The 20 best international animated movies

Latvian film Flow is a beautiful example of the power of visual storytelling, containing no dialogue and relying purely on the visual language of cinema to create emotion and atmosphere. Cat is a solitary animal whose home is devastated by a flood. When it seeks refuge on a boat, it is forced to work with other species in order to survive. This gorgeously told fable won the Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature and received an Oscar nomination. 

Japan’s Studio Ghibli has had a number of successful films that have reached the United States and is often ranked with Disney and DreamWorks as the greats for animation. With so many incredible movies to choose from, their best still remains the fantastical and fascinating Spirited Away. With its wondrous worldbuilding, unique characters, and huge international appeal, it deservedly won Studio Ghibli their first Oscar for Best Animated Feature in 2003. 

Robot Dreams is another animated film with no dialogue and "shows" rather than "tells." This French and Spanish co-production is set in a version of 1980s New York populated by anthropomorphized animals. When lonely Dog orders and assembles Robot to be his companion, the two become the best of friends, but are separated. It’s an equally heartwarming and heartbreaking story about isolation and human connection, featuring a poignant use of "September" by Earth, Wind & Fire. 

I Lost My Body is a unique and surreal French film targeted towards adults. It follows the journey of a severed hand across Paris as it tries to reunite with its owner, a young man named Naoufel, who fell in love with a woman named Gabrielle. The hand explores Naoufel’s memories to find answers. With its strange and creative concept, the film tells a moving story about love and loss and was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards in 2020. 

Based on the series of autobiographical novels by Marjane Satrapi, Persepolis is a French film that explores the role of women in Iran through the author/director’s own experience. It follows an outspoken Iranian girl who comes of age during the Islamic Revolution and leaves the country due to religious extremism. The film was banned in Iran but acclaimed elsewhere for its feminist and rebellious themes. It was also nominated for an Oscar in 2008 for Best Animated Feature.  

Flee is a documentary film that uses animation to tell its harrowing story. It is based on the experience of Amin Nawabi, a former child refugee in Afghanistan. As he builds a new life for himself, he must grapple with a twenty-year-old secret that could threaten his and his soon-to-be-husband’s lives. The equally tragic and hopeful tale was nominated for three Oscars, including Best Documentary Feature, Best Animated Feature, and Best International Feature Film.

One of Studio Ghibli’s earliest hits is the whimsical My Neighbor Totoro. It follows Satsuki and Mei, two sisters who move to their country to be with their ill mother. In the nearby woods, they meet Totoro, a forest sprite, and have many adventures together. The film is a beautiful testament to the wonder and magic of childhood and launched Studio Ghibli into the limelight. Totoro has become an iconic character in pop culture and can be seen on many pieces of merchandise. 

Written by Portrait of a Lady on Fire director Céline Sciamma, My Life as a Zucchini is a charming, stop-motion animated feature from France and Switzerland. It follows Icare, a young boy sent to an orphanage after his mother's death. There, he makes new friends and begins to discover the meaning of love and trust. Featuring eye-popping visuals, the film is a touching meditation on grief and hope, expertly balancing heavy themes with lightness. 

Not to be confused with the 2006 film of the same name starring Edward Norton, The Illusionist is a French film released in 2010 that was originally written by prolific French director and actor Jacques Tati. It follows a French illusionist who travels to Scotland due to being out of work. He meets Alice, a young girl who believes he is a real magician. The film is almost entirely dialogue-free and uniquely artistic and was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Oscars.

Dragon Hunters is a French fantasy film that follows two dragon hunters, Lian-Chu and Gwizdo. They are chosen by their kingdom to defeat a fearsome dragon that returns every five years. Although the film isn’t as well-known as some others on this list, it is an underrated little gem for those who love action, adventure, and fantastical world-building. It is based on the 2004 animated series of the same name, retaining its striking visuals and character designs using 3D animation.

Based on the 1986 novel of the same name, Howl’s Moving Castle is another Studio Ghibli favorite. The film follows Sophie, a young woman who is cursed and turned into an old lady by a spiteful witch. Her only hope to break it is with the help of a young wizard named Howl and his legged, walking castle. The film mixes fantastical themes with real-life ones, with its strong anti-war message, and is one of the studio’s most visually stunning and unique films. 

Before French filmmaker Sylvian Chomet directed The Illusionist, he caught international attention in 2003 with the Oscar-nominated The Triplets of Belleville. When her cyclist grandson is kidnapped during the Tour de France, Madam Souza teams up with the Belleville sisters, an aged musical group from the days of Fred Astaire. Together, they try to rescue him. Like The Illusionist, The Triplets of Belleville also features limited dialogue but has plenty of music to make up for it.

Based on the manga of the same name, Akira is one of the most prolific Japanese films to ever exist. Set in the fictionalized Neo-Tokyo, it follows the aftermath of an atomic bomb being dropped on the city. Biker Kaneda sets out to save his friend Tetsuo from a secret government project and battles politicians, scientists, and more. With its cyberpunk style and thematic storytelling, Akira is one of the great sci-fi movies, with the image of Kaneda on his bike now famous.

Westerners may be more familiar with the 2017 live-action remake of Ghost in the Shell , starring Scarlett Johansson (in a poor case of white-washing). However, it’s the original 1995 animated Japanese film that you should be watching instead. In a futuristic world, brain hacking has gotten out of control. A cyborg policewoman and her partner set out to find the culprit, known as the Puppet Master. Its mix of sci-fi visuals, music, and action makes it a mesmerizing experience. 

Perfect Blue is a trippy and mind-bending thriller from Japan. In the film, a young singer is encouraged by her agent to quit singing and pursue acting. When she gets a role on a murder mystery TV show, she is stalked by an obsessed fan and starts losing her grip on reality. Full of violence, gore, nudity, and sex, the film has an unnervingly dark tone as it unwraps its central mystery. It sometimes leans into the horror genre and certainly bends the rules for anime.

Ernest & Celestine is a heartwarming family film from France based on a series of children’s books. It follows the unlikely bond formed between Celestine, a young mouse, and Ernest, a musical bear. In a world where rodents and bears are enemies, they face disapproval from society and try to prove that their friendship is stronger than hate. It offers a beautiful and timely story about embracing each other’s differences and is complete with gorgeous watercolor 2D animation. 

Tokyo Godfathers is a visually sublime and engrossing film that expertly balances comedic tones with more serious ones. It follows a trio of homeless people who disguise themselves as a makeshift family to survive on the streets of Tokyo. When they find a newborn baby in the trash on Christmas Eve, they set out to find the baby’s parents. It is as touching as it is bizarre and makes for a unique entry in the list of great Christmas movies. A must-watch for those looking for a great story.

Waltz With Bashir is another animated film that combines dramatic and documentary elements to tell a story about the impact of war. Israeli filmmaker and former soldier Ari Folman interviews veterans of the 1982 Lebanon War to construct and reflect on his memories and involvement in the conflict. It makes for a gripping history lesson elevated by the film’s stylistic animation, earning both a Golden Globe and Academy Award nomination in 2009.

Often regarded as one of the saddest movies of all time, Grave of the Fireflies is an emotional and devastating ride that stays with you long after the credits have rolled. It follows a boy named Seita and his younger sister Setsuko as they struggle to survive in Japan in World War II. It makes for Studio Ghibli’s heaviest movie, putting a spotlight on the harrowing effects of war and its impact on innocent children. Keep the tissues handy because this film doesn’t hold back.

While Studio Ghibli is a Japanese powerhouse, it released its first international co-production with France in the form of 2016’s The Red Turtle. This dialogue-free film tells the story of a man who gets shipwrecked off the coast of a desert island. There, he encounters a giant red turtle that destroys every raft he builds as he tries to sail away and ultimately changes his life. Its animation is a bold departure from the usual Ghibli style, telling its story in a symbolic and thematic way.