Ranked: the 12 best Asian films of 2021, from Drive My Car to Drifting and The Falls

Asia has produced some of the most acclaimed and widely talked about films of the year. Here are a dozen of the best, including Jun Li’s Drifting

Mamoru Hosoda’s Belle tells a story of grief, trauma and internet celebrity, while Drive My Car by Ryusuke Hamaguchi looks set to win big at the Oscars in 2022

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Kiyohiko Shibukawa (left) and Katsuki Mori in a still from Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, one of our 12 best Asian films of 2021.

Published: 6:45pm, 28 Dec 2021Updated: 5:39pm, 29 Dec 2021

While the coronavirus pandemic has done its damnedest to hamper film production, festival screenings and release schedules, the industry has remained defiant.

Asia in particular has produced some of the most acclaimed and widely talked about films of the year, from both established and fast-emerging directors.

In 2021, China cemented its position as the world’s most commercially successful market, thanks to blockbusters like Hi, Mom and The Battle for Lake Changjin, while Asian craftsmanship was recognised at all of the major international festivals.

We have compiled a list of the dozen best Asian films of 2021, as eclectic in origin as they are impressive in artistic merit.

12. The Falls (directed by Chung Mong-hong, Taiwan)

Winner of four Golden Horse awards, including best film and best original screenplay, The Falls is an uncharacteristically low-key drama from writer-director Chung Mong-hong.

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