to elect a new pope. With eight Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Conclave is Berger's most successful movie by far, and he has many people watching his next move.

Miloš Forman was forced to emigrate to the United States after Czechoslovakia was invaded in 1968, but he was already working on his first English-language movie, Taking Off. Before this move, he had become famous in his home country with a string of popular films, the biggest of which was The Firemen's Ball, which has endured as a biting Communist satire and a defining work of Czech cinema.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest made a fortune at the box office and scooped five Oscars.

Forman directed several big hits in the United States. Taking Off was a commercial failure at the time, but he recovered with One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, which made a fortune at the box office and scooped five Oscars. Its credit to Forman's innovation and drive that he even came close to repeating this success, but Amadeus is also considered one of the greatest movies of all time. Other English-language hits include Man on the Moon, Hair and The People vs. Larry Flynt.

Denis Villeneuve's recent output has earned him a reputation as a master of the sci-fi genre. As well as providing a fitting adaptation of Frank Herbert's Dune, Villeneuve directed Arrival and created a Blade Runner sequel that lives up to the original. All these projects are ambitious gambles, and all have paid off. The Canadian director is on a hot streak that shows no signs of slowing down.

Some of Villeneuve's early work goes unnoticed, but Incendies is one movie that deserves a big audience.

Before his sci-fi movies, Villeneuve directed the critically-acclaimed thrillers Prisoners, Enemy and Sicario. Prisoners was his first English-language movie after growing his reputation with French-language dramas, the best of which is probably Incendies. The Oscar-nominated drama also has some Arabic dialogue. Some of Villeneuve's early work goes unnoticed, but Incendies is one movie that deserves a big audience.

Miatamil

Listed here the latest Trending News

Trending Tag : Singer

Grammys 2025: Shakira Says "Life Hasn't Been Kind" Nearly Three Years After Gerard Piqué Breakup - E! Online

Nearly three years after Shakira and Gerard Piqué announced their split, the singer stepped out for the 2025 Grammys and told Live From E!: Grammys how, at times, life "hasn't been kind" to her. 

Read more >> : Cick here

Share on : 👇

Trending Tag : Hollywood

Sabrina Carpenter Brings Hollywood Screwball Comedy Magic to the Grammys

Sabrina Carpenter took the stage at the 2025 Grammys to perform "Espresso" and "Please Please Please" from her breakthrough album 'Short n' Sweet.'

Read more >> : Cick here

Share on : 👇

Trending Tag : Singer

Victoria Monét Knows Daughter Hazel Is Watching Her, Wants to Be a ‘Superstar’ (Exclusive)

Victoria Monét chats with ET's Kevin Frazier on the red carpet at the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards, which air on CBS and Paramount+ on Sunday, Feb. 2. This year, on music’s biggest night, she’s flying solo! The singer tells ET about choosing not to bring her daughter, Hazel, 3, after the 'reviews' from last year's red carpet. The singer reflects on how it feels to be back at the GRAMMYs after winning Best New Artist last year and opens up about balancing superstardom while being a mom. Victoria says, Hazel wants to be a 'superstar.'

Read more >> : Cick here

Share on : 👇

Trending Tag : Hollywood

Royal Commentators Insist Hollywood Has Deemed Meghan Markle 'Toxic' After 'Bizarre PR Strategy' and Latest 'Punch in the Gut'

Here's why some royal commentators are saying Meghan Markle's career is over as people in the industry have realized she's "toxic."

Read more >> : Cick here

Share on : 👇

Trending Tag : Actor

4 Heart-Fluttering K-Drama Romances Without Any Past Connections

If there was a list of K-drama tropes that have been overused to the point where fans have started to dislike them, main-leads-having-a-past-or-childhood-connection would undoubtedly top that list. Seriously, can two adults not fall in love with each other without having any interactions in their childhood and/or past in general? So, if you're tired of this trope and want some heart-fluttering romances where the male and female leads didn't know each other before falling in love in the present, you're in for a treat! Here are four K-drama romances with zero childhood or past connections. Warning: while all of these dramas will make you giggle, some might also have you crying your eyes out—so, beware! Summer Strike Summer Strike, based on the webtoon I Don't Feel Like Doing Anything, is a slice-of-life romance revolving around the life of Yeo Reum (Seolhyun), a young woman living in Seoul and working at a publishing house. Her life might not be perfect, but she has a stable job and a boyfriend—until one day, everything goes south. First, she loses her job, then her boyfriend, and finally, tragedy strikes hardest when her beloved mother passes away. After going through so much pain, Yeo Reum decides to go on a healing journey and moves to a small seaside town for a year, where she plans to do literally nothing and just spend her days idly. There, she meets a math prodigy-turned-librarian, Dae Bum (Yim Si Wan), and the chemistry just flows! While most K-drama romantic comedies—or rom-coms in general—feature loud and eccentric characters that quickly grab your attention, Summer Strike is a K-drama that takes pride in its main couple being introverts. The male lead is so introverted that he doesn't speak for the entirety of the second episode, where he is first introduced. But even when words fall short, the chemistry between the couple is palpable and heart-fluttering. Mostly a romantic comedy, Summer Strike also features a half-baked thriller subplot sprinkled throughout the show, which, thankfully, does not disrupt the flow of the story. Start watching Summer Strike: [viki-watchnow url=https://www.viki.com/tv/38861c-summer-strike] Crash Landing on You Crash Landing on You is one of those K-dramas that opened up the world of K-dramas to a newer audience during the start of the pandemic, so it's often thought of as a drama that everyone has already seen. But if you haven't, it's time to put it on your watch-later list. The tvN drama begins with one of South Korea's richest heiresses, Yoon Se Ri (Son Ye Jin), paragliding during rough weather. The wind blows so hard that tractors are flying in the air. As she is near the North Korean border, she ends up flying to North Korea and gets stuck in a tree on the other side of the border, unable to get down. The night passes, and the next day, she meets the male lead, a North Korean soldier named Ri Jung Hyuk (Hyun Bin), and falls from the tree and crash lands on him, hence the name. Their story begins there: the soldier agrees to hide her in his house and help her return to South Korea, but somewhere along the way, they both fall in love. While past connections in K-dramas have been overdone to death, they cannot compete with the star-crossed lovers trope. Nothing can come close to the longing and slow burn of Crash Landing on You, which keeps you on the edge of your seat. The romance between the main leads was so palpable that the actors ended up falling in love and got married in real life. Because This Is My First Life Because This Is My First Life is a 2017 K-drama featuring the marriage-of-convenience or contract-marriage trope. The story revolves around Se Hee (Lee Min Ki), an academically gifted man working in tech in his late 30s, with a personality as dry as sandpaper. Unlike most people his age in Seoul, he owns a house of his own, though he has a lot of mortgage to pay off. His plan? Get a housemate and use the rent to pay off the debt. The only problem? He's extremely picky about his tenants. His other quirk? He doesn't want to get married and is tired of his mother trying to set him up with a new girl every week. On the other side is Ji Ho (Jung So Min), a K-drama writer in her early 30s who hasn't had her big break yet and works as an assistant writer. Though Ji Ho's biggest desire is to be loved, she has never dated anyone. One thing leads to another—Ji Ho loses her job and her place, and she is about to move back in with her dysfunctional family in her hometown, leaving her dream of becoming a writer behind. Before she leaves, Se Hee offers a unique proposal: marry him so he can stop his mother's pestering, and she can live in Seoul at a cheaper rent than the market rate. And she accepts the offer, of course! Because This Is My First Life is similar to Summer Strike in that both K-dramas feature main couples who are introverts. However, while Yeo Reum and Dae Bum communicate healthily despite their shyness, the main leads in Because This Is My First Life are awkward and don't open up until the final episodes. This lack of communication is frustrating at times and makes viewers want to pull their hair out. However, the trope is used effectively, is entertaining, and makes the ending all the more satisfying. Start watching Because This Is My First Life: [viki-watchnow url=https://www.viki.com/tv/35630c-because-this-is-my-first-life] Twinkling Watermelon Twinkling Watermelon is the only K-drama on this list that doesn't exclusively belong to the romance or rom-com genre. Although this drama focuses more on family, friendship, and music, the love plot is so heart-fluttering that it's a must-watch! The story of Twinkling Watermelon begins in 2023 with Eun Gyeol (Ryeoun), a high school student who is also a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults). During the day, Eun Gyeol is a diligent student working hard to get into a medical university as his father Yi Chan (Choi Hyun Wook) wishes. However, by night, he takes to the streets with his electric guitar, busking the night away under the city lights. When his father discovers his nighttime routine, a major argument ensues, prompting Eun Gyeol to run away from home. In a twist of fate, he is magically transported to the past—a time when his father was a high school student himself. Initially, Eun Gyeol is focused on returning to the future, but he soon realizes that, in this timeline, his father has fallen for another girl and hasn't even met his mother, Chung Ah (Shin Eun Soo). To prevent his existence from vanishing, Eun Gyeol takes on the mission to make his parents fall in love again. While childhood or past-life connections are overdone in K-dramas, Twinkling Watermelon stands out due to its time-travel element, which introduces a future connection. Some viewers might consider it similar, but even without Eun Gyeol's interference, Chung Ah and Yi Chan had fallen for each other in the original timeline. What makes their relationship so endearing is Yi Chan's dedication to learning Chung Ah's language from the moment he realizes she is deaf, just so he can communicate with her better. This was long before he fell in love with her—he simply wanted to connect with and understand a friend, who he later grows to love. Start watching Twinkling Watermelon: [viki-watchnow url=https://www.viki.com/tv/40131c-twinkling-watermelon] Hello Soompiers! What is your favorite K-drama romance with no past connections? Let us know in the comments section below! Javeria is a binge-watching specialist who loves devouring entire K-dramas in one sitting. Good screenwriting, beautiful cinematography, and a lack of cliches are the way to her heart. As a music fanatic, she listens to multiple artists across different genres and stans the self-producing idol group SEVENTEEN. You can talk to her on Instagram @javeriayousufs. Currently watching: Namib, Love Scout, and Motel California. Looking forward to: Reborn and Weak Hero Class 2.

Read more >> : Cick here

Share on : 👇

Trending Tag : Singer

Lady Gaga Went Goth in a Victorian Gown and 90-Year-Old Necklace at the 2025 Grammys

Lady Gaga arrived at the 2025 Grammy Awards wearing a Vivienne Westwood Victorian-style gown and a 90-year-old necklace. The singer is nominated for two awards, including Song of the Year.

Read more >> : Cick here

Share on : 👇

Trending Tag : grammys

Kanye West & Wife Bianca Censori Grammys 2025: Were They Escorted Out Due to Her Outfit?

After the couple literally unveiled Bianca’s nude ensemble, multiple reports surfaced about the reaction they received.

Read more >> : Cick here

Share on : 👇

Trending Tag : grammys

Lady Gaga's Spooky Grammys Look Is 'Nosferatu'-Chic

Looks like Lady Gaga's "Mayhem" era is a witchy one.

Read more >> : Cick here

Share on : 👇

Trending Tag : grammys

Miley Cyrus Debuts Blunt Haircut in Edgy, Leather Cutout Look at 2025 Grammys

Miley Cyrus stepped out for the 2025 Grammys on Feb. 2 and made a statement with her dazzling look. See what she wore for the awards show.

Read more >> : Cick here

Share on : 👇

Trending Tag : Rory McIlroy

Rory McIlroy aces Pebble Beach Pro-Am test, adds trophy to collection

Rory McIlroy shot a 6-under 66 Sunday to win his first AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, three days after he made a hole-in-one in the opening round.

Read more >> : Cick here

Share on : 👇