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International films provide a unique and accurate perspective on World War II, depicting events and experiences often overlooked by American and British portrayals. The best non-English language World War II movies feature dialogue primarily in French, German, Polish, Japanese, Italian, Hungarian, Norwegian, and Finnish, providing an authentic representation of global experiences during the war. These films cover a wide range of World War II stories, from resistance fighters in Norway to the aftermath of the Hiroshima bombing, showcasing the diverse and devastating effects of the war on different nations and individuals.

While many great movies about World War II are produced in the U.S. and the UK, some of the best films set during the conflict are international features with dialogue spoken in languages other than English. France, Norway, Germany, Japan, and other countries have released World War II movies, most depicting events more relevant to their experiences and perspectives.

To mark the release of The 12th Man on 7th January, we’ve been given 3 copies to give away on DVD.

Norway, 1943 – north of the Arctic Circle. Twelve Norwegian resistance fighters have crossed the North Sea to fight the Nazis who have occupied their homeland. But when they drop anchor in a desolate fjord, they are betrayed by a countryman and attacked by a German minesweeper. Eleven of the men are captured, tortured and killed. Only the twelfth escapes…

The twelfth man Jan Baalsrud (Thomas Gullestad) quickly flees into the merciless Norwegian winter with a bleeding gunshot wound and an SS Officer (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) hot on his heels. His determination and will to survive will turn him into a symbol for the Norwegian resistance – a symbol people are willing to die for.

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Signature Entertainment has released a clip for World War II drama ‘The 12th Man’. Based on the legendary true story of Jan Baalsrud, the film tells one of the wildest and most unfathomable survival stories of World War II.

Set in Norway, 1943 – north of the Arctic Circle. Twelve Norwegian resistance fighters have crossed the North Sea to fight the Nazis who have occupied their homeland. But when they drop anchor in a desolate fjord, they are betrayed by a countryman and attacked by a German minesweeper. Eleven of the men are captured, tortured and killed. Only the twelfth escapes…

The twelfth man Jan Baalsrud (Thomas Gullestad) quickly flees into the merciless Norwegian winter with a bleeding gunshot wound and an SS Officer (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) hot on his heels. His determination and will to survive will turn him into a symbol for the Norwegian resistance – a symbol people are willing to die for.

Harrowing physical adventure “The 12th Man” retells the story of Jan Baalsrud, the sole survivor of a thwarted Allied sabotage mission against the Nazis in occupied Norway. Wounded, hunted, often near-death, his long but ultimately successful escape to Sweden was already dramatized onscreen in 1957’s “Ni Liv” aka “Nine Lives,” an Oscar nominee considered one of the greatest Norwegian features ever made. (More recently it was also the subject of documentary miniseries “In the Footsteps of Jan Baalsrud.”)

One might not automatically set expectations quite so high for a new version directed by Harald Zwart, who’s scored some major hits both at home (comedy “Long Flat Balls” and its sequel) and internationally (the “Karate Kid” remake) as well as some thoroughly mainstream duds. But “12th Man” easily reps a personal best for the helmer, and is a stirring adventure by any standard. It opens in New York and Los...

"The last thing they need is that we find a new symbol." IFC Films has debuted an official trailer for a new survival thriller titled The 12th Man, the latest film from prominent Hollywood director Harald Zwart. The film tells the true story of a WWII resistance fighter from Norway named Jan Baalsrud, played by Thomas Gullestad. After the Nazis invaded Scandinavia, resistance fighters would do their best to fight back. After a failed anti-Nazi sabotage mission leaves his eleven comrades dead, Jan ends up on the run from the Gestapo through the snowbound Arctic reaches of Scandinavia. The cast includes Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Marie Blokhus, Mads Sjøgård Pettersen, Vegar Hoel, Håkon T. Nielsen, and Eirik Risholm Velle. This looks like a harrowing survival film, nothing particularly new, but still intriguing enough to warrant a watch sometime. Here's the first official trailer (+ poster) for Harald Zwart's ...

Hollywood director returning to Norway for war drama following The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones and Karate Kid reboot.

Nordisk Film’s return to movies continues apace with the Danish major boarding Harald Zwart’s 12th Man.

The long-gestating film is set during the Second World War and centres on Norwegian resistance hero Jan Baalsrud.

It will mark a return to Norway for director Zwart, who scored a hit at the box office with the reboot of The Karate Kid in 2010. He most recently directed Ya adaptation The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, which underperformed when released in 2013.

12th Man centres on the true story of Baalsrud and three other commandos who were trained by the British to mount an assault on the Nazis.

They arrived by fishing boat to destroy the German air control tower at Bardufoss in Troms on March 29, 1943. But their mission was betrayed and Baalsrud was the only man to evade capture.

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I was a sceptic; I thought it could not be done. I did not believe that London could host such an important global event, let alone pull it off with such grandiose confidence. But now the Olympics are over and to be honest, I don’t want it to end. Particularly considering my last images may be that of Jessie J ruining Queen, or Liam Gallagher proving he needs Noel. But with Britain standing 3rd in the medal rankings, we can be proud of our athletes’ efforts. Whether it was handball, hockey or dressage, my eyes were opened to the magic of the Olympics and I’m sad to see them go. So why not cling on for a little bit longer and join me as I attempt to blur the realms of Film and the Summer Olympics.

If you haven’t read my previous parts, then please find them...