What was the first non-English language film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture?
Last updated: February 10, 2025
For nearly a century, the Academy Awards treated foreign language films like fascinating outsiders, relegating them to their own special category. While international films occasionally grabbed nominations in major categories, one barrier remained unbroken. Which groundbreaking movie finally became the first non-English language film to win Best Picture?
What was the first non-English language film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture?
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The answer is: "Parasite"
Foreign language films at the Oscars usually get a polite pat on the head and a Best International Feature trophy. Then "Parasite" walked in and changed everything. Bong Joon-ho's razor-sharp takedown of wealth inequality stormed the 2020 ceremony, snatching Best Picture plus three more major awards while Hollywood lost its collective mind.
The victory hit different because Bong had spent awards season playfully mocking the Oscars, calling them "very local" with a straight face. Then after collecting practically every award possible, he stood there grinning at the podium, apologizing to the trophy engravers who had to stamp his name over and over.
Most theaters planned just a limited release for "Parasite," assuming subtitled films wouldn't draw crowds. Instead, audiences packed screenings and wouldn't stop talking about it. By the time the film hit $250 million worldwide, everyone in Hollywood was suddenly a massive fan of Korean cinema.
The Best Picture moment turned into beautiful chaos. Jane Fonda read "Parasite" off the card and the Dolby Theatre erupted. When the orchestra tried their usual "please wrap it up" music, the entire room started screaming "Up! Up!" like they were at a rock concert. The producers finally gave up trying to play off the speeches because everyone, including the orchestra, was too busy celebrating. For once, the Oscars' infamous rigid scheduling got steamrolled by pure joy.