Drama Movies You Are Sleeping on (but Shouldn’t)

There are so many standout dramas that quietly arrived, collected a few festival prizes, and then slipped past a lot of viewers. Many of them feature familiar faces, acclaimed filmmakers, or real events, yet they remain less discussed than the usual favorites.

This list gathers compelling titles from around the world, including indies, international releases, and films that built word of mouth on the festival circuit. You will find details on directors, casts, settings, and awards so you can decide what to queue up next without any guesswork.

‘Columbus’ (2017)

Writer director Kogonada sets ‘Columbus’ in Columbus, Indiana, a small city known for modernist architecture by Eero Saarinen and I. M. Pei. The film stars John Cho and Haley Lu Richardson as strangers who connect while navigating family responsibilities and stalled plans. It features real locations such as the Cleo Rogers Memorial Library, the Miller House, and the First Christian Church.

‘Columbus’ premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and later screened at Rotterdam and BAMcinemaFest. The production uses on location sound and precise compositions to integrate buildings into the story, and cinematographer Elisha Christian leans on static frames to emphasize space and scale.

‘Leave No Trace’ (2018)

Directed by Debra Granik, ‘Leave No Trace’ follows a father and daughter living off the grid in Forest Park in Portland, Oregon. The film stars Ben Foster and Thomasin McKenzie and adapts Peter Rock’s novel ‘My Abandonment’. It was filmed across Oregon locations with cooperation from local parks authorities.

‘Leave No Trace’ premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was later released by Bleecker Street. Granik’s team worked with veteran organizations and social workers to depict procedures involving housing, evaluations, and reintegration programs.

‘A Sun’ (2019)

Chung Mong hong’s ‘A Sun’ is a Taiwanese family drama centered on two brothers and the ripple effects of a violent act. The cast includes Chen Yi wen, Samantha Ko, Wu Chien ho, and Liu Kuan ting. The story moves through Taipei and Taichung, using hospitals, schools, and detention facilities as recurring settings.

‘A Sun’ won Best Feature Film at the Golden Horse Awards and collected trophies for acting and editing. The film’s release on streaming expanded its international reach, and critics associations in Asia and North America included it on year end lists.

‘The Rider’ (2017)

Chloé Zhao’s ‘The Rider’ stars Brady Jandreau as a rodeo horse trainer recovering from a severe head injury. The film blends non professional performers with real rodeo communities in South Dakota and was shot on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Scenes incorporate working ranch routines and small town gatherings.

‘The Rider’ premiered in the Directors’ Fortnight section at the Cannes Film Festival and won the Art Cinema Award. The film received limited theatrical distribution through Sony Pictures Classics and later appeared on home video and streaming platforms.

‘Short Term 12’ (2013)

‘Short Term 12’ is written and directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and set in a group home for at risk teenagers. Brie Larson leads the cast with John Gallagher Jr., Lakeith Stanfield, Kaitlyn Dever, and Rami Malek. The film expands on Cretton’s earlier short and was produced on a modest budget with extensive location work in Los Angeles.

The film premiered at South by Southwest, where it won the Grand Jury and Audience Awards. Its ensemble cast earned multiple breakthrough citations from critics organizations, and the screenplay became a frequent reference in film schools for its structure and character work.

‘Mustang’ (2015)

Directed by Deniz Gamze Ergüven, ‘Mustang’ follows five sisters in a coastal Turkish town after a community incident triggers restrictions from their guardians. The film stars Güneş Şensoy, Doğa Doğan, and Tuğba Sunguroğlu and was shot in the Black Sea region with a French Turkish production team.

‘Mustang’ was selected as France’s submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and received an Oscar nomination. It premiered at Cannes in the Directors’ Fortnight and won the Europa Cinemas Label Award, gaining widespread European distribution.

‘Phoenix’ (2014)

‘Phoenix’ is directed by Christian Petzold and stars Nina Hoss as a singer returning to postwar Berlin after surviving a concentration camp. The story draws from Hubert Monteilhet’s novel ‘Le Retour des cendres’ and uses period locations and reconstructed interiors to depict Berlin’s ruins and cabaret spaces.

The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and later screened at New York and London. It won multiple German Film Awards, including Best Film and Best Actress, and became part of Petzold’s ongoing collaboration with Hoss on identity themed dramas.

‘The Lunchbox’ (2013)

Ritesh Batra’s ‘The Lunchbox’ pairs Irrfan Khan and Nimrat Kaur through a mistaken delivery by Mumbai’s dabbawala network. The production filmed in actual trains, apartments, and office buildings during working hours to capture the city’s rhythms, with Nawazuddin Siddiqui in a key supporting role.

‘The Lunchbox’ premiered at Cannes Critics’ Week and secured distribution deals in North America, Europe, and East Asia. It won audience awards at several festivals and helped introduce international viewers to the logistics and accuracy rates of the dabbawala system.

‘Locke’ (2013)

Written and directed by Steven Knight, ‘Locke’ features Tom Hardy as a construction manager driving from Birmingham to London while managing work and family crises by phone. The film unfolds in real time, shot over several nights with multiple cameras mounted inside a moving BMW.

‘Locke’ premiered at the Venice Film Festival before a theatrical rollout in the United Kingdom and the United States. The production’s sound design layers separate phone recordings from actors including Olivia Colman, Ruth Wilson, and Andrew Scott to create a continuous conversation thread.

‘Girlhood’ (2014)

Céline Sciamma’s ‘Girlhood’ follows Marieme, a teenager in the Paris suburbs navigating school, family, and new friendships. Karidja Touré leads the cast, which was assembled through street casting and open calls. Filming took place in the département of Seine Saint Denis with support from local councils.

‘Girlhood’ premiered in the Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes and later screened at Toronto and London. The film received nominations for César Awards and was included in educational programs in France addressing representation and youth subjects in contemporary cinema.

‘A Prophet’ (2009)

Directed by Jacques Audiard, ‘A Prophet’ tracks Malik El Djebena’s entry into a French prison and his involvement with Corsican and Maghrebi factions. Tahar Rahim stars, with Niels Arestrup as a prison boss. The production used a decommissioned industrial site to build cell blocks and communal areas.

The film won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival and the BAFTA for Best Film Not in the English Language. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and influenced later European crime series and features set within prison systems.

‘Winter’s Bone’ (2010)

Debra Granik’s ‘Winter’s Bone’ centers on a teenager searching for her missing father in the Missouri Ozarks. Jennifer Lawrence headlines alongside John Hawkes and Dale Dickey. The film relied on local non actors and regional musicians and shot in rural Missouri with cooperation from area residents.

The film won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance and received four Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actress. It was distributed by Roadside Attractions and became an early showcase for Lawrence and for Granik’s location driven approach to casting.

‘The Hunt’ (2012)

Thomas Vinterberg’s ‘The Hunt’ depicts a kindergarten teacher facing a false accusation in a small Danish town. Mads Mikkelsen stars with Thomas Bo Larsen and Annika Wedderkopp. The film was shot in Skælskør and other locations in Zealand and uses community spaces such as schools and lodges.

‘The Hunt’ premiered at Cannes, where Mikkelsen won Best Actor. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and gathered prizes from European Film Awards and Scandinavian festivals, leading to strong distribution across Europe and North America.

‘The Florida Project’ (2017)

Directed by Sean Baker, ‘The Florida Project’ follows children and parents living week to week in motels near Walt Disney World in Kissimmee, Florida. The cast includes Brooklynn Prince, Bria Vinaite, and Willem Dafoe. Production took place at working motels, with one final scene captured on a smartphone for logistical access.

The film premiered in the Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes and was released by A24 in limited theaters before expanding. Willem Dafoe received Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations, and the film prompted local discussions about housing precarity in Central Florida.

‘The Fits’ (2015)

‘The Fits’ is directed by Anna Rose Holmer and set within a community center in Cincinnati. Royalty Hightower plays an eleven year old who joins a girls’ dance team as unexplained fainting spells spread. The film was developed through the Venice Biennale College Cinema program and shot with a small crew.

It premiered at the Venice Film Festival and later screened at Sundance and New Directors New Films. The production collaborated with local dance groups for choreography and training, and the score by West Dylan Thordson emphasizes percussion to mirror practice rhythms.

‘Fruitvale Station’ (2013)

Ryan Coogler’s ‘Fruitvale Station’ recounts the final day of Oscar Grant in Oakland, California. Michael B. Jordan stars with Melonie Diaz and Octavia Spencer. Filming included on location work at Bay Area BART stations with controlled access for reenactments.

The film premiered at Sundance, winning both the U.S. Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award, and it received the Un Certain Regard award at Cannes for a first film. Distribution by The Weinstein Company brought it to a wide range of U.S. theaters and international markets.

‘Incendies’ (2010)

‘Incendies’ is directed by Denis Villeneuve and adapted from Wajdi Mouawad’s stage play. The story follows Canadian twins who travel to the Middle East to uncover their mother’s history. Production shot in Jordan and Canada to represent both settings and used Arabic and French dialogue.

The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and won multiple Canadian Screen Awards. It premiered at Venice and later screened at Toronto, where it secured North American distribution and sustained theatrical runs in art house cinemas.

‘The Diving Bell and the Butterfly’ (2007)

Julian Schnabel’s ‘The Diving Bell and the Butterfly’ dramatizes the memoir of Jean Dominique Bauby, the editor of French Elle who experienced locked in syndrome. Mathieu Amalric portrays Bauby, with Emmanuelle Seigner and Marie José Croze in supporting roles. The film uses point of view camerawork to simulate Bauby’s limited vision.

It premiered at Cannes, where Schnabel won Best Director, and went on to receive Academy Award nominations for direction, cinematography, editing, and adapted screenplay. The film also won Golden Globes for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Director.

‘All Is Lost’ (2013)

Directed by J. C. Chandor, ‘All Is Lost’ features Robert Redford as a solo sailor dealing with hull damage in the Indian Ocean. The film was shot largely at Baja Studios water tanks and at sea, with a small on screen cast consisting only of Redford. Practical effects and stunt work recreate storms and equipment failures.

The film premiered at Cannes and was acquired for distribution by Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions. Its sound team received an Academy Award nomination, and the production released extensive behind the scenes material detailing rigging, safety, and wave generation.

‘The Secret in Their Eyes’ (2009)

Juan José Campanella’s ‘The Secret in Their Eyes’ is an Argentine crime drama that spans decades as a retired investigator revisits a case. Ricardo Darín and Soledad Villamil lead the cast. A stadium sequence employed a blended digital and practical long take that required significant previsualization.

The film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, becoming the second Argentine production to receive the honor. It was adapted from Eduardo Sacheri’s novel and prompted an English language remake released years later with a different setting and structure.

‘The Wind That Shakes the Barley’ (2006)

Ken Loach directs ‘The Wind That Shakes the Barley’, which follows brothers in County Cork during the Irish War of Independence and the subsequent civil conflict. Cillian Murphy and Pádraic Delaney star. Location shooting took place across West Cork with period accurate costumes and weapons.

The film won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. It was financed through European co production partnerships and released widely in Ireland and the United Kingdom, where it generated historical debate and strong box office relative to its budget.

‘The Return’ (2003)

Andrey Zvyagintsev’s ‘The Return’ is a Russian drama about two brothers whose absent father reappears for a trip across remote lakes and islands. Vladimir Garin and Ivan Dobronravov star, and filming occurred in the Leningrad Oblast with extensive use of natural light and open water sequences.

‘The Return’ won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival and received distribution in Europe and North America. It established Zvyagintsev’s career internationally and led to retrospectives highlighting Russian regional filmmaking in the early 2000s.

‘Eden’ (2014)

Mia Hansen Løve’s ‘Eden’ traces the career of a French garage house DJ over several years in Paris and beyond. The film features Félix de Givry and Pauline Etienne, with appearances by characters representing figures from the French electronic scene. Music rights clearances included tracks associated with Daft Punk and related labels.

‘Eden’ premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and screened at New York Film Festival. The production collaborated with club owners and promoters to recreate venues, and the soundtrack album was released alongside the theatrical run.

‘Stations of the Cross’ (2014)

Directed by Dietrich Brüggemann, ‘Stations of the Cross’ presents its story in fourteen long takes that mirror the traditional sequence of the same name. Lea van Acken stars as a teenager in a devout community, and the production emphasizes static framing with minimal camera movement across each chapter.

The film premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival, where it won the Silver Bear for Best Screenplay and the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury. It received releases across Germany and other European territories with supplemental study guides for classroom use.

‘Wadjda’ (2012)

Haifaa al Mansour’s ‘Wadjda’ is the first feature film shot entirely in Saudi Arabia by a Saudi woman director. Waad Mohammed plays a schoolgirl who wants to buy a bicycle, and the production filmed in Riyadh neighborhoods with an international crew working under local guidelines for public shooting.

‘Wadjda’ premiered at the Venice Film Festival and collected awards at festivals in Dubai and Los Angeles. The film was Saudi Arabia’s first submission to the Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film and secured theatrical releases across Europe and North America.

Share the underrated dramas you would add to this list in the comments.