If you haven’t been living under a rock for the past four years, but more specifically the last week, then you’ll know that America is really struggling. With the insurrection at the Capitol, COVID-19 still thriving, and Trump’s refusal to accept the outcome of the election, it is clear that America is in a bad place. Now if you’re like me and spend all your time watching the news, here are 10 international movies and TV shows on Netflix.  

Movies

• About Time (England)

This film takes place in London and follows Tim Lake as he finds out the men in his family can travel back in time and uses it to build a perfect relationship with Mary. Taking place in London It’s a lighthearted rom-com with a lot of heart. It’s perfect for when you want to forget about your own love life and live vicariously through theirs. 

• The Platform (Spain)

What if the amount of food you got was determined by how much those above you don’t eat. In The Platform, this is the reality. In a tall rectangular building, residents live on platforms that are switched every month. Those at the top are served first, and everyone below them is served their leftovers. It’s a dystopian thriller that’s not for the faint of heart. It deals with heavy topics and has graphic, violent scenes. But if you’re willing to watch, it’s worth it. 

• Hunt for the Wilderpeople (New Zealand)

Taika Waititi’s 2016 film tells the cliche coming of age story of a “troubled teen” finding his place in the world, but it never feels cliche. It is incredibly witty and well written, which is to be expected of Waititi at this point. It was his second feature-length film, and you wouldn’t be able to tell.

• The Grizzlies (Canada)

Based on a true story, The Grizzlies follows a group of Inuit students who find new purposes after a new teacher comes to the school and introduces them to lacrosse. Though it can fall down the white savior trope at times it does a good job of keeping the harmful cliche from taking over the movie. As well as being a thoughtful coming of age story, it’s also a sports movie, and who doesn’t like a good sports movie. 

• Divines (France) 

Set in the poverty-stricken outskirts of Paris, this film follows Dounia, an ambitious teen, as she tries to escape her money problems by getting herself involved in illegal business. Nominated for Best Foreign-language Film at the Golden Globes and directed by a woman, Divines is a magnificent film that tells a story about women. Women are the core of this film, they star in it, they direct it, and they wrote it. 

TV Shows

• Elite (Spain)

Elite follows the lives of the students at Las Encinas and the crimes they commit. With a telenovela-esque plot, Elite is hard to stop watching. It has compelling characters who are able to stand out despite it being an ensemble show. It’s a mystery teen drama with three seasons already out and the fourth is on its way. 

• The Rain (Scandinavia)

Six years after a virus wipes out most of Scandinavia, two siblings leave their bunker to search for their father, who may have the cure and answers. Along the way, they join other survivors on this adventure. This post-apocalyptic drama is currently completed with its third and final season having come out in August 2020. 

• Terrace House (Japan, Hawaii)

Six attractive strangers. One beautiful house. New location. This is the basic premise of the Reality show Terrace House. Three normal girls and three normal boys have to live in one house together while going about their day-to-day lives. They make lifelong friends, find love, and eat amazing food. There are three branches of this show all in different locations; Boys and Girls in the City which takes place in Tokyo, Aloha State in Hawaii, and Opening New Doors in Karuizawa. Though it may take a couple of episodes to get into once you’re into it it’s addicting. It’s a great show to binge because there are 14 seasons across all locations. 

• Unrequited Love (China)

This college-age romance follows a group of students who have complicated relationships with each other; almost all of them have an unrequited crush on one another. Our main character, Lou Zhi, has been in love with Sheng Huainan since she was little but has never gotten the courage to tell him. This show is, in a word, bittersweet. It’s sweet how purely in love these characters are with each other, but it’s better when their advances are ignored in favor of another’s love. 

• Peaky Blinders (England)

Post World War I England is taken by storm by the gang, The Peaky Blinders in this hit show. This show is gritty, and it is dark, and it’s a lot of fun. With a large ensemble of witty characters’ criminal schemes, The Peaky Blinders never seems to get boring. There are 5 seasons of this show and a 6th on the way, which is the perfect length to binge.