Unfortunately, misfortune is no stranger to history, and movies about real-life tragedies are actually pretty popular in the drama genre. Because there have been countless devastating events throughout the years, it is only natural that the film industry brings those poignant moments to light while simultaneously paying homage to those involved. Whether it be a tragic true tale of hope, courage, and bravery like 2017’sStrongeror a cinematic depiction of a hero soldier in a warzone in 2016’s six-time Academy Award-nominatedHacksaw Ridge,heartbreaking true-story movies can range in a wide variety.
From survival stories and epic war dramas to natural disasters and terrorist attacks, movies have, for decades now, held the power to bring audiences to nothing more than a sobbing mess with gut-wrenching portrayals of heroism to disastrous occurrences.These are some of the most impactful and poignant movies based on real-life events and disasters.
35’Into the Wild' (2007)
Directed by Sean Penn
Sean Pennis, of course, best known for his acting work; but he has also decided to sit behind the camera on a few occasions. The best of these is undoubtedly the tragic biopicInto the Wild, one of the genre’s most poignant outings. Full of exceptional performances and with some stunning cinematography, it’s a movie you could never tell wasn’t made by someone who has dedicated his entire life to directing.
As beautiful as it may be, however,there’s also no denying thatInto the Wildis absolutely depressing. It’s a haunting, hard-to-watch drama that perfectly mixes fiction and non-fiction narrative style in consistently surprising ways—the quintessential American road film of the 21st century.— Diego Pineda Pacheco
Into the Wild
34’Nickel Boys' (2024)
Directed by RaMell Ross
Although the main characters and exact details ofNickel Boys' narrative may not be real, its depiction of the infamous Florida reform school where boys were beaten and sexually assaulted definitely is. DirectorRaMell Ross takes an aesthetically groundbreaking approach to the storythat, in the hands of any lesser filmmaker, could have come across as simply gimmicky. Through Ross' radical vision, it’s absolutely stunning.
The visuals are impressive, the performances are top-notch, and the writing—from the characterization to the story’s unique structure—is beyond incredible.Nickel Boysis definitely not an easy watch by any means, but its artistic inventiveness, its immersive tone, and its searing emotional foundation make it one of the most important films of the 2020s so far.— Diego Pineda Pacheco.
Nickel Boys
33'127 Hours' (2010)
Directed by Danny Boyle
Danny Boylehas always been a radical, almost chameleonic filmmaker, and127 Hoursis easily one of his best works. Despite its simple premise confining almost the entire runtime to a single highly claustrophobic location, Boyle’s creativity andJames Franco’s powerhouse performance make the whole thing thrilling.
It’s one ofthe best biopic thrillers of all time, utterly adrenaline-pumping from beginning to end, but that doesn’t mean it’s not absolutely harrowing. As inspirational of a tale of resilience and survival as it is,Boyle also succeeds at making it thoroughly gut-wrenching, including one of the most intense third acts of any biopic in history.— Diego Pineda Pacheco.
32’The Pianist' (2002)
Directed by Roman Polanski
A biographical drama that has a tendency to leave an impression on everyone who sees it,The Pianistis a deeply moving and incredibly realized dramatization ofWładysław Szpilman’s survival in the Warsaw Ghetto. The film follows his harrowing journey from being a radio station pianist whose family keeps a cautious eye towards Germany’s political aggression to a broken and desperate man living completely alone in the ruins of Warsaw.
Anchored by an astonishing and dedicatedOscar-winning performance from Adrien Brody,The Pianistbeautifully encapsulates Szpilman’s personal agony, hopelessness, and loss while epitomizing the horrific atrocities that transpired across much of Europe during WWII. With directorRoman Polanskialso able to incorporate elements from his own childhood memories in the Warsaw Ghetto, the film thrives asa raw yet artful Holocaust picture that remains one of the best and most devastating films released this century.
The Pianist
31’Till' (2022)
Directed by Chinonye Chukwu
A painful and heart-wrenching depiction of racial tensions and systemic injustice in America,Tillis a harrowing biographical drama.Emmett Till(Jalyn Hal) is a 14-year-old Black youth who travels to Mississippi to visit his cousins. When he is brutally murdered by a mob, his distraught mother,Mamie Till(Danielle Deadwyler), embarks on an unrelenting search for justice, one that garners national attention, and lays bare the prejudice ingrained in the judicial system of the time.
Anchored by Deadwyler’s astonishing performance,Tillall but forces audiences of all demographic backgrounds to invest in its story byframing the horrific injustice through Mamie’s heartache, courage, and resilience. It was sadly snubbed by the Academy Awards, and thus remains a tragically underseen triumph of modern-day drama that is both artfully realized and emphatic in its messaging and thematic sharpness.
30’Philomena' (2013)
Directed by Stephen Frears
While on the surface it presents as a pleasant comedy-drama with an effortless ability to charm viewers of all persuasions,Philomenagradually builds its narrative into a heartbreaking story of parental angst and regret. BBC journalistMartin Sixsmith(Steve Coogan) learns ofPhilomena Lee(Dame Judi Dench), an elderly woman who has spent the past 50 years looking for the son she was forced to give up for adoption as a teenager. Deciding to help her in her pursuit, Sixsmith accompanies Lee to America to follow up a promising lead on her son’s whereabouts, and the two form a touching friendship in the process.
With Dench delivering a typically sublime central performance,Philomenamaintains a quiet and refrained excellence that deftly weaves together all of its tonal inspirations—from road movie comedy to the excitement of detective mystery, and even to the scathing drama it directs at religious institutions—to deliver a profoundly powerful and moving picture. It received four Academy Award nominations and continues to thrive as a quiet gem of 2010’s dramedy.
29’Society of the Snow' (2023)
Directed by J.A. Boyena
Based on the shockingtrue story of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571that crashed in the Andes in 1972,Society of the Snowis a bleak yet captivating survival thriller that documents what the survivors of the crash had to do in order to escape the mountains. The chartered flight carried the nation’s rugby team and some of their fans. While 29 of the 45 passengers survived the initial crash, more would succumb to the disease, their injuries, and the elements as the group try to escape one of the most hostile and uninhabitable regions in the world.
Breathtakingly realized while still addressing every agonizing detail of the group’s survival,Society of the Snowis a recent triumph of survival storytelling that stands as both a modern genre highlight and an astonishing feat of international cinema.It isn’t afraid to address the gnarliest and most upsetting details of the group’s journey—including their resort to cannibalism—but the film ultimately stands as a stunning testament to the ability of the human spirit to excel even in the most trying and hopeless of circumstances.
Society of the Snow
28’The Killing Fields' (1984)
Directed by Roland Joffé
Horrific yet undeniably important,The Killing Fieldsisa harrowing biographical war dramafrom Britain that covers the atrocities imposed on the citizens of Cambodia duringPol Pot’s leadership. It follows the experiences of two reporters, AmericanSydney Schanberg(Sam Waterston) and CambodianDith Pran(Haing S. Ngor), in their efforts to cover the Cambodian Civil War and, by extension, the tyranny of the Khmer Rouge under the Communist leader, Pol Pot.
Managing to be both furious at the oppression and empathetic for those who suffered under it,The Killing Fieldsis a visceral and mortifying look at life under one of the most notorious and despicable regimes the world has ever seen. Through its true story and its real-life characters, it manages to bea fiercely intense viewing experience as well as a devastating and emotionally exhausting one.
The Killing Fields
27’Gorillas in the Mist' (1988)
Directed by Michael Apted
Directed byMichael Aptedand starringAliens’iconic actor Sigourney Weaver,Gorillas in the Misttells the true story ofDian Fossey, a scientist who comes to Africa to study the vanishing mountain gorillas, later fighting to protect them in Rwanda.
This jungle adventure is undoubtedly a sad movie that portrays the challenges its protagonist facedwhile attempting to save the animals that she was quite passionate about. With profound acting and great cinematography,Gorillas in the Mistis indeed emotional, with a standout aspect being Fossey’s tragic closure, which remains unsolved to this day. Animal lovers, or fans of good acting and captivating narratives, are probably going to enjoy giving this Apted picture a try.
Gorillas in the Mist
26’Foxcatcher' (2014)
Directed by Bennett Miller
Based on the true story of U.S. Olympic champions and brothers Mark and Dave Schultz, portrayed byChanning TatumandMark Ruffalo,Foxcatchersees the two joining “Team Foxcatcher” and training for the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea. However, the self-destructive behavior of the team leader (Steve Carell) threatens to consume them.
