With The Banshees of Inisherin already scoring nine Academy Award nominations, it is easy to remember that historical films are typically very popular in mainstream cinema. Perhaps this is due to their commitment to good storytelling or by raising awareness of issues and events in the past that remain relevant today. Either way, the actors within them are always of a very high standard, and costume and sets are accurate to the relevant time period.
The films featured in this article are part of the historical drama genre from recent years and tell hard-hitting and emotive stories of real-life people, or invented characters encountering real-life events. Covering a huge range of decades, they each share a passionate commitment to storytelling using raw life experiences.
Content warning: some of the films listed contain strong violence and racist themes.
10 Selma (2014)
Featuring David Oyelowo and Oprah Winfrey, Selma recounts the real-life event where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other supporters marched from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. This resulted in President Lyndon Johnson signing the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965, prohibiting racial discrimination whilst voting. Directed by Ava DuVernay, this historical drama is impassioned in showing part of the fight for racial equality and against racism in America.
In addition to the impeccable casting, David Oyelowo gives an emotional and empowered performance of Dr. King. It is well worth watching as, at the time of its release, it started a huge conversation regarding social justice efforts today.
9 The Favourite (2018)
Equal parts dark and comedic, The Favourite is a brooding and melancholic look into the English monarchy in the eighteenth century, as Queen Anne is very unwell and relies heavily on the two women by her side. Although some parts of the film are inaccurate, due to artistic embellishments, director Yorgos Lanthimos does paint a clear picture of the ruthless women surrounding the Queen at the time.
Headlined by Academy Award winners Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone, this drama unfolds slowly and forebodingly, before cruelly ripping the band-aid off. Despite being released five years ago, it remains incredibly memorable as the dynamic between the three women continually shifts in very unexpected ways.
8 Elisa & Marcela (2019)
Perhaps an unexpected film on this list, Elisa and Marcela is a Spanish-language film recounting the real-life story of the first same-sex couple to be married in 1901 Spain. In adopting a male identity, Elisa was able to marry Marcela in church to try and prevent their community from confronting their (at the time) forbidden love. Due to its black-and-white color grading and its occasional 'old-cinema' film effects, the drama is jarring and abstract at times and the viewer is continually removed and thrown back into the action.
Despite scathing reviews referring to the film as tired, clunky, or passionless, Elisa and Marcela tugs at the heartstrings as audiences can consider the challenges of a same-sex couple in 1900s Europe. The filmmakers also appeal to its significance in the present day, as it remarks at the end of the film that being gay is still illegal in parts of the world.
7 12 Years a Slave (2013)
Ten years on from its release, 12 Years A Slave continues to be one of the most hard-hitting and powerful films of the twenty-first century. Recounting the real-life personal experiences of Solomon Northup's memoir on the big screen, mainstream audiences were shown the cruel realities of him being kidnaped and sold into slavery despite being a free man.
Winning three Academy Awards in 2014 for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay for Ridley, and Best Supporting Actress for newcomer Lupita Nyong'o, this remains a film that continues to have a substantial social impact. It is a clear reminder of the horrors of slavery across history and the scars it left on communities.
6 The King’s Speech (2010)
Focusing on the life of King George VI as he ascends the British throne, The King's Speech sees Colin Firth encounter the realities of a King seeking to cure his stammer. The entire film builds to him making an important speech at the beginning of World War II, which in reality is noted as his most powerful moment as monarch.
The film did well to expose not-very-well-known historical events of the royal family, which saw a man who was not supposed to be King assume the throne. It also speaks to childhood events of King George V's children that were arguably not widely known either. But most importantly, it brought the important work that Lionel Logue did as a speech therapist back into mainstream conversation.
5 Suffragette (2015)
A more hard-hitting drama set in England, Suffragette is about the Suffragette women in the early 1900s who, despite fierce opposition, fought for votes for women. The film specifically features a fictional working mother who gets sucked into the campaign, but also includes real-life women such as Emmeline Pankhurst and Emily Davison.
Carey Mulligan excels in a role that displays the atrocities committed against women, as well as their life-threatening efforts to gain social equality for women. Set in 1912, these women were willing to lose everything in this fight and the film reiterates this human impact. Some women eventually gained the vote in England, but not until 1928.
4 Little Women (2019)
Set during the Civil War in 1860s Massachusetts and loosely based on Louisa May Alcott's childhood, Little Women focuses on a fictional family of four girls and the ups and downs of their lives as they near adulthood. Boasting a very impressive cast, this adaptation of the novel is powerfully reenacted as it conveys their struggles in a way that a modern-day audience can understand.
This Greta Gerwig version also does very well to draw more of the humor from the book out and onto the screen. It sees the young women having fun as close sisters, as well as emotively handling the challenges and politics of 1800s America during wartime.
3 The Butler (2013)
Starring Forest Whitaker, The Butler is based on the life of Eugene Allen who worked in the White House for decades. In the film, Butler Cecil serves eight Presidents and witnesses first-hand very significant events in the United States like the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War. It was released in 2013 to vast praise from critics, although the portrayal of President Ronald Reagan was criticized.
Within the film, issues are raised such as unequal pay, class divisions, and career advancement within the White House, as well as speaking on groups such as the Black Panthers. It also speaks on the US government's response to Apartheid. Ultimately, The Butler shows a huge journey right up until Barack Obama is elected as the first black US President. It is an emotional and powerful watch.
2 The Woman King (2022)
Arguably snubbed by the 2023 Academy Awards, The Woman King is a bold film inspired by the real historical events of the Agojie and their protection of the Kingdom of Dahomey. Set in West Africa two-hundred years ago, the film recounts how an all-woman army protected the King against their enemies.
Viola Davis is flawless in her portrayal of General Nanisca, as her acting abilities yet again have no bounds. She is a fierce soldier who, like her fellow women, has many scars of battle. Much dedication has been put into this film to make it an epic tale of war, with incredible fighting choreography and by interrogating the viewer with its challenging themes.
1 The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)
Set on a remote Irish island, The Banshees of Inisherin sees Colm (Brendan Gleeson) end his friendship with Pádraic (Colin Farrell), who sets out to right any wrongdoing that he may have done. What happens next is a drama-fuelled and at times alarming story of human experience.
The tragicomedy itself takes place in 1923 towards the end of the Irish Civil War and unpacks plenty of dark themes of loneliness and personal despair. Despite this, without giving too much away, it is bleakly funny to watch and with nine Academy Award nominations, there is no secret that it is an outstanding film.