Summary

• War movies can shed light on lesser-known conflicts and the human cost of warfare, serving as important reminders of the consequences for innocent people caught in the chaos.
• Films like "Hotel Rwanda," "First They Killed My Father," and "Quo Vadis, Aida?" showcase the harrowing events of the Rwandan genocide, the Cambodian Civil War, and the Srebrenica massacre, respectively.
• These war movies offer insightful portrayals of conflicts rarely represented in mainstream media, providing an opportunity for viewers interested in understanding the history of global conflicts.

Throughout the history of cinema, there has been so many powerful war movies focusing on conflicts, such as World War II and the Vietnam War, but there has also been plenty of examples of war movies focusing on lesser-known conflicts. The depiction of conflict on-screen has helped to shine a light on lesser-known battles, struggles, and wars and acts as an important reminder of the human cost of warfare and the terrible consequences for those innocent people caught in the chaos. War movies are often insightful portrayals of some of the most harrowing events to even befall humanity.

There have been war movies that shine a light on some of the saddest events in living memory, such as the 1994 Rwandan genocide which saw hundreds of thousands of Tutsi people massacred by armed Hutu militias. Another film the Siege of Jadotville acts as a touching tribute to a seldom-represented Irish army unit in the Congo during the 1960s and their noble surrender which at the time had them labelled as cowards. There are lots of war movies about lesser-known conflicts that any viewer who is interested in the history of conflict across the world should definitely check out.

10 Hotel Rwanda (2004)

Based on the Rwandan genocide (1994)

Hotel Rwanda told the true story of a hotel manager named Paul Rusesabagina (Don Cheadle) who helped save the lives of his family and over 1,000 refugees during the genocide against the Tutsi people that led to as many as 800,000 deaths. Hotel Rwanda shone a light on this shocking massacre and served as a dark reminder of the unspeakable horrors that plague countries, that are severely under-reported by Western media. Cheadle’s heartfelt performance led to a nomination for Best Actor at the Academy Awards and Hotel Rwanda acted as a devastating of a conflict steeped in political corruption, racial tension, and the unspeakable horrors of war, which despite this acclaim still bombed at the box office.

9 First They Killed My Father (2017)

Based on the Cambodian Civil War (1967 – 1975)

Angelina Jolie directed First They Killed My Father, a harrowing depiction of a five-year-old girl trained as a child soldier during the Khmer Rouge’s regime in Cambodia. First They Killed My Father was based on the memoir of the same name by Loung Ung and was a shocking depiction of the human costs of conflict. With a strong level of journalistic integrity, First They Killed My Father showcased the Cambodian Civil War’s consequences on the country's youngest citizens and highlighted the mass killings, intense propagandisation, and political corruption carried out by the Khamer Rougue under the leadership of the dictator Pol Pot.

8 Quo Vadis, Aida? (2020)

Based on Srebrenica massacre during the Bosnian War (1992 – 1995)

Quo Vadis, Aida? examined the Srebrenica massacre through the eyes of United Nations interpreter Aida Selmanagić as she attempts to help her loved ones and maintain her professional duties amid thousands begging for shelter at the Dutchbat Battalion during the Bosnian War. Quo Vadis, Aida? was a tragic depiction of the human toll of violence and a gut-wrenching portrayal of the split-second decisions those affected by war are forced to make. Quo Vadis, Aida? was nominated for for Best International Feature Film at the Academy Awards and helped shine a light on a conflict that is seldom represented in mainstream media today.

7 Siege of Jadotville (2016)

Based on the 1961 siege of Jadotville during the Congo Crisis (1960 – 1965)

An impressive depiction of a seldom-represented moment in history, Siege of Jadotville starred Jamie Dornan and told the story of an Irish army unit’s role in the United Nations Operation in the Congo. Depicting the life standoff between Irish Commandant Pat Quinlan against French and Belgian Mercenaries, Siege of Jadotville was a tribute to soldiers who never got the recognition they deserved and who were treated like cowards after persevering through impossible challenges only surrendering when they had no food, ammunition, or water left.

6 The Last of the Mohicans (1992)

Based the French and Indian War in North America (1754–1763)

An epic historical drama starring Daniel Day-Lewis, The Last of the Mohicans was directed by Michael Mann and tells the story of three Mohican tribe protecting the daughters of a British colonel during the French and Indian War. Day-Lewis delivered a compelling performance in this romantic adventure with a backdrop of a seldomly depicted conflict. While The Last of the Mohicans generally received positive reviews, it has also been criticized for perpetuating Native American stereotypes and centring itself with a white savior narrative through Day-Lewis’s portrayal as Nathaniel "Hawkeye" Poe.

5 The Killing Fields (1984)

Based on the Cambodian Civil War (1967 – 1975)

The true story of a journalist trapped in Cambodia during dictator Pol Pot’s cleansing campaign, The Killing Fields was an insightful portrayal of one of the most harrowing conflicts in the modern era. Roland Joffé incredible direction brings to light the incomprehensibly dark terrors that resulted in the deaths of up to two million Cambodians deemed to be undesirable by the Khmer Rogue. The Killing Fields added extra realism by having a real-life survivor of the Cambodian Civil War, Haing S. Ngor, portray Dith Pran, a Cambodian photojournalist who was subjected to unspeakable horrors in Cambodian prison camps. Ngor received the Academy Award for Best ing Actor for his performance.

4 The Battle of Algiers (1966)

Based on the Algerian War (1954–1962)

Gillo Pontecorvo’s The Battle of Algiers radically changed the war movie genre when it was released in 1966. A fascinating docudrama the film was shot on location and cast non-professional actors, many of whom were actually veterans of the real conflict the film portrayed. As a blending of real-life and fiction, The Battle of Algiers was an important commentary on urban guerrilla warfare and influenced countless directors including Stanley Kubrick (via BFI), Werner Herzog (via NPR), and Christopher Nolan (via Indiewire.)

3 The Wind That Shakes The Barely (2006)

Based on the Irish War of Independence (1919–1921) and the Irish Civil War (1922–1923)

The Ken Loach Irish war drama The Wind that Shakes the Barley starred Cillian Murphy and Pádraic Delaney as two brothers who the fight for Irish independence against the British. The Wind That Shakes the Barley explored this conflict as a social revolution that allowed the Irish people to gain a level of independence in all ways of living that had been denied to them for so long. An uncompromising and gripping portrait of Ireland’s long sought-after fight for independence, The Wind That Shakes the Barley was an authentic portrayal of Irish rebellion.

2 Hunger (2008)

Based on the Irish hunger strike (1981)

The directional debut of Steve McQueen, Hunger starred Michael Fassbender as Bobby Sands the real-life member of the Irish Republican Army who died on hunger strike while imprisoned at HM Prison Maze in Northern Ireland. Hunger shined a light on the troubles in Northern Ireland and the single-minded determination of those affected by them. Hunger acted as a philosophical portrait of humanity and those who were willing to die for their convictions. Fassbender delivered a career-defining performance as Sands and the film signaled the arrival of an important new directional voice in McQueen.

1 Persepolis (2007)

Based on the Iranian Revolution (1978 – 1979)

An adaptation of the graphic novel of the same name by Marjane Satrapi, Persepolis was a powerful depiction of a girl coming of age against the backdrop of the Iranian Revolution. An emotionally powerful and engaging animated movie, Persepolis told a deeply personal story while providing insightful context of Iran’s history and the social changes it had endured in recent decades. An of Marjane's journey toward self-discovery and empowerment, Persepolis was about resilience in the face of a changing world and received universal acclaim from critics.

Sources: BFI, NPR, Indiewire