10 Best International Horror Movies From The Past 10 Years

2019 was one of the best years for movie history in recent times, and arguably the best year for horror in a decade. That year, both Jordan Peele and Ari Aster made brilliant horror movies where the heroes are the villains. While this trend was more common in the early 2000s and 2010s, the subversive use by these two most promising horror directors of recent years demonstrates an increase in highbrow horror. The late 2010s have witnessed some memorable imaginative, contemplative, and powerful horror filmmaking, and the trend seems set to continue.

The use of conventions more common to horror has seen an uptick in recent years, with a significant number of drama films that verge on becoming horror. So, this is a promising time for horror cinema, and even though it’s too early to say if this era will be as influential as the 1920s or the 1980s, it is exciting to be alive right now as a fan of horror. Formulaic sequels and reboots rule the box office for the most part now. However, indie horror is as fresh as ever, and innovations can be found all around the world.

10

Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person (2023)

Directed By Ariane Louis-Seize

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Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person

Comedy

Horror

Fantasy

Release Date

October 13, 2023

Runtime

92 minutes

Director

Ariane Louis-Seize

Writers

Christine Doyon

Producers

Jeanne-Marie Poulain

Cast

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  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Sara Montpetit

    Sasha

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Félix-Antoine Bénard

    Paul

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Steve Laplante

    Aurélien

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Sophie Cadieux

    Georgette

Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person follows Sasha, a sensitive young vampire who struggles with killing for sustenance. When her parents halt her blood supply, she forms a unique bond with Paul, a suicidal teenager. Together, they embark on a journey to address Paul’s final wishes overnight.

Main Genre

Horror

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While they’ve been in movies for almost as long as movies have been a thing, vampires were rarely as humanized as they are today, before the 2000s. After Interview With A Vampire in 1994, which was recently adapted into a miniseries, the late ’90s started seeing a mainstream shift when Buffy the Vampire Slayer started airing in 1997, which didn’t take very long to start portraying vampires as sympathetic. Then came the romance franchise Twilight, which gave Kristen Stewart her breakout role that she’s most known for, and ensured vampires would no longer exclusively be linked to horror.

Megan Fox as Jennifer stands in a blood-stained dress in Jennifer's Body.

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Ariana Louis-Seize’s vampire film similarly has significant rom-com traits, although it’s still partly a horror movie as well. The protagonist isn’t just humanized like the Cullens from Twilight, she refuses to kill a human for sustenance. The wicked humor and the memorable character interactions make this a unique horror-comedy that already is and will continue to be a cult classic among fans of vampires and experimental horror filmmaking. Set in a world that feels lived-in and filled to the brim with quirky details, it’s also partly a coming-of-age story.

9

Speak No Evil (2022)

Directed By Christian Tafdrup

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Speak No Evil

Not Rated

Horror

Thriller

ScreenRant logo

8/10

7/10

Release Date

March 17, 2022

Runtime

97 minutes

Director

Christian Tafdrup

Writers

Christian Tafdrup, Mads Tafdrup

Cast

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  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Morten Burian

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Sidsel Siem Koch

Speak No Evil is a psychological horror film directed by Christian Tafdrup. Released in 2022, the movie follows a Danish family who accepts an invitation to visit a Dutch family they met on vacation. As their stay progresses, the Danish couple starts to uncover the unsettling reality behind their hosts’ hospitality, leading to a tense and disturbing climax. The film explores themes of social awkwardness and the dark undercurrents of human interaction.

Main Genre

Horror

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One of the most diabolical horror villains in recent times can be found in Christian Tafdrup’s Speak No Evil. Following a family who takes an invitation to go live with a couple they met during a vacation, it is a slow boil of mind games. The escalation of the discomfort into panic and ultimately into an unforgettably scarring gorefest makes Speak No Evil rather rewarding to watch.

While Watkins and the cast of the American remake decided a different ending would suit the story better, Christian Tafdrup has said he doesn’t like the new ending, admitting that the cultural divide may be responsible for which audience will prefer which ending.

The Tafdrup brothers have written a deliberately paced screenplay that lulls viewers into a sense of comfort and safety before introducing unshakable despair. It features some shocking moments that will make viewers audibly gasp as they helplessly watch the terror unfold. The film was such a hit with audiences that there was a Hollywood remake in 2024, directed by James Watkins, which, to the contention of many viewers, changes the ending. The original ending is intense and memorable, and earns Speak No Evil the reputation of being one of the best horror movies in a decade.

8

When Evil Lurks (2023)

Directed By Demián Rugna

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When Evil Lurks

NR

Horror

Thriller

10/10

Release Date

October 6, 2023

Runtime

100 minutes

Director

Demián Rugna

Writers

Demián Rugna

Producers

Fernando Díaz, Roxana Ramos, Emily Gotto

Cast

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In rural Argentina, brothers Pedro and Jimmy discover a mutilated corpse, leading them to confront a malevolent demonic force threatening their community. Demián Rugna’s “When Evil Lurks” delivers a relentless and brutal horror experience, eschewing genre norms to craft a uniquely terrifying narrative.

Main Genre

Horror

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Argentine filmmaker Demián Rugna has made impressively terrifying films in the last 10 years. While his 2017 film Terrified was one of the scariest movies to come out in the 2010s, the follow-up, When Evil Lurks, is even more horrifying. Featuring a horror movie monster that’s nightmare fuel, the movie tells the story of a village haunted by a spirit that possesses people and influences those around them to kill them.

The utter chaos caused by the characters’ erratic behavior and the extremely violent action will keep you glued to your seats even when you’ll want to look away. The gore isn’t sensational either – it’s often very slowly built up and has depressing implications – there’s a poignant exploration of social dynamics through the premise of mass paranoia. While there’s a compelling mystery at the heart of the story, the anxious buildup towards shocking moments of violence is the most compelling aspect of this brilliant supernatural horror movie.

7

November (2017)

Directed by Rainer Sarnet

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November

Drama

Fantasy

Romance

Horror

Release Date

October 22, 2017

Director

Rainer Sarnet

Writers

Rainer Sarnet, Andrus Kivirähk

Cast

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  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Rea Lest

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Jörgen Liik

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Arvo Kukumägi

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Heino Kalm

November is an Estonian fantasy drama film directed by Rainer Sarnet. Set in a pagan village, the film blends folklore and surrealism to depict the lives of villagers who navigate love, death, and magic. Featuring a monochromatic visual style, November explores themes of superstition and human desire amidst a harsh, rural landscape.

Main Genre

Drama

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Horror is an interestingly strong medium for sociopolitical commentary as it allows a writer to explore people’s various attitudes to conflict and fear. Rainer Sarnet’s November is set in a mythical village in Estonia which is inhabited by spirits and werewolves. Mythological beings like the Devil and the Plague are also in the village, and people attempt to dupe them as they do whatever it takes to survive the harsh winter.

The fantasy premise and setting provide context for exploring the societal customs and the inherent greed in humans.

A corrupt society, scorned supernatural beings, shocking moments, detailed world-building, sensory immersion, and a doomed love story with a werewolf in the mix – there are simply too many things to love about November if you’re a horror aficionado. The fantasy premise and setting provide context for exploring the societal customs and the inherent greed in humans. It plays out like a fable in monochrome that tells a story of extremes.

6

Despite The Night (2015)

Directed by Philippe Grandrieux

Still from Despite the Night (2015)

An experimental horror film that plays out like a fever dream from the mind of the late David Lynch, Despite The Night often doesn’t seem to be narrative cinema. What feels like scraps and remnants of incomplete ruminations about lust and sexuality have been stitched together for a frenzied exploration of pornography. A grief-stricken woman and a heartbroken man bond together in the dark underbelly of sex work in Paris.

With such a premise and a vision that feels obscure and yet entirely lacking in subtlety, Phillippe Grandrieux takes viewers on a journey of sexual expression that is horrifying, and yet not entirely in the same sense as a horror movie. The human body becomes both canvas and painting for the viewer to scrutinize, observe, project onto and become one with, as they allow their senses to be taken over by dream-like editing. While it can feel too abstract at times, the joy of watching Despite the Night isn’t in comprehension, or even in titillation, it’s in surrender.

5

Climax (2018)

Directed By Gaspar Noé

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Climax

R

Horror

Drama

8/10

Release Date

September 19, 2018

Runtime

97 minutes

Director

Gaspar Noé

Writers

Gaspar Noé

Producers

Édouard Weil, Richard Grandpierre, Vincent Maraval, Brahim Chioua, Eddy Moretti

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Sofia Boutella

    Sofia Boutella

    Selva

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Romain Guillermic

    David

Climax is a 2018 film directed by Gaspar Noé, featuring a dance troupe whose rehearsal descends into chaos and horror after they unwittingly consume drug-laced sangria. As tensions rise, the group struggles to survive the night and uncover the person responsible for the spiked drink in an isolated setting.

Main Genre

Horror

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Gaspar Noé’s last full-length horror feature film was his only A24 movie. While the studio is famous for its impactful movies in all genres, its horror movies are some of the best, and Climax is no exception. The typical twisted and cynical exploration of the human psyche and a descent into chaotic self-destruction – the Noé signature – drives this film’s narrative, which can roughly be divided into two conflicting halves.

Imagery from Everything Everywhere All at Once, Hereditary, and The Lighthouse

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3

Opening with a dance troupe’s jubilant afterparty, the first half of the film is a dreamy and titillating series of interpretive dancing, with the same energy as a sex-romp. At about the halfway point, when the cinematography shifts with the use of a hand-held camera, everyone starts behaving erratically. What follows is a drug-fueled rampage of humans turning on each other, killing each other, and resorting to all sorts of violent debauchery. The shift is so sudden, it’ll catch you unaware, and the cynicism that drives the story will definitely drain some viewers.

4

Train To Busan (2016)

Directed By Yeon Sang-Ho

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Train to Busan

t

Horror

Action

9.8/10

Release Date

July 1, 2016

Runtime

118minutes

Director

Yeon Sang-ho

Writers

Yeon Sang-ho

Sequel(s)

Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula

Cast

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  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Gong Yoo

Directed by Yeon Sang-ho and starring Gong Yoo, Ma Dong-seok, Jung Yu-mi, Kim Su-an, Ahn So-hee, Choi Woo-shik, and Kim Eui-sung, the 2016 South Korean zombie movie Train To Busan revolves around a father’s quest to protect his daughter aboard a high-speed train filled with zombies. Its success launched a franchise composed of the animated prequel movie Seoul Station, the heist-themed sequel Peninsula, and the English-language adaptation The Last Train to New York.

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If demonic possession and spiritual haunting can be premises for sociopolitical commentary, then why not zombies? Snakes on a plane may be funny, but zombies on a train definitely aren’t. Class-conscious storytelling introduces an extra layer of contemplation to what is otherwise an emotionally heavy horror movie. Between scary zombies and unbelievably cool stunts, however, it’s just as much an action movie at times.

Train to Busan is arguably the most influential horror movie since The Evil Dead.

While zombie movies have been around since the birth of horror cinema, few movies have been as influential as the classic horror movie that will always be scary, Sam Raimi’s The Evil Dead. Since its release in the 1980s, the genre blew up, and during the 2000s especially, there was a growth in the number of formulaic zombie movies being made. Train to Busan is arguably the most influential horror movie since The Evil Dead, as its energetic pace and claustrophobic action along with the horrifying visuals and gore has reinvigorated the genre.

3

The Wailing (2016)

Directed By Na Hong-jin

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The Wailing

10/10

Release Date

June 3, 2016

Runtime

2h 36m

Director

Na Hong-jin

Cast

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  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Jun Kunimura

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Hwang Jung-min

The arrival of a mysterious stranger in a quiet village coincides with a wave of vicious murders, causing panic and distrust among the residents. While investigating the suspect, a policeman realizes that his daughter may have been a victim of the attack.

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A common trait of sensational horror movies is a limited runtime. Brief, intense, gory, and shocking – this seems to be considered a winning blueprint in the industry, and for good reason. If a horror movie doesn’t have much to say apart from spooking its viewers or leaving a nagging thought, then brevity is its strongest weapon to hit the audience with. However, a meditative approach to storytelling can incorporate layers that feel rewarding when the long runtime is over and even adds rewatch value beyond the wish to relive a thrill.

Na Hong-jin’s The Wailing, one of the most terrifying Korean ghost horror movies, understands this better than few other horror movies made in recent times. Yes, it meanders at time, and can even feel repetitive, but there’s a method to the madness. The nearly mechanical reiteration of the horror impresses on the mind just how systemic and fearful the circumstance can be. A strange man’s arrival in a town is followed by the spreading of an illness that no one can seemingly treat, and the meditative pace helps the film explore how tensions flare and create a lived-in world.

2

One Cut Of The Dead (2017)

Directed By Shin’ichirô Ueda

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One Cut of the Dead

Comedy

Horror

Drama

10/10

Release Date

November 4, 2017

Runtime

96 minutes

Director

Shin’ichirô Ueda

Writers

Shin’ichirô Ueda

Cast

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  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Takayuki Hamatsu

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Yuzuki Akiyama

One Cut of the Dead is a Japanese indie film directed by Shinichirou Ueda. The story follows a film crew shooting a low-budget zombie movie, only to be interrupted by real zombies. The film showcases an innovative take on the horror-comedy genre, with surprising narrative twists that defy the typical conventions of zombie cinema.

Main Genre

Horror

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With films like Shaun of the Dead, Zombieland, which has one of the best surprise movie cameos, and more recently, Evil Dead Rise, zombies have been similarly demystified like vampires since the early 2000s. Rom-coms like Warm Bodies, and Christmas musicals like Anna & the Apocalypse, uniquely imaginative takes on zombies, can be found today. However, unlike with vampires, this isn’t nearly as all-encompassing, because zombies are still inadvertently associated almost exclusively with horror.

So, even if a film takes a comical approach to zombies, it is commonly a horror-comedy and not an out-and-out comedy. Shin’ichirô Ueda’s One Cut of the Dead is such a movie. It understands the inherent humor one can find in the absurdity of the human body, but also never forgets how terrifying zombie mutilation can be. A love letter to cinema, it is a wild movie that follows a film crew that gets attacked by zombies. The high-octane action, frenzied editing choices, and hilarious antics keep viewers guessing what’s going to happen next right until the end.

1

The Wolf House (2018)

Directed By Cristóbal León & Joaquin Cociña

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The Wolf House

Horror

Drama

Animation

Release Date

November 1, 2018

Runtime

75 Minutes

Director

Cristóbal León, Joaquín Cociña

Writers

Cristóbal León, Joaquín Cociña, Alejandra Moffat

Cast

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  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Amalia Kassai

    María / Ana / Pedro

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Rainer Krause

    Wolf

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Karina Hyland

    Introduction Actor

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Carlos Cociña

The Wolf House, directed by Cristóbal León and Joaquín Cociña, follows María, who escapes from a sectarian community in Chile. She seeks refuge in an abandoned house in the forest, as she flees the oppressive regime of Colonia Dignidad, led by the tyrannical Paul Schäfer.

Main Genre

Horror

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Supernatural or fictional scenarios provide horror directors with a stage or setting to explore gritty truths about humanity. However, no premise can be more powerful in this endeavor than an imaginative exploration of human behavior during an actual crisis. Using poignant stop-motion animation, and a reimagined version of the classic fable of The Three Little Pigs, The Wolf House tells a horrifying real-life story.

It Follows and Train to Busan characters

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Based on an actual cult that was active in Chile during the Second World War, it follows a terrified protagonist as she discovers the underlying horrors behind the false sense of harmony that the cult maintained. The fluid animation style reflects the frantic state of mind of the little girl as she runs around in hope of refuge. There are many animated horror movies perfect for a family watch, but The Wolf House is too dark and inappropriate for a younger audience, much like another famous animated war movie, the Studio Ghibli film Grave of the Fireflies.