Similar to watching Spanish series, enjoying Spanish movies is another fun and easy way to learn and practice the language.
Who likes to sit down and memorize vocabulary by heart or endlessly fill in all those exercise gaps until bored to tears?
Besides, this doesn’t guarantee you will memorize the vocabulary.
So, we gave it a thought and decided to make this post about the top Spanish movies from Spain on Netflix. You’ll see how this will make your Spanish learning a lot more interesting.
Did you know that, when watching a movie, you practice your listening and pronunciation skills in the first place, plus discover new vocabulary, expressions, slang, and culture?
You also learn and practice the language in a more fun way compared to attending classes or using textbooks.
If you are a beginner, turn the subtitles on. However, once you get to a certain level of Spanish, watch Spanish movies without subtitles. Try to understand the plot and scenes through the context, images, and words you already know.
Now, we prepared the top 10 Spanish movies from Spain on Netflix to learn and practice Castilian Spanish. You will find them below.
CONTENTS
Top 10 Spanish Movies on Netflix from Spain
Pan’s Labyrinth
Pan’s Labyrinth (El laberinto del fauno) is a drama fantasy war movie from 2006. It was nominated for and won several awards, including seven Goya and three Oscar awards. Fun fact: The English subtitles were translated by the director of the movie, Guillermo del Toro, because he didn’t like the subtitles of his previous Spanish movie.
Plot
The movie takes place in Spain in 1944 during the Francoist dictatorship and tells the story of a sadistic army officer’s stepdaughter who escapes to a magical and fantasy world. It is one of those good Spanish movies on Netflix that will leave you speechless.
What You Will Learn
You will pick up some war and fantasy vocabulary.
Also, you will see a piece of Spanish history: the dictatorship years. So, consider it a bit of a history lesson too.
The Invisible Guest
The Invisible Guest (Contratiempo) is a crime mystery thriller movie that first aired in 2017. It became the most-watched Spanish movie in China and the largest ticket-selling Spanish movie abroad in 2017.
Personally, this is our favorite among all these Spanish movies from Spain on Netflix.
Plot
A successful businessman wakes up in a room at a hotel accused of murder. With the aid of the best defense attorney, he has less than three hours to come up with a good defense.
What You Will Learn
This is one of those Spanish movies where, besides learning general vocabulary, you will pick up some police and crime vocabulary.
The movie mainly takes place in Barcelona and the Catalan Pyrenees. So be ready to enjoy the beautiful views of Barcelona and a part of the Catalan Pyrenees, Vall de Nuria.
Even The Rain
Even the Rain (También la lluvia) is a 2010 drama movie. This one is among the Spanish movies from Spain on Netflix that were nominated and won several awards, including three Goya awards. Thus, it was chosen as Spain’s foreign-language Oscar entry.
Plot
The movie follows a filmmaker and his crew who go to Bolivia to film a historical movie about the arrival of Columbus and the Spaniards to the New World. During the shooting, they get involved in controversy when protests start due to the privatization of the water supply. As the riots escalate, they face the tension that rises among each other.
What You Will Learn
Besides practicing Castilian Spanish, you will get familiar with Bolivian, Mexican, and Argentinian Spanish. Also, you will hear other languages, such as Quechua and English.
Spanish movies like this one tell a story about Spanish colonization, so here’s your chance to get to know the history too.
100 Meters
100 Meters (100 metros) is a 2016 comedy and drama movie based on a true story. The movie and its actors were nominated for and received various awards, including a nomination for the Goya awards.
Plot
A Spanish man diagnosed with multiple sclerosis decides to participate in an Ironman. Also, it follows the relationship between him and his father-in-law.
What You Will Learn
First, you will learn some colloquial Spanish and a few cuss words. Also, you will pick up some medical and sports words. Finally, you will hear how the Basque accent sounds thanks to the character who plays the father-in-law.
The movie takes place in Barcelona so you will get a little familiar with the Catalan city and its surroundings.
The Photographer Of Mauthausen
The photographer of Mauthausen (El fotógrafo de Mauthausen) is a 2018 drama historical movie based on real events. It was nominated for and won several awards, including four nominations for the Goya awards.
Plot
The movie takes place in Austria at the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp complex. It tells the story of a prisoner of the camp (Francisco Boix, a Spaniard), who wants to save the evidence of the atrocities committed there.
What You Will Learn
The reason why it’s good to watch Spanish movies like this one is that you get to practice your Spanish while learning about Spanish history.
The Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp was the camp complex that held the most Spaniards during World War II. Most of these people were sent here after they were detained in France when fleeing from Spain after the Civil War.
Mirage
Mirage (Durante la tormenta) is a 2018 science fiction thriller. It became the seventh biggest box-office draw in the world during its premiere weekend in China.
Plot
A time warp interference between the past and the present, which was produced during a storm, causes the main character to save a child who lived in her house 25 years ago. But this act produces changes that give rise to a new reality.
What You Will Learn
In this kind of Spanish movies from Spain on Netflix, people normally pick up general vocabulary.
A part of the movie takes place in the eighties. Therefore, you will learn about how the customs and lifestyles were at this time in Spain.
The Endless Trench
The endless trench (La trinchera infinita) is a historical drama from 2019. It was nominated for and won several awards, including two Goyas.
Plot
The movie is set during Franco’s dictatorship in Spain. A man, who is a Republican, hides in his house from the regime for 30 years with the help of his wife.
What You Will Learn
You will hear vocabulary related to war spoken in the Andalusian accent since the movie takes place in the South of Spain.
Additionally, in this Spanish movie on Netflix, you will learn about the dictatorship years.
Seventeen
Seventeen (Diecisiete) is a Spanish comedy-drama from 2019. It won one award for best movie at Toulouse Cinespaña. Also, it was nominated for a few awards, including one Goya nomination for best new actor (Nacho Sánchez who plays Ismael in the movie).
Plot
The movie follows a 17-year-old boy who is imprisoned at a juvenile center. As part of the rehabilitation program, he helps train dogs. He will form an unbreakable bond with one dog under his care. However, the dog stops showing up and he will start an unexpected journey along with his brother and grandmother to find it.
What You Will Learn
Besides learning general vocabulary, you will also learn some slang and even a fake word: tarapara. This is the only word the grandmother says and it’s not a real word. It seems the director has the habit of using invented words for his Spanish movies.
The movie takes place in Cantabria, so you will be able to enjoy the beautiful scenery of this area.
Live Twice, Love Once
Live twice, love once (Vivir dos veces) is a 2019 Spanish comedy. It was nominated for and won a few awards, such as six Premios del Audiovisual Valenciano awards.
Plot
After a retired professor is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, he decides to find the love of his life from his childhood with his family’s help.
What You Will Learn
A general vocabulary is the highlight of this Spanish movie. Another important thing is the facility of practicing your listening skills since everybody speaks clearly and slowly.
The movie mostly takes place in Valencia. Thus, you will be able to visit the third biggest city in Spain from your couch.
Eye For Eye
Eye for Eye (Quien a hierro mata) is a 2019 drama thriller. The movie and its actors were nominated for and received various awards, including three nominations, and won an award for the Goyas.
Plot
The movie talks about a drug dealer and a man who works as a nurse at a nursing home. One is looking for a place to spend the last days of his life, but the other is looking for revenge.
What You Will Learn
The beauty of the best Spanish movies on Netflix is that you don’t only get to hear Castilian Spanish, but a couple of different Spanish accents. And other official languages.
The movie takes place in Galicia and some of the characters, such as the drug dealers, have Galician accents. Consequently, you will get familiar with how this accent sounds, and you may even learn a couple of words in Galician too.
Also, you will hear some Colombian accents, such as from one of the characters who play a nurse at the nursing home. Additionally, you will be able to enjoy some of the landscapes of this area.
Final Thoughts
Spanish movies are a great way to make your language learning interesting but also more practical.
A great activity we suggest after watching Spanish movies from Spain on Netflix is to discuss the plot and details with someone else. By doing so, you can comprehend the story better and work with the vocabulary and expressions you heard.
Along with other activities, this is the one we go to during our online Spanish conversation classes.
Have you watched any of these Spanish movies? Which one did you like the most?
Let us know in the comment section below what other movies you would add to the list of the best Spanish movies.
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2 thoughts on “Top 10 Spanish Movies on Netflix From Spain”
I have not heard of many of these films, so I will be sure to watch them. Thank you for the recommendations!
You’re welcome! 🙂