(Photo by (Photo by Sony Pictures Classics, Republic Pictures, IFC Films, Picturehouse, Cowboy Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection))
Spanish is the second most spoken language in the United States, and the recent boom in streaming services has made it easier than ever for audiences looking for Spanish-language movies to find them. Earlier this year, Alfonso Cuarón’s landmark film Roma earned an impressive 10 Oscar nominations, and the director took home three statuettess for Best Director, Best Cinematography, and Best Foreign Language Film. He followed the wins of his fellow Mexican directors Guillermo del Toro (Best Director and Best Picture for The Shape of Water) and Alejandro González Iñárritu (Best Picture for Birdman, Best Director for Birdman and The Revenant). Their accomplishments have brought the resurgence of Mexican cinema to Hollywood’s doorstep.
However, the picture is not so rosy for other Latin American movies and filmmakers trying to break into an industry that has been ignoring smaller independent films in favor of franchises, and the U.S. Latino and Hispanic filmmakers still fighting for their one shot at working in the movie business. In the United States, Latino and Hispanic moviegoers are almost a silent and invisible majority when it comes to representation. They buy about one out of every four movie tickets, yet make up only single-digit slivers of the entertainment industry.
As the conversation about representation and systemic obstacles continues, and the Oscars have renamed their Foreign Language Film category to Best International Feature Film, let’s take a look back at the rich history of Spanish-language movies for Hispanic Heritage Month. Back in the 1960s, when the discussion of identities in the U.S. was in full swing, “Hispanic” became the catchall term for Spanish-speaking countries in South and Central America and Spain. Although today, many prefer the terms Latino – which specifically refers to those of us from Latin American countries no matter what language we speak – the U.S. has observed Hispanic Heritage Month since 1989.
To be considered for this list of essential Spanish-language films, one of the most prominent spoken languages in the movie must be Spanish. This is why you may notice a handful of U.S. Latino favorites like Selena or Real Women Have Curves missing, since the main language in those movies is English. While this rule may also leave Brazil’s vast cinematic legacy for a future list, we tried to include as many different countries across Latin America as possible.
For our most recent update, we took out movies without a Tomatometer and added The Girls Are Alright (a new hit in Spain), Dos Estaciones, Argentina, 1985 (nominated for a Best International Feature Oscar), Lullaby, the joyous musical Voy a pasármelo bien, and two from director/writer Pablo Trapero (Lion’s Den, White Elephant). As the world of Spanish-language cinema continues to grow, there will be many more titles to add to this list.
So, from the grassy steppes of Argentina to Cuba’s famed stone boardwalk and on to Mexico’s bustling capital, join us as we celebrate Spanish-language cinema near and far, not just this month, but throughout the year and the many more still to come. (Monica Castillo, with additional research by Manuel Betancourt and Ivette García Dávila.)
#1
Adjusted Score: 58106%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#2
Adjusted Score: 98892%
Critics Consensus: Justice is served in Argentina 1985, a crusading courtroom drama that shines a light on historically somber times with refreshing levity.
#3
Adjusted Score: 90284%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#4
Adjusted Score: 28205%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#5
Adjusted Score: 87753%
Critics Consensus: Dos Estaciones soberly distills the life of a woman and contemplates the rippling effect globalization has on small companies.
#6
Adjusted Score: 107043%
Critics Consensus: A brilliant forum for Penélope Cruz’s talent, Parallel Mothers reaffirms the familiar pleasures of Almodóvar’s filmmaking while proving he’s still capable of growth.
#7
Adjusted Score: 102407%
Critics Consensus: A slow-burning descent into desperation, Identifying Features uses one shattered family’s ordeal to offer a harrowing look at the immigrant experience.
#8
Adjusted Score: 98769%
Critics Consensus: Warm and funny, The Mole Agent offers audiences a poignant reminder that it’s never too late to forge new connections and embark on new adventures.
#9
Adjusted Score: 99497%
Critics Consensus: I’m No Longer Here‘s occasionally uneven narrative is more than offset by its honest and visually poetic approach to themes of identity and assimilation.
#10
Adjusted Score: 111866%
Critics Consensus: Pain and Glory finds writer-director Pedro Almodóvar drawing on his own life to rewarding effect — and honoring his craft as only a master filmmaker can.
#11
Adjusted Score: 100493%
Critics Consensus: La Llorona puts a fresh spin on the familiar legend by blending the supernatural and the political to resolutely chilling effect.
#12
Adjusted Score: 100322%
Critics Consensus: As visually splendid as it is thought-provoking, Monos takes an unsettling look at human nature whose grim insights leave a lingering impact.
#13
Adjusted Score: 93715%
Critics Consensus: Understated yet impactful, End of the Century offers viewers a powerful love story, elegantly told.
#14
Adjusted Score: 39032%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#15
Adjusted Score: 72290%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#16
Adjusted Score: 102075%
Critics Consensus: The Chambermaid uses one woman’s experiences to take audiences inside a life — and a culture — that’s as bracingly unique as it is hauntingly relatable.
#17
Adjusted Score: 101774%
Critics Consensus: Led by a standout performance from Ana Brun, The Heiresses takes a thoroughly compelling look at lives little explored by mainstream cinema.
#18
Adjusted Score: 118763%
Critics Consensus: Roma finds writer-director Alfonso Cuarón in complete, enthralling command of his visual craft – and telling the most powerfully personal story of his career.
#19
Adjusted Score: 98262%
Critics Consensus: Too Late to Die Young uses one family’s experiences as the foundation for a dreamily absorbing drama with a poignant, lingering warmth.
#20
Adjusted Score: 98144%
Critics Consensus: Surreal, unsettling, and finally haunting, The Wolf House is a stunning outpouring of creativity whose striking visuals queasily complement its disturbing story.
#21
Adjusted Score: 58277%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#22
Adjusted Score: 102727%
Critics Consensus: Tigers Are Not Afraid draws on childhood trauma for a story that deftly blends magical fantasy and hard-hitting realism – and leaves a lingering impact.
#23
Adjusted Score: 101553%
Critics Consensus: Zama offers a series of scathingly insightful observations about colonialism and class dynamics — and satisfyingly ends a long wait between projects from writer-director Lucrecia Martel.
#24
Adjusted Score: 89044%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#25
Adjusted Score: 69592%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#26
Adjusted Score: 40711%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#27
Adjusted Score: 76450%
Critics Consensus: A truly original hybrid that blurs the line between fiction and reality, Cocote may prove opaque for those seeking simple storytelling, yet this insider’s look at the Dominican Republic ultimately rewards.
#28
Adjusted Score: 98939%
Critics Consensus: Inventive, intelligent, and beautifully filmed, Neruda transcends the traditional biopic structure to look at the meaning beyond the details of its subject’s life.
#29
Adjusted Score: 89817%
Critics Consensus: The Untamed attempts some ambitious tonal juggling between fantastical and disturbing — and draws viewers in with its slippery, inexorable pull.
#30
Adjusted Score: 36337%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#31
Adjusted Score: 102735%
Critics Consensus: As rich visually as it is thematically, Embrace of the Serpent offers a feast of the senses for film fans seeking a dose of bracing originality.
#32
Adjusted Score: 86996%
Critics Consensus: As shockingly compelling as it is dispiriting, The Clan delivers hard-hitting lessons even for viewers unfamiliar with the real-life history behind its story.
#33
Adjusted Score: 40875%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#34
Adjusted Score: 100967%
Critics Consensus: Wickedly hilarious and delightfully deranged, Wild Tales is a subversive satire that doubles as a uniformly entertaining anthology film.
#35
Adjusted Score: 86408%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#36
Adjusted Score: 76808%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#37
Adjusted Score: 94810%
Critics Consensus: A striking effort that synthesizes disparate influences with inventive flair, Güeros marks a bold step forward for modern Mexican cinema.
#38
Adjusted Score: 61078%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#39
Adjusted Score: 105432%
Critics Consensus: Marvelously directed by Sebastian Lelio and beautifully led by a powerful performance from Paulina Garcia, Gloria takes an honest, sweetly poignant look at a type of character that’s all too often neglected in Hollywood.
#40
Adjusted Score: 95994%
Critics Consensus: Immersive and powerfully acted, Bad Hair offers an unflinching yet gently endearing depiction of poverty’s impact on youthful self-actualization.
#41
Adjusted Score: 99680%
Critics Consensus: Smartly written and beautiful to behold, Blancanieves uses its classic source material to offer a dark tale, delightfully told.
#42
Adjusted Score: 98754%
Critics Consensus: No uses its history-driven storyline to offer a bit of smart, darkly funny perspective on modern democracy and human nature.
#43
Adjusted Score: 90251%
Critics Consensus: Disturbing, thought-provoking, and timely, Narco Cultura sheds some crucial light on an important — and underserved — subject.
Starring:
#44
Adjusted Score: 83177%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#45
Adjusted Score: 95074%
Critics Consensus: White Elephant thoughtfully delivers an old-fashioned social drama inspired by true events with technical mastery.
#46
Adjusted Score: 92587%
Critics Consensus: The strong lead performance, clever plot turns, and the unsettling ending makes Sleep Tight worth stalking.
#47
Adjusted Score: 89995%
Critics Consensus: Miss Bala’s subject is loaded enough, but the frantic and muscular filmmaking puts this movie in a whole new league.
#48
Adjusted Score: 83014%
Critics Consensus: Filled with wild splatter slapstick, Juan of the Dead also deftly uses its zombie premise as an undead Trojan horse for insightful political commentary.
#49
Adjusted Score: 101128%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#50
Adjusted Score: 89148%
Critics Consensus: Aimed at adults and animated with zest, Chico & Rita is a romantic delight packed with cultural detail and flavor.
#51
Adjusted Score: 73088%
Critics Consensus: We Are What We Are is elevated horror that combines family drama and social politics, with plenty of gore on top.
#52
Adjusted Score: 78801%
Critics Consensus: Claudia Llosa’s deliberate pace and abstract storytelling may frustrate some viewers, but there’s no denying the visual pleasures soaking in The Milk of Sorrow.
#53
Adjusted Score: 93156%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#54
Adjusted Score: 94160%
Critics Consensus: Unpredictable and rich with symbolism, this Argentinian murder mystery lives up to its Oscar with an engrossing plot, Juan Jose Campanella’s assured direction, and mesmerizing performances from its cast.
#55
Adjusted Score: 92280%
Critics Consensus: Part harrowing immigration tale, part gangster story, this debut by writer/director Cary Fukunaga is sensitive, insightful and deeply authentic.
#56
Adjusted Score: 88406%
Critics Consensus: A drama as beautifully filmed as it is finely detailed, Undertow is a wonderfully unique love story with a touch of magic.
#57
Adjusted Score: 87909%
Critics Consensus: Pedro Almodovar’s fourth film with Penélope Cruz isn’t his finest work, but he brings his signature visual brilliance to this noirish tale, and the cast turns in some first-class performances.
#58
Adjusted Score: 85749%
Critics Consensus: Deliberately provocative, Tony Manero is as challenging and compelling as it is difficult to describe.
#59
Adjusted Score: 91435%
Critics Consensus: Martina Gusmán gives a feral performance in the Lion’s Den, a gripping prison drama so real even the camera perspires behind bars.
#60
Adjusted Score: 78511%
Critics Consensus: Careful and slight, Lucretia Martel’s Headless Woman doesn’t fit neatly into a clear storyline, but supports itself with ethereal visuals.
#61
Adjusted Score: 90811%
Critics Consensus: Plunging viewers into the nightmarish hellscape of an apartment complex under siege, [Rec] proves that found footage can still be used as an effective delivery mechanism for sparse, economic horror.
#62
Adjusted Score: 93861%
Critics Consensus: Deeply unnerving and surprisingly poignant, The Orphanage is an atmospheric, beautifully crafted haunted house horror film that earns scares with a minimum of blood.
#63
Adjusted Score: 105012%
Critics Consensus: Pan’s Labyrinth is Alice in Wonderland for grown-ups, with the horrors of both reality and fantasy blended together into an extraordinary, spellbinding fable.
#64
Adjusted Score: 97795%
Critics Consensus: Volver catches director Pedro Almodovar and star Penelope Cruz at the peak of their respective powers, in service of a layered, thought-provoking film.
#65
Adjusted Score: 87908%
Critics Consensus: The Aura is a highly original and cerebral thriller that maintains its suspense from start to finish.
#66
Adjusted Score: 88965%
Critics Consensus: Held aloft by a transfixing performance from Javier Bardem as a terminally ill man who chooses to die, The Sea Inside transcends its melodramatic story with tenderness and grace.
#67
Adjusted Score: 100232%
Critics Consensus: Live-In Maid is an insightful character piece with standout performances and a poignant slice of Argentina life.
#68
Adjusted Score: 22390%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#69
Adjusted Score: 101413%
Critics Consensus: In a striking debut, Moreno carries the movie and puts a human face on the drug trade.
#70
Adjusted Score: 92911%
Critics Consensus: This modest cinematic slice-of-life manages to subtly capture many small but resonant and truthful moments of adolescence.
#71
Adjusted Score: 92487%
Critics Consensus: A layered, wonderfully-acted, and passionate drama.
#72
Adjusted Score: 87424%
Critics Consensus: Machuca is a touchingly bittersweet story of childhood friendship and a demonstration of how the political affects the personal.
#73
Adjusted Score: 25514%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#74
Adjusted Score: 87935%
Critics Consensus: The Motorcycle Diaries is heartfelt and profound in its rendering of the formative experiences that turn Ernesto “Che” Guerva into a famous revolutionary.
#75
Adjusted Score: 79352%
Critics Consensus: This provocative, lyrical drama mixes themes of forbidden sexuality and redemptive faith with a touch of humanism in a memorable, if disorienting, visual style.
#76
Adjusted Score: 72725%
Critics Consensus: An unsettling and absorbing cautionary tale with John Leguizamo playing an unscrupulous TV reporter who uses the medium to further his own goals.
#77
Adjusted Score: 95267%
Critics Consensus: Another masterful, compassionate work from Pedro Almodovar.
#78
Adjusted Score: 88042%
Critics Consensus: This modest road movie features naturalistic performances and a heartwarming tone of gentle humanism.
#79
Adjusted Score: 81691%
Critics Consensus: Javier Bardem gives an outstanding performance in this hought-provoking (though occasionally plodding) movie about the effects of unemployment on a group of former shipyard workers.
#80
Adjusted Score: 79077%
Critics Consensus: A slow-moving, visually impressive debut.
#81
Adjusted Score: 49331%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#82
Adjusted Score: 96974%
Critics Consensus: Creepily atmospheric and haunting, The Devil’s Backbone is both a potent ghost story and an intelligent political allegory.
#83
Adjusted Score: 94905%
Critics Consensus: Deliciously twist-filled, Nine Queens is a clever and satisfying crime caper.
#84
Adjusted Score: 97893%
Critics Consensus: Led by a triumvirate of terrific performances, Alfonso Cuarón’s free-spirited road trip through Mexico is a sexy and wistful hymn to the fleetingness of youth.
#85
Adjusted Score: 87932%
Critics Consensus: Dense yet impressively focused, La Cienaga is a disquieting look at domestic dissatisfaction – and a powerful calling card for debuting writer-director Lucrecia Martel.
#86
Adjusted Score: 87382%
Critics Consensus: A film about one man’s mid-life crisis, The Son of the Bride is both touching and funny.
#87
Adjusted Score: 97556%
Critics Consensus: The brutality of Amores Perros may be difficult to watch at times, but this intense, gritty film packs a hard wallop.
#88
Adjusted Score: 45146%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#89
Adjusted Score: 77355%
Critics Consensus: Burnt Money tells a stylish and steamy story about criminals on the lam.
#90
Adjusted Score: 102368%
Critics Consensus: Almodovar weaves together a magnificent tapestry of femininity with an affectionate wink to classics of theater and cinema in this poignant story of love, loss and compassion.
#91
Adjusted Score: 96413%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#92
Adjusted Score: 82946%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#93
Adjusted Score: 89457%
Critics Consensus: Director Alejandro Amenábar tackles some heady issues with finesse and clarity in Open Your Eyes, a gripping exploration of existentialism and the human spirit.
#94
Adjusted Score: 78831%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#95
Adjusted Score: 86216%
Critics Consensus: The Flower of My Secret finds Almodóvar revisiting old themes in a new, more subdued key, yielding a slight but vivacious work that delivers the pleasure of a punchy novella.
#96
Adjusted Score: 80731%
Critics Consensus: Strawberry and Chocolate movingly depicts the budding relationship between two men against the backdrop of a pivotal moment in Cuban history.
#97
Adjusted Score: 95217%
Critics Consensus: Guillermo del Toro’s unique feature debut is not only gory and stylish, but also charming and intelligent.
#98
Adjusted Score: 96237%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#99
Adjusted Score: 97744%
Critics Consensus: Made on a shoestring budget, El Mariachi’s story is not new. However, the movie has so much energy that it’s thoroughly enjoyable.
#100
Adjusted Score: 90780%
Critics Consensus: Like Water for Chocolate plays to the senses with a richly rewarding romance that indulges in magical realism to intoxicating effect.
#101
Adjusted Score: 30511%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#102
Adjusted Score: 89413%
Critics Consensus: Those unfamiliar with Alejandro Jodorowsky’s style may find it overwhelming, but Santa Sangre is a provocative psychedelic journey featuring the director’s signature touches of violence, vulgarity, and an oddly personal moral center.
#103
Adjusted Score: 94733%
Critics Consensus: Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown finds writer-director Pedro Almodóvar working in a distinctly feminist vein, with richly rewarding results.
#104
Adjusted Score: 100301%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#105
Adjusted Score: 93425%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#106
Adjusted Score: 100500%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#107
Adjusted Score: 98027%
Critics Consensus: Sensitively written, skillfully directed, and powerfully portrayed, El Norte wrings deeply affecting drama from intractable real-life issues.
#108
Adjusted Score: 101769%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#109
Adjusted Score: 98032%
Critics Consensus: El Espíritu de la Colmena uses a classic horror story’s legacy as the thread for a singularly absorbing childhood fable woven with uncommon grace.
#110
Adjusted Score: 85916%
Critics Consensus: A visual treat rich in symbolism, The Holy Mountain adds another defiantly idiosyncratic chapter to Jodorowsky’s thoroughly unique filmography.
#111
Adjusted Score: 85075%
Critics Consensus: By turns intoxicating and confounding, El Topo contains the creative multitudes that made writer-director Alejandro Jodorowsky such a singular talent.
#112
Adjusted Score: 101752%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#113
Adjusted Score: 94680%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#114
Adjusted Score: 89324%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#115
Adjusted Score: 86007%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#116
Adjusted Score: 101834%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#117
Adjusted Score: 103328%
Critics Consensus: Visually absorbing and formally audacious, I Am Cuba (Soy Cuba) opens a long-buried time capsule that has lost none of its captivating power.
#118
Adjusted Score: 97231%
Critics Consensus: Societal etiquette devolves into depravity in Luis Buñuel’s existential comedy, effectively playing the absurdity of civilization for mordant laughs.
#119
Adjusted Score: 78729%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#120
Adjusted Score: 99805%
Critics Consensus: Viridiana is quintessential Bunuel: a masterpiece against the grain, designed to shock and awe.
#121
Adjusted Score: 70331%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#122
Adjusted Score: 86840%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#123
Adjusted Score: 41521%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#124
Adjusted Score: 92609%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#125
Adjusted Score: 96955%
Critics Consensus: Los Olvidados casts an unsparing eye on juvenile crime — and the systemically flawed societies that allow it to flourish.