82nd Oscars Gems: Diverse Indie Films from Around the Globe

Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty

2008 • 6 min

Animation, Comedy, Fantasy

A seemingly sweet old woman, Granny O'Grimm, begins to tell her granddaughter the story of Sleeping Beauty. As she recounts the tale, Granny’s memory falters, and her version of the classic fairytale becomes increasingly bizarre and unsettling.

5.7

6.4

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Bright Star

2009 • 119 min • Budget $10M • Box office $14M

Drama, Romance

In 1818, spirited Fanny Brawne becomes increasingly fascinated by John Keats, a handsome but reserved poet who lives near her family's friends, the Dilkes. After reading his poetry, she is even more captivated by his quiet nature. He agrees to…

6.6

6.9

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The White Ribbon

2009 • 144 min • Budget $21M • Box office $11M

Drama, Mystery

An old tailor reflects on his time as a schoolteacher in a remote Northern German village during the year before World War I, a period marked by a series of unusual occurrences.

7.5

7.8

17+

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The Most Dangerous Man in America

2009 • 92 min

Documentary

"The Most Dangerous Man in America" tells the story of a former Pentagon employee who, driven by his conscience and possessing a collection of classified documents, takes it upon himself to confront a powerful presidency. He aims to end the…

7.3

7.7

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Kavi

2009 • 19 min

A young boy tries to escape his life as a bonded laborer in an Indian brick kiln.

5.6

6.7

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Avatar

2009 • 162 min • Budget $237M • Box office $2B

Science Fiction, Action, Adventure

In the 22nd century, a paralyzed Marine is sent to the moon Pandora on a special assignment. He finds himself struggling to choose between obeying his orders and safeguarding the planet's indigenous people.

7.6

7.9

13+

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A Serious Man

2009 • 106 min • Budget $7M • Box office $31M

Comedy, Drama

In 1967, Larry Gopnik, a physics professor at a peaceful Midwestern university, learns from his wife Judith that she is leaving him for Sy Ableman, one of Larry's colleagues – a man she finds more impressive.

6.7

7.0

17+

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Sherlock Holmes

2009 • 129 min • Budget $90M • Box office $524M

Action, Adventure, Crime

Sherlock Holmes, the unconventional consulting detective, and Dr. John Watson face a dangerous new enemy and must solve a perilous scheme threatening England's stability.

7.2

7.5

13+

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The Secret in Their Eyes

2009 • 130 min • Budget $2M • Box office $33M

Mystery, Thriller, Drama

Retired criminal investigator Benjamín tries to resolve lingering issues from a previous case by writing a novel about the unsolved rape and murder of a new bride. He works with a former colleague, Judge Irene, to understand what happened.

8.0

8.2

17+

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The Lovely Bones

2009 • 136 min • Budget $65M • Box office $93M

Fantasy, Drama

Following her murder, 14-year-old Susie Salmon observes her grieving family from heaven, including her killer. Watching their everyday lives unfold, she struggles to reconcile her need for revenge with her hope for their healing.

7.1

6.6

13+

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The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner

2009 • 37 min

This documentary examines the debate surrounding a ballot initiative in Washington State concerning assisted suicide.

6.0

7.2

A Prophet

2009 • 155 min • Budget $13M • Box office $17M

Crime, Drama

Malik El Djebena receives a six-year prison sentence. Having never learned to read or write, he feels isolated and vulnerable upon entering prison. He quickly becomes drawn to a dominant group of Corsican inmates who control life within the prison…

7.6

7.8

17+

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China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province

2009 • 38 min

In May 2008, a devastating earthquake struck Sichuan Province, China, claiming nearly 70,000 lives, including 10,000 children. Across the region, schools built with substandard materials collapsed, trapping students – often the only children of their families – inside. The parents,…

6.4

7.3

Fantastic Mr. Fox

2009 • 87 min • Budget $40M • Box office $46M

Adventure, Animation, Comedy

Feeling restless, Mr. Fox devises a daring plan to steal chickens from three nearby farmers. The farmers, fed up with the fox's constant raids, plot their revenge on him and his family.

7.8

7.9

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Up

2009 • 96 min • Budget $175M • Box office $735M

Animation, Comedy, Family

Carl Fredricksen has always longed to travel and live life to the fullest. But at 78, he feels his opportunities have vanished, until an unexpected turn of events – and the determined 8-year-old Wilderness Explorer Russell – offer him a…

8.0

8.3

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The Secret of Kells

2009 • 78 min • Budget $8M • Box office $1M

Animation, Family, Fantasy

Twelve-year-old Brendan embarks on an adventure to find a crystal and complete the legendary Book of Kells. He must battle Vikings and a serpent god on a secret quest beyond his abbey, into an enchanted forest filled with mythical creatures.…

7.4

7.5

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The Cove

2009 • 92 min • Box office $1M

Documentary

"The Cove" recounts the remarkable true story of a dedicated team of filmmakers and freedivers who secretly entered a secluded cove in Japan to expose a disturbing and dangerous truth. Their startling findings revealed a much larger, more troubling reality.

7.9

8.4

13+

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+13

A Single Man

2009 • 100 min • Budget $7M • Box office $25M

Drama, Romance

In 1962 Los Angeles, during the Cuban missile crisis, a British college professor struggles with his memories and uncertainty about what lies ahead. The film follows him through one day as a series of events and people prompt him to…

7.3

7.5

17+

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+10

The Blind Side

2009 • 129 min • Budget $29M • Box office $309M

Drama

This is the true story of Michael Oher, a young man who overcame a difficult childhood as a homeless and traumatized child to become an All-American football star and a highly-drafted NFL player, thanks to the support of a compassionate…

7.7

7.6

13+

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Paris 36

2008 • 120 min • Box office $12M

Drama

Set against the backdrop of a turbulent 1936 Paris, this historical drama, with music by Christophe Barratier, follows the emergence of a new talent during a period of both excitement and upheaval. As the rise of the Third Reich casts…

6.1

6.5

13+

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Ajami

2009 • 120 min • Budget $1M • Box office $1M

Crime, Drama

In the diverse neighborhood of Ajami, Tel Aviv, where Arabs, Palestinians, Jews, and Christians coexist uneasily, lives Omar, an Israeli Arab fighting to protect his family from ruthless extortionists. He also pursues a relationship with Hadir, a beautiful Christian woman.…

7.0

7.2

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Crazy Heart

2009 • 112 min • Budget $7M • Box office $47M

Drama, Music, Romance

Reporter Jean Craddock interviews Bad Blake, a washed-up country music star struggling with alcoholism. They form a connection, and the aging singer sees a chance for redemption in a life with Jean and her young son.

6.9

7.2

17+

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An Education

2009 • 100 min • Budget $7M • Box office $26M

Drama, Romance

Jenny, a bright and beautiful teenager with dreams of Oxford, has lived a sheltered life. Her world changes when David, a charming older man, enters her life driving a stylish car. Jenny experiences a taste of adulthood that profoundly impacts…

6.9

7.2

13+

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A Matter of Loaf and Death

2008 • 30 min

Family, Animation, Comedy

Wallace and Gromit start a bakery and unexpectedly find themselves caught up in a murder investigation. While Wallace is distracted by romance, Gromit must solve the crime on his own.

7.3

7.6

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

2009 • 123 min • Budget $30M • Box office $64M

Adventure, Fantasy, Mystery

A man is rescued by a traveling carnival group and, in return, agrees to assist their immortal leader. The leader needs him to gather five souls as part of a wager with the devil.

6.4

6.7

13+

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In the Loop

2009 • 106 min • Budget $1M • Box office $6M

Comedy

The US President and the UK Prime Minister are preparing to initiate a war in the Middle East. However, within their governments, officials and advisors are deeply divided, with some advocating for the conflict and others working to prevent it.

7.0

7.4

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+12

Il Divo

2008 • 113 min • Budget $7M • Box office $11M

Drama

Italy, early 1990s. Giulio Andreotti, a powerful and enigmatic politician, has dominated Italian politics for decades. He has weathered countless crises—elections, terrorist attacks, personal tragedies, and damaging accusations. Now, however, former Mafia members begin to suggest his involvement in Cosa…

7.6

7.2

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The Hurt Locker

2008 • 131 min • Budget $15M • Box office $49M

Drama, Thriller, War

Set during the Iraq War, the film follows a Sergeant newly assigned to an army bomb squad. His unconventional approach to the job creates friction and conflict with his fellow squad members.

7.3

7.5

17+

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Logorama

2009 • 16 min

Animation, Crime, Comedy

Two police officers, resembling Michelin Man characters, pursue an armed Ronald McDonald through the streets of a uniquely designed city.

7.1

7.5

17+

Food, Inc.

2008 • 94 min • Budget $1M • Box office $4M

Documentary

Documentary filmmaker Robert Kenner explores how large corporations now control every part of the American food system, from farming to restaurants and supermarkets. Narrated by Eric Schlosser, the film includes interviews with ordinary Americans about what they eat, insights from…

7.3

7.8

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+10

Burma VJ: Reporting from a Closed Country

2008 • 84 min

Documentary

Acclaimed filmmaker Anders Østergaard offers an intimate look at the video journalists risking everything to report from Burma. Facing potential torture and imprisonment, these brave young people embody the core of journalism by relentlessly providing news from a country tightly…

7.2

7.8

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Instead of Abracadabra

2008 • 22 min

A man who is still living with his parents strives to achieve his ambition of becoming a magician.

7.1

The Young Victoria

2009 • 105 min • Budget $35M • Box office $29M

Drama, History, Romance

Teenage Victoria, the sole heir to the English throne, finds herself navigating complex family politics. Her mother pressures her to sign a document granting regency powers, while her Belgian uncle plots a marriage between Victoria and Prince Albert, a union…

7.2

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Rabbit à la Berlin

2009 • 39 min

This is the story of wild rabbits who lived in the no-man's land between the Berlin Wall for 28 years. The heavily guarded "Death Zone" provided them with abundant food and protection from predators and human interference, creating a haven…

6.4

7.5

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Coco Before Chanel

2009 • 110 min

Drama, History

Years after leaving the orphanage where her father never returned, Gabrielle Chanel works in a small-town bar. She sews costumes for the performers and sings, earning the nickname Coco from a song she performs with her sister each night. A…

6.9

6.6

13+

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Up in the Air

2009 • 110 min • Budget $25M • Box office $166M

Drama, Romance

Ryan Bingham is a corporate recruiter who travels constantly for his job. He lives out of airports and hotels, and is close to achieving ten million frequent flyer miles. However, meeting a woman makes him question his detached lifestyle.

6.9

7.4

17+

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Which Way Home

2009 • 90 min

This film follows unaccompanied child migrants as they journey through Mexico in an attempt to reach the United States.

7.8

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Star Trek

2009 • 127 min • Budget $150M • Box office $386M

Science Fiction, Action, Adventure

The galaxy's future depends on two rivals: James Kirk, a rebellious farm boy with a thirst for adventure, and Spock, a Vulcan raised to suppress emotion and embrace logic. Their contrasting approaches create a powerful partnership as they navigate perilous…

7.4

7.9

13+

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Invictus

2009 • 134 min • Budget $60M • Box office $122M

Drama, History

Following apartheid's end, President Nelson Mandela recognizes deep racial and economic divisions within South Africa. Hoping to unite the country through sport, he inspires the nation's rugby team as they achieve a historic run to the 1995 Rugby World Cup…

7.2

7.3

13+

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Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

2009 • 150 min • Budget $200M • Box office $836M

Science Fiction, Action, Adventure

Sam Witwicky tries to settle into an ordinary life, leaving his friends the Autobots behind. However, strange symbols begin appearing in his mind, drawing the attention of the Decepticons. Suddenly, Sam is pulled back into the Transformers' conflict.

6.2

6.0

13+

Stream on

+12

The New Tenants

2009 • 20 min

Two men starting over in a new apartment face a disastrous move, greeted by an intrusive neighbor, a strange drug dealer, and a vengeful husband. The apartment itself holds a dark past, unfolding in a film that blends humor, suspense,…

6.0

6.9

14+

The Messenger

2009 • 113 min • Budget $6M • Box office $1M

Drama, Romance

Returning home from Iraq, U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Will Montgomery is assigned to the Army's Casualty Notification service, where he and Captain Tony Stone deliver news of fallen soldiers to their families. Montgomery becomes connected to Olivia Pitterson, the widow…

6.8

7.1

17+

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+16

Precious

2009 • 110 min • Budget $10M • Box office $47M

Drama

Harlem, 1987. Sixteen-year-old Claireece "Precious" Jones faces unimaginable hardship. Pregnant again by her father, who is absent from her life, Precious endures a brutal home life dominated by an abusive mother. At school, amidst chaos, Precious has surprisingly maintained good…

7.3

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The Last Station

2009 • 112 min

Drama, Romance

This historical drama explores Russian author Leo Tolstoy's conflict between fame and fortune and his desire for a simple life. Tolstoy's wife, Countess Sofya, manipulates his close friend, believing he influenced Tolstoy to change his will, leaving his literary works…

6.4

6.9

17+

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The Door

2008 • 17 min

In the aftermath of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, a father bravely returns to his abandoned apartment to recover his front door.

6.5

7.1

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Music by Prudence

2010 • 33 min

Music by Prudence follows a young woman and her band as they rise above incredible challenges, proving that disability does not equal inability through their own powerful voices. The film has become a vital tool for disability rights advocacy, embraced…

6.8

7.0

Nine

2009 • 118 min • Budget $80M • Box office $53M

Drama, Music, Romance

Movie director Guido Contini, arrogant and self-absorbed, is searching for meaning in his life and a script for his new film. With a week until production starts, he desperately seeks answers and inspiration from his wife, his mistress, his muse,…

5.5

5.8

13+

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The Princess and the Frog

2009 • 98 min • Budget $105M • Box office $270M

Animation, Romance, Fantasy

A waitress determined to open her own restaurant embarks on a quest to break a curse and transform a frog prince back into a man. However, she discovers that kissing him only results in her facing the same predicament.

7.2

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French Roast

2008 • 8 min

Animation

At a sophisticated café in Paris, a meticulous businessman realizes he's forgotten his wallet. He patiently waits, ordering additional coffee as he figures out a solution.

6.8

7.0

Julie & Julia

2009 • 123 min • Budget $40M • Box office $129M

Romance, Drama

The memoirs of Julia Child and Julie Powell connect two women adrift in their lives. Despite living in different eras and locations, both find a renewed sense of purpose when they realize that with passion, courage, and a little butter,…

6.7

7.0

13+

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The Milk of Sorrow

2009 • 94 min

Drama

Fausta is afflicted with a rare condition called the Milk of Sorrow, a disease passed through breast milk from mothers who experienced abuse during or shortly after pregnancy. Living with constant fear and disorientation because of this illness, she is…

6.3

6.7

Inglourious Basterds

2009 • 153 min • Budget $70M • Box office $321M

Drama, Thriller, War

During World War II in Nazi-occupied France, a unit of Jewish-American soldiers called "The Basterds" is tasked with spreading terror within the Third Reich through brutal acts of violence against Nazis. Led by Lieutenant Aldo Raine, The Basterds encounter a…

8.2

8.4

17+

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The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant

2009 • 40 min

This is the story of the final days at a General Motors plant in Moraine, Ohio, told from the perspective of the workers who kept the assembly line running.

5.8

6.9

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Miracle Fish

2010 • 17 min

On his eighth birthday, Joe experiences a day he won't soon forget. Following a bullying incident with his friends, he retreats to the school sick bay and wishes for everyone to disappear. He awakens to the unsettling possibility that his…

6.2

7.2

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Coraline

2009 • 100 min • Budget $60M • Box office $185M

Animation, Family, Fantasy

In a dull new town, eleven-year-old Coraline explores her old house and finds a secret door leading to a seemingly perfect alternate world. To remain there, she faces a terrifyingly real choice.

7.9

7.8

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District 9

2009 • 112 min • Budget $30M • Box office $210M

Science Fiction

Thirty years ago, aliens landed on Earth seeking refuge from their own planet's destruction. Confined to a segregated area in South Africa called District 9, they are overseen by Multi-National United, who prioritize exploiting their advanced technology over their well-being.…

7.5

7.9

17+

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The Lady and the Reaper

2009 • 8 min • Budget $700K

Animation, Comedy

A kind elderly woman lives alone on her farm, anticipating reuniting with her late husband. One night, as she sleeps, she experiences a fading of consciousness and is invited to pass into the afterlife. But just as she is about…

6.9

7.2

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

2009 • 153 min • Budget $250M • Box office $933M

Adventure, Fantasy

With Lord Voldemort's power growing over both the ordinary and magical worlds, Hogwarts is no longer a place of safety. Harry worries about hidden dangers within the castle, but Dumbledore focuses on preparing him for the inevitable final battle. They…

7.7

7.6

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