Movie suggestions for these criteria?
 

Hello, first post here. Criteria in Italics!

I'd like to watch a bunch of movies where there are some really tough characters, preferably taking place in places/languages like Russia, Ukraine, Norway. I like melancholy, dark, dramas that don't necessarily have happy endings. An example of a movie could be Irreversible or Oslo 31 August because they both share a foreign atmosphere which I find refreshing right now. And also the tone of both movies have some similarities in that they're dark and totally realistic. A huge preference would be if it's released after 2000 or so.

Hope to hear of some great titles! Thanks in advance!

Re: Movie suggestions for these criteria?
 

I can think of "Let the Right One In"...

Re: Movie suggestions for these criteria?
 

The Return (03)
Jerichow
Silent Souls

I would certainly recommend The Hunters and its sequel False Trail.

Re: Movie suggestions for these criteria?
 

Leviathan

Re: Movie suggestions for these criteria?
 

for starters

They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
Nashville
Treasure of the Sierra Madre
The Swimmer
Johnny Got His Gun
There Will Be Blood
Battle of Algiers
Ace In The Hole

Re: Movie suggestions for these criteria?
 

how about Incendies (2010) ?

Head-On
Dogtooth
Fat Girl
I Stand Alone
Twentynine Palms
Antichrist
Snowtown
L.I.E.
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

Re: Movie suggestions for these criteria?
 

Here are 5 directors worth checking out:

Bela Tarr
Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Andrei Tarkovsky
Alexander Sokurov
Hou Hsiao-hsien

Re: Movie suggestions for these criteria?
 

Ashes and Diamonds is a great movie.

Re: Movie suggestions for these criteria?
 

This is a good list, despite the fact that most of these films take place in America, which is not one of the OP's criteria, but as far as touch characters and unhappy endings are concerned, this list is pretty much on the money.