In shortNumber 1 in our ranking is Pan's Labyrinth, followed by Welcome Mr. Marshall! and All About My Mother.
Ranking the 10 best Spanish films means leaving out huge classics. We aimed for balance between directors, eras and genres: drama, comedy, horror and fantasy.
Where is The Spirit of the Beehive? Or Open Your Eyes and Volver? Vote below or tell us which one is missing.
Thanks. You voted for . Your vote counts.
We'll publish the readers' ranking once there are enough votes for it to be representative.
1. Pan's Labyrinth
Guillermo del Toro · 2006
A girl, post-war Spain and a fantasy world as beautiful as it is terrible. A Spanish-Mexican co-production that won three Oscars and is one of the most admired Spanish-language films in the world.
2. Welcome Mr. Marshall!
Luis García Berlanga · 1953
A Castilian village dresses up as Andalusian to welcome the Americans. A satire as funny as it is sharp, still working seventy years later.
3. All About My Mother
Pedro Almodóvar · 1999
A mother searches Barcelona for the father of her late son. Almodóvar at his most moving, winner of the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
4. The Sea Inside
Alejandro Amenábar · 2004
Javier Bardem plays Ramón Sampedro and his fight for a dignified death. Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film and an unforgettable performance.
5. The Others
Alejandro Amenábar · 2001
Nicole Kidman in a darkened mansion and one of the most famous twist endings in cinema. Elegant horror that triumphed worldwide.
6. Society of the Snow
J. A. Bayona · 2023
The Andes tragedy told from the survivors' point of view. It swept the Goya Awards and was a global hit on Netflix.
7. Cell 211
Daniel Monzón · 2009
A prison officer trapped in a riot pretends to be an inmate. With the iconic Malamadre, it is pure suspense cinema.
8. Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Pedro Almodóvar · 1988
Gazpacho laced with sleeping pills, a Madrid penthouse and a frantic comedy. The film that made Almodóvar an international name.
9. Spanish Affair
Emilio Martínez-Lázaro · 2014
A man from Seville pretends to be Basque to win over a girl from the Basque Country. The highest-grossing Spanish film ever in Spain.
10. Champions
Javier Fesser · 2018
A basketball coach is sentenced to train a team of players with intellectual disabilities. A comedy with heart that won the Goya for Best Film.
Frequently asked questions
How many Oscars for Best International Feature has Spain won?
Four: Volver a empezar (1983), Belle Époque (1994), All About My Mother (2000) and The Sea Inside (2005).
What is the highest-grossing Spanish film of all time?
Spanish Affair (Ocho apellidos vascos, 2014) is the Spanish film with the highest box-office takings in Spanish cinemas.
Would you change the order?
Tell us what's missing, what shouldn't be here or what you'd put at number 1.