Best movies like Elina: As If I Wasn't There
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
In rural Sweden of the early 1950s, little Elina goes to school again after recovering from tuberculosis, the same illness that has killed her father a few years earlier. Elina's family belongs to Finnish-speaking Finns frowned upon by a staunch schoolmistress who starts hounding Elina for questioning her authority. Elina's mother, sister, and a liberal young male teacher all try to mediate the ensuing battle of wills between Elina and Miss Holm. Elina finds consolation in wandering out on the dangerous marshlands to have imaginary conversations with her dead father. Written by Markku Kuoppamäki.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama, Family
Country: Sweden, Finland
Duration: 77 min
Plot tags: touching, captivating, realistic, atmospheric, serious, stylized
Best tv shows and movies like Elina: As If I Wasn't There (2002):
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Lost in Africa (2010)
Plot Summary:
Simon, an adopted boy of a Danish couple visiting Kenya with his mother, goes missing in Kibera slum. When his mother offers a reward on TV, the kidnappers are on the run.
IMDB Rating: 5.8
IMDB Votes: 218
Genere: Drama, Family, Thriller
Country: Denmark
Duration: 92 min
Plot tags: serious, realistic, suspenseful, suspense, exciting
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Song of my mother (2014)
Plot Summary:
Nigar (Zübeyde Ronahi) is not accustomed to living in the big city of Istanbul and longs to return to her village in Southeastern Turkey from where she was supposedly forced to leave after the incidents of ethnic clashes in 90s. Her son Ali (Feyyaz Duman), on the other hand, has pretty much settled in the city and works ironically as a teacher of Turkish language as a Kurd. Will Nigar be able to convince Ali to take her back to their village? - Written by bennikov.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 539
Genere: Drama, Family
Country: Turkey, France, Germany
Duration: 103 min
Plot tags: serious, atmospheric, realistic, captivating, contemplative, gloomy
Similar in 85%
Marussia (2013)
Plot Summary:
In cities like Paris there are countless people from Eastern Europe who have forsaken their homelands because they can see no future there. Lucia and her little daughter Marussia are two such people. They have been thrown out by the Russian acquaintances they were staying with and must tramp the streets with their trolley suitcases searching for somewhere else to live. A Russian Orthodox priest offers them their first night's shelter. They spend the second night in a homeless hostel and party through the third with a chance acquaintance. On the fourth night they sleep clandestinely in a cinema and on the fifth with a Russian artist in a hotel … Lucia is good-looking, dresses elegantly and is certainly not shy of men. This serves the mother and her daughter well. In spite of all the uncertainties in their lives, the two frequently share tender moments.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 95
Genere: Drama, Family
Country: France, Russia
Duration: 82 min
Plot tags: touching, serious, sincere, realistic, gloomy
Similar in 84%
The Glass-blower's Children (1998)
Plot Summary:
Based on the novel by Maria Gripe, this is the story of two children, Klas and Klara, growing up in the poor Swedish countryside of the mid-19th century. Their father Albert is a glass-blower, famous for his beautiful vases, but still unable to earn enough money for his wife Sofia and the children. At a spring fair a distinguished gentleman arrives and buys all of Albert's glassware. After this nothing will be the same again. Klas and Klara are kidnapped and taken to a strange castle.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Drama, Family
Country: Sweden, Norway, Denmark
Duration: 110 min
Plot tags: offbeat, serious, stylized
Similar in 81%
Tsatsiki, Mum and the Policeman (1999)
Plot Summary:
Little Tsatsiki, son of a single mother in Sweden, has never met his father, a Greek fisherman. Tsatsiki befriends a nice but straight-laced motorcycle policeman renting one of their rooms and decices he is the right guy for his mother, an amateur rock singer in love with her band's bass player.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Drama, Family
Country: Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Iceland
Duration: 91 min
Plot tags: sincere, touching, feel good, humorous, realistic, semi serious
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The Sweetest Gift (1998)
Plot Summary:
Two neighboring families in Florida, one black and one white, struggle with the problems of race, poverty, prejudice, and absent fathers, as their children become friends over the course of one summer and fall.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 181
Genere: Drama, Family
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: uplifting, touching, feel good, serious, emotional, realistic
Similar in 76%
Little House on the Prairie (2005)
Plot Summary:
Little House on the Prairieis a TV miniseries based on the books by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 653
Genere: Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 255 min
Plot tags: sentimental, touching, serious, realistic, period piece, epic, period drama
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The Kid (2015)
Plot Summary:
His mother has left and Gonzalo doesn't know why. How he is taking care of his little infant sister all alone, though he himself is barely ten years old. Neighbours help and try to figure out what should be done with the two children. Like old Felipe with his pub, the veterinarian Julio and his wife, or kind Lorena, who's stranded in the town. And gradually Gonzalo finds out what is really going on.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 16
Genere: Drama, Family
Country: Argentina
Duration: 88 min
Plot tags: sincere, rough, serious, captivating, bleak, realistic
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Secret of the Cave (2006)
Plot Summary:
A young American boy spends his summer in Ireland and solves the mystery that captivates the entire village. Driven by curiosity and his own search for meaning in life, he faces his fears and discovers the Secret of the Cave.
IMDB Rating: 4.8
IMDB Votes: 507
Genere: Adventure, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 88 min
Plot tags: touching, serious, suspenseful, captivating
Similar in 83%
Dad (2010)
Plot Summary:
After a long separation, a father and his son spend the day fishing on the river bank. On a beautiful autumn Sunday, surrounded by the majestic countryside, they seem to be alone in the world. They must start all over again.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 89
Genere: Drama
Country: Slovenia
Duration: 71 min
Plot tags: sincere, atmospheric, realistic, touching, serious, stylized, captivating, crying
Similar in 77%
The Orheim Company (2012)
Plot Summary:
A strong, human tale about a boy growing up with an alcoholic father, but also an energetic story about teenage lust, pain and passion – about liberation and redemption.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama
Country: Norway
Duration: 104 min
Plot tags: realistic, touching, serious, emotional, captivating, sincere, stylized
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Natural Sciences (2014)
Plot Summary:
In a rural school in the middle of the mountains, a girl who is starting to become a woman feels the profound need to discover her true identity. She does not know who her father is and she is determined to find him, but her mother does not approve it. The hostility of winter in such a harsh place turns this desire into a real threat: freezing in the middle of nowhere. Going behind the backs of the school authorities and the girl's mother, her teacher decides to help her. They set off on this quest for truth, but it is not going to be an easy journey... Their only clue is a small, rusty plate.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 319
Genere: Drama
Country: Argentina, France
Duration: 70 min
Plot tags: atmospheric, touching, serious, captivating, realistic, gloomy, road movie
Similar in 86%
Mommo (2009)
Plot Summary:
A brother and sister are split up after their mother dies, their father remarries, and their new stepmother rejects them.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama, Family
Country: Turkey
Duration: 94 min
Plot tags: touching, sincere, atmospheric, serious, captivating, realistic, stylized, gloomy
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Taliesin Jones (2000)
Plot Summary:
Not quite a religious film, not quite a coming-of-age story, not quite a kiddie flick, and not quite a supernatural horror movie, Taliesin Jones's identity crisis nonetheless reveals a sweet examination of one child and his thoughts on God.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 263
Genere: Drama, Family
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 93 min
Plot tags: touching, sentimental, serious, realistic, independent film
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Little Big Girl (2002)
Plot Summary:
While out and about tending to his herd, young shepherd Larus meets a mysterious little girl named Tinke. Quickly realizing that the girl is alone, Larus brings Tinke some food and slowly builds a friendship with her. Tinke, whose parents died within the past year, has managed to survive by her own devices in the wild and has hence become quite feral. Larus convinces Tinke to come to his home so that his parents can take care of her.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 633
Genere: Drama, Family
Country: Denmark, Sweden
Duration: 93 min
Plot tags: sincere, touching, captivating, realistic, serious, offbeat
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Timboektoe (2007)
Plot Summary:
De ouders van Isa en haar oudere broer Kars gooien het roer om en beginnen een camping in Frankrijk. Isa en Kars hebben het gevoel naar Timboektoe te verhuizen en alles te verliezen. Lang klagen ze gelukkig niet, want al snel maken ze nieuwe vrienden. Maar terwijl nieuwe vriendschappen opbloeien, komt camping Timboektoe in de problemen. Niet ver bij hen vandaan is een andere camping geopend en de onsympathieke eigenaar probeert camping Timboektoe aan alle kanten te beschadigen. Het ziet er zelfs naar uit dat de camping moet sluiten…. Zal het Isa en Kars lukken om Timboektoe open te houden?.
IMDB Rating: 5.3
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Drama, Family, Romance
Country: Netherlands
Duration: 110 min
Plot tags: sentimental, serious, realistic, touching, humorous, melancholic
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We Can Be Heroes! (2002)
Plot Summary:
Two kids - about 11 years old - Marcello and Fatima, meet and like each other very much. Both have dreams and problems. Marcello wants to fly but feels like an absolutely useless human being, Fatima wants to play soccer - which is not acceptable for her Muslim family. But then they start to support each other in a very delicate and subtle manner.
IMDB Rating: 5.4
IMDB Votes: 999
Genere: Drama, Family
Country: Sweden
Duration: 89 min
Plot tags: touching, realistic, serious, captivating, contemplative
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Spin (2003)
Plot Summary:
"Spin" tells the story of a boy who loses his parents in a plane crash, is taken in by his uncle (Tucci), who then leaves him for ten years in the care of his Hispanic ranch hand (Blades) and his wife (Delany). Once in high school, Eddie (Merriman) reconnects with a girl from his past (Garces), and their growing interracial relationship teaches the sometimes-sullen Eddie to think of others before himself.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 537
Genere: Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 107 min
Plot tags: sentimental, touching, serious, emotional, realistic, independent film
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Mermaid (2000)
Plot Summary:
Four year old Desi learns to accept the death of her father by sending him a letter on a balloon to which she receives a reply. Based on a true story.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 651
Genere: Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 94 min
Plot tags: sentimental, touching, serious, emotional, realistic
Similar in 77%
My Sweet Orange Tree (2012)
Plot Summary:
Zezé is an 8 year old boy who, although a naughty boy, has a good heart. He leads a very modest life, due to the fact that his father has been unemployed for a long time, and has the habit of having long conversations with a sweet orange tree which is in his backyard. Until one day he meets Portuga, a man who begins to help him and soon becomes his best friend.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Drama, Family
Country: Brazil
Duration: 99 min
Plot tags: sentimental, touching, atmospheric, captivating, serious, realistic
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Eskil & Trinidad (2013)
Plot Summary:
Eskil moves from town to town with his father in Northern Sweden. He misses his mother and sucks at playing hockey, the main activity among the boys his age. Things changes when he meets Trinidad, a mysterious woman who lives outside society spending her time building a great ship that perhaps could take Eskil to his mother.
IMDB Rating: 5.8
IMDB Votes: 185
Genere: Drama, Family
Country: Sweden
Duration: 104 min
Plot tags: touching, serious, realistic, feel good, sentimental, light, sincere, captivating, exciting, tense
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Heidi (2005)
Plot Summary:
Swiss girl Adelheid 'Heidi' is orphaned young. Aunt Detie brings her to grandpa Alp and his wife, who live isolated in the Alps since his murder charge. Heidi soon takes to the wild country, especially accompanying young goatherd Peter. Grandpa refuses to send her to school in the city, but aunt Detie returns and forces him to give in. She's sent to a posh lady in Frankfurt, where she'll be a companion for crippled daughter Clara after school hours.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Drama, Family
Country: UK
Duration: 104 min
Plot tags: touching, realistic, serious
Similar in 78%
Booky & the Secret Santa (2007)
Plot Summary:
Booky does everything she can to make an enjoyable Christmas, for her family, during the depression as her father is out of work.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 311
Genere: Drama, Family
Country: Canada
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: sentimental, touching, realistic, sincere, captivating, feel good, serious
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An American Girl: Chrissa Stands Strong (2009)
Plot Summary:
A fourth grader and her friends deal with bullying from a more popular girl in their class.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 91 min
Plot tags: touching, feel good, semi serious, realistic
Similar in 87%
The Brothers Lionheart (1977)
Plot Summary:
9-year old Karl Lejon, 'Skorpan' is suffering from tuberculosis and knows that he will die soon. But his older brother Jonathan tries to comfort him by promising that they one day will meet in Nangijala, a magic country beyond the stars. Jonathan dies soon after in a house fire and Skorpan also passes away not long after. They meet in Nangijala, a country divided into the Cherry Blossom Valley and the Briar-Bush Valley. The people in the later are oppressed by the black knight Tengil and his dragon Katla. The two brothers, who now call themselves Jonathan and Karl Lion Heart, decide to help the freedom fighters against the oppression.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 7000
Genere: Drama, Family, Fantasy
Country: Sweden, Iceland
Duration: 106 min
Plot tags: touching, exciting, atmospheric, epic, serious, stylized
Similar in 83%
Mother of Mine (2005)
Plot Summary:
1943: Nine-year-old Eero whose father is killed during the war is brought to Sweden to foster parents to his protection like thousands of other Finnish children. Eero feels lost, particularly as his foster mother Signe behaves very unfriendly. She was expecting a little girl and still mourns for her daughter who drowned in the sea.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Drama, War
Country: Finland, Sweden
Duration: 111 min
Plot tags: emotional, touching, melancholic, bleak, realistic, sincere, captivating, serious, gloomy, surprise ending
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Wolf Summer (2003)
Plot Summary:
The young Norwegian girl Kim almost gets killed after falling from a hillside. She finds shelter and stumbles upon the territory of a wolf and her puppy. She barricades herself, but as time passes she finds the wolf less and less frightening. When she finds out three shepherds are out to kill the wolf, she decides to get across the border to Sweden, where they don't hunt for wolves.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Adventure, Drama, Family
Country: Norway
Duration: 87 min
Plot tags: touching, sincere, serious, realistic
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A Time in Quchi (2013)
Plot Summary:
Bao stays with his grandfather for the summer and is shocked to see there are no modern appliances.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 130
Genere: Drama
Country: Taiwan
Duration: 109 min
Plot tags: realistic, touching, atmospheric, captivating, serious
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Sisters (2009)
Plot Summary:
Lyon, France in 1970s, Sibylle, Corinne, and Georgette are sisters who share everything, as they live with their Italian mother. Sibylle is the only blonde in the family, except for their father who abandoned them, and she feels isolated. She dreams of meeting her French father one day.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 230
Genere: Drama
Country: France
Duration: 107 min
Plot tags: sentimental, touching, serious, emotional, realistic, captivating, entertaining
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Finn (2013)
Plot Summary:
Nine year old Finn lives with his father in a small town. Together with his best friend Erik he plays football, but he prefers to play music. His dad wants him to play football, just like every other kid his age. Finn does not understand why, but his father doesn't want to talk about it. When Finn meets a mysterious old man, who plays the violin beautifully, he decides to learn how to play the violin as well. The old man teaches him, while Finn's dad thinks he is playing football... Is Finn the only one who sees the magic of music? What does his father hide?.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 356
Genere: Drama, Family
Country: Netherlands
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: sentimental, touching, serious, realistic, twisted