How to Purchase Foreign Films?

[Ultraman83]

I recently went to an amazing film festival and saw some good foreign movies.

Does anyone know how to purchase foreign films? If there is a movie that you want to buy that will not be released in the USA, what is a good way to get your hands on it? (Hopefully subtitled.) Is it just Amazon.com or Ebay.com, or is there something better? I will pay handsomely anyone who can answer this. Just kidding but thanks a lot to whoever can.

 

[buckhorn]

I assume you wish to purchase the films on DVD (if you are for some reason seeking prints, I can't help).

I further assume you have some reason to believe the titles you seek have been released on DVD.

As you may or may not know, DVDs are manufactured and released according to about six different regions, which means that DVDs coded for the US (region 1) likely will not play on DVD players coded for the other regions. Euro releases are usually coded region 2 and do not play on most US (region 1 players). You can get relatively cheap all-region players and obviate any of the above confusion or inconvenience. I have one and love it.

That aside, you should be able to google the DVD title and find online points of sale, including the various Amazon sites (there are Amazon sites that specialize in serving Great Britain, France, Japan, etc.), Yes Asia, and many other such retailers. There are also a myriad of boutiquey DVD labels like Criterion or Fantoma or Eureka (Masters of Cinema) or whatever that have their own sites. They often carry excellent foreign titles transferred with loving care and packaged with great extras.

I can't tell whether you are looking for current releases or older titles on the arthouse circuit or what, but the latter are likely more easy to find. I often go to Yes Asia to get Asian titles that get released in China or Hong Kong or whatever long before getting released here in the US.

PM me if the above is of no help and you have specific titles you are looking for.

EDIT: Okay, I noticed that you also posted in re the Fantastic Fest, so I checked out the website for the fest and it seems that most of the movies were recent, which may mean they have not been released yet in any region, etc. Still, I would search as per the above stated methods.

 

[Michael Knight]

Amazon has a pretty good selection

 

[Ultraman83]

Thanks guys. Especially buckhorn. I was hoping for a good response or two but not something amazing like what you did. I really appreciate it. If I have further questions I will, indeed, PM you.